StLGS July Genealogy Meetings and Special Events

Summer is finally here and life is resuming more and more of its normal routine after our very challenging "Year of the Pandemic!" Be sure to get our July dates into your calendar so you will have plenty to do when it gets too hot to go outside! All of July's events are virtual. Pour yourself something cool to drink and stay comfortable in your shorts and flip flops as you watch our monthly meeting on the rich and lengthy history of St. Charles, Missouri. Move on to our two-day Speaker Series focusing on DNA testing, and then, join the Irish SIG for a casual chat session on Irish research.

Juneteenth for Genealogists

How exciting it is to finally have Juneteenth declared a national holiday! Celebrating the strength and courage of our ancestors is what we genealogists are all about, and being able to recognize those who preceded us as they fought for freedom and equality is part of so many family stories. Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery in the United States, and it also opens the door to remembering all of our ancestors who were caught up in the system from the earliest days of the colonies, to the end of the Civil War, and then through decades of blatant discrimination that followed.

Why Sources and Citations are Important in Your Family History Research

(Thanks to StLGS treasurer, Viki Fagyal, for writing this week's blog.)

Sometimes it is good to get back to the basics of Genealogy 101. I remember my first genealogy teacher saying over and over, “You have to document where you found it.” That piece of advice has stuck with me for more than forty years. Good source citation not only helps you remember where you found a piece of information, it is helps someone who picks up your work five, ten, or thirty years from now determine where that information came from. A good citation also helps to ascertain if the source you used was strong enough evidence to prove each name, date, or place. And if you have two different pieces of evidence for the same event, evaluating the source can help determine which one to trust.

Register for the StLGS Virtual Summer Speaker Series on DNA Testing for Genealogy

Join us for a weekend exploring one of the hottest topics in genealogy: DNA! Millions of people have tested their DNA and sent their samples to one of the DNA testing companies to learn new details on their family history. However, not all DNA tests are created equal, and very often people are confused by the results or disappointed to learn they are trying to prove things for which the test they used was not intended. Sorting out the different DNA tests and choosing a testing company to suit your particular needs can be a daunting experience, but StLGS is here to help!