26 December 2022

Happy Boxing Day!

It’s December 26th, and for most of us that means that we have made it through Chanukah and Christmas. We can thaw out from the extremely cold weekend and think ahead to celebrating the new year. But did you know that for many people around the world, December 26th is a holiday called Boxing Day? And it is very likely that some of our ancestors were active participants in that extra day of giving and receiving. The modern celebration of Boxing Day only began during the 1830s when Queen Victoria reigned in Great Britain, but the origin of the holiday goes much further back in time.

19 December 2022

More Free Interactive Maps for Genealogy and a Big Thank You!

After almost three years of pandemic uncertainty, the one thing that St. Louis Genealogical Society can be sure of is the loyalty and generosity of our members and friends. If you have been a regular reader of our blog, you know that like many non-profits, we have struggled to stay active and vital during a very difficult time. Because we have been so limited in what we can do to raise funds, we have relied more than usual on donations, and we are just overwhelmed by how incredibly generous so many of you have been.

12 December 2022

Newspaper Article Unexpectedly Ties StLGS Member to a Mexican War Tragedy

The post that follows is from StLGS member, Beth Davis, who wrote to us after our recent blog on the Mexican American War. (Did you miss that one from 14 November 2022? You can access it here.) Beth gives us a perfect example of how you never know where something that pertains to your family will show up! Read on for her fascinating discovery.

05 December 2022

Holiday Season: A Perfect Time to Save Your Family's Oral History

Oral history is of vital importance to our families, and as we approach another holiday season, we want to revisit a topic we first covered in 2017: interviewing family members. Many of us have experienced personal loss during the past few years. Once those members of our family who hold the "old" memories are gone, the stories are gone too. So, as you gather during the next few weeks to celebrate Chanukah, Christmas, and/or Kwanzaa, think about sitting with your relatives and capturing those family stories before they are lost.