Calendar of Events – 2019
Unless otherwise specified, meetings are held in the auditorium
and co-sponsored by St. Louis County Library, 1640 S. Lindbergh Blvd., St. Louis, Missouri 63131.
Sat., 12 January 10:00 a.m. Ask Louie Panel Discussion
Do you have a burning question and have not asked for help? Our panel of genealogists will field questions and try to help break down your brick wall. Somebody else probably has the same question. Email your question to .
Wednesday, 16 January 2019 German-SIG Meeting Meyers Gazetteer and Other Parish Finding Aids
Now Meyers gazetteer is online in English. Learn what Meyers provides and when other parish finding aids and gazetteers are needed.
Featured Speaker: Carol Whitton, CG
Tuesday, 22 January 2019 Irish-SIG And the Wall Will Come Crumbling Down
Well, we will definitely try to help you crumble that wall down! Bring some problems you are having with your Irish research and we will offer suggestions for research strategies and plans.
Led by: Carol Hemmersmeier and Kay Weber
Sunday, 3 February 2019 Jewish-SIG St. Louis Stories: The Jewish-Americans
1:00 p.m. till 3:00 p.m. Room 123, Jewish Federation Building, 12 Millstone Campus Dr. 63146
View an important film telling the stories of some Jewish St. Louisans. Stay for discussion afterward.
Moderated by Diane Everman, archivist at the St. Louis Jewish Community Archives
Sat., 9 February 10:00 a.m. Putting Meat on the Bones Ted Steele
Now that you have your family tree full of names, dates, and places, it’s time to learn who these people were. This lecture will explore the wide variety of sources that you can use to “put meat on the bones” and discover the stories about your ancestors’ lives.
Sat., 2 March 7:15 p.m. Trivia Night
10th time for this fun-filled event! Maplewood/Richmond Heights Community Center
Pre-registration encouraged.
Sat., 9 March 10:00 a.m. English Church Records Jake Eubanks
Explore English government and denominational records of genealogical value related to Catholics, Anglicans, Baptists, Presbyterians, Congregationalists, Quakers, and Methodists, and learn key terminology for identifying the denominational affiliation of your English ancestors.
Wednesday, 20 March 2019 German-SIG Finding Your German Ancestor in Emigration and Immigration Lists
Emigration and immigration lists might reveal the ancestral hometown of your family. Learn how to research in these seldom-used resources.
Featured Speaker: Dan Lilienkamp
Sat., 13 April 10:00 a.m. Help Your Documents & Photographs Last Longer: Archival Advice on Preserving Your Material Diane Everman
This presentation will focus on how to preserve your original documents and photographs so they will last another century (or more) under the right conditions. Topics will include handling, housing and storage, and
environmental conditions.
Tuesday, 23 April 2019 Irish-SIG Irish Emigration: Post-Famine to the early 1900s
It is commonly assumed the largest wave of Irish emigration occurred during the famine years. However, it was the post-famine years to the early 1900s that witnessed the greatest exodus from Ireland. Those brave souls formed the bulk of our Irish ancestors.
Featured Speaker: Gabrielle Woeltje
Weds., 8 May to Sat., 11 May
Journey of Discovery: National Genealogical Society Annual Conference
St. Charles, Missouri
Registration opens 1 December 2018 at https://conference.ngsgenealogy.org.
Pre-registration encouraged.
Wednesday, 29 May 2019 Jewish-SIG Treasures Found in Legal Documents
7:00 p.m till 8:30 p.m., St. Louis County Library Headquarters, 1640 S. Lindbergh Blvid., 63131
Explore the valuable information about Jewish genealogy you can find in circuit and probate courts and in naturalization records.
Featured Speaker: Michael Everman, archivist, Misouri State Archives, St. Louis
Sat., 8 June 10:00 a.m. Migrating from the Eastern U.S. to Mid-America Carol Whitton,CG
Learn why our ancestors moved from the eastern U.S. in spite of daunting conditions. Follow and connect their paths to the north, middle, and south. Examine counties along the way to find your ancestors.
