Polish Genealogy: 4 Steps to Success

Where do you start your research of your Polish Ancestors? Finding your Polish ancestors is a challenge. Join us this Saturday at 1 PM for Steve Szabados' presentation which will simplify the confusing elements of Polish research.

We'll cover logical steps on searching and translating Polish documents as well as what to do about border changes that confuse us on where our ancestors were born. . This material will jump start your research and help you enjoy your Polish Heritage.

This presentation is presented in partnership with the North Suburban Genealogical Society.

Newspapers & Genealogy Research

Newspapers are rewarding genealogy resources but are often difficult to research.

This Saturday at 1 PM, Kimberly Schlarman, Genealogy Librarian, offers tips for locating and researching historical newspapers and how they add to your family history. Presented in partnership with the North Suburban Genealogical Society.

Register online or call the Reference Desk at 847-729-7500.

Finding the Answers: World War II Online

Most people begin research for their World War II service member online. While most of the records you need to reconstruct service history are not available online, you can still find clues and contextual information to add to your soldier’s story.

Join us Saturday, April 13 at 1 PM when Jennifer Holik will answer some common questions about WWII online research. Come learn how to:

• Research Ancestry.com and Fold3
• Use online information to fine offline resources
• Connect with other researchers or European grave adopters 
• Locate information using social media

Register online or call the Reference Desk at 847-729-7500.

Presented in partnership with the North Suburban Genealogical Society.

White Like Her

On Saturday, February 9, local author Gail Lukasik will be here to share her personal and genealogical journey to uncover her mother’s racial heritage.

After her appearance on PBS’ Genealogy Roadshow where her mother’s life changing secret was revealed, Gail was inspired to write White Like Her. The book is the story of her mother’s “passing” for white, her struggle with the shame of mother’s choice, and her subsequent journey of self-discovery and redemption. In the historical context of the Jim Crow South, Gail explores her mother’s decision to pass, how she hid her secret even from her husband, and the price she paid for choosing whiteness.

Haunted by her mother’s fear and shame, Gail embarked on a quest to uncover her racial lineage, tracing the Frederic family back to 18th century colonial Louisiana. In coming to terms with her decision to publicly “out” her mother, Gail changed how she looks at race, racial identity, and her black heritage.

Register online or call the Reference Desk at 847-729-7500. This program is presented in partnership with the North Suburban Genealogical Society.

Family Tree Maker

The North Suburban Genealogical Society is hosting an Interactive Family Tree Maker Presentation on Friday, November 9, at 9 AM at the Northbrook Historical Society.

A representative from Family Tree Maker will discuss how to upgrade and use Family Tree Maker 2017 and its new features which include: Family Sync, Photo Darkroom, FamilySearch Integration, Color Coding, Saved Filtered Lists and Sync Weather Report.

Rediscover Your World War I Soldier's Experience

Tina Beaird will help us uncover our WWI ancestors this Saturday, August 11 at 1 PM.

Many federal WWI personnel records were destroyed in a National Archives fire in the 1970s. Tina offers ways to locate copies of peripheral federal military records and provides solutions for recreating some of the lost history in these “fire” records by also using local government documents, newspapers and base records.

Presented in partnership with the North Suburban Genealogical Society.

Register online or call the Reference Desk at 847-729-7500.

Discovering Your UK/Irish Roots Online

Join us Saturday, June 9 at 1 PM when Debra Dudek will discuss the resources and search techniques for the three big UK and Irish databases: FindMyPast, ScotlandsPeople, and RootsIreland. Learn what’s new and how privacy and information rights impact your quest for records.

Presented in partnership with the North Suburban Genealogical Society.

Register online or call the Reference Desk at 847-729-7500.

So You've Found Your German Town of Origin, Now What?

Join us this Saturday at 1 PM for a program on German research.

Finding your ancestor's town of origin can be exciting. Once this piece of information is found, you might be left wondering how to get records from the other side of the ocean. Teresa Steinkamp McMillin focuses on how to get records for German towns.

