Lake County (IL) Genealogical Society

LCIGS Monthly Meetings

Come Visit us!
Evening meetings are held on the second Tuesday of the following months at 7:00 p.m.:
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September and October.  

Meetings are held at the Mundelein Park district, 1401 N. Midlothian, Mundelein, IL in the first building just north of the library.  

The annual conference is held in November at another location.

Everyone is welcome!

January 10, 2012:  Researching Your Chicago Ancestors - Steve Szabados
Steve Szabados is a native of Bloomington, Illinois and is retired as project manager. He has a Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois and a MBA from Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Illinois. He has been researching his ancestors for about ten years and has traced ancestors back to 1600s New England and 1730’s in Poland, Germany, Bohemia and Slovenia. He has given numerous presentations to genealogical groups and libraries in Illinois and Wisconsin. His goal is to share his passion for Family History. He is a member of the Polish Genealogical Society of America, Illinois State Genealogical Society and he is also a genealogy volunteer at the Arlington Heights Illinois Library.

The program will review resources that are available to research ancestors who immigrated to Chicago, Illinois.  Both online libraries and archives will be discussed.

February 14 2012:  What's Happening at Family Search - Maureen Brady
Maureen will discuss the new format and digitized records available for free on Family search.

Maureen Brady, a former school librarian and computer educator, has over twenty-five years experience with family history research and is now a professional genealogist.  She has traced her own Scottish roots back to the end of the 17th century and beyond, and has also pursued Chicago area, the trans-Allegheny U.S., Irish and Swedish research.  She is the co-director and trainer for the Crystal Lake (IL) Family History Center.  Maureen has made numerous presentations to Illinois and Wisconsin genealogical societies, conferences and workshops, as well as presenting at the 2002 National Genealogical Society Conference in the States.  Her topics include Chicago and Cook County research, Scottish research, Internet sources, and using a Family History Center.

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March 13, 2012:  The Curious Case of the Missing Dude - Debbie Mieszala, CG
James McBride seemingly vanished after coming of age. This case study presents how multiple versions of obituaries and other records helped uncover a name change, discover a famous James, and identify what became of his kin.

Debbie Mieszala is a Certified GenealogistSM specializing in forensic genealogy, 20th century research, and the Midwest. She does genealogical research for the military to locate relatives of service members missing in past wars, and formerly did adoption-related research as a Confidential Intermediary in Illinois. A national-level lecturer and author, she has taught at the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy and the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research. Debbie has been published in NGS Magazine, The Digital Genealogist, and OnBoard! As a member of the BCG Outreach Committee, she writes press releases on newly certified genealogists. She has attended IGHR and NIGR, and recently earned a certificate in paralegal studies.

April 10, 2012:  Taking Postcards Seriously - Christine Pyle
A penny to buy and a penny to send, postcards were a cheap, efficient, and colorful means of communication. Taking Postcards Seriously is a look into the Curt Teich Postcard Archives, the world's largest publicly held repository of postcards and the materials used to produce them. The beginning of the postcard business in the U.S. and how postcards document late 19th and 20th century life will be discussed.

Christine Pyle is the Historical resources manager for the Lake County Discovery Museum.

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May 8, 2012:  Researching at Appomattox Court House: genealogy through the lens of the Irrepressible Conflict - Daniel Hubbard, PhD
Civil War era records aren't just about soldiers and sailors. Before, during and after the war, a wealth of different types of unusual records were produced that speak of that time and tell the story of a whole generation.

Dr. Daniel Hubbard has been seriously researching his family history since he was about 11 years old. He is a former particle physicist who lived in France and Sweden for 20 years before returning to the Chicago area a few years ago with his family. He is now a full-time professional genealogist and writer, and is the owner of Personal Past (www.thePersonalPast.com) with research concentrating on American, Canadian and Swedish records. He is First Vice President of the Lake County Genealogical Society and a member of the Nordic Family Genealogy Advisory Board at the Swedish-American Museum in Chicago.

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June 12, 2012:  Czech and Slovak Genealogy and Culture - Marge Sladek Stueckemann
Marge will review history in Europe that led to immigration to the U.S. She will discuss the history and culture of the Czech lands and Slovakia, and explain the special resources available for those seeking to know more about their Czech, Slovak, Moravian, Silesian, and Carpatho-Rusyn roots, using the Czech and Slovak American Genealogy Society of Illinois (CSAGSI.) We will look at the resources of the CSAGSI and things such as Czech cultural objects - dolls in folk dress, artwork, samples of our journals, etc.

Marge Sladek Stueckemann of Libertyville has been researching her Czech heritage since retiring as a 7th grade science teacher in 2001.  She has been to the Czech Republic five times since 2002, visiting her ancestral villages most of those times. She joined the Czech and Slovak American Genealogy Society of Illinois (CSAGSI for short) in 2002 and has served as Program Chair since 2005.  

October 9, 2012:  Searching for French-Canadians - Michelle Bray Wilson
The French-Canadian record is extraordinarily complete and well-indexed. If you have any French-Canadian ancestors, you are in luck! Learn the tricks that will have you uncovering vast swaths of your pedigree in the space of a single weekend. The history of the French-Canadians during the Nouvelle France period ending in 1760 provides additional context to this engaging presentation.

Michelle Bray Wilson is an active member of the French-Canadian / Acadian Genealogists of Wisconsin and President of CAGGNI, the Computer-Assisted Genealogy Group of Northern Illinois. Michelle has lectured on topics including French-Canadian history and genealogical research, Getting Started in Genealogy, and Genes for the Genealogist at CAGGNI at societies around the Chicago area. Michelle is an engineering director at a biotechnology firm. She resides in Long Grove, Illinois.

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