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Wisconsin STate Genealogical Society

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Upcoming Events

  • My Ancestors spoke German but were they from Germany?

    • 10 May 2025
    • 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
    • East Branch-Green Bay Library
    Date of Event              Saturday May 10, 2025
    Start Time                   10:30 am – 12:00 pm
    Dave Miller with “My Ancestors spoke German but were they from Germany?”

    Location of Event (Including address)

    East Branch-Green Bay Library

    Combined Meeting Room East & West (EA)

    2253 Main Street  Green Bay, WI 54302

     

    Also, ZOOM link available – email membership@bagswi.org

     

    • Presenter Name (If applicable)

    Presented by the Bay Area Genealogical Society

    • Description of Event (Including titles of talks if more than one presentation is being given)

    Dave Miller with “My Ancestors spoke German but were they from Germany?”

    Many of our ancestors spoke German but were they really from what we now call the Republic of Germany? Genealogist Dave Miller will explore the ancestors who spoke German when they arrived at the U.S. and whether these ancestors were really German?  He will discuss the history of the ancestors who spoke German when they arrived in the U.S. and their origins and what the world looked like back then.

    Keep in mind, the German Empire didn’t begin until 1871. These ancestors may have been living in what was then Prussia, Bohemia, Bavaria, Saxony or even eastern France under control of Napoleon when they were born. You might be surprised to hear their grandparents or great grandparents may have even migrated from somewhere else a few generations earlier. What prompted them to move, what did these records look like back then and where can you find them?  

    Contact:  Barb Holschbach      President@bagswi.org

    https://www.bagswi.org


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  • Completing the Puzzle - One Orphan Train Rider's Journey

    • 16 May 2025
    • 1:00 PM
    • The Milwaukee Central Public Library

    Date of event: Friday 16 May 2025

    Start Time: 1:00 PM Central - a short member meeting precedes program

     Event Title: Completing the Puzzle - One Orphan Train Rider's Journey

    Presenter Name: Genevieve Brandt Kirchman

    Description: Little Genevieve was just one of 250,000 children from New York City who was placed on an orphan train. Her journey ended in 1887 in Wisconsin when she was four years old. Learn how her granddaughter, also named Genevieve, pieced together the puzzle of her life, including identifying little Gen's biological mother with the aid of DNA. It is a story of resilience rather than tragedy.

     Genevieve Brandt Kirchman is a longtime story teller and promises an engaging conversation with her audience.  Genevieve's maternal grandmother was one of over 250,000 children who rode the Orphan Trains from New York City to the Midwest and beyond between the mid-1800's to 1929.  Over the years, she has researched her grandmother's story to the extent that, with the help of DNA, she was able to identify the woman that birthed her grandmother in the lower East Side of Manhattan in 1883.  She has now written that story and published a book entitled, Completing the Puzzle - One Orphan Train Rider's Journey.  Come join us for a lively conversation about the orphan train story and how to translate YOUR family story into a keepsake for future generations.

    Location: The Milwaukee Central Public Library 814 West Wisconsin Avenue, 1st Floor Rotary Club of Milwaukee Community Room

    In Person and Online: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/RqKfKeknQfmgZ20Z-srYLw#/registration


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  • Kansas City Here I Come! Researching in this Midwest City

    • 20 May 2025
    • 7:00 PM

    Kansas City Here I Come! Researching in this Midwest City

    • Presenter: Cynthia Keefer Patton
    • Date: Tuesday May 20, 2025
    • Time: 7:00 PM Central
    • Webinar Description: Did your grandfather serve in World War I? Need to retrieve Naturalization documents at NARA? Learn all that Kansas City has to offer genealogy researchers. From the Midwest Genealogy Center to the Truman Library and several university special collections, this vibrant city offers genealogists a wonderful destination to research, discover, and enjoy the local attractions.
    • Registration: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1884408341846019424
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  • A Visit to Wisconsin Historical Society: Genealogy Collections and Services at WHS

    • 31 May 2025
    • 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
    • online

    Title: A Visit to Wisconsin Historical Society: Genealogy Collections and Services at WHS

    Presenter: Jill Fuller

    Date: Saturday, May 31, 2025

    Time: 10:00 AM-11:30 AM CT
    Description:  Ready to take a trip to the Wisconsin Historical Society (WHS)? WHS holds one of the top five genealogical collections in the country, with materials from across the United States and Canada. Discover more about our extensive family history collections in the Library and Archives, including newspapers, family history books, court records, and more. Learn how to search the catalog and website to find materials on your family for your next visit to WHS. Even if you can’t make it to Madison, you’ll find out how to get access to our physical and digital collections so you can keep researching your ancestry!

     

    Can’t attend live? The workshop will be recorded and made available to all registrants for 30 days. The registration deadline is Wednesday, May 28, at 11:59 PM Central. Don’t wait … register today to save your seat!

