StLGS July Genealogy Meetings

Summer has arrived most definitely throughout the world, so we hope you are staying cool and dry! We have some interesting meetings this month, air conditioned at both our office and the St. Louis County Library! Please don't forget that the deadline for early registration for our Salt Lake City Research Trip is tomorrow, June 30th, and remember that you can still watch the digital recordings of our Family History Conference for another two weeks by registering to view them. All the information you need is below. . . . 

Lullabies Have Soothed Millions of Us to Sleep

Babies, no matter where they are born or what they look like, come to us without language or social norms. They need our love and nurturing to grow and our soothing voices and touch to calm their fears. For centuries, parents around the globe have sung and hummed to their little ones, and as spring approaches with its promise of new life, we thought we'd share with you the origins of some of the lullabies we've raised our babies with for centuries. So, hum away as you read more about where those iconic tunes came from, why so many refer to unpleasant situations, and why we have them in the first place.

Please Join us on Saturday, March 7th for Our Annual Open House!

Last March, St. Louis Genealogical Society revived our annual Open House after a hiatus of several years, and it was a great success. And now it's time to do it again! Our Open House offers an opportunity to meet old and new friends, take a tour of our spacious office, learn more about upcoming meetings and events, and get answers to your genealogical questions. With the hint of spring finally in the air, we are excited to welcome you once more to this year's Open House. Read on for all the details!

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. 

January Genealogy Meetings are Coming Your Way!

We hope you had a festive Chanukah, Christmas, and/or Kwanzaa and that your new year will be off to a good start. As we head into January 2026 this week, we want to remind you of our upcoming genealogy meetings, and we hope you will take out your calendar, whether on your phone or that old fashioned but still reliable paper version, and note the following dates. We hope to see you very soon at a meeting or two. And stay tuned for a busy and exciting genealogy schedule for this coming year!

We're All Set for 2026 and a Reminder About Giving Tuesday!

We hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving, and with the arrival of our first measurable snow in St. Louis this weekend, most of us are now well into the mood for the upcoming holiday season! We have a sneak peek for you now of the first StLGS genealogy programs of 2026, and we also want to remind you how important it is to help your favorite nonprofits as much as you can on Giving Tuesday. Please read on for details.

October Genealogy Meetings and Another StLGS Election

As warm as it's been everywhere, it's not feeling much like autumn, but as our year winds down, we hope you will continue to join us for our remaining 2025 meetings. For those of you who are members of StLGS, voting is now open for the election of officers for 2025. Our bylaws provide for elections of our officers in alternate years, so we never have everyone new to a job at once. This year, we will elect a vice-president for programs and a treasurer. Luckily, we have some talented and caring volunteers running for each position, and, although they are unopposed, they would appreciate your support by voting. More information about everything is below.

StLGS July Genealogy Meetings

Happy Almost Fourth of July! We hope you have a safe and enjoyable holiday! After you put away your barbecue supplies and polish off the last of the leftovers, be sure to pull out your calendar and make note of our upcoming genealogy meetings, all indoors and air conditioned! Please don't forget that the deadline for early registration for our Salt Lake City Research Trip is today! And remember that the deadline for watching the digital recordings of the Family History Conference is Sunday, 3 August. You can still register to see them. All the information you need is below. . . . 

A Preview of 2025 AND It's Giving Tuesday!

As this year begins to wind down, the StLGS Programs Committee has been hard at work getting all of our exciting events for 2025 in place. We are ready to open registration for the January meetings, we have a full-day Jewish genealogy seminar coming in early February, an Open House planned for March, and much more! We offer you a teaser of January events this week with much more to come as we get closer to the new year. And, this week brings us Giving Tuesday, which all non-profits, like St. Louis Genealogical Society, rely on for much-needed donations. Please read on for details.

July Genealogy Meetings and Classes

It's almost July 4th, which means summer has officially begun! Enjoy the upcoming holiday week, but don't forget to get out your calendar and make note of some of our upcoming programs. This month's general meeting will be our last at the Grant's View Branch of the St. Louis County Library system. With the new Clark Family Branch opening on 9 July, we will finally be able to go back to meeting at one location, now with ample room and state of the art technology! We'll have more for you on that soon; meanwhile, please read on for July's offerings. . . .

October StLGS Genealogy Meetings and Events

We hope our recent post on pumpkins got you thinking of autumn, even if it still feels summery outside. (Did you miss that blog? You can find it here.) We thank everyone who helped make our Fall Speaker Series so successful, and we look forward to welcoming all of you to some upcoming meetings and classes. Our October monthly meeting will be at the Grant's View branch of St. Louis County Library, but it will also be livestreamed for those who can't attend in person. We have an Irish SIG meeting in October, and some great classes are coming up. More information about everything is below.

