Genealogy Society of Southern Illinois

06/17/2026

Today, this man is known more for his beer making skills but he also played an important role in the American Revolution. Come and visit the Jackson County Historical Society and hear the story of Samuel Adams. While he won’t share his beer recipe, he has a great story to tell. We are open on Wednesdays and Fridays from 12-3, Thursday evenings from 5-8 and Saturdays from 10-3.

06/16/2026

06/13/2026

They will arrive about 1 PM tomorrow. The courthouse opens at 12:30 PM.

06/12/2026

Who’s ready for GSSI conference?

06/11/2026

Discover your roots and soar with the stories of your ancestors. 🌳✨

Dive into your family history today and see how far you can fly!

Start your journey now.

06/08/2026

The penalty for spying during the Revolutionary War was death by hanging. No trial. No appeal. A military tribunal could condemn a man in days.
Nathan Hale was executed in 1776 without being allowed to write a final letter home.
John André — a British officer, respected by Washington himself — hanged in 1780. Rank meant nothing.
Most spy networks of the era collapsed within months. Penetrated. Betrayed. Rolled up.
The men and women who fed Washington his intelligence knew exactly what they were risking. Abraham Woodhull was a Long Island farmer — writing in invisible ink, using a false name, burning every letter after it was read. One suspicious neighbor. One wrong word at the wrong tavern. That was all it took.
The Culper Ring ran for four years and was never broken.
That wasn't luck. That was discipline under a penalty most of us can't imagine.
Tonight — meet the man who crossed enemy waters by rowboat more than a dozen times. Britain knew his name. They never caught him.
👇 Who do you think took the greater risk — the agents in the field or the ones hiding in plain sight at home?