Wisconsin State Genealogical Society (WSGS)

01/05/2026

CAGGNI special interest groups are for members only.
Not yet a member? Now is a good time to join – or renew!
• Would you like to participate in a Special Interest Group, which include topics such as Reunion, RootsMagic, Family Tree Maker, DNA, Historical and Technology?
• Are you interested in access to handouts and other resources in our members-only area?
• Do you want discounted registration for special CAGGNI events, like GeneaQuest?
• At $30 per year with all these benefits, membership is a bargain. Please consider joining CAGGNI!
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Technology Special Interest Group - 8 Jan 2026

2026 marks the inaugural year for CAGGNI's new Technology SIG. This SIG will cover topics formerly featured in Internet SIG and expand coverage to a wider spectrum of technology topics. Our first meeting will include a brief overview of the SIG including an open discussion amongst attendees regarding what topics members are most interested in for future meetings.
Topic: Date Complexities in Genealogy presented by Eric Vavra
Historical dates are often viewed as one of the most basic datapoints in genealogy, but there are frequently hidden complexities that are misunderstood or overlooked leading to inaccuracies. While we experience the modern calendar as a static, universal standard that governs our daily lives with absolute precision, the family historian must view time as a shifting landscape where "standard" dates are often a moving target. As genealogists pursue their research, records encountered may reference dates from a myriad of different religious, cultural, and government calendars as well as variances in date formats across regions and eras. While simple math seems logical to compare dates, it may fail to account for the "chronological potholes" created by historical calendar shifts, or the inconsistent start of the new year. We will discuss internet sources for a variety of historical calendars, essential date terminology, and technology tools that can be used to accurately master the chronological chaos and tricky temporal translation.

SIG Leads: John Stryker and Eric Vavra

CAGGNI SIGs are for members only.

Meeting Style: The Technology SIG is Zoom only.

For the Zoom Link see caggni.org/Zoom-links. Access to this page requires a CAGGNI member login. Please ensure your full name is visible. You may need to use the Rename function (at the upper right of the window where your face appears) if your full name is not shown.

For more information: Technology Special Interest Group - 8 Jan 2026

Best regards,
CAGGNI

Send a message to learn more

01/04/2026

From British Interest Group of Wisconsin & Illinois (BIGWILL):

GUARDIANS OF ENGLAND’S POOR, FROM PARISH TO WORKHOUSE
WHEN: Saturday, January 17, 2026
10 AM to Noon (Central Time, USA & Canada)

WHERE: Virtually via ZOOM only

To participate in the meeting via ZOOM, please use the following Link https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/rsKDz5xfTQSTtzkDdpiV7w
Please note, REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED.

The British Interest Group of Wisconsin and Illinois (BIGWILL) invites you to our January meeting with speaker, Angela Snedaker.

Angela Snedaker’s presentation topic – “Guardians of England’s Poor, from Parish to Workhouse”
In England there is a difference between the Old Poor Law, administered by church parishes, and the New Poor Law, established in 1834, which took the power from the parish and gave it to the board of guardians. Poor law unions and workhouses became the norm for those who could not afford to care for themselves or their children. A variety of records were created – this presentation will demonstrate how to find the records that exist for these unions. Angela will also explain how pauperism and “indoor” versus “outdoor” relief led to the decline and dismantling of the workhouse.

A professional genealogist researching since 2014, Angela Snedaker has a degree in Family History Research from BYU-Idaho, specializing in British Isles research. Her driving passion is education – she teaches research classes at the Ogden FamilySearch Center in addition to tutoring and client research. She also contracts as a British Isles research specialist for Ancestor Seekers, and is a family history consultant for her church. She enjoys organizing genealogy events for her local community. In addition to the British Isles, Angela has experience with records and research in various countries and U.S. states. The greatest joy of Angela’s life is her family – while her children have yet to catch the genealogy bug, she is confident that eventually it will bite them.

Visitors are always welcome to attend our BIGWILL presentations, free of charge.

To participate in the meeting via ZOOM, please use the following Link
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/rsKDz5xfTQSTtzkDdpiV7w
Please note, REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED.

The British Interest Group of Wisconsin & Illinois (BIGWILL) is a special interest group for those who wish to research family history and ancestry in the British Isles. We meet at 10:00 am (Central time) on the third Saturday of January, March, May, July, September and November. January and March meetings are online only, virtually via ZOOM.

Speaker Angela Snedaker topic "Guardian's of England's Poor"

01/02/2026

The Rock County Genealogical Society offers free access to a live Zoom presentation Program, AMERICA AT 250! RESEARCHING YOUR REVOLUTIONARY WAR American Ancestors

Date & Time: Tuesday, January 13, 2026, 6:30 p.m. local WI time.

