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!

StLGS Co-Presidents Say Thanks and Call for Help!

Our post this week is a message from StLGS co-presidents, Kathy Franke and Jeani Ward.

On Thursday, 18 September 2025, the society hosted a luncheon to thank our volunteers. Volunteer Coordinator Marilyn Brennan and her team of assistants shopped, decorated, served, and cleaned everything up afterwards so forty hungry people could enjoy a delicious lunch. The event was well-attended, and we all enjoyed a chance to get to know one another better. Our volunteers keep our organization, including the office and the website, up-to-date and running smoothly. We would like to take this opportunity to express our appreciation for their efforts, especially to the volunteers who come into the office on a regular basis.

Goodbye to Another Longtime StLGS Volunteer and Some New Maps on Our Website

Another of our valued StLGS volunteers has passed away, and we share an "In Memoriam" this week to our former remote data entry team leader, Mary Ryan. We'll fill you in next week on upcoming April events, but meanwhile, please use the Annual Family History Conference and Calendar of Events pages on our website for the latest news. Registration has opened for our annual Salt Lake City Research trip, and, in addition, we want to tell you about two new mapping resources uploaded recently to our website, so please keep reading.

You are Invited to 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. Moved from Sunday to Saturday afternoon so more people could attend, the Open House allowed our volunteers to meet old and new friends, show off our newly painted and re-carpeted office, and answer lots of questions from interested attendees. Now that spring is finally in the air, we are excited to welcome you once again to this year's Open House. Read on for all the details!

Genealogy News from Missouri and Illinois

Many of us are homebound as the winter of 2025 continues to surprise us with unexpected watery and icy bounty. What better time is there to learn about more genealogy resources as well as some upcoming projects and meetings?  You won't have to shovel a drop or get out of your comfy pjs to learn about the wonderful work the Missouri State Archives has accomplished this past year or to attend a virtual meeting on researching in Illinois. So, settle in and read on for more!

StLGS Office Faced with Extensive Water Damage!

The week of July 4th brought intensive rain to the St. Louis area, mostly carried in by the hurricane that blew into the Gulf Coast. For many years, the flat roof of our building has leaked sporadically, but this month's torrents were relentless, and rain poured into our office. When the first of the office volunteers opened the doors on Saturday, July 6th, they were greeted by collapsed ceiling tiles, soaked countertops, and dripping holes, some of which were directly over very expensive equipment. These first volunteers began to clean up and cover surfaces, but the worst was still to come.

Open House Brings Out a Crowd!

For the first time in many years, St. Louis Genealogical Society hosted an open house on Saturday, 23 March 2024, and it was a great success! It was wonderful to see so many new faces as well as some old friends who stopped by to chat. Our hardworking volunteers provided coffee, cookies, and soft pretzel bites to munch on and were available all morning to greet visitors, give tours of the office, answer a myriad of questions, and encourage people to explore our website, attend our meetings, and be part of the exciting genealogical community in St. Louis.

Updated Congregations Maps Added to the StLGS Website!

Suppose you had a female ancestor who lived in St. Louis in the 1860s, but you couldn’t discover her birth date. There are no statewide birth records in Missouri prior to 1910, and, although the City of St. Louis kept a birth register, compliance was not compulsory; hence, it is incomplete. Religious records would be very helpful, as births, baptisms, confirmations, and other life events were usually recorded by religious leaders and kept on site. You know where your ancestor lived and what religion her family practiced, but how do you know what congregations were active at the time she was born? A new set of congregations maps is now live on our website, and an exciting feature of the maps is the ability to see exactly which churches and synagogues were open in the city and county at any given time. Let’s take a look!

Open House is Back! Come Visit on Saturday, 23 March 2024!

During the early 2000s, St. Louis Genealogical Society hosted an Open House at our office in Maplewood. It was held on a Sunday afternoon and always attracted an enthusiastic crowd. We enjoyed showing off our home base, greeting old and new friends, and sharing progress on our many projects. As time passed, however, and we got busy with many other events, Open House slipped under the radar and faded away. Then, of course, the pandemic shut us down, and even more years passed by without a way to celebrate our society. This year, we are reviving this fun way to spend a morning. We're changing it to a Saturday so more people can attend, and we can't wait to welcome you to our office!

