Another Farewell and Calculating Days of the Week for Genealogy

We learned this week of the death of another St. Louis Genealogical Society volunteer, Don Wallace, who was instrumental in getting the society's congregations and cemetery projects underway on our website, and we were sorry to hear of his passing. More on Don and his contributions to StLGS in the "In Memoriam" section at the beginning of this post.

When you were young, you might have had an older relative who delighted in reciting an old English nursery rhyme to you concerning the day on which you were born. Or perhaps, you may have pulled the poem out when your first child, grandchild, niece, or nephew was born. It's a sweet ditty, although how accurate it is is questionable, but it reminds us that knowing the day of the week on which an event falls is sometimes important. This week we will take a look at perpetual calendars, how they work, and where you can find them.

Autumn Traditions are in the Air

Although it's still very warm in parts of the United States, those of us in the Midwest are enjoying some cool, comfortable weather this week. In fact, the nights are feeling downright autumnal! Stores are filled with the bright colors of Halloween decorations, and those of us who need our yearly fix of pumpkin doughnuts, pumpkin muffins, and the ever-popular pumpkin spice lattes, are blissfully eating and drinking our way into the season. Did you know that pumpkins have a long, interesting history? If your ancestors were in this country or in South or Central America, they likely ate, cooked, and/or carved pumpkins throughout their lives. Read on for more!

Another Victory for Reclaim the Records!

We want to thank one of our readers, Bob Meinhardt, for reminding us about the newest accomplishment of the exciting, hardworking genealogy group, Reclaim the Records. The last time we wrote about this amazing organization was in February 2020, when we introduced you to them and what they were doing on behalf of all genealogists throughout the U.S. to make public records truly public. (You can read that previous post here.)

September Genealogy Meetings, Upcoming Classes, and Fall Speaker Series

It feels like the summer has flown by, doesn't it? But fall is almost here, and we are excited about our remaining meetings, some new upcoming classes, and our hybrid Fall Speaker Series. All the details to get you started with our fall event schedule are below.

St. Louis Through the Ages: Exploring the City of Your Ancestors

Many of us have deep roots in St. Louis. Even if you don’t have ancestors who lived here, if you have lived in St. Louis for a good part of your life, you likely feel very close to the city’s history. For those reasons, we invite you to attend “St. Louis Through the Ages: Exploring the City of Your Ancestors,” our annual Fall Speaker Series, featuring Emily Jaycox and Dennis Northcott from the Missouri History Museum’s Library and Research Center. Emily and Dennis will present four lectures on Saturday, 16 September 2023, from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. (Central) at the StLGS office, 4 Sunnen Drive, Suite 140, Maplewood, MO 63143.

Our Ancestors' Killer Cures: Part Three of Three

Long ago, people’s knowledge of medicine was quite limited. Doctors, who were accessible mostly to the rich, were trained in the best way they could be, given no one really understood what was making people ill until well into the nineteenth century. For hundreds of years, most people never saw doctors; they relied on “wise-women,” monks and nuns, apothecaries, and barber-surgeons who understood and likely grew herbs and other plants that might or might not be effective in treating illness. People were extremely superstitious, believing in magic and witchcraft, so cures based on magic stones and charms and driving out evil spirits were popular. 

NGS Announces Continuation of War of 1812 Project

The War of 1812 began on the heels of the American Revolution and had the new nation scrambling once again for sovereignty over Great Britain. Having won their independence in 1783, the former colonists now found themselves facing British troops hoping to keep them from moving further westward into North America. Enlisting the help of several indigenous tribes also eager to keep the restless settlers from taking more land, Great Britain’s troops began an assault on America from both land and sea.