Cost: Free and open to the public.

Location: Zoom-only winter program (Jan-Apr) - view live on your Home PC or Smartphone with the Zoom app.

Program Presenter: Scott Norrick has over 30 years of experience researching his family history, and through his company, Ancestral Past, he has significant experience researching both the American Revolutionary and Civil Wars.

Program Summary: 2026 marks the 250-year anniversary of America’s signing of the Declaration of Independence. At the time of America’s independence, the population of the American colonies was about 2.5 million. While 1776 is a pivotal year, the war for independence (the Revolutionary War) was fought from 1775-1783. About 200 thousand Americans served in the Patriots’ cause in some capacity. This presentation will provide a deep dive into discovering and researching your revolutionary ancestors. It will cover the top resources, strategies, websites, libraries, archives, and organizations for learning more about your ancestors at our nation’s founding. Resources and documents available at the National Archives, DAR, SAR, as well as state and local organizations will be included. The presentation will also reveal that many colonists did not support independence and supported the British/Tory cause. It is an exciting time to jump in and learn as much as you can about your revolutionary ancestors!.
How to Attend: Go to the RCGS home page at www.RCGSWI.org, then click, "Speakers and Events" for the Zoom link, passcode and handout.

David Bradford, Webmaster/Board Member
Rock County Genealogical Society
RCGS.WI@gmail.com

The RCGS HOME page is home to exclusive & unique family history research materials; see birth, marriage, death and cemetery indexes, atlases and helpful tutorials. Most materials are public, but some pages are restricted to current RCGS members.

12/30/2025

Here is a preview of CAGGNI meetings through June 2026 and a save the date for GeneaQuest, our biennial conference, in July 2026. There will be opportunities at GeneaQuest for sponsorships, exhibits and raffle donations. Please let me know If your organization is interested in any of the above.

In the meantime, here is six months of programming. For more details, visit caggni.org/events.

17 Jan 2026, 10 am
Israel Blackburn: A Journey from Enslaved Person to Founder of Downers Grove
by Marty Acks

21 Feb 2026, 10 am
Mapping Metes and Bounds with Deed Mapper Software
by David McCorkle

21 Mar 2026, 10 am
Deciphering Genealogical Documents in Most European Languages
by Jacquie Schattner

18 Apr 2026, 10 am
The Best of RootsTech 2026
by Eric Vavra

16 May 2026, 10 am
What’s New in the Technology of Genealogy
by John Stryker

20 June 2026, 10 am
Advancing Your Genealogy with Ancestry.com
by Laura Chaplin

18 July 2026
GeneaQuest 2026
Wojcik Conference Center
Harper College, Palatine, IL

https://caggni.org/Events

CAGGNI, the Computer Assisted Genealogy Group of Northern Illinois, holds regular meetings online and at various libraries in the Northwest Suburbs of Chicago.

12/21/2025

Can you believe it's almost 2026? Don't let the New Year sneak up on you so fast that you miss our January 3rd Zoom Only presentation with Kate Penney Howard who will teach us How to Use DNA to Discover Patriot & Loyalist Ancestors.

www.wbcgensociety.org

Our 2026 programming is scheduled and most of our presentations are related to our Nation's 250th birthday, plus our 40th Anniversary!

Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, ¡Feliz Navidad!, God Jul, Joeux Noël, Buon Natale and Frohe Weihnachten!

Don't forget to either record or document conversations with your elders.

Happy Researching,

Paula Olson
Newsletter Editor
Winnebago and Boone Counties Genealogical Society
1710 Van Stone Dr
Machesney Park IL 61115-2166
https://www.wbcgensociety.org/

The Winnebago & Boone Counties Genealogical Society (of Illinois) exists to: Encourage and support genealogical researchers. Promote the discovering and preserving of valued genealogical resources of...

12/17/2025

Pure Germany still has room on these trips!

12/17/2025

Milwaukee County Genealogical Society Event:

Date of Event Friday 23 January 2026
• Start Time 1:00 PM Central - Member meeting precedes Program
• Event Title Using U.S. Land Records in Genealogy
• Presenter Name Karen Fortin
• Description of Event : Land records are an important part of your genealogical toolkit. This presentation will provide an overview of common terms and concepts, explore how land records can help your research, and assist you in locating these valuable resources. The presentations will also share examples showing how to go from finding a deed to finding the land described in it on the modern landscape.

Karen’s passion for history and research led her to an interest in genealogy. She began volunteering with the Pinellas Genealogy Society in Largo, FL in 2012, and was the society’s president from 2014-2017. Karen began providing genealogy and history presentations in 2016 and has lectured at various genealogical societies, public libraries, and other interested organizations. One of her goals is to help people explore historical periods, places, and events so that they can better understand their ancestors and the world in which they lived.

