Calendar of Events – 2020
Click here for a PDF of the 2020 StLGS calendar.
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.
2020
| Sat., 11 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. If you have an unusual question, email it ahead to programs@stlgs.org. Additional questions from the audience will be addressed at the meeting. | |||
| Wed., 15 January | 7:00 p.m. | German SIG Meeting: German Abolitionists | Dorris Keeven-Franke |
| Learn more about the role German immigrants played in changing the demographics of Missouri from slave state to Union state. As Abolitionists, they altered the outcome of the Civil War both in the state and nationally, playing an important part in history. | |||
| Tue., 21 January | 7:00 p.m. | Irish SIG Meeting: Tips for Success in Irish Research | The Irish SIG Team |
| Have you found the county, parish, and townland in Ireland? You know you need that information to tap into the records our ancestors left. Join us to learn and to share what others have found helpful. | |||
| Sun., 2 February | 1:00 p.m. | Jewish SIG Meeting: Creating an Oral History Jewish Federation Building, 12 Millstone Campus Dr. 63146 |
Diane Everman |
| (Pre-registration is requested. Call Kathy Schmeltz at 314-442-3761 or at kschmeltz@jfedstl.org.) This is the perfect time to record your memories, either as a formal oral history or simply some memories to share with others. Learn how to use your phone and/or participate in a project such as StoryCorps or the Veterans Oral History Project, how to prepare, and how to ensure sound quality. | |||
| Sat., 8 February | 10:00 a.m. | Preserving Family Documents and Photos | Ilene Murray |
| Where and how are you storing your family’s unique paper treasures? How do you preserve those deteriorating family documents and photos? Learn more about proper preservation of paper heirlooms so you can protect your precious family inheritance. | |||
| Sat., 7 March |
7:00 p.m. |
Trivia Night |
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| Maplewood-Richmond Heights Community Center; pre-registration encouraged on the Trivia Night page. | |||
| Sat., 14 March | 10:00 a.m. | More Than Checkmarks: Finding Female Ancestors | Jake Eubanks |
| Prior to 1850, only heads of households were recorded by name on census records; females appeared as checkmarks. Uncovering female ancestors means working harder and thinking more creatively about what constitutes evidence. Learn research strategies to resolve the question, “Who was she?” | |||
| Wed., 25 March | 7:00 p.m. | German SIG Meeting: German Genealogy: What Do You Need to Know? |
Carol Whitton, CG |
| Ultimately, we seek the German village of origin in U.S. records, but other questions about our immigrant families need answering first. The answers to those questions will lead us toward our goal. By reviewing the basics, learning about Germany and its resources, and finding our U.S. records, we may be successful. | |||
| Sat., 4 April | 8:00 a.m. | 48th Annual Family History Conference | |
| Proof Positive . . . Evidence in Court Records | |||
| Featuring Judy Russell, JD, CG, CGL | |||
| Orlando Gardens, Maryland Heights; pre-registration encouraged on the Family History Conference page. | |||
| Tues., 21 April |
7:00 p.m. | Irish SIG Meeting: Irish Heritage in St. Louis |
Gabrielle Woeltje |
| The Irish have been immigrating to the U.S. for hundreds of years and almost every major city in the country has been influenced by their unique culture and traditions. Learn more about the enduring legacy of the Irish in St. Louis | |||
| Sat., 9 May | 10:00 a.m. | Soldiers Memorial Military Museum: An Overview | Mike Venso |
| Military and Firearms Curator, Mike Venso, will provide a brief history of Soldiers Memorial and an overview of its recent renovation and improvements that help illuminate the rich heritage of military service and history in St. Louis. | |||
| Wed., 27 May |
7:00 p.m. | Jewish SIG Meeting: Techniques to Determine Ancestral Origins St. Louis County Library Headquarters, |
Ilene Murray |
| Finding the shtetl or village from where your ancestor came is often challenging. The clues can sometimes be found in American records, and we will explore some options that can help in your quest. | |||
| Sat., 13 June | 10:00 a.m. | St. Louis State Hospital: A 150-Year Journey Toward Hope | Amanda Hunyar |
| Join librarian, archivist, and author, Amanda Hunyar, for a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the iconic Arsenal Street dome. She will discuss the evolution of the facility, its ties to St. Louis, and its role in the development of mental health care. | |||
| Wed., 17 June |
7:00 p.m. | German SIG Meeting: Everything You Know is Wrong! |
Dan Lilienkamp |
