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Wisconsin STate Genealogical Society

Upcoming Events

    • 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
    • 13 Sep 2025
    • 2:00 PM
    • Appleton Public Library

    Find Your Ancestors: Setting Goals to Focus Your Genealogy

    Join us in person at the library or virtually via Zoom for our monthly Find Your Ancestors series.

    Registration: No registration is needed to attend the program in the library. Zoom attendees must register in advance for this program here

    Program Topic: Setting Goals to Focus Your Genealogy

    Everyone has ideas for their genealogy projects: write a family history; join a lineage society; or scan boxes of family photos. How do you decide which to do? How do know how much time each project takes? Goal setting, time estimation, and backwards planning can help you regain control of your time and help you complete your genealogy projects. 

    Presented by Cynthia K. Patton 

    Cynthia Keefer Patton is a professional genealogist from Kansas City, Missouri, a member of the Heartland Chapter of the Association of Professional Genealogists (APG), and Registrar for the White Alloe Chapter, DAR. She is a BU Certification Program graduate. Cynthia retired from the US Army and holds degrees in both Journalism and Political Science. She has presented for numerous historical, genealogical, and civic organizations. She is currently participating in the #52Ancestors challenge (https://cynthiapatton.blogspot.com) to document the stories of her family line.


    • 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
    • 11 Oct 2025
    • 2:00 PM
    • Appleton Public Library

    Find Your Ancestors: Wisconsin Historical Society: An Overlooked Resource You Need to Explore!

    Join us in person at the library or virtually via Zoom for our monthly Find Your Ancestors series.

    Registration: No registration is needed to attend the program in the library. Zoom attendees must register in advance for this program here

    Program Topic: Wisconsin Historical Society: An Overlooked Resource You Need to Explore!

    The Wisconsin Historical Society is the largest North American collection after the Library of Congress and in the top five institutions for genealogy research. In this presentation we will cover a brief history of the society and the scope of their collection, which extends beyond Wisconsin records. We will also discuss how to use the WHS's website search feature and why you should consider adding a trip to the WHS library on your genealogy to do list. 

    Presented by Mary Risseeuw 

    Mary Risseeuw is a genealogist, historian, writer and lecturer. She has researched 19th & 20th century Dutch immigration to Wisconsin for over 30 years and has published and lectured throughout the U.S. and the Netherlands. She serves on the Board of the Association for the Advancement of Dutch American Studies and hosted their 2011 conference in Wisconsin. She also organized and hosted the Dutch in Wisconsin Conference in 2008; the first Dutch studies conference to focus solely on Dutch immigration to Wisconsin. She has a B.S. from UW-Madison and M.A. & M.F.A. from Northern Illinois University.


    • 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
    • 28 Oct 2025
    • 1 Nov 2025
    • DoubleTree by Hilton Kansas City – Overland Park, Kansas

    The Czechoslovak Genealogical Society International (CGSI) will be holding its 20th Genealogical / Cultural Conference October 28 – November 1 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Kansas City – Overland Park, Kansas. The theme for our conference is From Homeland to Heartland and Beyond.  Attached is an electronic copy of the 16-page Conference Program and Registration booklet and below are some handy links. Please help CGSI by forwarding this email and by making the information available to those who might have an interest in attending this event.  Register by July 31, 2025 to get the Early-Bird Discounted Conference rate (the rate goes up on August 1).  Thank you so much!

     

    Check out CGSI's website at  https://CGSI.org  

     

    Link to Join CGSI as a Member  (If not already a CGSI member, join first (1-year for $35) so you can get the CGSI Member rate for the Conference)

     

    Link to Register for the CGSI Fall Conference  (Register by July 31, 2025 to get the Early-Bird Discounted Conference rate)

     

    Link to View the CGSI Fall Conference Program and Registration

     

    Here are some highlights of the Conference included in the Conference Registration fee. The Registration opened on Thursday May 1 with the early-bird discount available until August 1. 

     

    CGSI's 20th Genealogical and Cultural Conference 

    Theme: From Homeland to Heartland and Beyond 

    Dates: Tuesday October 28 - Saturday November 1  

    Venue: DoubleTree by Hilton Kansas City - Overland Park, KS 

                10100 College Blvd, Overland Park, KS  66210  

     

    Guest Room Rate: $142 per night includes continental breakfast 

    Room Reservations: Available through our conference page on the CGSI website

     

    WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THE CONFERENCE FEE?