Highlights include:

• Verifying the location of the town 
• Strategies for identifying misspelled town names 
• Finding historical jurisdictions for that town 
• Finding records for that town 
• Useful aids for reading those records 
• Tips for hiring a professional genealogist in Germany

Register for the program online or call the Reference Desk at 847-729-7500. Presented in partnership with the North Suburban Genealogical Society.

Adding Context

Adding Context: Social History for Genealogists

Ginger Frere will discuss the value of adding social context to family stories, review samples of narratives where context is provided, and look at some published social histories to determine where and how to find materials of interest to genealogists. In partnership with the North Suburban Genealogical Society.

Register online or call the Reference Desk at 847-729-7500.

The Day That Lived in Infamy

Regardless of service branch, many records exist to tell your soldier, sailor, or Marine’s story. Jennifer Holik will teach you how to research World War II records for any branch of the military in this informative program.

In this engaging and informative presentation, Jennifer shares:

• A trip through time, exploring the service history of several men and women. 
• Explore resources to search prior to obtaining military records.
• Provide information on obtaining Official Military Personnel Files. 
• Show and teach you what military records can be used to reconstruct service history. 
• Tips on weaving military, genealogical, and historical records together. 
• A brief exploration of the Individual Deceased Personnel File (IDPF).

This program is presented in partnership with the North Suburban Genealogical Society.

Register online or call the Reference Desk at 847-729-7500.

The Chicago 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition

Beautiful Scenes of the White City

Join us this Saturday at 1 PM for The Chicago 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition: What Remains & New Links to H.H. Holmes. Local historian and former criminal investigator Ray Johnson discusses the legacy of the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition, including relics that remain and previously undiscovered links to “The Devil” Dr. H.H. Holmes. This program is presented in partnership with the North Suburban Genealogical Society.

Great Yerkes Telescope, Manufactures Building from

Beautiful Scenes of the White City

Register online or call the Reference Desk at 847-729-7500 .

Our Genealogy & Local History Room contains two books that were published in 1893 and 1894 to commemorate the Exposition.

The Dream City
A beautiful over-sized book of photographs and descriptions of the architecture and attendees of the fair. The editors discuss the creation of the exposition and the people involved in turning the fair into reality.

Beautiful Scenes of the White City
The photographs here are largely focused on individual exhibits and attractions. Lovely interior images evoke an idea of what it would have been like to attend the fair.

Also, look for Chicago: The Wonder City published in 1893 to promote the city and the fair. This book focuses more on the city of Chicago itself.

"The Columbian Illuminations" from The Dream City

Write Your Story

At some point during your research, you'll probably start considering if you want to write your family history. Writing is the best way to preserve your history. Creating a family tree is great but stories add depth to your genealogy. Personal anecdotes and details make your ancestors feel like real people and not just names and dates.

A writing project may sound intimidating but it's easy to get started.

First decide what sort of family history you want to write. Do you want you write a memoir or a biography? Are you creating a scrapbook filled with memorabilia? You also need to focus on the scope of your work. Many writers like to trace their line from themselves to the earliest known ancestor but maybe you would prefer to focus on the life of one specific person and their descendants?

When writing about ancestors that you know little about personally, use general historical information. Ask yourself: What was their profession? What would their typical day have been like? Are there any significant stories from their hometown that would have impacted their lives? What about national or international events or catastrophes? Did they move to a new area? How would they have adapted? What languages did they speak? What cultural or religious celebrations would they have observed? Using social history can help you pick out a common theme or plot for your story. For example, you can focus on the immigration experiences of your ancestors or on life as a pioneer settler.

Remember to cite and document your sources! They give your research credibility and help others with their own research.

If you want to get started or need moral support, join one of the NSGS writer's groups.

How I Use DNA in My Genealogy Research

The Glenview Public Library is hosting a program with the North Suburban Genealogical Society this Saturday at 1 PM.

