Big News – Join and Renew NOW !
Beginning January 1, all Publications are Included in Membership!
The TMCGS board has decided to reward our members will access to every publication !
We are still selling paper copies to libraries – so please do not share outside of our membership.
62 Genealogy PSA 1 min videos
Look for PSAs in Free for Everyone
Thanks to Michele Simmons Lewis !
FREE Books for Everyone
Pathways on the Prairie – Allin Township
McLean County Cemetery Locations
History of the Illinois Conference Evangelical Church 1837-1937
Civil War Diaries of James W. Jessee
New Series
Searching FamilySearch
Michele Simmons Lewis, AG, CG
How to use the Community Tree
Don’t miss unindexed image search
What the heck is
TikTok ?
World’s Largest Genealogy Conference
Roots Tech 2024 Registration
is FREE
February 29 thru March 2, 2024
New Feature
Genealogist Michele Simmons Lewis, AG, CG of Mad Hatter Genealogy has over 46,000 followers on TikTok.
Watch her short videos of genealogy tips here
Topics include:
-DNA Client Case – finding an unknown parent
-Rookie mistakes – tips for Pros and Rookies alike
-PSAs – 62 Quick Tips for Everyone
-Searching FamilySearch – Get every possible nugget
These short videos are full of real life tips and tricks.
More to come each week !
Are You related to George Washington or Elvis?
Rand learns from FamilySearch he is related to
George Washington !
You may be too.
To try out this free feature at familysearch:
Open an account at familysearch.org
or login your existing account.
Enter your family tree with yourself at the root. As you enter
relatives going back, look for a suggested match from FS that has
an identification number. Try to get enough entered that each
branch of the tree ends in a person that is already in the database.
Then open a new tab while still logged in and goto:
(P.S. George and I are only cousins, I am not a direct decendent)
What is a FamilySearch Affiliate Library?
The FORT in Lexington and The McLean County Genealogical Society library in the McLean County Museum of History at 200 N. Main, Bloomington are “FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries.” FamilySearch has millions of free records for conducting genealogical research. Many of the records are available to your home computer at “familysearch.org”, but often copies of specific items can only be retrieved at a FamilySearch Center or Affiliate Library. For example, Illinois Death Certificates are a pain in the butt to obtain often costing $20 or more at County Clerk offices (why is that?). You can order Illinois Death Certificates from the Illinois State Genealogical Society for $10.00 at ilgensoc.org.
But make your way to The Fort or our library on the 2nd floor of the McLean County Museum of History, and you can download them for FREE. If you bring a laptop, and you log onto the wifi at MCMH, your laptop is recognized as being inside the library and you will have access.
Members of TMCGS have free access to MCMH !
-Check out our Online Store – Members get 25% off!
Members can view prior presentations at their convenience – see below !
Members have immediate access to all past Gleanings from 1967 – present – Alphabetical Indexes
Everyone has access to The History of the Illinois Conference of the Evangelical Church 1837-1937. This searchable .pdf has information on everyone active in the churches !
Everyone has access our Gleanings Indexes check for your surname
Check under FREE BOOKS to discover some not found anywhere else
General Meetings Open to Everyone <All meetings Zoom unless noted>
January 16, 2024, 6:30 P.M.
March 19, 2024, 6:30 P.M.
May 21, 2024, 6:30 P.M.
July 16, 2024, 6:30 P.M.
September 17, 2024, 6:30 P.M.
November 19, 2024 – Election of Officers
Board Meeting Zoom Links and Forms <Click>
January 9, 2024, 6:30 P.M.
March 12, 2024, 6:30 P.M.
May 14, 2024, 6:30 P.M.
September 10, 2024, 6:30 P.M.
November 12, 2024, 6:30 P.M.
How to Use this Site
For research, we have made our Gleanings indexes availble to the general public. Search them for surname and other information, noting the Gleanings Issue. Then Join or Log in, as members are given access online to all Gleanings issues.
Many FREE resources are available to all. They include: Ancestral chart, family record, street name fun, popular links, our cemetery guide publication with directions and descriptions of McLean County cemeteries !
The McLean County Museum of History offers many attractions and events – some via ZOOM. Click here or on the photo https://mchistory.org for more information.
The MCGS Genealogy Library is on the 2nd floor and offers books and journals from around the country, computers set up with Ancestry and Family Search, and often a volunteer to assist you. Hours of operation are here (https://www.mchistory.org/visit).
On Demand Programs available to Members – Sign up and learn today !
Tina Beaird Presents “Illinois Digital Resources”
Tina Beaird is owner of Tamarack Genealogy and is a history librarian in the Chicago area.
This program is a “fire hose” of information. Fortunately you can pause the presentation anytime to make notes on the two handouts provided. So much of what is available is digital and Tina shows us where to look to find information that does not automatically pop up as a hint. Two handouts are available. Log in or join now to view this program in the member’s area.
If you missed Tina Beaird’s presentation “Becoming a Census Sensei”, please login or join now to view it in the member’s area under Presentations!
It is a wonderful program and has so much information. I love being able to pause the video to make notes on the handout when I need to process something.
Tina is an author, lecturer, and owner of Tamarack Genealogy. She holds an MLS with a specification in archives preservation and often lectures at conferences both local and national.
National, State, Special, Education, and Indian censuses are discussed !
Susan Kaufman Presents “Unusual Sources”
Susan Kaufman is Senior Manager at the Houston Public Library.
This interesting program presents unusual sources of information that you will not find easily. Have an interest in History? Check out the listing of all Civil War soldiers to receive an artificial limb. This is just one of the many sources Susan illuminates. A downloadable handout is available. Log in or join now to view this program in the member’s area.
Mimi Davis Presents “New Databases at BPL”
Mimi Davis is the Electronic Resources Librarian at the Bloomington Public Library (BPL). Learn about the new Genealogy Databases available.
BPL has two new databases “Heritage Hub” and “Black Life in America” that are rich with genealogical information. BPL cardholders can access these information sources from home. The slide program is available as a downloadable file. Log in or join now to view this program in the member’s area.
Non-members can preview the Gleanings here
Click image to left to open preview edition with Table of Contents & Surname Index.
McLean County Poor Farm – new information with a spreadsheet available in the members area.
An article by McLean County Museum of History librarian Bill Kemp on McLean County auctioneers.
We remember Ruth Carpenter, a life member who contributed extensively to MCGS, by reprinting her nursing story. This story highlights the excellent content in past issues of Gleanings.
A look at research methods to add someone to Find a Grave.
Researching a poem written for a local family.
Special thanks to Susie Pope and others for their work on this issue.
Please join and then access thru Members tab.