Polish Pioneers in Illinois

Every good Chicagoan will tell you that Chicago has the largest Polish population outside of Warsaw. It's no secret that the area has welcomed a large number of Polish immigrants throughout the twentieth century but it's pre-1850 Polish immigration that interests James D. Lodesky.

Polish Pioneers in Illinois, 1818-1850 by Lodesky attempts to account for all of the earliest Polish settlers in Illinois. He believes that about 325 Poles lived throughout the state before 1850.

Lodesky discusses reasons for early Polish immigration and Polish history in Illinois and elsewhere. He examines Polish populations in Chicago and several counties throughout the state and also provides genealogies of some early families.

Indispensable history for Illinoisans with Polish roots!

Online Irish Workshops

The Ulster Historical Foundation presented seven webinars for the Fountaindale Public Library in March. The library has shared the videos and handouts on their blog.

The Ulster Historical Foundation specializes in Irish genealogy research and programming. The webinars presented at Fountaindale covered such topics as:

• Researching in cemeteries, newspapers, and archives
• Using school records, wills, and the Registry of Deeds
• Famine era emigration

Many thanks to the Fountaindale Public Library for sharing these informative lectures!

Comparing the 'Big 4'

Ancestry, FamilySearch, findmypast, and MyHeritage are currently the four biggest genealogy databases available. Which one(s) should you be using? Are they worth purchasing a subscription?

At this year's RootTech, Sunny Morton compared the "Big 4" to help users understand which databases best fit their research needs. You can watch her discussion here.

Ms. Morton says that when choosing a database, you need to consider what you need right now. Remember that no one website will have what you need all of the time.

The biggest question you probably have is: Which site holds the historical records I want? Here is a brief overview of the databases:

Ancestry.com

• 80 countries -- particularly: USA, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Australia, Mexico, and the UK

FamilySearch

• 96 countries -- strong global outreach with a unique collection of Central & South American, African, and Asian records

findmypast

• 7 countries -- focus is on UK and Irish records as well as US, Australia, and New Zealand

MyHeritage

• Claims to cover 'all' countries -- primarily Europe and global Jewish collections

For more information, watch Sunny Morton's informational presentation.

Census Records

Do you have questions about how to use census records in your genealogy research? Attend our class on April 12 to learn census research tips. 

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.

New England Women

For Women's History Month, read about some exemplary 19th century women from New England.

Sketches of Representative Women of New England edited by Julia Ward Howe and published in 1904 features biographies of prominent New England women.

These women were philanthropists, writers, doctors, lawyers, and teachers. The sketches describe the roles these women played in society and highlight their many achievements. Of interest to the genealogist, the entries also detail family histories including the names of parents, spouses and children. They also contain important dates, addresses, and occasionally photographs.

The women highlighted here feature a variety of accomplishments and come from relatively diverse backgrounds. Fascinating reading for those interested in women's history!

Free Irish Resources

For Saint Patrick's Day, all Irish resource collections are free on American Ancestors until March 22. Their databases include information on Irish immigrants in America, Catholic parish records, and some record collections from Ireland. You can also watch webinars and read articles on Irish genealogy. Ancestry.com has made their Irish records free for the weekend as well.

Find even more online Irish resources here.

Genealogy Research Day

Drop in this Saturday to get one-on-one help with your genealogy and to utilize our print and digital resources. Join us in the Technology Lab or the Genealogy & Local History Room any time between 1-4 PM.

Glenview History Center Annual Tea

Join the Glenview History Center on Saturday, March 18, for the Jackie O. Luncheon. Leslie Godard will portray Jacqueline Kennedy and share the story of her life in the White House and the death of John F. Kennedy.

FamilySearch Class

Next Wednesday at 2 PM we'll be learning how to use FamilySearch.org. Discover how to use this free database that rivals Ancestry.com. Search their impressive catalog of books of microfilm and utilize their online learning resources.

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