Library Resources, German Brick Walls, and Irish Research on Tap for March Genealogy

Snow, sleet, and ice may have been falling in February, but we know that spring is on the horizon. The recording of our February monthly meeting featuring archivist Mike Everman on probate records is now on the Monthly Meetings page and our Ask Louie January panel discussion will remain up until the end of March. Coming up next, via Zoom, is the March monthly meeting on using the St. Louis County Library History and Genealogy Department for your research. Plus, we have a German Special Interest Group (SIG) meeting planned for you, and it's not too late to register for the Irish research class coming up this weekend.

March 2021 StLGS Genealogy Meetings, Classes, and Events

Just a few more weeks, and spring will arrive, at last! As we are moving into 2021, it's become clear that Zoom meetings are here to stay and that we can continue to learn and share with each other via technology. We are so excited about engaging those of you who reside outside the St. Louis area or who cannot travel to an in-person meeting. We miss you and look forward to the day when we can meet again in person, but in the meantime, we are continuing to plan for many interesting and exciting programs for the rest of this year as webinars. Here is what is coming up in March and a bit beyond, like our annual Family History Conference!

February 2021 Upcoming StLGS Meetings and In Memoriam for Three Long-time Volunteers

As we enter the heart of winter, we hope that wherever you are located, whether it's snowing, raining, or mild and sunshiny, you can brighten up your February by attending some of the upcoming StLGS meetings we have scheduled. In addition, we hope those of you who are society members will take advantage of our free classes for members coming up in March and April.

January 2021 Genealogy Meetings and Classes

Well, we made it! Finally, 2020 is over and there is a glimmer of hope for a much happier, healthier new year. Now that the holidays are behind us and it's feeling like winter outside, it's time to get back to genealogy! We enter an especially important year in Missouri as we celebrate the state's 200th birthday! Look for special focus in our meetings, extra events, and our Quarterly journal on early Missouri history. Because it is still not safe to meet in person, we are continuing our virtual meeting schedule for the foreseeable future. We have had such positive feedback from so many of you, we can't wait until you see some of the exciting plans we have for 2021. Here's a start—stay tuned for a lot more!

September Genealogy Meetings and Events

September StLGS Monthly Meeting

Saturday, 14 September 2019—10:00 a.m.

"Preserving Home Movies and Family Photographs," by Ellen Mays, St. Louis County Library Headquarters Auditorium, free and open to all, no pre-registration needed

More information on the StLGS website.

German Special Interest Group (SIG) Meeting 
Wednesday, 18 September 2019—7:00 p.m.

"Using Deutsches Geschlechterbuch and Deutesche FamilienArchiv," by Scott Holl; St. Louis County Library Headquarters Auditorium, free and open to all, no pre-registration needed.

 More information on the German SIG page on the StLGS website.

Other Upcoming Classes/Meetings

StLGS Classes 

• All classes are free to StLGS members; there is a fee for non-members. 
• Classes are held at the StLGS office and begin at 1:00 p.m. 
• Pre-registration required at 314-647-8547

Saturday, 21 September 2019

"Beyond Parish Records: Other Useful German Records at the Family History Library,"
by Carol Whitton, CG

Saturday, 28 September 2019

"Using Technology in Genealogy Research," by Cathy Amen

Saturday, 5 October 2019

"Beginning Irish Research," by Carol Hemmersmeier and Kay Weber

View the entire summer/fall 2019 genealogy class schedule here.

St. Louis County Library Classes
Numerous classes at all branches in September. More on the library website.  

Click on the September calendar and scroll down the page.

Carondelet Historical Society Meeting
Sunday, 15 September 2019—1:30 p.m.

Discussion of the historic photograph collection of Dr. William Swekosky by Andy Hahn, 6303 Michigan Avenue, St. Louis, free and open to all, no pre-registration needed.

More information on the group's website.

Czech Genealogical Researchers Monthly Meeting
Saturday, 14 September 2019—1:30 p.m.

"Czech Research Time," open research time with volunteers on hand to provide assistance, St. Louis County Library Headquarters History and Genealogy Department, free and open to all, no pre-registration needed.

More information on the group's website.

Maplewood Public Library Special Meeting
Thursday, 19 September 2019—6:30 p.m.

"Maplewood Through the Years," by Doug Houser; join Maplewood's resident historian as he speaks about the history of this dynamic city. Maplewood Public Library, 7550 Lohmeyer Ave., Maplewood, Mo. 63143, free and open to all, no pre-registration needed.

More information about the library on its website.

