German SIG

Topic: Exhausting U.S. Records to Find Your German! If you didn't yet find the village name what else can you do? Speaker: Carol Whitton, CG

Topic: Using German Newspapers When You Don't Know Much German Speaker: Scott Holl

St. Louis Germans in the Mid-19th Century Speaker: Dorris Keeven-Franke Learn about the daily lives of your German ancestor, including their neighborhoods, education, social Turnvereins, jobs, and chain migration. Hear about their reaction to diversity, other Germans, slavery, Nativism, and the Civil War.

In die Kirche Gehen: German Churches in St. Louis, 1830–1900 Speaker: Scott Holl, Manager of the St. Louis County Library History & Genealogy Department Follow the evolution of religious denominations in Germany and their transplantation to the St. Louis area beginning in the 1830s. Also learn about the development of German congregations within “English” denominations.

Distinguish Same Name Germans Speaker: Carol Whitton, CG Be certain you've identified the correct ancestor. Learn techniques and which clues to follow to distinguish two or more persons of the same name either in U.S. or German records.

Using Ortssippenbücher to Research Your Family Speaker: Dan Lillienkamp Ortssippenbücher contain genealogical information about families within a specific town, village, or parish. The books may cover many generations of a family back to the beginning of a parish's records. Discover areas of Germany where the books are available. Learn how to use this resource through […]

    Family Search              Bob Goode presenting The FamilySearch website is much more than a catalog to search for ancestors. Learn about the FamilySearch wiki, how to navigate the catalog, how to access digitized books, and many more features included in this comprehensive website. Focus of this G-SIG session will be on finding additional information on […]

    Using Compgen (genealogy.net) Effectively Carol Whitton, CG Much new information has recently been added to important websites. Have you tried using Compgen’s GOV, DigiBib, OFBs, Regional or other parts? Are you confused or avoiding the German language? Obtain more information on what’s where and how to use it effectively!

Exploring German Records in the Ancestry Library Edition database Scott Holl, Manager, St. Louis County Library, History and Genealogy Department Ancestry has become an important tool for German genealogical research. The speaker will give an overview of available databases and offer tips for searching them.

     Finding Clues and Information for Your Ancestors in Unusual Places Carolyn Schaeffer Have you used any and every possible document, record, letter, postcard or diary in your search for more information and answers about your ancestors? Learn of new or different types of information that might give you clues or answers and keep you […]