She is a member of: Pinellas Genealogy Society, Florida State Genealogical Society, New England Historic Genealogical Society, New York Biographical and Genealogical Society, National Genealogical Society, Association of Professional Genealogists, and Genealogical Speakers Guild.
• IN PERSON Location: Milwaukee Central Public Library 814 W. Wisconsin Avenue Milwaukee, WI 1st floor Rotary Club of Milwaukee Community Room
• ONLINE Registration https://zoom.us/meeting/register/F0aN4fsOSSWike_r_00j0g #/registration

12/07/2025

From Jim Marten-

I recently gave a noon hour workshop on using Ancestry.com and a few other sites to find Civil War ancestors, or to interpret documents that pop up when searching for ancestors. You can see it on the Milwaukee County Historical Society YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFGp-ov44hQ.

Jim Marten
Professor Emeritus of History
Marquette University

https://www.uncpress.org/book/9781469684239/the-sixth-wisconsin-and-the-long-civil-war/

Reimagining one of the oldest genres of Civil War history, this book engagingly presents the story of the war and its aftermath through the lens of a single ...

12/07/2025

" Using DNA to discover Patriot and Loyalist Ancestors "
Speaker: Kate Penny Howard

Winnebago/Boone County Genealogical Society – Regular Meeting Program
Saturday, January 1st at 1:30 p.m. CDT
Meeting Location: Zoom only - No in-person meeting this month

Zoom ONLY!.
Zoom link is:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/GEAMlcqSSSWVPxVL8mriAg

Join Genetic Genealogist Kate Penney Howard as she shows us ways that she discovered new Revolutionary War veterans using DNA and traditional genealogy. She'll share tips to use DNA to break down Revolutionary-era brick walls and surprising things that she uncovered! Kate is a genetic genealogist and speaker who has presented at many conferences and local libraries and societies.

Kate Penney Howard is a genetic genealogist, specializing in brick wall work, HighRoH, and endogamy. She has presented at Rootstech, East Coast Genetic Genealogy Conference, Illinois Genealogical Society, the International Congress on Medieval Studies, NAAP/RTK's Untangling Our Roots, and the General Assembly of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Future speaking engagements include Rootstech 2025 and Ohio Genealogical Society 2025, as well as local library & genealogical society presentations. Kate studied vocal music and earned a Master of Divinity from Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis in 2011, and has been pastor of North Christian Church since her ordination in 2012.

To register in advance for this program visit our page for the Zoom link. facebook.com/WBCGS! or on our website www.wbcgensociety.org

For more information, call Diane McCue at (815) 543-2287

Visit us at our website www.wbcgensociety.org and on Facebook, facebook.com/WBCGS!

The Winnebago & Boone Counties Genealogical Society (of Illinois) exists to: Encourage and support genealogical researchers. Promote the discovering and preserving of valued genealogical resources of...

12/05/2025

And from affiliate member Rock County Genealogical Society-

HOLIDAY HEIRLOOM AND MEAL PARTY
Date & Time: Tuesday, December 16, 2025, 6:30 p.m. local WI time.
Cost: Free and open to the public. Main entrée, plates and utensils are provided, just bring a dish to share.

Location: Join us at the Tomah Room in the Milton House Museum (no Zoom of this event).

Program Presenter: Attendees themselves

Program Summary: Anyone with a family story or heirloom to discuss is invited to briefly address the group.

How to Attend: This event is a live-only (no Zoom) holiday celebration. Members and the public are invited to attend and asked to bring a dish to share and an optional family heirloom to discuss. We meet at the second level Tomah Room of the Milton House Museum, 18 S. Janesville St., Milton, WI (map) at the scheduled time. Ample parking, handicap access, elevator, snacks, soft drinks and door prizes are included.

(Note - Live Social Meeting - no Zoom Broadcast).

Julie Jacobs Feingold, Speaker & Events Coordinator
Rock County Genealogical Society board member
RCGS.Speakers@gmail.com

Send a message to learn more

12/05/2025

From our affiliate Dodge/Jefferson Genealogical Society-

Just a friendly reminder that we will be hosting a presentation on Monday, December 9, 2025, at 6:30 pm at the Watertown Public Library in the Community Room. The guest speaker will be Dr Patrick Steele and his subject will be "Wisconsin and World War I". This presentation is open to the public and free of charge. Please refer to your November 2025 newsletter for more information.

As members you are also invited to a small Christmas Gathering at 6 pm in the same place. Please bring a snack or finger food and join us for some sharing of stories before the presentation.
Hope to see you there!

Lila Miller, DJCGS Treasurer & Newsletter Editor

Send a message to learn more