StLGS October/November Upcoming Genealogy Events

As 2021 rolls into its last few months, we encourage you to continue to stay in touch with us and to take advantage of the remaining programs we have scheduled for the fall. Register for the Fall Speaker Series, featuring a full day of lectures on "Mapping Our Ancestors" in America, enjoy the last Irish SIG meeting of the year, and join us for the November monthly meeting. Behind the scenes, the StLGS programs committee is working hard and almost ready to announce our exciting schedule for 2022. Read on for what's coming up and watch for announcements about next year! 

Celebrating a Pirate Queen and Calling for Your Biographies

March is National Women's History Month and St. Patrick's Day is just a day away, so this week we will celebrate the life of a remarkable woman of Irish heritage. Be thinking about those amazing women in your own family and how you can capture their stories as we examine the life of someone you may not know.

Have you heard of Grace O'Malley, "the notorious Pirate Queen of western Ireland"? Not surprising if you haven't as most Americans know nothing about Grace, but she was formidable! In the west of Ireland, in a remote, romantic spot on Achill Island, is the windblown stone tower called Grace O'Malley's Castle. It was here that this writer first learned about Grace, and her story is astonishing.

Born around 1530 into a family known for piracy and ruthlessness, when she was about twelve, Gráinne ni Mhaille, the only girl, was eager to travel with her father to Spain. Her mother refused to let her go, so Gráinne shaved her head and disguised herself as a boy, earning her a nickname she would carry for life. The Irish name Gráinne translates to Grace and Mhaol means bald, so she became Granuaile, pronounced "graw-nya-wail," or Bald Grace.

For years, she worked with her father, learning to be a sea trader, raider, and captain, as well as a diplomat and a great leader. She married twice, the first time at just fifteen, and had three children before her husband died in battle. His death left Granuaile, then twenty-three years old, in possession of a castle and numerous fighting ships. Her second husband owned Rockfleet Castle on Clew Bay near Newport. She stayed with him long enough to bear him a son and then take both the castle and the baby from him by literally putting him out the door.

Grace O'Malley went on to be the undisputed warrior queen of the western Irish coastline. She fought numerous battles for territory on land, led pirate ships at sea, and went head to head with Queen Elizabeth I in Greenwich, England, where she refused to bow to the monarch, saying that she was a queen herself. According to legend, Grace carried a dagger to the meeting, saying it was for her own protection. The women negotiated in Latin, as Grace did not speak English and Elizabeth knew no Irish. They reached an agreement that Elizabeth would release Grace's sons and her half-brother, who were being held as hostages, and Grace would stop terrorizing English ships off the Irish coast and supporting Irish rebels against the English. (The graphic shows Grace standing on the left and Queen Elizabeth on the right. There are no known contemporary portraits of Grace O'Malley; this is an illustration from Anthologia Hibernica, volume 11, published in 1793.)

Grace lived into her seventies, dying in 1603 at Rockfleet Castle. She is the stuff of Irish legends to this day. You can read a lot more about Grace online and this is a good place to start.

 Women in Your Family

Your turn! Is there an interesting woman or two in your family whose story deserves to be told? What better time to sit down in front of your computer and start writing? And what to do with your biography once it's done? Share it, of course! Give copies to your family so they know their heritage. Is your female ancestor a St. Louisan? Then we welcome her story as part of our St. Louis City/County Biographies project. You can get all the details on our website.

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.