Books for National Hispanic Heritage Month

Discover some of our great print resources for Hispanic research in the Genealogy & Local History Room:

Hispanic American Genealogical Sourcebook
Discover basic genealogical records for Hispanic Americans, the major archives and organizations devoted to Hispanic research and understand the history of Hispanic emigration.

Finding Your Hispanic Roots
Learn about basic research techniques, records, and sources for all major Hispanic countries.

Hispanic Surnames and Family History
An exhaustive collection of Spanish surnames in Latin America and the US with resources for finding family history research for those names.

Census Records for Latin America and the Hispanic United States
A survey of census collections for Latin America and the Hispanic US. Explains where to find them and what information is included in each census. Extremely helpful for Spanish colonial records!

National Hispanic Heritage Month

September 15-October 15 is National Hispanic Heritage Month.

Start finding your Hispanic ancestors with this class from FamilySearch: US Hispanic Immigrants: Finding Their Place of Origin.

You can find more online courses in Spanish on FamilySearch. They have courses specifically for Latinoamérica as well as classes that cover the basics for all of Spain, Latin America, and Mexico.

FamilySearch Family Trees

If you have an account with FamilySearch, you may occasionally be frustrated with their Family Tree features. Last week at the BYU Conference on Family History and Genealogy, Ben Baker discussed some of the common problems users have with their trees.

You can find the slides of his presentation online. He describes where FamilySearch Family Tree information initially came from and discusses the different collaborators who add information to trees.

Keep in mind that Family Trees are public and that FamilySearch actively tries to prevent duplicate trees. Your Family Tree does not belong only to you and does not necessarily reflect your own research. Collaborators are imperfect and upload incorrect information all the time--and let's be honest we make mistakes in our research too. But FamilySearch Family Trees are free (one of the few free family tree services offered anywhere online) and Baker's presentation offers tips to help you cope and fix some of your frustrations.

Cemetery Sleuthing

Join us on September 12 at 1 PM for Patricia Desmond Biallas' program on Cemetery Sleuthing:

Searching for ancestors in local cemeteries is not for the faint of heart, but ghosts and goblins are the least of your concerns. Missing gravestones, mis-marked markers, and gravestones that were never engraved lead to discoveries that are thrilling, disappointing and mysterious, in turn.  

What to expect, what not to expect and preparing for the unexpected are all covered in this “How To” of cemetery sleuthing. Etiquette, safety, and working with the cemetery office staff, will also be covered, as will tips on maintaining an attractive gravesite for your ancestor.  

Whether you’re just getting started in cemetery research or you’ve been doing it for a while, you’re sure to enjoy some fascinating stories and gain valuable tips as Pat shares her experiences in sleuthing our Chicago cemeteries. 

This program is a partnership between the Glenview Public Library and the North Suburban Genealogical Society. Register online or call the Reference Desk at 847-729-7500.

New Collection of Wills in Ancestry

Starting today Ancestry is uploading millions of wills and probate records including a collection of Illinois wills dating from 1772-1999. An article in the Chicago Tribune describes some of the wills of prominent Chicago politicians and businessmen. Were your ancestors as stingy as the man who left his son-in-law "a rope and suggested he hang himself with it" or were they more like George Pullman who left his daughter an island in the St. Lawrence River?

Wills offer interesting insights into your ancestors' personalities and relationships. And, most importantly, they offer a lot of names to add to your family tree!