    Registration: https://shop.wisconsinhistory.org/whs-genealogy-collections-webinar

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  • Unlocking Genealogical Mysteries: Strategies and Tools for Autosomal DNA Investigations

    • 17 Jun 2025
    • 7:00 PM

    Unlocking Genealogical Mysteries: Strategies and Tools for Autosomal DNA Investigations

    • Presenter: Aimee Rose-Haynes
    • Date: Tuesday June 17, 2025
    • Time: 7:00 PM Central
    • Webinar Description: Discover various at-home DNA testing options and their significance in genealogical research. This session explores the basics of autosomal DNA, Y DNA, and mtDNA, and highlights the importance of centimorgans (cM) in determining genetic relationships. Gain insights into effective methodologies such as the Dana Leeds Method, which includes color coding on Ancestry DNA, and learn about tools like Banyan DNA for complex cases. Understand the Shared cM Project and WATO (What Are The Odds) for relationship predictions. Explore resources like Newspapers, Public Records, Fold3, and Google to enhance your family research. Recommended readings for further understanding will also be provided. Equip yourself with essential strategies and tools to unravel genealogical mysteries through autosomal DNA investigations.
    • Registration: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6444059972489234521
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  • Introduction to U.S. Naturalization

    • 15 Jul 2025
    • 7:00 PM

    Introduction to U.S. Naturalization

    • Presenter: Sara Cochran
    • Date: Tuesday July 15, 2025
    • Time: 7:00 PM Central
    • Webinar Description: Millions came, stayed, and naturalized. The benefits of becoming a U.S. citizen were significant and included the right to vote and claim land under the homestead act. In this overview of the naturalization process we’ll look at key laws and requirements for citizenship, from 1776 to the mid-1900s, and the records generated by the process.
    • Registration: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/302981867127784795
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  • Clues to Conclusions: Can You Prove It? Intro to the Genealogical Proof Standard

    • 19 Aug 2025
    • 7:00 PM

    Clues to Conclusions: Can You Prove It? Intro to the Genealogical Proof Standard

    • Presenter: Marian Burk Wood
    • Date: Tuesday August 19, 2025
    • Time: 7:00 PM Central
    • Webinar Description: To go from clues to answers for tough family history challenges, find out what it means to "prove" something in genealogy. With several intriguing real-world case studies, this how-to presentation defines and demonstrates the use of the Genealogical Proof Standard for planning research, analyzing sources and details, resolving conflicting clues, and coming to a credible solution with higher confidence. Seeing the proof process in action can provide insights and practical ideas for turning clues into provable conclusions.
    • Registration: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/7182520569005984858
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  • Tech Skills for Genealogists

    • 16 Sep 2025
    • 7:00 PM

    Tech Skills for Genealogists

    • Presenter: Natalie Webb
    • Date: Tuesday September 16, 2025
    • Time: 7:00 PM Central
    • Webinar Description: Coming to genealogy from a long career in IT, I quickly realized how many genealogists could benefit from education on basic tech skills. In today's world, so much of genealogical research is intertwined with technology, and this course aims to give genealogists the basic tools they need to succeed.
      Note: This program is designed to be software agnostic, making it suitable for both Microsoft and Apple users. I will be utilizing free tools such as Google Sheets and ChatGPT for live demonstrations and homework assignments, ensuring that it will be accessible to everyone.
    • Registration: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5570907002546827866
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  • Alienation of Affection Divorce in the United States

    • 21 Oct 2025
    • 7:00 PM

    Alienation of Affection Divorce in the United States

    • Presenter: Christine Cohen
    • Date: Tuesday October 21, 2025
    • Time: 7:00 PM Central
    • Webinar Description: Divorce is not just a 20th Century phenomenon. At first, granted by the State Legislature and then by the Courts, these are public records. The case files can include marriage date and place, names and ages of children, current and former residences, and affidavits by the spouses about their marriage and reason for divorce. Clues are in the Census, City Directories, Military Pensions, County Histories, County Courthouses & especially in Newspapers. This could be the reason for a "lost spouse".
    • Registration: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8363356474818860639
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  • Society Briefs, Village News … or the other “Gossip Columns”

    • 18 Nov 2025
    • 7:00 PM

    Society Briefs, Village News … or the other “Gossip Columns”

    • Presenter: Mary Risseeuw
    • Date: Tuesday November 18, 2025
    • Time: 7:00 PM Central
    • Webinar Description: Before Facebook there was an interesting tradition in journalism: the society and small-town correspondent columns. You could read about anniversary celebrations, illnesses, business trips and who came from out of town for a visit. These columns can provide useful, and often amusing, tidbits that can fill in the blanks and connect the dots about your family and community. Examples are from around the world and also chronicle 54 years of a woman’s life through the use of one-liners in the village news.
    • Registration: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/754838265622191703
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  • Are you a Quebec Daughter or Son of the American Revolution?

    • 16 Dec 2025
    • 7:00 PM

    Are you a Quebec Daughter or Son of the American Revolution?

    • Presenter: Lisa Elvin-Staltari
    • Date: Tuesday December 16, 2025
    • Time: 7:00 PM Central
    • Webinar Description: In this presentation we will be examining the role that Quebec( French) citizens played in the American Revolution, helping the Cause, and defying the British government. This involvement by these “French Canadian Patriots” can become the source of admission to the D.A.R. or S.A.R. We will explore the history of Quebec (New France) prior to 1776, and the locations where the War of Independence was fought in Quebec. Following a short description of the Lineage societies, we will explore some resources to create a lineage to a French-Canadian Patriot. Finishing up, three case studies will be examined.
    • Registration: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8484357730506614880
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