Fall Classes Announced; July Genealogy Meetings and Events

Fall Classes Now Open for Registration

Check out the StLGS website for the complete list of fall classes that begin in August and run through October. Once again, StLGS offers a two-part class called "Foundations of Genealogy" for those just beginning or needing some refresher hints. Are you interested in learning how to use the FamilySearch website, or are you going on our Salt Lake City Research trip? We have a class that will give you great information on the catalog, wiki, and other parts of the site, and can help you prepare for the trip. Classes on German and Irish research, using technology in your research, and the Legacy FamilyTree PC software are also available. For a complete schedule and/or to download a PDF, go to the StLGS website. (Sorry, but there is no online registration for classes. Please either mail in the registration form or call the office.)

Upcoming StLGS Meeting

 No meeting in July. We look forward to seeing you at our special events:
Summer Speaker Series and/or the Writing Institute
You can still register for both by clicking the buttons on the StLGS website's home page.

There are also just a few rooms left for the annual Salt Lake City Research Trip.
More information and online registration on the StLGS website.

August StLGS Monthly Meeting
Saturday, 10 August 2019

"Finding the Civilian Conservation Corps," by Nancy Schuster, St. Louis County Library Headquarters Auditorium, 10:00 a.m.; free, open to all, no pre-registration needed.

    
Upcoming Irish Special Interest Group (SIG) Meeting

  Tuesday, 23 July 2019

"Using Social Media for Irish Research," by Laura Mackinson and Ilene Murray; St. Louis County Library Headquarters Auditorium, 7:00 p.m. Free, open to all, no pre-registration needed.

 More information on the Irish SIG page on the StLGS website.

Other Upcoming Meetings/Events

Czech Genealogical Researchers Monthly Meeting
Saturday, 20 July 2019

"Escape to Freedom," by Mary Ann Sulz, St. Louis County Library Headquarters East Room, 2:30 p.m.; free, open to all, no pre-registration needed.

More information on the group's website.

St. Louis County Library Classes
Tuesday, 16 July; 2:00 p.m., Daniel Boone Branch
Wednesday, 17 July; 6:30 p.m.; Cliff Cave Branch
Thursday 25 July 2019; 2:00 p.m.; Headquarters

"Finding Ancestors in U.S. Census Records," class given in three locations; free, but pre-registration is needed and there are limited spaces.

Information/registration for the 16 July class; information/registration for the 17 July class; and information/registration on the 25 July class on the library's website.

Tuesday, 23 July 2019; 10:00 a.m.; Weber Road Branch
Monday, 29 July; 2:00 p.m.; Headquarters

"Finding Immigrant European Ancestors," class given in two locations; free, but pre-registration is needed and there are limited spaces.

Information/registration for the 23 July class and
Information/registration for the 29 July class on the library's website.

Sappington-Concord Historical Society Monthly Meeting
Thursday, 18 July 2019

"A 150-year Journey Toward Hope: St. Louis State Hospital," by Amanda Hunyar, Friendship Village South, 12503 Village Circle Drive, Sunset Hills, 2:30 p.m.; free, open to all, no pre-registration needed.

More information on the group's website.

June Genealogy Meetings and Events

Update to St. Louis County Historian Vacancy

Thanks to StLGS member, Carol Waggoner, for letting us know that she has communicated with St. Louis County Executive, Sam Page, who told her that "Tom Ott is now the acting county historian and he [Sam Page] emailed this morning that he intends to fill the position this summer." Great news for St. Louis County!

Upcoming StLGS Meeting

StLGS Monthly Meeting
Saturday, 8 June 2019

"Migration from the Eastern U.S. to Mid-America," by Carol Whitton, CG, St. Louis County Library Headquarters Auditorium, 10:00 a.m.; free, open to all, no pre-registration needed.

More information on the StLGS website.

    
Upcoming German Special Interest Group (SIG) Meeting

  Wednesday, 19 June 2019

"German Parish Records in Archion and Matricula," by Carol Whitton, CG; St. Louis County Library Headquarters Auditorium, 7:00 p.m. Free, open to all, no pre-registration needed.

 More information on the German SIG page on the StLGS website.

Other Upcoming Meetings/Events

Czech Genealogical Researchers Monthly Meeting
Saturday, 22 June 2019

"The Irish in Bohemia," by Mary Petersen, St. Louis County Library Headquarters East Room, 1:30 p.m.; free, open to all, no pre-registration needed.

More information on the group's website.

St. Louis County Library Classes
Saturday, 22 June 2019

"Digital Archiving Day at the Library" St. Louis County Library Headquarters, 2:00 p.m.; free, but pre-registration is needed and there are limited spaces.

More information on the library's website.

Thursday, 27 June 2019

"Who Were My Ancestors? Beginning Genealogical Research," St. Louis County Library Headquarters, 2:00 p.m.; free, but pre-registration is needed.

More information on the library's website.