Due to unforeseen circumstances the DNA Doubleheader Webinars scheduled for Saturday 3 December has been cancelled and will be rescheduled soon

DNA Doubleheader - Two DNA Webinars in One Afternoon

3 December @ 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 November 26, 2022. 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.

The Fall 2022 edition (Volume 55 No. 1) of The Chicago Genealogist is now available. The electronic version can be accessed by signing into the website and selecting The Chicago Genealogist from the Members Only section. Please note that requested paper copies will be mailed once the printing is finished. We hope you enjoy the new issue.

The Chicago Genealogical Society was saddened to learn that Wayne Weber, current Treasurer, passed away on 19 October 2022. He was a life member of CGS, joining on 1 September 1969. Wayne served as Treasurer since 2008. Also, he held the positions Archives/Historian, Quarterly Proof Reader, By-laws Committee and filled in many times as Recording Secretary, 1^st VP of Membership and Nominating Committee. He gave so much of his time to the Chicago Genealogical Society. Wayne will be truly missed.

On behalf of the Chicago Genealogical Society, the Board wishes to convey to Wayne’s family how sorry we were to learn of his passing. We send our sincere condolences to the extended family for your loss.  CGS will be making a donation in Wayne’s name to a charity suggested by the family.

Wayne Daniel Weber – Hallowell & James Obituaries (hjfunerals.com)

Exciting opportunities are happening at the Chicago Genealogical Society

DNA Doubleheader! Two DNA Webinars in One Afternoon

3 December @ 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 CGS members (that’s only $5/per webinar!)

$20 non-members

Registration is required via the Chicago Genealogical Society website under Events. Registration will close 1 hour prior to the event (3 December @ noon). The webinars 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.

No refund after November 26, 2022. 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.

We're excited to unveil our newly updated CGS Instagram account @ChicagoGenSoc that you can find by searching in your Instagram App or going online to https://www.instagram.com/chicagogensoc/  Visit and follow us today!

And we'd love to give you some suggestions for using Instagram's basic features so you can be prepared for our upcoming October 11th CGS Special Tech Tuesday Webinar, "Get Grammin': How to Instagram Your Family History" with professional genealogist Elizabeth Swaynay O'Neil.

1.     Free help from the Instagram Help Center:  Get your questions answered in the Instagram Help Center at https://help.instagram.com/ or find answers by Google-ing for help from other sources.

2.     How to register for an Instagram account:  Download the Instagram App or go online to https://www.instagram.com  Click "Sign up," and either 1) Enter your email address, password and create a user name, or 2) Register with your Facebook account.  Details in the Help Center at https://help.instagram.com/155940534568753

3.     How to add a profile pic:  Go to your Profile by clicking the   profile icon.  Click "Edit Profile," then "Change Profile Photo," then select where you'd like to import your photo from, then "Submit."  Details in the Help Center at https://help.instagram.com/557544397610546

4.     How to manage settings:  *Via App* = Find your account settings by clicking your bottom   profile icon, then clicking the    3-bar collapsed menu icon (also called the Hamburger button), then clicking "Settings."  *Via Computer* = Find your account settings by clicking your top right menu profile pic to find the  "Settings" in the dropdown menu.  Details in the Help Center at https://help.instagram.com/131112217071354

5.     How to protect your privacy on Instagram:  Consult the "Staying Safe" section in the Help Center at https://help.instagram.com/1417489251945243/ 

6.     How to post on Instagram:  Instagram is photo driven, so choose a photo, then start building your post by clicking the  add a post icon and follow each step, clicking "Next" until your post is ready, then click "Done."  Details in the Help Center at https://help.instagram.com/442418472487929/

7.     How to search Instagram:  Search Instagram using keywords or hashtags (labels added to a post beginning with a # sign with words attached, like the hashtag for the Chicago Genealogical Society which is #ChicagoGenSoc).  Simply type your keywords or hashtag into the Search box (you may need to click the  search icon to reveal the Search box).  You can search for photos, videos, people's accounts, people's locations and so many other things.  Details in the Help Center at https://help.instagram.com/1482378711987121

8.     How to follow others on Instagram:  When you find an account that you'd like to follow, simply click "Follow."  Details in the Help Center at https://help.instagram.com/741619032578266

Dear CGS Members,

The Summer 2022 edition (Volume 54 No. 4) of The Chicago Genealogist is now available. The electronic version can be accessed by signing into the website and selecting The Chicago Genealogist from the Members Only section. We hope you enjoy reading! Please note that requested paper copies will be mailed once the printing is finished.

