Chicago Genealogical Society

Upcoming events

    • 1 Apr 2023
    • 1:30 PM
    • Webinar
    Register


    Did you know resources are available to genealogists outside the U.S. census population schedules? The U.S. Marshalls and enumerators had to follow instructions outlined in manuals which are excellent tools for genealogists. Jennifer will provide tips, tricks, and resources to extract more information and evidence than ever! Using examples, she will demonstrate what codes and tick marks represent and introduce resources and methods to advance your census research.

    Jennifer Roodzant is a professional genealogist and speaker specializing in DNA and southern U.S. research. She volunteers as secretary for the Napa Valley Genealogical Society and is a certificate-holder in Genealogical Research from Boston University and ProGen Study Groups. Jennifer applies genealogy standards to resolve complex research objectives.


    Registration is required via the Chicago Genealogical Society website under Events. Registration will close 1 hour prior to the event. The meet-up will take place virtually via ZOOM. All people registered will receive an email the morning of the event with log-in instructions and a link. This information is not to be shared.

    Note: This webinar is FREE for CGS members. Non-Members can register for the event for $10. No refunds. 

    • 3 Apr 2023
    • 7:00 PM
    • Virtual Meet-Up
    Register


    Open Mic Meet-Up - CGS Members Only Event

    Join us to share your discovery or watch and listen to others share their successes. You have a research problem? Come and ask the group. Maybe someone will have a suggestion to further your research. A great opportunity to learn!

    This meet-up will have a host to run the Zoom and to give the opportunity for everyone to share as time permits. If you plan to share a discovery or problem, please keep it to 5 minutes or less to allows others to also share. 

    Registration is required via the Chicago Genealogical Society website under Events. Registration will close 1 hour prior to the event. The meet-up will take place virtually via ZOOM. All people registered will receive an email the morning of the event with log-in instructions and a link. This information is not to be shared.

    Picture from Library of Congress

    • 1 May 2023
    • 7:00 PM
    • Webinar
    Register


    Over ten percent of the US population fought in the Civil War in the 1860s.  Using (mostly) free resources, learn some tips on how to determine if your ancestor was in the war, and how to differentiate among those common named soldiers.

    Brian Rhinehart is a professional genealogist and speaker and is the owner of CivilWarRecords.com.  He is a graduate of Boston University’s Certificate of Genealogy Research and his work has been featured in the PBS television show "Finding Your Roots."  A direct descendant of six Civil War soldiers, Brian specializes in research and record retrieval for Civil War and War of 1812 soldiers at the National Archives in Washington DC and has retrieved military files for hundreds of clients there.

    ***This presentation will be recorded and only available to members for 30 days.


    Registration is required via the Chicago Genealogical Society website under Events. Registration will close 1 hour prior to the event. The meet-up will take place virtually via ZOOM. All people registered will receive an email the morning of the event with log-in instructions and a link. This information is not to be shared.

    Note: This webinar is FREE for CGS members. Non-Members can register for the event for $10. No refunds. 

    • 13 May 2023
    • 1:00 PM - 3:30 PM
    • Webinars
    Register

    DNA Doubleheader - Two DNA Webinars in One Afternoon

    13 May @ 1:00pm & 2:30pm  

    Join us for this special afternoon to learn about DNA with Karen Stanbary, MA, LCSW, CG®, BCG Trustee.

    1:00pm Why Test My DNA When I Already Know My Ancestors? Explore the many ways DNA test results confirm and advance documentary research.

    2:00pm – 30-minute break

    2:30pm Case Study---Who are Katey's Biological Parents? Ancestry DNA Match Lists and A Deep Dive into Documentary Records Confirm a Biological Relationship and Extend the Proof Back Generations

    A case study demonstrates research strategies integrating evidence from documentary and genetic sources to prove genetic relationship conclusions. Common mistakes in atDNA analysis are explored.


    Karen Stanbary, CG®, holds the Certified Genealogist credential. She lectures nationally on the use of DNA test results in genealogical problem-solving, always within the framework of the Genealogical Proof Standard. She is a Trustee for the Board for Certification of Genealogists and chairs that organization’s DNA Committee.

    Cost:    $10 members (that’s only $5/per webinar!) 

                 $20 non-members

    No refund after May 6, 2023. The online payment service fee of $1.50 will be deducted from refunds. These presentations will not be recorded. Handouts will be provided to registrants only.


    • 5 Jun 2023
    • 7:00 PM
    • Webinar
    Register


    Part of the thrill of genealogy is sharing our discoveries with those we love, so it can be disappointing when our family members and friends have no interest in the subject.  However, with good research, thoughtful planning, and a dash of ingenuity, we can create engaging stories designed to entice even the most reluctant readers. Topics include how to breathe life into dry genealogical facts, choosing a compelling story structure, making decisions that enhance the quality of the writing, and presenting what you’ve written in an appealing way.  Creating a captivating ancestral story from our ancestors’ names, dates, and places is like turning fish eggs into caviar: the facts don’t change, but the way we describe them makes all the difference.

