VIRTUAL - Genealogy Day (Mini-Conference)

Illinois Inspiration: Jumpstart Your Illinois Research

(Participants must register to receive the Zoom link, handouts, and other important information)

Navigating the Illinois State Archive System

Tina Beaird 

The Illinois State Archives and regional repositories contain hundreds of thousands of documents retelling
the history of Illinois and its citizenry. Tina will describe how the regional archives system works; the types
of documents housed in each facility; and how to obtain records for next to nothing!

Telling the Story with Maps: Maps of Early Illinois and Where to Find Them

Ginger Frere

As the saying goes, “A picture is worth a thousand words.’ This is also the case with maps.  From simple hand-drawn sketches to intricately detailed masterpieces, maps can convey immense detail.  They can provide the names of places, distances, topography, geographical features, migration routes, land ownership, boundaries and political jurisdictions.  Maps allow us to see the physical relationship between places.  Maps can help us answer questions – how did our ancestors get from one place to another?

Family History Research in Illinois

Maureen Brady

The families who came to Illinois came from varied ethnic backgrounds and created a varied landscape of urban and rural environments. The records that were created by, and about, they reflect that variety, both in type and availability. This presentation will first examine Illinois family history resources, including ethnic, religious, and governmental archives and repositories. The discussion will also include a brief review of the history of this part of the “Old Northwest”, and how that history has impacted the records that were created.

Finding Your Chicago Ancestors

Grace Dumelle

In her easy-to-use reference guide, Finding Your Chicago Ancestors, family historian Grace DuMelle provides the means to trace Chicago connections like a pro. She shows not just what to research, but how to research by sharing examples of documents such as death certificates, church registers and U.S. census entries. The presentation will also cover Chicago-area research facilities: what they have and how to access it; as well as how to research using newspapers, machines and catalogs.