    The Early Bird rate for the full 3-day CGSI member fee of $269 or non-member fee of $319 entitles registrants access to:

    ·        Any of the 48 lectures (16 per day) of 75-minute length scheduled for Thursday – Saturday,

    ·        Thursday, Friday and Saturday lunches,

    ·        "Whova" pre and post-conference virtual networking platform, 

    ·        Wednesday evening's, "The Accidental Hero", a one-man WWII era play by Patrick Dewane

    ·        Thursday evening's "Welcome Reception and Exhibitor Fair" with light appetizers, 

    ·        Thursday "Czech & Slovak sing-along" with Petr Hustak on guitar and Bob Rychlik on the fujara, 

    ·        Friday morning’s Keynote Address by Dr. Tamara Scheer of Vienna, Austria, called Life of Czech, Slovak, and Ruthenian Austro-Hungarian Soldiers During the First World War

    ·        Friday evening’s Parade of Kroje (fashion show with folk dress),

    ·        Admission to CGSI Research Center, space permitting, with a ticket,

    ·        Access to the vendor area,

    ·        A 120+ page conference syllabus containing speaker material, and a welcome bag.

     

    The Conference fee goes up on August 1, 2025, after which the price for both a member and on-member increases by $50.  

     

    Tuesday October 28 and Wednesday October 29 Tours are optional educational events and require registration and fees. See the CGSI website for details on each tour.    

     

    The four Czech folk-art workshops by Daniela Mahoney are limited to the first 25 persons and require a separate $20 registration fee. These workshops are available on the online registration form.  

     

    The Friday and Saturday dinners, and the Saturday ethnic entertainment are optional events and require separate payment on the registration form.  

     

    For further information about the event, please go to our website.  Still have questions?  Contact CGSI Conference Chair Paul Makousky at Conferencechair@CGSI.org or me, Denise Zvanovec, CGSI's Membership Co-chair at Membership@CGSI.org.     


    • 8 Nov 2025
    • 2:00 PM
    • Appleton Public Library

    Find Your Ancestors: Voting Records: Genealogy's Best Kept Secret

    Join us in person at the library or virtually via Zoom for our monthly Find Your Ancestors series.

    Registration: No registration is needed to attend the program in the library. Zoom attendees must register in advance for this program here

    Program Topic: Voting Records: Genealogy's Best Kept Secret

    Looking for a date of birth or death? When and where your ancestor became a citizen? Where he disappeared to or where he came from? Voting records may have the answer. These often-overlooked gems can be packed with genealogical information, and you won't believe what they can tell us about our ancestors! 

    Presented by Pam Vestal 

    Pam Vestal is a professional genealogist and speaker who turned her focus to her longtime love of genealogy after a 20-year writing career. Her articles have appeared in the National Genealogical Society Magazine, The Association of Professional Genealogists Quarterly, and her lectures take her from coast to coast. Pam specializes in conducting genealogical research and then transforming that information into illustrated stories that even non-genealogists can enjoy.


    • 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
    • 13 Dec 2025
    • 2:00 PM
    • Appleton Public Library

    Find Your Ancestors: Plan Your Work and Work Your Plan: The Key to Thorough Research

    Join us in person at the library or virtually via Zoom for our monthly Find Your Ancestors series.

    Registration: No registration is needed to attend the program in the library. Zoom attendees must register in advance for this program here

    Program Topic: Plan Your Work and Work Your Plan: The Key to Thorough Research

    Thorough research is one of the elements of the Genealogical Proof Standards. How do you know if you've done enough? A research plan is the key. From creating to working through your pan, learn how to use this tool to keep you on track and be as thorough as possible.

    Presented by Cheri Hudson Passey

    Cheri Hudson Passey is a professional genealogist, instructor, writer, speaker, and owner of Carolina Girl Genealogy, LLC. She is the host of the YouTube genealogy chat show GenFriends and is a genealogical researcher, subcontracted by Eagle Investigative Services, Inc., for the US Army Past Conflict Repatriations Branch. She is involved in many genealogy societies and organizations and on the National Genealogical Society board.


    • 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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