Ready to Learn More About Artificial Intelligence? Join us in September . . .

Exploring AI for Genealogy: A Hands-On Experience

Featuring StLGS co-webmaster, Jim Ross

Important Information About our Website and Online Store!

Many of you know that our StLGS website is in the process of undeergoing an update. Our busy technology team has been working diligently on ways to best redesign our site to make it more user-friendly, easier to access on mobile devices, and more visually appealing. It's been a long, involved process of meetings and planning, but we finally settled on a local website development company and began to move ahead when a wrench flew into our plans. 

Artificial Intelligence and DNA in Genealogy: New Tools for Your Research

For decades, those of us researching our family history have watched technology change the way we work. If you started your journey towards the end of the twentieth century, you expected to travel to a library or courthouse, sit among books, periodicals, and boxes of old papers, and read unindexed material for hours. If you were fortunate, some of what you needed was microfilmed, and you could crank faded and blurry images until your shoulders ached and your hands cramped. The first of many updates in genealogy came to microfilm readers when they became more automatic. Film could be threaded, advanced, or reversed with just a touch of a button.  But, lucky for us, technology forged onwards, and our lives became a whole lot easier.

Time Once Again for our Annual Gift-Giving Guide for Genealogists!

Every year about this time, we publish our "Genealogy Gift Guide," filled with ideas for the genealogists on your holiday shopping list. We have a wide variety of gift suggestions. You can purchase some in the stores and most online. Something here is sure to fit the bill for that family historian on your annual gift-giving list whether you get into your car or shop comfortably at your computer. Have fun fulfilling someone's (or your own) wish lists!

We Bid Farewell to Longtime StLGS Core Volunteer, Edward E. "Ted" Steele

Usually on the first of each month, our weekly blog features upcoming meetings. Because of the importance of the following "In Memoriam," we'll hold that post until next week. In the meantime, please use the Annual Family History Conference, Calendar of Events and Current Classes pages on our website for the latest news. Also, registration for our annual Salt Lake City Research trip has just opened. And now, please read on as we bid farewell to a beloved member of our genealogical family.

Some New Year's Resolutions for Genealogists

As each new year begins, do you get excited about starting over? Do you promise yourself you will exercise more? Eat more healthy foods? Cut back on bad habits or continue good ones? Perhaps you have made some new year’s resolutions for those things, but have you thought about making some for your genealogy research? There are many things that all of us can do in this new year and those to come to enhance our research skills. Why not make a resolution for 2024 to become a better researcher? Here are a few suggestions for how you can do just that.

It's Time for Our Annual Genealogy Gift-Giving Guide!

Every year about this time, we publish our "Genealogy Gift Guide," filled with ideas for the genealogists on your holiday shopping list. We have a wide variety of gift suggestions. You can purchase some in the stores and most online. Something here is sure to fit the bill for that family historian on your annual gift-giving list whether you get into your car or shop comfortably at your computer. Have fun fulfilling someone's (or your own) wish lists!

StLGS Office Update AND July Meetings and Classes

Happy Fourth of July! As we mentioned a few weeks ago, the StLGS office in Maplewood is getting a much-needed facelift, and work is in full swing. The painters have finished applying a double coat of a soft grayish-white paint on all the walls, a big improvement over the dull pink that was previously there. This last week, the carpet installers removed the old, faded pinkish/gray-blue carpet in the more traveled areas of the office and replaced it with a bright navy/mauve textured one. The next step will be a thorough top to bottom cleaning by a professional crew. This is, of course, taking time and hard work. Read on for more details!

Gift Ideas for Genealogists

Are you ready for the holiday season? It's here! As we look ahead to Chanukah, Christmas, and Kwanzaa, it's time to start thinking about holiday gifts for those genealogists on your shopping list, and we are pleased to present our traditional "Genealogy Gift Guide," in case you need some ideas. Although it's easier than it was during the past few years at this time to get out to the stores, you can still purchase almost all of these items online. So whether you get into your car or shop in your jammies at your computer, have fun fulfilling someone's (or your own) wish lists.

Volunteers Needed!

Like many others in the business world, St. Louis Genealogical Society rode out the storm of the "pandemic years" with a skeleton crew of hard-core workers. This was an amazing feat, considering that our society has no paid staff. Everything we accomplish is because of our volunteers. Elected officers, members of the board of directors, and office "regulars" all pitched in to keep the society moving along during those months of uncertainty. As it became safer to work together at the office, volunteers relied on each other to follow safety protocols, and we were able to pick up the pace. However, although many of our volunteers have returned to work, there is currently more to do than there are people to do it!

Genealogy During the Pandemic: Digitizing Your Slides

If you are old enough to remember when photography meant cameras, film, and flash attachments, then you probably also have boxes of photos, negatives, and slides. Travel has always involved photography, but for those of us "born in the day," that meant dozens of rolls of slide film, leading to hundreds of slides each time we took a trip. Years of vacations and family reunions before digital cameras came along led to thousands of slides sitting in Kodak Carousel trays taking up a vast amount of shelf space.

