Wisconsin STate Genealogical Society

November 2023

Wisconsin Agriculture: Farming in the Dairyland

• Presenter: Jean Wilcox Hibben
• Date:  October 17, 2023 (previously recorded due to unforeseen issues)
  
• Webinar Description: Farming is said to provide the backbone of America; nowhere is this more accurate than in Wisconsin. Learn how the farmer contributed to the country’s way of life, ways to research farm values and records, and why the farming ancestor and farm family are to be revered and respected. After this lecture, no one should use the phrase, “my ancestor was JUST a farmer”!

October 2023

Unearthing Your Ancestor’s Stories in Historical Newspapers

• Presenter: Daniel Horowitz
• Date:  October 17, 2023 (previously recorded due to unforeseen issues)
  
• Webinar Description: Finding mention of your ancestors in a historical newspaper collection is striking genealogy gold. The articles, obituaries, and advertisements in newspapers can teach you about your relatives’ professions, passions, and connections within the community — fascinating details that you won’t find anywhere else. You may even be lucky enough to find a photo! In this session, Daniel will introduce you to techniques and best practices that can help you find your ancestors’ stories in histo rical newspaper collections — even if previous attempts you’ve made have come up dry.
• Recording:: https://youtu.be/sVL4a8yXHW4  If you are a member, you can get the handout on the Webinar recordings page.
  

September 2023

You Light Up My Census! Researching Beyond

• Presenter: Jennifer Roodzant
  
• Date: Tuesday, September 19, 2023
• Time: 7:00 PM Central
• Webinar Description: Did you know resources are available to genealogists outside the U.S. census population schedules? The U.S. Marshalls and enumerators had to follow instructions outlined in manuals which are excellent tools for genealogists. Jennifer will provide tips, tricks, and resources to extract more information and evidence than ever! Using examples, she will demonstrate what codes and tick marks represent and introduce resources and methods to advance your census research.

August 2023

Why is my Ethnicity Estimate Wrong and Does it Matter?

• Presenter: Dana Kelly
  
• Date: Tuesday, August 15, 2023
• Webinar Description: Many of us have an idea of what our ethnic composition is prior to taking a DNA test. After receiving our results, we are often surprised that the results don't match our expectations. This webinar will explain how ethnicity estimates are calculated, why they often don't match our expectations, and whether this is any reason to question the accuracy of the test or the accuracy of our prior research.

May 2023

Searching for Your Elusive Prussian Ancestors

• Presenter: Stephen Wendt
• Date:  May 16, 2023
• Webinar Description: Prussia once controlled parts of what are now modern Germany and Poland. Gain a better understanding of historical Prussia in the pursuit of records with numerous examples and resources.

April 2023

Genealogy of a Neighborhood: Urban & Rural

• Presenter: Mary Risseeuw
• Date: Tuesday, April 18, 2023
• Webinar Description: When your search for family (immediate and extended) hits a wall, or when you want to fill in blanks and move beyond the names and dates into stories, it’s time to search the ‘neighborhood.’ Through the use of city directories, plat maps, census records, population registers, cemetery records, ship passenger lists, and other record sources, you can cast a wider net and create a more complex study.  This methodology is about broadening your search and your concept of your ancestors place in their community. Examples used are an extended family in multiple counties in Wisconsin.

March 2023

Finding Females in US Naturalization Records, 1790-1945

• Presenter: Nancy E. Loe
  
• Date: Tuesday, March 21, 2023
• Webinar Description: Whether you’re missing a naturalization record or finding an unexpected one, this session helps you discover how female ancestors — both foreign-born and birthright — gained, lost, or regained citizenship in the United States between 1790 and 1945.
  US citizenship and attendant rights for women could be fragile, depending on marital status, prevailing laws, social norms, and other shifting factors.
  Examples of US naturalization and citizenship records, and search strategies for finding these records are featured in this presentation.

February 2023

Why Was Grandma So Mean?

• Presenter: Jennifer Holik
• Date: Tuesday, February 21, 2023
• Webinar Description: Why was grandma so mean? Why was grandpa so sad or angry? Why did aunt Alice avoid the family when babies or small children were around? These are questions we think but do not always ask out loud. The time to break the silence is now. There are always more than two sides to every family story. Do you ever wonder what influenced the beliefs, behaviors, & patterns of our ancestors?
  We will look at our stories, genealogy & military documents to identify personal, family, and historical events that may have shaped the behaviors and attitudes of your ancestors. I will share tools & questions to help you explore your ancestors lives & what shaped their behaviors. We will also explore how their unhealed trauma, family patterns and behaviors were passed down through the generations.
  

January 2023

10 Common Lineage Society Application Mistakes - and How to Avoid Them

• Presenter: Bryna O'Sullivan
• Date: Tuesday, January 17, 2023
• Webinar Description: Whether your grandmother was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution or you’re looking to document a new line to the Mayflower, some common issues can down the application process. This presentation will introduce the most common mistakes made by applicants and explain how to effectively avoid them.  This program opens with a brief overview of lineage societies and lineage society terminology. It next moves through the application process, discussing common mistakes made at each step and how to avoid them. It will touch on everything from the lineage society definition of “proof” to why highlighters cannot be used