How I Use DNA in My Genealogy Research with Caron Primas Brennan
Genealogist Caron Primas Brennan will talk about the “why” and “how” of DNA testing in genealogy research. Using case studies and examples, she explains how she incorporated DNA testing into her research.

Register for the program online or call the Reference Desk at 847-729-7500.

DNA, Behind the Scenes

Come learn about DNA and genealogy on Saturday, March 12.

DNA testing has become part of genealogy, but what does it really mean? What are the different tests? Why do they tell us different things? Where did we get the different components of our genetic heritage? Who should be tested? How can DNA testing be used to attack genealogical problems? Dan Hubbard will explain what you need to know about DNA and your genealogy.

Register online or call the Reference Desk at 847-729-7500.

This program is presented in a partnership with the North Suburban Genealogical Society.

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.

The Unforgettable Story of Unbroken with Byron Kinney

The story of the best-selling book Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand about the life of Louis Zamperini, WWII P.O.W. survivor, is a riveting story of survival, suffering, salvation and forgiveness.

On Saturday, June 13 at 1 PM, WWII Air Force B-29 pilot, Byron Kinney, will share his personal connection to this fascinating story via his mission to Japan that was instrumental in saving 700 starving POWs, including Zamperini. Mr. Kinney will also speak about the continuing story of their relationship especially during the past 25 years.

In partnership with the North Suburban Genealogical Society.

Register for the program online or call the Reference Desk at 847-729-7500 x7700.

NSGS April Meeting

On Saturday, April 11, the North Suburban Genealogical Society will host a Panel Discussion and Q&A at the Northbrook History Museum.

The NSGS Member Panel will include:

Clark Dean, CG -- Finding Two Illusive Women: A Case Study
Judy Hughes -- A Fresh Look At Brick Walls; New Ways to Rethink Old Problems 
Terry Jackson -- An Adoption Story: Italian Immigration & The Newberry Library
Tom Van Heule -- How to Convert Old Data (Slides & Pictures) Into Computer Files

The meeting begins at 1:00 PM and is free and open to the public. Guests are welcome and are invited to bring a friend and enjoy refreshments. The meeting room is on the lower level and has a ramp for handicap accessibility.

Genealogy Meetings

Genealogy First Tuesdays is not meeting this month but if you're looking for other genealogy-related events to go to in September, check out one of these genealogy societies:

Northwest Suburban Genealogy Society

September 6 at 10 am

Arlington Heights Senior Center

1801 W. Central Rd., Arlington Heights

"Truth or Fiction: Unraveling a Family Yarn" with Teresa Steinkamp McMillan

Hear the story of a 19th century Irish immigrant in Chicago. Learn how Ms. McMillan discovered the truth behind the family lore of this immigrant ancestor.

North Suburban Genealogical Society

September 13 at 1 pm

Northbrook History Museum

1776 Walters Ave., Northbrook

"Write Your Family History Now!" with Mike Karsen

Learn how to organize, write, and publish your genealogy research.

NSGS February Meeting

The North Suburban Genealogical Society invites the public to attend its Saturday, February 8th meeting at the Northbrook History Museum. Guests are welcome and are invited to bring a friend and enjoy refreshments.

The meeting will feature Tina Beaird presenting on Military Genealogy. Tina will explain the significance behind using original records for tracing your ancestor's military service. Records from the American Revolution to WWII will be discussed as well as some sources for modern records. Learn what types of documents are available within federal, state and local archives.

 The meeting begins at 1:00 PM and is free and open to the public. There will be snacks.

NSGS June Meeting

The North Suburban Genealogical Society will be meeting on June 8 at 1pm at the Northbrook Historical Society. Nancy Thomas will be presenting a lecture titled Breaking Down a Brick Wall, or How I Found the Marriage Record of My Irish Great-Great Grandparents. Find out about breaking down brick walls and pick up some Irish research tips!

Visit the NSGS website for more information.