Potpourri of Genealogy Events for Summer's Dog Days

Summer is waning; didn't it seem to go by quickly? The days are still bright, but cooler weather is finally in the forecast for those of us in the St. Louis area, and there are several interesting and exciting genealogy meetings and tours coming up around town. We'll talk about St. Louis Genealogical Society meetings for September next week; this week, we'll feature some things you might be interested in sponsored by our friends in St. Clair County (Illinois), the Missouri Historical Society, and Bellefontaine Cemetery.

StLGS February Genealogy Meetings and Events

Our genealogy year has gotten off to a great start, and we hope yours has too. We have had excellent attendance at all of our January meetings, and now we look forward to February. Meetings will continue to be presented as hybrid when possible so those of you who are unable to attend in person can participate. If you missed the January "Ask Louie" Q & A meeting or the first German or Irish SIG meetings, all the digital recordings are posted on our website. February features a fascinating glimpse at cemetery research, a Jewish SIG meeting on Russian revision lists, and two more upcoming classes. Read on for more . . .

Learn More About Symbols on Tombstones

Are you familiar with the term "iconography"? Pronounced "eye-con-og-ra-fee," it means, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, "symbolic representation, especially the conventional meanings attached to an image or images." Even if you've never heard of the word, as a genealogist, you know how important it is to understand the meaning of what we see on tombstones. Among many other things, we may learn whether an ancestor was in a fraternal order, what his/her occupation may have been, or if he/she had life cut short too soon.

January 2021 Genealogy Meetings and Classes

Well, we made it! Finally, 2020 is over and there is a glimmer of hope for a much happier, healthier new year. Now that the holidays are behind us and it's feeling like winter outside, it's time to get back to genealogy! We enter an especially important year in Missouri as we celebrate the state's 200th birthday! Look for special focus in our meetings, extra events, and our Quarterly journal on early Missouri history. Because it is still not safe to meet in person, we are continuing our virtual meeting schedule for the foreseeable future. We have had such positive feedback from so many of you, we can't wait until you see some of the exciting plans we have for 2021. Here's a start—stay tuned for a lot more!

StLGS November/December Genealogy Meetings

  

We hope everyone had a safe and healthy Halloween, even if it wasn't exactly the same as years past. It looks like November will be off to a sunny, mild start in our part of the Midwest, and, as we begin the countdown to the holiday season, which also will look and feel quite different this year, we want to remind you that our genealogy calendar still contains several exciting virtual events. We have one more class online, free to StLGS members, as well as an interesting monthly meeting, open to all, a Jewish SIG meeting, and our virtual Fall Speaker Series, "Often Overlooked St. Louis Resources," which is now available online as digital recordings. Here are all the details.

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! 

Announcing the StLGS 2020 Fall Speaker Series!

Because so many people have been enjoying our online programs, we are especially excited to offer our new, virtual Fall Speaker Series! We are focused on bringing you unique webinars that will enhance your research skills, and this lineup of speakers and topics is sure to hit that sweet spot! We hope you will join us for the livestreamed event, but even if you can't, you will have access to the digitally recorded talks and can watch them at your leisure for three months! Here's what you need to know to register:

StLGS August Genealogy Meetings and Events

As we continue our months of quarantine, we hope you are staying healthy and productive. Behind the scenes, the volunteers at St. Louis Genealogical Society are working actively to provide our members and guests with as much as we can, given the public health crisis. We have been delighted with how well our online events, meetings, and classes are going and truly appreciate the positive feedback we have received. Here is our revised schedule for August featuring more exciting online events, information about ongoing opportunities, and (cue the trumpets!) an announcement about our upcoming Fall Speaker Series, which will be open for registration very soon.

February Genealogy Meetings, Classes, and Events

February is off to a mild start, just right for attending all of the special events scheduled for the month. Of course, StLGS has plenty for you to do, but so do many of our friends and partners in the St. Louis area. If you have been waiting for classes, tours, or lectures on a wide variety of topics, this month is filled with dates to add to your calendar.

Upcoming Meetings

StLGS Monthly Meeting: Saturday, 8 February 2020

"Preserving Family Documents and Photos," by Ilene Murray, St. Louis County Library Headquarters Auditorium, 10:00 a.m.; free, open to all, no pre-registration needed. More information available on the StLGS website.

 

Cliff Cave Library Genealogy Presentation: Wednesday, 5 February 2020

"Genealogy: Where's Grandma? Tracing Female Ancestry," by Judy Belford, St. Louis County Library Cliff Cave Branch, 6:30 p.m.; free, open to all, no pre-registration needed. More information available on the library's website. 
  

Czech Genealogical Researchers Monthly Meeting: Saturday, 15 February 2020

"Czech Research Time," general discussion, St. Louis County Library Headquarters History and Genealogy Dept., 1:30 p.m.; free, open to all, no pre-registration needed. More information available on the group's website.
 