Missouri State Archives Has Volunteer Opportunities

StLGS put out a call for volunteers on 22 August 2022 (Read that post here, if you missed it) and now our friends at the Missouri State Archives are also asking for assistance. Although StLGS still REALLY needs people with specific technology and proofreading skills, we are happy to share information about more volunteer opportunities that you can do from home on your computer. Read on for the specifics on how you can help.

Volunteers Needed!

Like many others in the business world, St. Louis Genealogical Society rode out the storm of the "pandemic years" with a skeleton crew of hard-core workers. This was an amazing feat, considering that our society has no paid staff. Everything we accomplish is because of our volunteers. Elected officers, members of the board of directors, and office "regulars" all pitched in to keep the society moving along during those months of uncertainty. As it became safer to work together at the office, volunteers relied on each other to follow safety protocols, and we were able to pick up the pace. However, although many of our volunteers have returned to work, there is currently more to do than there are people to do it!

We Owe You So Many Thanks! AND Schnucks eScrip News

March 2022 will make two years since we had to shut our doors to visitors due to the COVID pandemic. We definitely thought that by now we would be back to “normal,” but, like everyone else, we are dealing with the reality of “new normal.” Throughout the past two years, we have strived to keep going in the best ways possible given that so many of our office volunteers are seniors dealing with chronic health conditions. We are rolling with the ups and downs of not knowing where and when we will have in-person meetings and how best to conduct them. We have mastered Zoom and are now in the process of learning how to do hybrid meetings so that we will be ready to invite you back to our office as soon as it is safe. (If you aren't sure what we mean by hybrid, be sure to take a look at our blog from 26 July 2021 on Zoom webinars.)

Some July 4th History and Goodbye to Another StLGS Volunteer

Because the 4th of July fell on Sunday this year, we have an extra day to enjoy all of the fun things we associate with the holiday. If you had ancestors who fought in the American Revolution, this July 4th weekend was a perfect time to think of them and remember their courage and the hardships they endured while creating our country. But, it’s also a great opportunity to reflect on the traditions and history behind this most beloved day.

Time to Thank Some Special StLGS Volunteers

In a typical year, the St. Louis Genealogical Society office in Maplewood hums with activity three mornings a week as volunteers work together to process thousands of genealogical records, answer research questions, plan programs and events, prepare publications, maintain the website, and keep the day-to-day activities of the society flowing smoothly. Although the office is "officially" only open from 9 a.m. until noon, there are usually volunteers arriving early and almost always people are staying late. In addition, many work from home on "off days" or come into the office whenever they have something to do. In a typical year, we thank our volunteers with a brunch or small party and then with recognition at our annual Family History Conference in the spring. But this year has not been typical!

StLGS Celebrates Its Volunteers; Plus, Early Registration Expires Soon!

Without its many volunteers, St. Louis Genealogical Society would not be able to accomplish any of its goals. We are the largest local genealogical society in the United States and there is not a single paid staff member! Although "thank you" is heard all the time around our office, once a year the society says a special thank you to those who have given outstanding service during the previous year. Award winners must be members of the society, not a recipient in the last two years, and not currently on the board of directors. Usually the award winners are recognized at the annual Family History Conference, but we did not have one this year because of the NGS conference in May. Instead, StLGS volunteer coordinator, Marilyn Brennan, organized a thank you luncheon on Thursday, 20 June, at the StLGS office.

Those who regularly work at the office or at home on special projects were invited to a delicious lunch of salads, sandwiches, fruit, and cake. Afterwards, StLGS president, Kay Weber, honored the men and women chosen for this year's awards.

 This year's honorees were as follows:

• Appreciation: Ray Barbeau, Steve Butler, Mary Cornell, Joe Gildehaus, Ann Hodges, Mark Madras, and Buddy Van Arsdale 
• Achievement: Jean Marie Meyer, April Webb, Ken Webb
• Special Achievement: Ted Steele
• Special Awards: Bob Goode and Joyce Mercer

Ted Steele received the Special Achievement Award for the projects he has spearheaded to organize the society's archives and to sort out and update all the cemetery information on the StLGS website. Ted's efforts have led to dozens of web pages being corrected and modified, which will be uploaded to the site very soon.