How to Find an Old Post and Other Social Media Search Tips

Have you ever seen a post in a Facebook group, then later couldn't find it when you went back to look for it? Social media can move fast these days, and as we have all been at our computers and using social media more and more, it's important we sharpen our search skills so we can more easily find what we want. For instance, you can search most blogs, including this one, for names, topics, places, and more. Similarly, you can search for people, surnames, and places (and more) in the St. Louis Genealogical Society's Facebook group. You can also quickly locate genealogy-specific accounts and tweets on Twitter. Here is how you can search smarter when you are using social media.

Updates to the StLGS Website

FHC Conference Recording Update and More

Registration for the 2020 virtual Family History Conference will remain open until early July. As of this week, there are six digital recordings available to registrants. "Civil War Eyewitnesses" from Dennis Northcott and "Using Technology in Genealogy Research" from Cathy Amen have been added to the original four recordings from "The Legal Genealogist," Judy Russell, and are now online. We expect to add John Dougan's lecture this week, followed by the last three talks as soon as the speakers are able to record. Remember that registering for the virtual FHC entitles you to all ten lectures plus the complete syllabus! Each of the lectures is available to view for ninety days from the date they are posted online. For more information on the conference, and/or to register, see the conference page on our website.

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Although many St. Louis researchers know Dennis Northcott, assistant archivist at the Missouri History Museum's Library and Research Center, our newest speaker on technology, Cathy Amen, is a first-time lecturer for our Family History Conference. We thought you might like to learn more about her, so Laura Mackinson, StLGS social media chairperson, asked her these questions:

Laura: What's the most useful new tech for genealogists? Why?
Cathy: Actually, my must-have is my smart phone. There are so many apps available now that make researching quick and efficient. All of the major genealogy research sites (Ancestry, FamilySearch, My Heritage, etc.) have mobile apps that allow you to research, access your trees, review DNA matches, and more, wherever you are. I also love the ability to review physical records, scan them into PDF or JPG format, and upload to my notetaking or genealogy software easily with a few clicks. My research time has become so much more efficient, allowing me to spend time doing what I love—actual research!

Laura: There's nothing wrong with using pencil and paper to do your research, but if you avoid technology, what might you miss out on?
Cathy: The above answer alludes to this question as well. If I relied just on paper and pencil, I would limit my time and ability to research. Technology allows me the ability to organize my findings, attach copies of documents to my tree, and become more efficient. I can easily share my findings with family members, whether by emails, blogs, or Facebook groups. Plus, the use of technology ensures that my research findings will be available for future generations.

Laura: If you had to select only one or two, what tech should genealogists adopt first?
Cathy: I encourage everyone to use a designated genealogy program for organizing and maintaining their tree. It can be an online product, such as Ancestry.com, MyHeritage, etc. or a personal program that can be modified to suit your needs: Reunion, RootsMagic or Legacy. Please move from paper! Your descendants will thank you!

Laura: What originally sparked your interest in genealogy?
Cathy: I have always loved to read, especially biographies and history. I tried to imagine how my family members lived in other historic times and places. My grandparents always shared family stories and I wanted to validate them. A funny story, my maiden name is Todd. We were told that we were related to Mary Todd Lincoln, since our family came from Kentucky, as did her family. My husband believed it, because as he said, I’m a shop-a-holic and "crazy like she was reported to be.” However, research and DNA totally disproved this family story. None of my family members are happy with me! Our only claim to fame shut down, although I can’t confirm they still don’t use it!

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New on the StLGS Website: Master Index to the St. Louis City/County Biographies

With 170 biographies now online and more waiting to be uploaded, it was time to make it a little easier to find the subjects of the biographies. From the beginning, we have had an every-name index, divided into alphabetical segments, with the subjects' surnames in all caps. However, as the project grew, so did the indexes, making it difficult to just browse. Now, with the addition of the master list, you can see at a glance exactly who is the subject of a biography and go directly to the page. As in most of our indexes, women are listed by both married and maiden names. Check out the new index on the St. Louis City/County Biographies page under the "Indexes" heading. 

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We're Still Here for You!

As we continue to social distance throughout the upcoming weeks, the StLGS office remains closed for the safety and protection of our volunteers and visitors. However, our online store remains open for registrations, memberships, and merchandise, and all volunteers with StLGS email accounts are monitoring their email daily. So, if you have any questions or need anything, don't hesitate to send a note. We love to hear from our members and friends! For a complete list of email addresses, visit the Contact Us page on our website.

First of the FHC 2020 Digital Recordings Now Online!