Upcoming StLGS Classes

• "Intermediate RootsMagic" (PC only) by Ted Steele, 8 February 2020

• "Foundations of Genealogy, Parts I and II," by Ilene Murray; Saturday, 15 and Saturday, 22 February 2020, 

Classes are held at the StLGS Office from 1:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m. Free to StLGS members; fee for non-members; pre-registration required at 314-647-8547.

 More information on these and more StLGS classes on our website.

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February Classes at St. Louis County Library

• 6 and 29 February: "History and Genealogy in Newspapers," Cliff Cave and Headquarters
• 11 February: "Who Were My Ancestors? Beginning Family History Research," Thorn Hill
• 18 February: "Finding Ancestors in U.S. Census Records," Oak Bend
• 22 February: "Tracing Your African American Ancestors: Advanced Techniques," Florissant Valley
• 22 February: "Tracing Your African American Ancestors: Records of Slave Owning Families," Florissant Valley
• 25 February: "Getting More out of FamilySearch," Daniel Boone
• 26 and 27 February: "Family History Online: Databases for Genealogical Research," Headquarters and Mid-County

All library classes are free but require pre-registration. More information available on the library's website.
  

Upcoming Special Events

"Father of Waters: Early Explorers on the Mississippi River"
Lecture at the Missouri History Museum, Thursday, 13 February 2020,

AT&T Multipurpose Room, 6:00 p.m. Free; but pre-registration is required at this link.

African American History Tours at Bellefontaine Cemetery

Celebrate African American History month with two special trolley tours in this historic and beautiful cemetery. The tours last approximately two hours; they are free but pre-registration is required.

• Tuesday, 4 February at 10:00 a.m. Registration at this link.
• Thursday, 20 February at 1:30 p.m. Registration at this link.  

  StLGS Trivia Night: Saturday, 7 March 2020

Richmond Heights Community Center, 8001 Dale Avenue (just south of I-64 between Hanley and Big Bend); doors open at 6:15 p.m.; questions begin at 7:00 p.m.

Questions on all topics. We'll provide snacks, fun, and an awesome silent auction!

Check out our website for more information and/or to register.

 

StLGS Voting Opens AND October Meetings and Events

StLGS 2019 Election of Officers: 

Online Voting Opens Tuesday, 1 October 2019

October is the time to vote for StLGS officers. This year, the vice-president for programs and treasurer are up for re-election. Karen Goode and Viki Fagyal, who currently hold those positions, have agreed to run again, and your votes of confidence for them will indicate your support for the outstanding jobs they are doing.

All voting will be done online, and it couldn't be easier. Just go to our website, www.stlgs.org, log in as a member, and find the link that goes to the voting page at the very top. (See illustration below.)

On the voting page, you will find short biographies of both candidates, a link to our bylaws, if you want to look them over, and a link to the online ballot.

Voting should take you just seconds and must be completed by midnight, 1 November. Just click in the box next to each name on the ballot and then type in your own name at the bottom. This step is necessary to be sure each member number gets only one vote and that each person who votes is an active member.

Please note that the following ballots will be disqualified:

1. Ballots without names
2. Ballots with member names that appear more than once
3. Votes cast after midnight on 1 November 2019

Any questions? Call our office at 314-647-8547 during regular office hours and we will be glad to help you.

October StLGS Monthly Meeting

Saturday, 12 October 2019—10:00 a.m.

"Going with the Flow: River History and the Records That Trace It," by Porsche Schlapper, St. Louis County Library Headquarters Auditorium, free and open to all, no pre-registration needed.

More information on the StLGS website.

Irish Special Interest Group (SIG) Meeting 

Tuesday, 22 October 2019—7:00 p.m.

"Finding Irish Ancestors in the St. Louis Recorder of Deeds Office," by Richard Buthod; St. Louis County Library Headquarters Auditorium, free and open to all, no pre-registration needed.

 More information on the Irish SIG page on the StLGS website.

Other Upcoming Classes and Meetings

StLGS Classes 

• All classes are free to StLGS members; there is a fee for non-members. 
• Classes are held at the StLGS office and begin at 1:00 p.m. 
• Pre-registration required at 314-647-8547

Saturday, 5 October 2019

"Beginning Irish Research," by Carol Hemmersmeier and Kay Weber 

Saturday, 19 October 2019

"Advanced Legacy Family Tree (Genealogy Software, PC Only)," by Cathy Amen

Sappington-Concord Historical Society Meeting
Thursday, 17 October 2019—2:30 p.m.

"Bellefontaine [Cemetery]'s People of Intrigue," by Dan Fuller and Richard Lay, Friendship Village South, 12503 Village Circle Drive, Sunset Hills, Crossings Building, Rhineland Room; free and open to all, no pre-registration needed.

More information on the events page on the group's website.