StLGS News! Open House, Trivia Night, and a Recording We Hope You'll Watch on KMOV-TV

Thanks to everyone who attended our Open House this weekend (Saturday, 7 March 2026) and made it such a success! Our office was glowing with smiles and warmth in spite of the drizzly, cold weather outside, as our volunteers greeted dozens of members and visitors who came to spend a few hours learning about what we do and how we can help with your genealogy questions. We'll share a few photos here and hope to entice you to join us again in a few weeks for a fun night of trivia on Saturday, 21 March. We also want to share a beautifully moving recording that started as a telephone inquiry and ended as a feature segment on local television. Read on for more!

Just Like Spring, Our March is "Busting Out All Over"!

It's coming! Spring is in the air, and the month of March for St. Louis Genealogical Society is overflowing with meetings and special events. If you missed our February monthly meeting, "Living on the Frontier: A Look into Missouri and Illinois," featuring St. Louis County Parks museum educator Jeffrey Edison, you can still watch the digital recording on our Monthly Meeting page. You can continue learning about St. Louis history at our March monthly meeting too. Come visit us on Saturday, March 7th for our annual Open House, come play with us at our newly revived Trivia Night on Saturday, March 21st, and attend the German SIG meeting on Saturday, March 28th. Registration for our annual Family History Conference in April is now open as well. We've got so much to share with you! Read on for the details . . . 

StLGS To Host Trivia Night Once Again! Registration is Now Open!

It feels so long ago, but it's been only a few years since the world shut down for the COVID pandemic. Those of us at St. Louis Genealogical Society have a vivid memory of how life changed because our last Trivia Night was the evening before everything came to a standstill. It was Saturday, 7 March 2020, and we were enjoying a festive evening at the Richmond Heights Community Center, not knowing that it would be our last for the foreseeable future. And now, fabulous news! We are ready to host a Trivia Night once again. Please read on for all the details!

Please Join us on Saturday, March 7th for Our Annual Open House!

Last March, St. Louis Genealogical Society revived our annual Open House after a hiatus of several years, and it was a great success. And now it's time to do it again! Our Open House offers an opportunity to meet old and new friends, take a tour of our spacious office, learn more about upcoming meetings and events, and get answers to your genealogical questions. With the hint of spring finally in the air, we are excited to welcome you once more to this year's Open House. Read on for all the details!

Celebrating Black History: The Underground Railroad in St. Louis and Vicinity

As people migrated west across the American colonies and the newly formed states, they brought the institution of slavery with them. New England and the mid-Atlantic had tolerated slavery, and when the French founded St. Louis, they, too, had enslaved Africans and Native Americans with them. By the time of the Civil War, Missouri was home to both enslavers and those who opposed them. Although Missouri achieved statehood as a slave state in what was called the Missouri Compromise, there was a deep divide in the state over slave ownership. Because of that, when the network of safe houses leading to freedom that we know as the Underground Railroad developed across the country, Missouri, and the St. Louis area, became important in the movement to both free those who were enslaved and, at the same time, to capture those who tried to escape and return them to their enslavers. Let us tell you more . . .

Missouri Death Certificates Update AND Volunteer Opportunities!

With all the snow, ice, and frigid temperatures during the past few weeks, it’s been the perfect opportunity to stay home and work on genealogy projects. One result of having genealogists with leisure time this month is the lightning speed with which volunteers have been able to index the newest Missouri death certificates eligible for posting online, and we have some great news to share with you about that project. Also, if you are looking for other ways to stay busy, we have some suggestions for you. Please read on for details!

February Genealogy Meetings and Class AND Information on Special Upcoming Events!

As we dig out from the massive snow and ice storm this past weekend, we want to remind you that if you missed any of our January genealogy meetings, you can snuggle up on the couch and enjoy some of the recordings posted on our website. Then, you can plan ahead to join us in February. Our annual "Ask Louie at Your Service" meeting started the new year with many interesting questions, and the recording is available on our Monthly Meeting page. The German Special Interest Group (G-SIG) hosted Timo Kracke, a German genealogist, who spoke on databases hosted by German genealogical societies. That recording and Mr. Kracke's handout are available on the G-SIG page. The Irish Special Interest Group (SIG) hosted a Zoom presentation featuring Susan McKee, who provided helpful tips on "Organizing Your Genealogy: Getting Your Research Year Off to a Good Start." The recording of the meeting and Ms. McKee's handout are posted on our Irish SIG page. We hope to see you at our February meetings and our first class for 2026. Read on for details. 

The Truth About the Hessians, German Mercenaries in the Revolutionary War

In keeping with our America 250 theme this year, we'll move into the Revolutionary War, and if you are of a certain age, you likely learned about the Hessians in a high school social studies or history class. These were the "bad guys" in the American Revolution, German mercenaries, as we were taught, only interested in money and out for blood and sport. Now that we are grown, and many of us have an avid interest in history and may, in fact, be descended from those soldiers, it's time to rethink what we thought we knew about the Hessians. You may be surprised at how much we got wrong!

Secrets of the Census, Part 6: 1890

One of the first things genealogists discover is how lucky we are to have two hundred years’ worth of federal censuses to help us. Starting in 1790, our government has collected data on citizens every ten years. After seventy-two years, that data is made public. The earliest censuses only included male heads of households, but gradually they became more useful to family historians, and we have cruised through the nineteenth century gathering information on our ancestors. We left off our “Secrets of the Census” posts in 1880, and we should be able to dig into the 1890 census next except for its very sad story. Perhaps, like many people, you’ve heard that the 1890 census was lost in a fire. However, that is not quite the case. Here’s what really happened:

We Are Ready to Celebrate America's 250th Birthday!

Happy New Year! This year marks the start of the second quarter of the 21st century, and it also begins the celebration of America’s 250th birthday! Along with many other history and genealogy societies, StLGS is planning special events throughout the year as well as taking part in other groups' events in the St. Louis area. We thought we’d start this special year off with a glimpse of what life was like for some of our ancestors as the United States began its journey to independence from England. Join us for a trip back to 1776 . . .