February Genealogy Meetings and Class AND Information on Special Upcoming Events!

As we dig out from the massive snow and ice storm this past weekend, we want to remind you that if you missed any of our January genealogy meetings, you can snuggle up on the couch and enjoy some of the recordings posted on our website. Then, you can plan ahead to join us in February. Our annual "Ask Louie at Your Service" meeting started the new year with many interesting questions, and the recording is available on our Monthly Meeting page. The German Special Interest Group (G-SIG) hosted Timo Kracke, a German genealogist, who spoke on databases hosted by German genealogical societies. That recording and Mr. Kracke's handout are available on the G-SIG page. The Irish Special Interest Group (SIG) hosted a Zoom presentation featuring Susan McKee, who provided helpful tips on "Organizing Your Genealogy: Getting Your Research Year Off to a Good Start." The recording of the meeting and Ms. McKee's handout are posted on our Irish SIG page. We hope to see you at our February meetings and our first class for 2026. Read on for details. 

The Truth About the Hessians, German Mercenaries in the Revolutionary War

In keeping with our America 250 theme this year, we'll move into the Revolutionary War, and if you are of a certain age, you likely learned about the Hessians in a high school social studies or history class. These were the "bad guys" in the American Revolution, German mercenaries, as we were taught, only interested in money and out for blood and sport. Now that we are grown, and many of us have an avid interest in history and may, in fact, be descended from those soldiers, it's time to rethink what we thought we knew about the Hessians. You may be surprised at how much we got wrong!

Secrets of the Census, Part 6: 1890

One of the first things genealogists discover is how lucky we are to have two hundred years’ worth of federal censuses to help us. Starting in 1790, our government has collected data on citizens every ten years. After seventy-two years, that data is made public. The earliest censuses only included male heads of households, but gradually they became more useful to family historians, and we have cruised through the nineteenth century gathering information on our ancestors. We left off our “Secrets of the Census” posts in 1880, and we should be able to dig into the 1890 census next except for its very sad story. Perhaps, like many people, you’ve heard that the 1890 census was lost in a fire. However, that is not quite the case. Here’s what really happened:

We Are Ready to Celebrate America's 250th Birthday!

Happy New Year! This year marks the start of the second quarter of the 21st century, and it also begins the celebration of America’s 250th birthday! Along with many other history and genealogy societies, StLGS is planning special events throughout the year as well as taking part in other groups' events in the St. Louis area. We thought we’d start this special year off with a glimpse of what life was like for some of our ancestors as the United States began its journey to independence from England. Join us for a trip back to 1776 . . .