    Our speaker, Pam Vestal, is a professional genealogist and speaker who turned her focus to her longtime love of genealogy after a 20-year writing career. Her articles have appeared in the National Genealogical Society Magazine, The Association of Professional Genealogists Quarterly, and FGS's Forum magazine, and her lectures take her from coast to coast.  Pam specializes in conducting genealogical research and then transforming that information into illustrated stories that even non-genealogists can enjoy.

    This presentation will be recorded and only available to members for 30 days.

    ***Note - Thie June Webinar will also be the CGS Annual Meeting. 

    Registration is required via the Chicago Genealogical Society website under Events. Registration will close 1 hour prior to the event. The meet-up will take place virtually via ZOOM. All people registered will receive an email the morning of the event with log-in instructions and a link. This information is not to be shared.

    Note: This webinar is FREE for CGS members. Non-Members can register for the event for $10. No refunds. 

    • 8 Jul 2023
    • 10:00 AM
    • Mt Carmel Cemetery 1400 South Wolf Rd Hillside IL
    Register

    Mt Carmel Cemetery Walk

    Mt Carmel Cemetery, 1400 South Wolf Road, Hillside, Illinois is a wonderful historic Chicago cemetery very much worth a visit. The cemetery is the final resting place of a very large number of Chicago’s 19th century Irish Catholic immigrant population. Besides the Irish, the west side of the cemetery is “home” to a very large number of Chicago’s Italian Roman Catholic immigrant population. The gravestones for many buried here have ceramic individual photos attached to them. Passing along such stones is a fascinating experience.

    The cemetery also contains a number of unique family statuary stones including that of Julia Buccola Petta, a rotating family group statue “stone,” as well as a “mailbox” stone.  A “city street” of family mausoleums are also notable.  At the center of the cemetery is the large Mausoleum for Chicago cardinals. Visitors will also visit the end of the line for most of Chicago’s infamous gangsters of the 1920s and 1930’s. Our cemetery walk guide will be Craig Pfannkuche.

    Registration is required via the CGS website and will close Friday, 7 July at 3:00pm CST. Attendees will receive an email after registration closes with a cemetery map detailing information on the meeting spot.

    If you are unable to attend, we plan on live streaming some of the cemetery walk that morning on Facebook so check it out. 

    Member Gravestone Photo Request

    ***CGS Members*** The CGS Cemetery Committee is offering to take gravestone photos for members at the Mt Carmel Cemetery. One request per member please. Please check FindAGrave and BillionGraves websites first to see if a photo is already available. Depending on the number of requests received, it may not be possible for volunteers to complete every one. Also, volunteers may not be successful in finding the requested graves. If the grave is located, you will be emailed photo(s) of the gravestone and CGS will also load the photos on FindAGrave.

    Provide the name, dates, and location (section, plot) for your photo request. To look up a grave location, go to www.catholiccemeterieschicago.org and on the top bar select “Find Your Loved One.” Requests will be taken between May 1- June 30. Email to CGS info@chicagogenealogy.org Attn: Mt Carmel Cemetery Gravestone Photo Request.  


