October StLGS Genealogy Meetings and Events

 

Happy autumn! In spite of all of the ups and downs of the summer, doesn't it seem to have gone by quickly? As cooler weather begins to set in and leaves start to fall, we hope you will snuggle up in front of your computer and join us for several fun and stimulating virtual genealogy events. We have classes online, free to StLGS members, as well as an exciting monthly meeting, open to all, and, of course, our virtual Fall Speaker Series, "Often Overlooked St. Louis Resources," coming up the weekend of October 17 and 18. Read on for all the details.

How to Find an Old Post and Other Social Media Search Tips

Have you ever seen a post in a Facebook group, then later couldn't find it when you went back to look for it? Social media can move fast these days, and as we have all been at our computers and using social media more and more, it's important we sharpen our search skills so we can more easily find what we want. For instance, you can search most blogs, including this one, for names, topics, places, and more. Similarly, you can search for people, surnames, and places (and more) in the St. Louis Genealogical Society's Facebook group. You can also quickly locate genealogy-specific accounts and tweets on Twitter. Here is how you can search smarter when you are using social media.

Your Ancestors' Lives in the Mid-Nineteenth Century

At the StLGS September monthly meeting this past weekend, Missouri History Museum (MHM) historian Andrew Wanko painted a vivid picture of life in St. Louis in 1875. Using the wonderful Pictorial Atlas of St. Louis, originally published by Compton and Dry, to illustrate what the city looked like, Mr. Wanko gave us a fascinating glimpse of St. Louis and St. Louisans in the mid-nineteenth century. For those unfamiliar with the Pictorial Atlas, it was a chance to learn a bit about its history and artwork. MHM speaker restrictions kept us from recording the meeting, but you can learn more about the atlas in a lively blog post from 2012, when the MHM hosted an exhibit of all of the pages of the atlas.

RootsTech 2021 Goes Virtual and NGS/FGS Complete Merger

RootsTech 2021

FamilySearch announced this week that RootsTech 2021 has been changed to a three-day online event from 25–27 February. Begun as a small conference in the late 1990s to explore the expanding role of technology in genealogy, RootsTech has grown into the world’s largest annual family history event. Since 2010, when it piggy-backed on the National Genealogical Society’s yearly conference, RootsTech, now sponsored by FamilySearch, has been held in Salt Lake City at the Salt Palace. By 2019, more than 27,000 attendees from every state and forty-seven different countries attended the conference. RootsTech 2021 was to be held in early February 2021 in Salt Lake City, but the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a complete change of plans.

StLGS September Genealogy Meetings and Events

As we continue to bring you our meetings and classes in an online format, we are delighted to hear that so many of you have been enjoying the experience. It's been a difficult time for everyone, which makes us even more excited that we can offer you an ongoing program of lectures and classes that are interesting, appeal to all skill levels, and viewable no matter where you live. In addition, registration for our virtual Fall Speaker Series is underway and we hope that you will be able to join us for this four-part series of lectures from the comfort and safety of your home. Read on for all the details.

A New Tool to Find UK Archives and Records Worldwide

Finding an archive for the area in which you are researching is always a challenging task. Finding one in another country can be even more daunting. The National Archives of the United Kingdom has created a website that may help you in your genealogical search throughout Great Britain (England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland), and even beyond. This easy-to-navigate website lets you narrow your search to a specific region in a specific country and even includes many other countries that appear to have little or no bearing on the UK but actually hold UK records. In addition, a comprehensive pull-down menu offers you many other options for British-based research. Here is how to use the site.

American Given Names: As Varied as Their Owners

Sometimes we forget that not everyone was called James, John, Joseph, Thomas, and Samuel, or Rachel, Sarah, Mary, or Elizabeth. For the most part, we recognize common nicknames, like Sallie for Sarah or Mattie for Martha. We are equally familiar with Billy for William, Mickey for Michael, or Chet for Chester. But even nicknames from the past can throw us for a loop until we learn that Polly, Molly/Mollie, May/Mae, and Mayme were really Mary and Mattie or Patsy were often Martha.