FREE Ancestry.com Research Center

Do you know what primogeniture means? How about et ux? Are you a puzzled progeniture?

You could just Google these words for a definition, but that may give only modern day use. Visit Ancestry's Genealogy Glossary landing page. The genealogy glossary list gives you the genealogy-specific use of terms, many in century old documents.

http://www.ancestry.com/cs/learning/lexicon

Here's another problem many of us face. Sometimes you can search a foreign database index using names and gender only. You will get search results in most cases, but when you see the images, they are in the foreign language.

This page has  topics for searching in Dutch, French, German, Italian, Spanish and Swedish language documents. Help with wordlists, occupations and names is given. Click the "more..." link under each language to see overall research hints for those records. You may also discover specific databases that are more obscure. Remember, the general Ancestry search only looks at the top 10% of the most popular databases. A small, obscure foreign database must be searched specifically by name.

If you are searching using keywords, such as an occupation, you should use the foreign terms. Here is a message you will see on the search page for Meyers Gazetteer of the German Empire. (You must log in to see this gazetteer.)

Here are just a few terms you may encounter as you search foreign databases.

Inventaire des biens or Pensionnaire (French)
Manente or Pompiere (Italian)
aangetrouwde or zuigeling (Dutch)
Lehrkrankenschwester or Wäschereiangestellter (German)

One last item: Be sure to check out the Research Guides in the top right corner of the Glossary page. These are FREE and new ones are frequently added.

http://www.ancestry.com/cs/learning/free-research-guides

Take advantage of these free research topics to achieve better search results in Ancestry.com, and generalize what you see to other searches you do.

If you want even more help, be sure to visit us at the Iroquois County Genealogical Society in the Old Courthouse Museum.

Yes, I do want some help with online genealogy sites!

Wow! I bet you thought I was never coming back. Here I am!

First, I want to mention that May 2015 was the 1-year anniversary of the Searching Genealogy...In Iroquois County, Illinois blog. I hope you have gained some knowledge about your genealogy search and how we can help you. My goal in Year 2 is to try to post more frequently, maybe twice a month. You will have to visit often to check up on me. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think or how I can help.

Are you getting your money's worth from your online genealogy searches? Should you really spend that money to subscribe to one of the premium subscription sites?

I hope you already know this, but just in case: Iroquois County Genealogical Society is having another  ONE-ON-ONE WEEK at the ICGS archives in the Old Courthouse Museum, 103 West Cherry Street, Watseka, IL. During the week of June 22-26, 2015, volunteers are ready to help you gain some insight and experience in your online quest.

Bring your research questions and your curiosity. We'll sit down with you to see what we can all learn.

There are many FREE sites and FREE resources on subscription sites. The FamilySearch web site is completely free, including all searches and building your family tree. There are also a lot of free resources on Ancestry.com, Accessible-Archives and FindMyPast.

Ancestry.com

If you already subscribe to a premium site, bring your log in information and we can work from information you already have found.


A variety of premium sites can be explored:
Ancestry.com,
Fold3.com,
NewspaperArchive.com,
FindMyPast.com,
Genealogy.com, LivesOfTheFirstWorldWar.org,
Accessible-Archives.com, and
a German immigration database site.

If you are interested in membership in the Daughters of the American Revolution, we can help you get started with the application process.

FindMyPast

Fold3

This is a FREE service to help you in your family history journey. All we ask is that you call the ICGS office at 815-432-3730 or email us at iroqgene@yahoo.com to register.






We are offering sessions in two-hour blocks of time (you may extend, if needed). Monday, June 22 through Friday, June 26, 2015, 10:00 am - 4:00 pm. See you soon!!

Accessible Archives

One-On-One Training is Here! March 9-14, 2015

Have you ever wondered, do you really want to spend your hard-earned money on a premium online site to continue your family history search? Maybe you have a personal account on one of those sites, but you don't really know how to use it very well. Are there some free sites that may help you in your journey?

ancestry.com

Iroquois County Genealogical Society volunteers are ready to help you gain some insight and experience in your online quest. Next week, March 9-14, 2015, we are having ONE-ON-ONE WEEK at the ICGS archives in the Old Courthouse Museum, 103 West Cherry Street, Watseka, IL. Bring your research questions and your curiosity. We'll sit down with you to see what we can all learn. If you already subscribe to a premium site, bring your login information and we can work from information you already have found. Either way, we are waiting to help.

www.fold3.com

A variety of premium sites can be explored: Ancestry.com, Fold3.com, NewspaperArchive.com, FindMyPast.com, Genealogy.com, LivesOfTheFirstWorldWar.org, Accessible-Archives.com, a German immigration database site and Daughters of the American Revolution. We can also help with the free FamilySearch.org web site. (Oh, and we will have a sale on our print books for participants.)

www.accessible-archives.com/

findmypast.com

This is a free service to help you in your family history journey. All we ask is that you call the ICGS office at 815-432-3730 or email us at iroqgene@yahoo.com to register. We are offering these in two-hour blocks of time (you may extend, if needed).

March 9-14, 2015
Monday through Saturday, 10:00 am - 4:00 pm.

See you soon!!

Mark your 2015 calendars!

The ICGS Board has set dates for some of our 2015 activities. Expect 2015 to be a great year! Add these to your calendars now, so you don't miss a chance to participate, and check back for more details and reminders in future posts and in our newsletter, The Stalker.

Have you ever wanted to test run an online subscription site without having to sign up for it? Do you wish you knew more about how to get around a site that you are already paying for? Are those free online sites worth your time?

In a new event this year, we are going to try to answer those questions with you. The week of March 9-14, 2015, the Iroquois County Genealogical Society board and volunteers are hosting One-on-One training sessions to help you explore many online genealogy sites. The sessions are free, but registration is required. Sessions will be scheduled in 2-hour blocks of time. We are still working on the specifics, but some sites we are considering include Ancestry, Family Search,  Fold3, GenesReunited, Archives, Newspaper Archive, World Vital Records, Find My Past, Accessible Archives, and OGSA (Ostfriensen) Database.

Our 3rd Annual Cemetery Walk is scheduled for Sunday, September 13, 2015. We are planning to hold this event at the Flesher Cemetery, north of Crescent City, Iroquois County, Illinois. There will be much more to come on this interesting and enjoyable event. See this post about our 2014 Cemetery Walk.

Last October, we had a visit from Lin Strong, President of the Ostfriensen Genealogical Society of America.

Lin Strong (left) and ICGS President, Mary Buhr

At that time, we talked about having Lin come to Watseka to present a seminar. She will be here on Saturday, November 14, 2015. Part of the day will be spent in the ICGS library using the OGSA publications and other resources available here. Her topics are still being decided upon, but this promises to be a fabulous day of learning and fun.







IHSA (Illinois) Class 2A Watseka Regional Girls Basketball tourney runs from February 9-12. Watch for our ad in the printed program.

One last item to note: As you may know, you can purchase our publications from our web site using Paypal. When you visit our office, you now can use Paypal for in-person purchases, copies or donations. Just another reason to stop by to see us!