The Underground Railroad served to help slave escape to freedom by a series of safe houses and passages.  Iowa played a part in this network.  Phyllis Schrag will describe how the Underground Railroad operated, the dreaded slave catcher, and the risks involved with helping to free slaves. *

Formerly the RootsMagic User Group, the focus of this group has been expanded to include users of other types of genealogy software.  Additional topics will include technology and applications that are helpful for genealogy research.

When the times comes you are no longer actively doing genealogy research, what will become of your files, both paper and online documents?  What about your photos, memorabilia, and online documents?  SCGS members will offer ideas and suggestions for safeguarding your legacy, research, and digital presence, including social media.
 

Introduction to Source Evaluation: Is it Reliable, Maybe a Good Hint, Or?

 

Dennis Allen will lead us this presentation on genealogy source evaulaiton. 

We'll discuss technology, computers, and genealogy.  Sometimes they all play nicely together, other times not so much.

We'll try to unravel some of the problems, plus provide ideas to help you with your research.

Annual meeting with treats, conversation, and election of officers..

 

Keeping track of the soruce of the family data you collect is vital to the research porcess ...and not as difficult as you may think!

Alice will present a two hour workshop with interactive practice to help you learn how to construct a standard source citation.  Practical examples with step-by-step practice ensures you won't want to miss this workshop.

The holiday season is a great time to remember...and research the ancestors.  The Chipmunks are on tour this year, Sinatra, Crobsy, and Glenn Miller will be playing great holiday classics.  And there will be treats, too.

Dr. Paul Lasley returns for the first Genealogy Plus session of the 2018.

 

American agriculture has experienced four major technological revolutions, which have not only changed how farming is done, but has greatly shaped the culture of rural life.

Paul Martsching

Dennis Allen, Genealogist

 

Valuable records are kept of our final departure.  Cemetery files hold info about the burial or cremation, perhaps the bio, the grave marker, who paid for it, and more.  Funeral home records may hold "transit" forms, names of kin, funeral and casket purchase, obituary, and cause of death.  Fraternal or other groups may be listed that participated in the service or contributed to the costs.  These are valuable records, sometimes full of surprises!

Norwegian Research by Arnhild Hillesland

German Genealogy by Charlotte Blevins

Michael Vogt, Curator, Iowa Gold Star Museum

 

From the Civil War to recent conflicts, Iowans have served in the military.  From enlistment to mustering out, there were records kept on each soldier.  What are these records, what do they hold in information about the person and their service?  Michael Vogt, Curator, Iowa Gold Star Museum, will present on the records and the stories they tell and where they can be accessed.