Looking for Hard-to-Find Genealogy Records in St. Louis?

So many of us have ancestors who wound up in orphanage care or migrated, at least in part, via the railroads. We all have searched cemeteries, and perhaps many of us have attempted to find obscure records in library collections. What if we could spend several hours taught by local experts in the safety and comfort of our homes, learning more about what genealogy records might be available? Wouldn't that be just perfect? Well, the opportunity is here! 

Please join us for our virtual Fall Speaker Series, Often Overlooked St. Louis Resources, on Saturday and Sunday, 17 and 18 October 2020, when we present four lectures, two each day, via Zoom, so you can discover exactly what is possible for your research.

Orphanages of St. Louis

Start your weekend on Saturday, 17 October, at 1:00 p.m. (Central) with Viki Fagyal, author, lecturer, and StLGS treasurer, as she introduces you to the history of orphanages in St. Louis. Learn about the laws, the institutions, and, most importantly, the records—where they are and how to access them. Viki's book, Researching Orphans and Orphanage Care in St. Louis, is the definitive guide on this subject and is now for sale in our online store in both print and electronic (PDF) format.

                      The Railroads of St. Louis

Did you know that one of the most important railroad museums in the country is here in St. Louis? The John W. Barriger III National Railroad Library is housed in the Mercantile Library on the campus of the University of Missouri-St. Louis. Nicholas Fry, curator of the Barriger Library, will give our second talk on Saturday entitled "The Railroads of St. Louis." While there are no passenger records for railroad travelers, knowing about the routes and the traveling conditions will enhance your knowledge of your ancestors' journeys. Nick will discuss how the arrival of the railroads in St. Louis changed the city and affected the lives of those who needed to travel.

St. Louis County Library Records

On Sunday, 18 October, also at 1:00 p.m. (Central), Scott Holl, manager of the nationally-known History & Genealogy Department at St. Louis County Library Headquarters, will highlight the many incredible records, databases, and finding aids available in the library and on their website. While the library remains closed during the pandemic, much can be accessed remotely at this time, and Scott will introduce you to the incredible variety of resources that is waiting for you when it is safe for them to reopen.

Cemetery Research

Finally, to finish out the weekend, the staff and volunteers from Bellefontaine Cemetery, a historic and beautiful treasure trove of art and history, will present "Cemetery Use for Genealogical Purposes." So much more than just a repository of names and dates, rural cemeteries like Bellefontaine give us a chance to learn about how our ancestors viewed death and dying and to understand the symbolism often used on their memorials. Becky DiFilippo, Dan Fuller, Dorris Keeven-Franke, and Michele Thomas will have some extra time during their lecture to present general information about rural cemeteries and very specific information on what makes Bellefontaine Cemetery such a local treasure.

(Photo by Ilene Murray, © 2020)

All the talks will be recorded, so if you cannot attend the livestreaming, you can watch the recordings at your leisure for up to ninety days after the presentations. Registration is easy on our website, where you can get more details and register via our secure store or download a mail-in registration form. We hope to see you at Often Overlooked St. Louis Resources!