Past events

14 Mar 2023 How to Use eBay, Etsy, and Other Shopping Sites for Family History
6 Mar 2023 Polish Beneficial Records in Genealogy
6 Feb 2023 Open Mic Meet-Up: Share Your Latest Genealogy Discoveries or Problem
4 Feb 2023 Researching Chicago Ancestors from Afar
2 Jan 2023 Search vs. Research
15 Nov 2022 Digital Organization for Your Family History
7 Nov 2022 How to Maximize Your Search Using Fold3
11 Oct 2022 Get Grammin’: How to Instagram Your Family History
3 Oct 2022 Open Mic Meet-Up: Share Your Latest Genealogy Discoveries or Problem
1 Oct 2022 A Visit to Pullman, Illinois: Pullman Museum and CGS Walking Tour
12 Sep 2022 Immigration Ports of Entry
13 Aug 2022 Historic Old Joliet Prison Tour
1 Aug 2022 Hopping Down the Paper Trail
11 Jul 2022 Open Mic Meet-Up: Share Your Latest Genealogy Discoveries or Problem
9 Jul 2022 Montrose Cemetery Walk
6 Jun 2022 Sign of the Times: Timelines in Genealogy
9 May 2022 Focused Research: Using Research Plans
4 Apr 2022 Open Mic Meet-Up: Share Your Latest Genealogy Discoveries or Problem
2 Apr 2022 Beyond Ancestry: Essential Portals for Genealogy Research
7 Mar 2022 Chicago Neighborhoods: The Communities of Garfield Ridge and Clearing
7 Feb 2022 Open Mic Meet-Up: Share Your Latest Genealogy Discoveries or Problem
5 Feb 2022 Getting Ready for the 1950 Census: Searching with and without a Name Index
3 Jan 2022 How to Build a Personal Genealogical Reference Library
6 Dec 2021 Open Mic Meet-Up: Share Your Latest Genealogy Discoveries
4 Dec 2021 Special Military Afternoon - Roll Call of Resources: Researching Revolutionary War and U.S. Civil War Ancestors
8 Nov 2021 The Everleigh Sisters: A Case Study in Conflict Resolution
2 Oct 2021 CGS Genealogical Bus Tour: The Great Chicago Fire
17 Sep 2021 Chicago & North Western Historical Society Archives Afternoon Tour
17 Sep 2021 Chicago & North Western Historical Society Archives Morning Tour
11 Sep 2021 Researching Pre-fire Chicago
2 Aug 2021 The World of Juliette Kinzie: Chicago Before the Fire
24 Jul 2021 Commemoration of the 106th Anniversary of the Eastland Disaster
5 Jul 2021 Open Mic Meet-Up: Share Your Latest Genealogy Discoveries
5 Jun 2021 What the Heck Does That Say? Overcoming the Challenge of Difficult Handwriting
3 May 2021 The South Side in Ten Families Part 2
1 May 2021 Funeral Home Collections: Utilizing Genealogical Societies and Others for Crowd Sourcing
5 Apr 2021 Open Mic Meet-Up: Genealogy Discoveries Made During Lock Down
3 Apr 2021 Researching HER Life: Genealogical Tools and Methods for Researching Your Female Ancestor
8 Mar 2021 Friedrich Eiler: Building an Identity from Scant Clues
8 Feb 2021 Virtual Open Mic Meet-Up: Genealogy Discoveries Made During Lock Down
6 Feb 2021 Everyone Has a Story: Why everyday life stories are worth capturing and how to do it
4 Jan 2021 The South Side in Ten Families Part 1
7 Dec 2020 Chicago Genealogical Society Ancestor Certificates - Honoring Your Chicago Ancestors
7 Nov 2020 Identity Puzzles: How to Make Sure You're Following the Right Character
5 Oct 2020 Cartographic Tales of Chicago History
12 Sep 2020 The Art of Negative-Space Research: Women
25 Jul 2020 Webinar: The Pritzker Military Museum & Library
24 Jul 2020 Commemoration of the 105th Anniversary of the Eastland Disaster
21 Jul 2020 Virtual Meet-Up: "Ask the Expert" About Eastland Disaster Genealogical Records
21 Jul 2020 Virtual Meet-Up: "Ask the Expert" About Eastland Disaster Genealogical Records
25 Jun 2020 Virtual Meet-Up: "Ask the Expert" About Chicago Property Records
6 Jun 2020 Webinar: Travels with My Sister: Genealogical Journeys
9 May 2020 *** Will Be Rescheduled*** Purple Hearts Reunited Chicagoland Returns
2 May 2020 Where Did Grandpa Go? Using Maps to Solve Genealogical Problems - Webinar
2 May 2020 ***Rescheduled to July 25, 2020*** Behind-the-Scenes Tour of the Pritzker Military Museum & Library
4 Apr 2020 Finding Hidden Clues in Old Family Photos **Rescheduled to September 12, 2020**
7 Mar 2020 Spit and You Shall Find! atDNA Identifies a Charming Scoundrel
1 Feb 2020 Newspaper Necessities
7 Dec 2019 Mayflower and Other Lineage Societies: What are they? Why would I join one? How do I join?
2 Nov 2019 The Chicago “L” -- Chicago’s Biggest “Mover & Shaker”
5 Oct 2019 Decoding the Sentiment behind Cemetery Symbolism
7 Sep 2019 Tracking Down Your Infamous Ancestors
24 Aug 2019 CGS Genealogical Bus Tour: Chicago’s Greatest Waterway - The I & M Canal
1 Jun 2019 Adoption Searches Past and Present
19 May 2019 Webinar - The Eastland Disaster: An Unparalleled Tragedy
4 May 2019 The Eastland Disaster: An Unparalleled Tragedy
6 Apr 2019 Investigating Chicago Police Ancestors
2 Mar 2019 Purple Hearts Reunited Special
10 Feb 2019 Using Yearbooks for Genealogy
2 Feb 2019 If These Walls Could Talk: Incorporating Stories of Places to Enhance Your Family Narrative
13 Jan 2019 Genealogy Road Trips with Julie Benson
19 Aug 2018 MyHeritage DNA with Daniel Horowitz
2 Jun 2018 CGS Annual Meeting

Chicago Genealogical Society is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.  Address: PO Box 1160, Chicago, IL  60690-1160

Powered by Wild Apricot Membership Software