| Many of our brick walls are self-constructed. A case study using a St. Louis German family shows how erroneous assumptions often prevent the identification of ancestors and their towns of origin. Ignoring the assumptions and engaging in thorough research not only identified the ancestral home in Germany but also revealed the story of a chain migration of other family members. | |||
| Sat., 27 June | 8:00 a.m. | Summer Speaker Series | |
| Missouri Genealogy Gems | |||
| Featuring John Dougan, Christina Miller, and Kelsey Berryhill | |||
| Maryland Heights Community Center; watch for more information. Pre-registration encouraged | |||
| Sat., 11 July | 10:00 a.m. | Finding Family Treasures on the Resale Market | Laura Mackinson |
| Antique malls, flea markets, estate sales, and online auction sites can be surprising resources for family history research. Learn how to search and what you can find to help you learn more about your ancestors. | |||
| Tues., 21 July |
7:00 p.m. | Irish SIG Meeting: The Records are Lost—What Now? |
The Irish SIG Team |
| Seven centuries of Ireland’s historical and genealogical records went up in flames in the 1922 Four Courts explosions. Those records are lost, but other sources can help you to piece together the events and stories of your Irish ancestors. | |||
| Sat., 8 August | 10:00 a.m. | A Trifecta of Disparate Sources: County Histories, City Directories, and Sanborn Fire Maps | Bob Goode |
| County histories are rich in details about where your ancestors lived. City directories are a great source to use as census substitutes. Sanborn Fire Maps, from 1867–c. 1970, are potentially a wealth of information on your city-dwelling ancestors. Come find out how you can make the most of these three resources. | |||
| Mon., 10–Thurs., 13 Aug. | 2020 Technology Institute | ||
| Watch for more information. Pre-registration is required. | |||
| Wed., 26 August |
7:00 p.m. | Jewish SIG Meeting: How to Read Polish and Cyrillic Birth, Marriage, and Death Records | Felicia Wertz |
| It is hard enough to read handwriting from decades ago, but adding another language or alphabet can make it seem impossible. However, you can learn the “formula” of life documents written in Polish and Cyrillic and decode their meaning. | |||
| Sat., 12 September | 10:00 a.m. | Exploring 1875 St. Louis | Adam Wanko |
| Compton and Dry’s Pictorial St. Louis is one of the most important maps in American history. Explore the sensations and experiences of life in St. Louis more than 140 years ago. From the city’s busy center to its outskirts, past sparkling mansions and congested tenements, surprised wait at every turn! | |||
| Wed., 16 September | 7:00 p.m. | German SIG Meeting: It’s All “Dutch” to Me: A Crash-Course in the Sounds of German | J. D. Smith, PhD |
| Because German is a highly phonetic language and did not have a regularized spelling system until the 1800s, learning its phonetics can help you navigate difficult documents and dialect issues. This workshop introduces the sounds of German and methodologies for improving genealogical document analysis. | |||
| Sat., 10 October | 10:00 a.m. | Ethnic St. Louis | Elizabeth Terry |
| As St. Louis celebrates the 250th year since its founding, Elizabeth Terry’s book, Ethnic St. Louis, highlights the many communities that make the city vibrant and multi-ethnic. Ms. Terry will talk about long-established groups of French, German, Irish, and African American immigrants as well as more recent arrivals of Vietnamese and Bosnians. | |||
| Sun., 18–Sun., 25 October | Annual Research Trip to Salt Lake City | ||
| Watch for more information; pre-registration is required. | |||
| Tue., 27 October | 7:00 p.m. | Irish SIG Meeting: Exploring Ireland’s History Through Maps | Mike Bridwell |
| Maps can be an excellent way to convey information, and the History and Genealogy Department has recently added a series of historic Irish town maps to their collection. Join us as we discuss the value of this collection in helping you learn more about these towns and the history of Ireland as a whole. | |||
| Sat., 14 November | 10:00 a.m. | Does That Even Make Sense? | Dan Lilienkamp |
| Are online family trees a genealogist’s friend or foe? Learn about tools for evaluating whether the information in online trees should be accepted into your own research. | |||
| Sun., 13 December | 10:00 a.m. | Jewish SIG Meeting:Finding Your Ancestors at the Missouri Historical Society Library and Research Center Jewish Federation Building, 12 Millstone Campus Dr. 63146 |
Dennis Northcott, associate archivist, MHSLRC |
| (Pre-registration is requested. Call Kathy Schmeltz at 314-442-3761 or at kschmeltz@jfedstl.org.) The MHSLRC holds a wealth of resources that tell the stories of our St. Louis-area ancestors. Join us for an entertaining and informative look at the genealogical treasures stored at the Library and Research Center. | |||
Last modified: 07-Jan-2020 17:16