St. Louis Genealogical Society is delighted to announce that digital recordings of the four Judy Russell lectures are now available online! During the upcoming week, recordings of three additional lectures from the 2020 StLGS Virtual Family History Conference lectures will be ready to post as well! We all know what a curator does in a museum. Do you know what he/she does in a legal document? Have you thought of using mind maps to help you solve genealogical puzzles? Those who had the opportunity to watch Judy Russell live on Saturday, 18 April and Sunday, 19 April, have those answers and many more. With Judy's recordings available online, you now have a chance to watch at your leisure, either for the first time or to review the large amount of detailed information this noted genealogist shared with her audience.

Next up for recording will be Dennis Northcott, associate archivist at the Missouri History Museum's Library and Research Center. Dennis is an expert on the collections in the Missouri History Museum's archives and will share firsthand accounts of the Civil War taken from letters, diaries, and other unique materials in his talk called "Civil War Eyewitnesses."

Also coming soon will be a lecture from John Dougan, Missouri State Archivist, who will speak on "Life and Death at Missouri Statehood: Gleaning Genealogical Details from Frontier Inventories." John will give us insights into what life was like on the Missouri frontier prior to statehood and how you can learn more about early ancestors from their inventories and other estate papers.

Cathy Amen's talk on "Using Technology in Genealogy Research" will also be posted soon. She will discuss software, scanners, photo-editing apps and organizational tools that will help make you more productive.

The remaining three conference lectures will be added as soon as the speakers have access to their workspaces and equipment. Registrants will be notified as soon as those recordings are ready for viewing.

All digital recordings will be online for ninety days, beginning with the day they are posted. You may watch as many times as you like within that time frame.

Registration Process

 

1. Registration for all ten of the digital recordings will continue to stay open until at least the beginning of July. The cost is the same as it was for the in-person conference: $55 for StLGS members and $65 for non-members. All of the information you need to register is on our website.

2. Once you have registered, you will receive an email with a link to a page on the StLGS website that contains the complete syllabus, in two large files, including all of the handouts. These are downloadable PDFs, which you can print and/or just save to your computer. Links to all the digital recordings will be added to that page as soon as each recording becomes available.

Questions? Send an email to programs@stlgs.org and the vice-president for programs will get back to you. No one is currently in our office, so please do not call.

2019 Holiday Gift Suggestions for your Favorite Genealogist (or You!)

Lucky for us, there is an abundance of wonderful possibilities for holiday gifts for your favorite genealogist or historian. We offer you the following ideas to make your genie-buddy's holiday just a bit brighter (or to gift yourself!)

St. Louis Genealogical Society

1. An individual or family membership, just in time for the start of the 2020 year's events and our ever-expanding collection of online databases
2. Gift certificates, available in any amount, good for discounts on workshops or items in the StLGS store (Check the website for how to order.)
3. Copies of society publications, such as The War of 1812 in Missouri (volumes 1 and 2) or Orphanage Care in St. Louis; all available in our online store or at the office

Technology-related Gifts

1. Flash/thumb drives to use in libraries or to move, share, or store files
2. A portable external hard drive for extra storage or backing up files
3. A subscription to an online/cloud backup plan such as Backblaze or Carbonite
4. Extra supplies for digital equipment: memory cards, batteries, portable mini-tripods
5. A subscription to Ancestry, FindMyPast, Newspapers.com or any similar service
6. A DNA testing kit (Choose one of the major companies: FamilyTree DNA, Ancestry, or 23andMe. Select the one that has the most people in its database that are similar to your recipient. The more people with the same background in the database, the more accurate the results.)
7. A genealogy software program or an upgrade to an existing program
8. Gift cards to the Apple App Store or Google Play Store or to the appropriate store for their particular smart phone or tablet so they can buy additional apps
9. Gift certificates to local community colleges or adult education sponsors for classes and practice in using technology

Not Technological

1. Archival quality photo storage boxes or photo albums
2. Acid-free photo mounting supplies and/or photo marking pens
3. Acid-free, archival quality sheet protectors and/or paper
4. Good quality three- or four-inch D-ring binders for storing copies of sheets and documents
5. Gift certificates to historical/genealogical societies in areas where ancestors lived for membership, publications, and/or special events

Books!

Almost all genealogists are book lovers and you can't go wrong by adding to their collections. Try some of these . . .

1. Any of the QuickSheets by noted genealogist Elizabeth Shown Mills (or, better yet, her excellent book on source citations, Evidence Explained)
2. The series of Genealogy at a Glance laminated booklets available in a variety of ethnicities: German, Irish, French, etc.
3. Books on American states of interest; for instance, any of the NGS Genealogy in the States series
4. Books that are specific to areas of interest: neighborhoods, religions, occupations, or any other unique aspect of their family history

Remember, as a StLGS member, you are entitled to a discount on many of the products in our online store. Be sure to log in as a member to get your discount code before you shop. Click here to go to the StLGS online store. Or come by the office and see what we have available in our lobby sales area. Have fun doing your holiday shopping or just treating yourself to a gift!

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.