First Families of St. Louis: A Way to Honor Your Ancestors

(Many thanks to StLGS treasurer, Viki Fagyal, for writing today's blog.)

While you are still home because of COVID-19, have you considered working on your First Families of St. Louis application? St. Louis Genealogical Society’s First Families of St. Louis is a lineage group whose objectives are to identify, recognize, and archive the lineage of early St. Louis families. If you have an ancestor who arrived in St. Louis on or before 31 December 1865, you are eligible for First Families of St. Louis. If you descend from one of the First Families of St. Louis, you certainly want your family’s longevity, courage, fortitude, and pioneer spirit preserved and celebrated.

To apply for First Families of St. Louis, you must be a member of the St. Louis Genealogical Society. Any member of the society who can prove a straight-line descendancy from an early St. Louis resident in one of these three categories is eligible to join First Families:

• Founding Families (1765–1804)
• Pioneer Families (1805–1821)
• Immigrant Families (1822–1865)

The process is simple. Download the application form from the StLGS website. The newly-revised interactive Guide for Completing a First Families of St. Louis Application will walk you through the application process. Please follow all the directions! Complete the application, being sure to attach appropriate documentation for each fact (name, date, place, and relationship). If you are confused about appropriate documentation, there is a PDF of what is acceptable proof available on the First Families page. For example, a census record is not appropriate documentation for a birth or relationship, but it does document your family in St. Louis on a specific date, so is appropriate to identify your ancestor in St. Louis.

When you have everything together, submit the application, documentation, and $30.00 non-refundable application fee (check made payable to “St. Louis Genealogical Society”) to the society office. The applications are reviewed by a panel of three members of the society. If there are questions, the First Families chairperson will contact you and work with you. If you need assistance filling out the application, please email firstfamilies@stlgs.org.

Once approved, you will receive a First Families lapel pin and a certificate suitable for framing. And, most importantly, your ancestor’s history will be archived for the future!