Bob Goode and Joyce Mercer received their Special Awards for the time and effort each puts into their jobs at the office. Bob tirelessly works to keep the StLGS website running and current. He helps to maintain the office computer network and is a teacher and lecturer for the society. Joyce answers the phone, handles the front desk, helps with event registrations and sales, and generously shares her knowledge of rural cemeteries.

Congratulations to all our 2019 award winners! (For more photos, check out the StLGS Facebook group.)

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Reminder: Just one week left to get the early registration discount rates for three major genealogy events! All prices go up on 1 July!

1. Saturday, 13 July: Summer Speaker Series featuring Dr. John Colletta, including four lectures plus lunch. Registration booklet and more details on our website.
2. Monday through Thursday, 15–18 July: Summer Writing Institute; four days of intensive workshops, including morning snacks and lunch each day. Learn more about the Institute and how to register on our website. If you register early for both of the above events, you save $15.
3. Sunday through Sunday, 27 October–3 November: Salt Lake City Research Trip. Just a few rooms remain for our annual trip to the world's largest genealogy library. Save $100 and take part in all pre-trip preparations if you register by 30 June. More information and a four-page registration flyer are on the StLGS website.
   

Highlights of the NGS Conference

Thanks to all who helped to make this a wonderful conference week! What an exciting, albeit exhausting time it was for everyone who attended the National Genealogical Society's (NGS) 2019 Family History Conference in St. Charles! However, it would not have been a successful conference without the help of the experienced NGS staff and the more than one hundred StLGS volunteers who worked behind the scenes to keep things moving smoothly.

As the local host society, the week began for about seventy St. Louis Genealogical Society volunteers on Monday, 6 May with preliminary instructions, a tour around the St. Charles Convention Center, and then two hours of assembly line bag filling. Each of the 2,000+ conference bags needed to have copies of several bookmarks, flyers, booklets, and a conference program inserted. Then the bags needed to be boxed and toted to the registration area. By 1 p.m., all was ready for the following day, when pre-conference events began.

Tuesday was busy with Librarians' Day, African American and Irish workshops, and three different all-day trips. Registration opened for those already on site and continued all day and into the early evening. Volunteers were on hand to help participants download and understand how to use the conference app and to set up the society's sales area in the Exhibit Hall. The Society Showcase, featuring sixteen local genealogy and history groups, took place during the afternoon.

From Wednesday until Saturday, from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. (and later for those attending special events), days were filled with lectures, meals, shopping in the Exhibit Hall, meeting new friends, and re-acquainting with old ones. In spite of the cool, rainy weather that dominated the end of the week, people enjoyed the food trucks that arrived each day and the chance to ride the free shuttles into the city of St. Charles to take in the shops and restaurants on Main Street.

(Thanks to Marsha Clark and Laura Mackinson for the photos.)

Special Awards for our Volunteers

St. Louis Genealogical Society was acknowledged by NGS at the Opening Session on Wednesday with an Award of Honor "in recognition of the society's dedication and sustained service in support of the 2019 NGS conference." StLGS committee chairs received Certificates of Appreciation at that time as well. Those honorees were local host co-chairs, Viki Fagyal and Kay Weber; Exhibit Hall co-chairs, Bob Cejka and Bob Goode; hospitality co-chairs Karen Goode and Rich Stanton; local publicity chair, Ann Hodges; registration co-chairs Diane Broniec and Barbara Larson; social media chair, Laura Mackinson; and volunteer chair, Marilyn Brennan.

The chair of the entire conference was long-time StLGS volunteer and former president, Ann Carter Fleming, CG, CGL, FNGS, who, very deservedly, received a special award at the NGS banquet on Friday evening. Ann, who has chaired more than six conferences for NGS and numerous events for StLGS, is the 2019 recipient of the Shirley Langdon Wilcox Award for Exemplary Volunteerism, which "recognizes a volunteer whose generosity of spirit and time has greatly benefited the National Genealogical Society and the genealogical community in general over a period of years."

Congratulations and many thanks from all of us to our award winners for their dedication and hard work!