The Chicago Genealogical Society announces a special Birth/Marriage/Death records project for members only. Let us help you obtain locked Cook County, Illinois, Birth/Marriage/Death record images from familysearch.org. You will need to locate the record on familysearch.org and provide name, date, GS film Number, digital folder number, image number, reference id, record number and certificate number. Not all numbers are provided for each record. (Instructions on reverse side of project form). We are NOT doing research. We are retrieving record images only. This is a members only project. Members can request up to three records for $5.00 each. All efforts will be made to locate the record.  However, if a record is not found the fee is non-refundable.  Requests are due by August 31, 2022. Requests will be filled in the order they are received, and images will be emailed.   

2022 CGS BMD Request Form.pdf

Email the completed project form, type required information directly into an email or send familysearch.org screen shots to info@chicagogenealogy.org and pay at www.chicagogenealogy.org/donate and select the Fund: Birth/Marriage/Death Records Project. Or you can mail the completed project form to CGS, P.O. Box 1160, Chicago, IL 60690-1160, Attn: Birth/Marriage/Death Records Project. Include check payable to CGS.

Dear CGS Members, 

The latest issue of The Chicago Genealogist is here!  To access the electronic version of the 2022 Spring Edition, Volume 54 No. 3, sign into the website and select The Chicago Genealogist from the Members Only section. We hope you enjoy reading!

Requested paper copies will be mailed once the printing is finished.  

The Chicago Genealogical Society recent webinar featured the Communities of Garfield Ridge and Clearing. Rob Bitunjac, president of the Clear-Ridge Historical Society and Branch Manager of the Clearing Library, discussed the history of the Chicago communities of Garfield Ridge and Clearing as well as some of the surrounding areas. Also, resources the Clear-Ridge Historical Society and the Chicago Public Library have to offer as far as genealogical research was shared. A recording of the webinar is available to CGS members in the members only section of the Chicago Genealogical Society website.

The Clear-Ridge Historical Society maintain historical files about the neighborhoods of Clearing, Garfield Ridge and the surrounding areas of Summit, Stickney and Bedford Park. We recommend visiting the Historical Society’s website to learn more and check out their great photo collection. https://clearridgehistory.weebly.com 

If you are researching these communities, they have published 3 books that maybe of interest. More information available on their website.

The History of Garfield Ridge

A Little Known History of the Land Called Clearing

Gleanings of Archer Road

*The picture is of former Chicago Mayor "Long" John Wentworth's farmhouse that he built in 1868 on the corner of what is now Archer Avenue and Harlem Avenue, taken in 1936. Courtesy of the Clear-Ridge Historical Society.

Great news! Chicago Building Permits for 1872-1954 have been digitized and available free online! No more going to the Chicago History Museum or the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) Library to sit at the microfilm reader to find this information.

The collection includes:

The Chicago Building Permit Street Index

The Chicago Building Permit Ledgers

City of Chicago Fire Reports

Building Construction Data

This collection is handwritten and not searchable. There is a “Browse Building Permits” button. We highly recommend reading all of the guide to get a clear understand of the collection to help you with a successful search.

Included is an informative guide and how to:

Find a permit

• Using the digital reel
• Using the street index – Note which direction you are looking for (North, South, East and West). Number addresses will be next to each other.  Some are really hard to read.
• Using the ledger Books
• Ledger detail for pre-1912
• Ledger detail for post-1912

Supplementary information – **important to read to understand the collection

Fire reports for 1933-1968 – 12 ledgers, handwritten index in front of each ledger, helpful reel index that shows date ranges and index starting page.

Building construction data from 1917-1925 – 4 ledger books

So, locate those addresses and dig in to see what you can find.

Introduction - Chicago Building Permits Digital Collection 1872-1954 - Subject and Course Guides at University of Illinois at Chicago (uic.edu)          

https://researchguides.uic.edu/CBP/home

Thank you UIC – University Library for digitalizing this collection and making it available free online.