We are at the halfway point of May, and it is time to take a look at our current list of Genealogy Club webinars. We are really thankful for all the speakers for allowing 30 day access to each lecture, as many of you may not be able to attend the webinars in-person. Life under the shelter-in-place order may seem lonely and isolating, so we have continued to host weekly Genealogy Club meetings to keep you connected to our community of researchers and family history enthusiasts. One of the best parts of my day is looking through the list of webinar attendees and greeting each person as they settle into the live session. Knowing that each of you are healthy, feeling good and staying tuned to the webinars is a great feeling, so thank you so much for continuing to participate in our webinars!
For May, we have been very proud to offer these free, online learning opportunities to the public, and if you did not have the opportunity to view these webinars, here are the links and handouts of what you missed!
PANDEMIC 1918! Combating the Influenza Epidemic During World War I with Tina Beaird
| Download Handout
Quhat’s in a Nayme? with Maureen Brady
| Download Handout
Social Media for Genealogy with Tina Beaird
| Download Handout
Upcoming Webinars
Looking forward, our genealogy club will host free weekly Zoom webinars to keep your research on track and keep you connected with our community of genealogy enthusiasts. All these webinars are free and open to the public, no library card required. All you need to do is register for each event, and we’ll send you a copy of the handout and a link to the webinar. Registration closes one hour before the start of each session.
Here’s what you have to look forward to in the weeks ahead:
The War of 1812: Researching Second Revolution Ancestors with Debra Dudek
Wednesday, May 27, 11 a.m.–noon
There’s more to the history of The War of 1812 than the burning of Washington, D.C. and the Star Spangled Banner. Reaching beyond federal pension records, this lecture examines a range of resources spanning military registers, navy accounts and prisoner of war records.
Hidden in Plain Sight: Identifying Clues in Family Photographs with Sarah Potter
Friday, June 5, 11 a.m.–noon
In this seminar, you’ll learn the basics of photo identification and photo dating to solve your family history mysteries! Sarah Potter will focus on a brief history of photography, photograph types and how to use the clues in your photographs to determine when your photos were taken and who are in them.
Hunting For Henry: A Case Study Using Collaterals with Teresa Steinkamp McMillin
Wednesday, June 10, 11 a.m.–noon
Henry Steren was a German immigrant who lived in Quincy, Illinois. The United States records that were created about him indicate only that he was from the Province of Hanover in Germany. This lecture will detail how his town of origin and parents were identified, in spite of the lack of records naming him.
The 1926 Orland Park Murder Mystery with Matthew T. Galik
Friday, June 19, 11 a.m.–noon
Join us for a special book talk and murder mystery discussion with Matthew Galik. On the morning of April 14, 1926, the Inland Steel payroll delivery was hijacked in Indiana Harbor. Later that afternoon, Will County Deputy Sheriff and Mokena resident Walter Fisher died in a hail of gunfire just outside Orland Park. That night, the bullet-riddled body of Santo Calabrese turned up on a Broadview Road. The exact sequence of events remains uncertain, but a jury was able to trace enough of the day’s violent trajectory to send Daniel Hesly on the path to Alcatraz.
Pinning the Past with Pinterest presented by Debra Dudek
Wednesday, June 24, 11 a.m.–noon
Are you on Pinterest? It’s more than just tasty recipes and weight loss tips. This site can help you sort, share and promote your genealogy projects. Learn how to create pins from your own research, collaborate with others on your projects, make a visual “to-do” list, save your must-have reads and share your successes with other genealogists.
Please feel free to share information about our genealogy events with your friends and family through social media. We love your feedback, and it means the world to us to receive your comments and feedback during and after each session. I miss seeing all everyone at our club meetings, but I know you are all taking the time to learn loads of new information from the amazing array of free webinars and learning opportunities offered online right now by some of the best genealogical societies and organizations.
I also look forward to virtually meeting with all of you at our upcoming webinars, and if you need some research help or advice, send me an email or book a free two-hour appointment with me by phone. I always look forward to hearing about what you are researching and what goals you wish to accomplish.
Wishing you all good health and good spirits,
Debra