Wednesday, 19 June 2019 German-SIG Meeting German Parish Registers in Archion and Matricula
Archion online has German Protestant records; Matricula online has Austrian and German Catholic records. Learn how to use each.
Featured Speaker: Carol Whitton, CG
Sat., 13 July 8:00 a.m. Family Stories: What DID They Say?
John Colletta Summer Speaker Series
Maryland Heights Community Centre, Maryland Hts.
Watch for more information. Pre-registration encouraged.
Sun., 14 July to Thurs., 18 July 2019 Writing Institute
StLGS Office Watch for more information.
Pre-registration required
Tuesday, 23 July 2019 Irish-SIG Using Social Media for Irish Research
Are you missing the great genealogical resources available through social media? Come explore the research opportunities in blogs, Facebook, and Twitter.
Featured Speakers: Laura Mackinson and Ilene Murray
Sat., 10 August 10:00 a.m. Finding the Civilian Conservation Corps Nancy Schuster
The presentation will cover a brief history of the CCC and provide examples of the information that may be
found in the personnel records in St. Louis that pertain to CCC enrollees (with emphasis on the contents that are of interest to genealogists). The presentation will also include links to related resources on CCC camps, projects, and publications for further research into understanding what enrollees experienced and accomplished in the CCC.
Wednesday, 28 August 2019 Jewish-SIG Interpreting and Caring for Jewish Tombstones
7:00 p.m till 8:30 p.m., St. Louis County Library Headquarters, 1640 S. Lindbergh Blvid., 63131
Learn how to interpret the dates and abbreviations often found on Jewish tombstones, how to understand the meaning of the shapes and artwork you may see on the stones, and how to best care for crumbling and aging stones.
Featured Speakers: Rabbi Jeffrey Stiffman, Diane Everman, and Ilene Murray
Sat., 14 September 10:00 a.m. Preserving Home Movies and Family Photographs Ellen Mays
Research librarian, Ellen Mays, will discuss helpful tips for preserving family videos and photos. Topics
covered will include preservation methods and resources, companies, and technology.
Wednesday, 18 September 2019 German-SIG Meeting Using Deutsches Geschlechterbuch and Deutesche Familienarchive
Deutsches Geschlechterbuch (German Lineage Book) and Deutsches Familienarchive (German Family
Archives) are standard sources for German genealogical research, but using them can be a challenge if one does not know the language. Get an overview of these publications and tips for finding and interpreting information.
Featured Speaker: Scott Holl
Sat., 12 October 10:00 a.m. Going with the Flow: River History and the Records that Trace It Porsche Schlapper
Just as the river itself has meandered and changed over time, so too have the ways in which its history has
been recorded. In this presentation, curator of the Herman T. Pott National Inland Waterways Library,
Porsche Schlapper, will discuss letters, ledgers, books, (and more!) as well as how and where to find
evidence of your ancestor’s potential travel by or employment on American rivers.
Tuesday, 22 October 2019 Irish-SIG Finding Irish Ancestors in the St. Louis Recorder of Deeds Office
The St. Louis (City) Recorder of Deeds office maintains many of the records needed to document your Irish roots. Marriage records go back to colonial times and there are some birth and death records prior to 1910. Additional records exist to help when imperfections, hiding places, and family stories have gone unexplored for decades.
Featured Speaker: Richard Buthod
Sunday, 27 October to Sunday, 3 November
Annual Research Trip to Salt Lake City
Space is limited; watch for more information. Pre-registration required.
Sat., 9 November 10:00 a.m. Newspapers:Pages of Your History Patsy Luebbert
Whether in small towns or major cities, American newspapers usually reflected the interests and values of
the communities they served. Learn more about these wonderful resources from an experienced librarian
and genealogist from The State Historical Society of Missouri.
Sunday, 8 December 2019 Jewish-SIG Identifying and Preserving Photographs
10:00 a.m. till noon, Jewish Federation Building, 12 Millstone Campus Dr. 63146
Join us as noted expert on identifying and preserving photos, Maureen Taylor, comes into town to assist in pinning down clues in clothing, hair styles, backgrounds, etc. You are sure to pick up valuable tips from this noted genealogist.
Featured Speaker: Maureen Taylor, “The Photo Detective”