St. Clair County Genealogical Society of Illinois

06/20/2026

It's not too late to register for tomorrow's free virtual presentation. Register at https://stclair-ilgs.org/events/ to get your personalized link to attend.

06/18/2026

TWO DAYS AWAY!
The St. Clair County Genealogical Society will be at the Daphne Sumner History Discovery Center at 705 E. Washington St., Belleville. If you are new to genealogy, we will have a short introduction to genealogy workshop at 10:30am, 11:30am, and 12:30pm. St. Clair County genealogists will also be on hand to discuss all things genealogy. Come by and visit with us. Hope to see you there!

To learn about other activities, visit https://www.facebook.com/events/1631995831145690

06/18/2026

🏡 Word of the Week: Relict

📖 Definition: In genealogical records, particularly those dating from the 17th to the 19th centuries, the term "relict" is a formal synonym for a widow. It is derived from the Latin relictus, meaning "left behind" or "forsaken." You will most frequently encounter this in probate records, land deeds, and tombstone inscriptions (e.g., "Jane Doe, relict of John Doe").

🌍 Why it matters: Seeing this term is a vital clue for your research. It immediately clarifies the marital status of a woman at a specific point in time and often provides a direct link to her deceased husband, helping you bridge the gap between generations. Understanding "relict" helps you:

🔎 Confirm Marital Status: Distinguish between a woman who is unmarried, married, or widowed in legal documents.
📜 Identify Spouses: Quickly link a woman to her husband’s name, which is often listed immediately after her title.
🏘️ Establish Timelines: Use the date of a document mentioning a "relict" to establish the terminus ante quem (the limit before which) the husband must have died.

🧭 Try it this week: Review the death or probate records of an ancestor you suspect died young. Look for land sales or guardianship papers involving a woman described as a "relict"—this will often lead you directly to the husband’s will or administration papers, which may contain the names of surviving children.

06/16/2026

06/15/2026

06/13/2026

🎉 “One City, Many Stories: Belleville History Field Day” is ONE WEEK away!

SCCGS hopes to see you at the event. We will be right in the heart of the action at the St. Clair County Historical Society’s Daphne Sumner History Discovery Center.

Our volunteers are excited to help you dive into your St. Clair County family history. Whether you’re a seasoned researcher or just curious, stop by and visit with us.

And don’t forget — this event is packed with things to see and do across downtown. Bring the whole crew and make a day of exploring Belleville’s stories!

For more information visit:
https://www.facebook.com/events/1631995831145690

06/11/2026

🌿 Word of the Week: Collateral Line

📖 Definition: A collateral line includes relatives who share a common ancestor with you but are not your direct ancestors — siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, and their descendants.

🌍 Why it matters: Collateral research is one of the most effective ways to break brick walls. Studying these relatives can help you:

🔎 Find missing parents through a sibling’s records
📜 Identify maiden names through a sister’s marriage
🧩 Connect families through shared probate or land transactions
🧭 Track migrations by following cousins or in laws

🧭 Try it this week: Choose an ancestor with a missing parent or unknown maiden name. Research their siblings instead. The answer may be hiding in a collateral line.

06/09/2026

Fresh genealogical discoveries have just arrived! The latest issue of the St. Clair County Genealogical Society Quarterly (Volume 49, Number 2) is now ready to explore.

What’s Inside This Issue:

👉 Heinrich Johann Roewe (1840–1917): Who Was Henry Roewe?
👉 Probated Will for Peter Hager
👉 Book Review – Research Like a Pro with AI Genealogy Workbook
👉 The Labor & Industry Museum – Honoring the Work of Our Ancestors
👉 Zion Evangelical Church Baptism Records 1850–1855, Millstadt, Illinois
👉 Marriage Index 1954 (Bride Surnames Freer-Lawson, M.)
👉 In Memoriam – James Bernard Schneider
👉 St. Clair County School Teachers 1907–1915
👉 Petit Jury Warrant First Week September Term 1849
👉 Chancery Case Files Index 1870–1920, part eighteen

SCCGS members can login to download the latest issue. If you are not yet a member, consider joining today.

06/06/2026

🗺️ Word of the Week: Metes and Bounds

📖 Definition: Metes and bounds is a land description system using physical landmarks (trees, stones, rivers) and directional measurements rather than rectangular survey grids.

🌍 Why it matters: Understanding metes and bounds helps you:

🧭 Reconstruct early property boundaries
📜 Identify neighbors mentioned in land descriptions
🔎 Track land inherited or sold within families
🧩 Understand how communities formed before standardized surveys

🧭 Try it this week: Look at an early deed for your ancestor. Who are the neighbors mentioned as boundary markers? They may be relatives or migration partners.

06/04/2026

☀️ Summer Research Kickoff: Turn Your Travels Into Family History Discoveries

Summer isn’t just for beaches, iced tea, and road trip playlists. It’s also the perfect season to sprinkle a little genealogy magic into your vacation plans. Whether you’re wandering through ancestral towns, popping into a courthouse “just because it’s on the way,” or gathering stories at a family reunion, travel opens doors to records and memories you’ll never find online.

Before you pack your bags, here are some fun and practical ways to turn your summer vacations into genealogy adventures.

✈️ Tips for Your Summer Vacation (aka Your Genealogy Adventures)

🗺️ Map your ancestral destinations: Plot towns, counties, and regions tied to your ancestors. Even a tiny detour can lead to a big discovery. Think of it as treasure hunting with better snacks.
📱 Build a “travel ready” research packet: Gather key names, dates, maps, and record checklists. Keep it digital so you can whip it out at a moment’s notice—like when you unexpectedly pass a courthouse.
🏛️ Visit local archives and courthouses: Small repositories often hold the good stuff: probate files, land deeds, school registers, and church books that never made it online.
🕊️ Explore cemeteries along your route: Photograph headstones, note nearby surnames, and look for family plot patterns.
🎤 Use reunions as research goldmines: Bring a simple interview sheet or voice recorder. Elders tend to share their best stories when they’re relaxed, fed, and surrounded by cousins.
📸 Document your trip as you go: Snap photos of homesteads, street signs, churches, and landscapes. These images add color and context to your family narrative.
🏺 Stop at local museums and historical societies: Even the smallest museum can reveal details about your ancestors’ daily lives, industries, and communities.

😎 And Don’t Forget…

Even the most dedicated genealogist deserves a little sunshine. So, after you’ve chased down ancestors, photographed headstones, and explored archives — make sure to save a little time for actual vacation fun. Your ancestors would want that for you.