Chicago Genealogical Society

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Mission of The Chicago Genealogical Society
The Chicago Genealogical Society was founded in 1967 as a not-for-profit educational organization devoted to collecting, preserving and perpetuating the records of our ancestors, and to stimulate an interest in all people who contributed in any way to the establishment of Chicago and its surrounding area. Our mission:


 * To collect, preserve, and perpetuate the records of our ancestors.
 * To recognize the contributions of those who participated in the establishment of Chicago and the surrounding area.
 * To stimulate interest in the history of Chicago and family history research.
 * To publish genealogical and historical research materials.
 * To provide a forum to exchange research methods and ideas with other members.
 * To offer programs by which members can obtain knowledge and "how-to" information on researching their family history.

Member Benefits of The Chicago Genealogical Society
Becoming a member of CGS allows you to network with other Chicago-area genealogists. You don't have to have ancestors in Chicago to join! Many of our members have no ancestral ties to the city, but join because they are in the area and want to learn more about genealogy research and methods. As a member, you enjoy many benefits, including:


 * Four issues of the CGS Quarterly, The Chicago Genealogist, containing historical articles on the Chicago area, record abstracts, queries, book reviews, and more
 * Eleven monthly newsletters containing upcoming programs, new publications, publications on sale, research hints, and helpful websites
 * 10% discount on CGS publications
 * Free queries in the CGS Quarterly
 * Free lookups in our publications

Meetings, Programs &amp; Events of The Chicago Genealogical Society

 * General Membership Meetings, Programs &amp; Events
 * All of our programs are free unless noted, and visitors are always welcome! We look forward to seeing you there! For our upcoming programs, click here.
 * The Great Chicago Fire Bus Tour - join us on October 4th for this paid tour led by our own incredible Craig Pfannkuche to visit sites central to that infamous raging fire of 1871!
 * Annual CGS Fall Genealogy Seminar - join us each September for this paid day-long seminar featuring a national level speaker!
 * Board Meetings
 * The CGS Board of Management meetings occur 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon at the Newberry Library, when there is a program scheduled there on that date.

Quarterly &amp; Newsletter of The Chicago Genealogical Society

 * Quarterly - CGS has been producing The Chicago Genealogist quarterly since 1969. Now, you can search past issues! With thanks to the Newberry Library for coordinating the digitization, the quarterlies are available through CARLI (Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois) Digital Collections site here.
 * Newsletter - CGS publishes 11 monthly newsletters containing upcoming programs, new publications, publications on sale, research hints, and helpful websites.

Sale Publications of The Chicago Genealogical Society
CGS has published a number of books to aid in your genealogical research. If you would like to purchase any, please complete the form here and either pay online via PayPal (after you have submitted the form online), or print the form and mail it to our address above along with a check made payable to "The Chicago Genealogical Society."


 * Chicago Cemetery Records 1847-1863.
 * Bohemian National Cemetery, Chicago Illinois: Burials.
 * Union Ridge Cemetery, Chicago Illinois.

Free Online Research Aids of Chicago Genealogical Society

 * CGS Website -
 * "Vital Records from Chicago Newspapers"
 * "CGS Surname Database"
 * "Digitized CGS Quarterlies"
 * "A Potpourri of Genealogical Links"
 * CGS Pinterest - Find our many Pinterest Boards of genealogical topics here.

Local Repositories of The Chicago Genealogical Society

 * Archdiocese of Chicago's Joseph Cardinal Bernardin Archives &amp; Records Center
 * Chicago History Museum
 * Chicago Public Library
 * CPL - Archival Collections
 * CPL - Neighborhood Collections
 * CPL - Online Genealogy Resources (many require a Chicago resident eCard)
 * Hyde Park Historical Society
 * Newberry Library
 * Newberry - ChicagoAncestors.org
 * Newberry - Genealogy and Local History
 * Newberry - Research Guides
 * Newberry - Digital Resources
 * Newberry - Genealogy Blog
 * University of Chicago Library
 * University of Illinois at Chicago Library

Projects of The Chicago Genealogical Society

 * Current Projects
 * Ancestor Certificates - The Chicago Genealogical Society issues ancestor certificates to direct descendants of early residents of Chicago or Cook County.
 * Past Projects
 * Under construction

Frequently Asked Questions

 * Q. Do I need to live in Chicago to become a member of CGS?
 * A. Great question! No need to live in our fair City of Chicago. As a matter of fact, about half of our members live elsewhere around the globe. CGS can help you find genealogical resources in Chicago for your ancestors who once lived here thru our website, publications, free member queries &amp; free member lookups. It's also easy to keep in touch with us thru our many social media outlets including the CGS Blog, Eastman's Calendar, CGS Facebook, CGS Pinterest, CGS Twitter, CGS YouTube Channel and CGS Website all listed above!


 * Q. Under Construction?
 * A.

Officers of The Chicago Genealogical Society

 * President: Stephanie Carbonetti
 * 1st VP/Programs: Julie Benson
 * 2nd VP/Membership: Jonathan E. Bloom
 * Treasurer: Wayne D. Weber
 * Recording Secretary: Debbie Holstein
 * Corresponding Secretary: Craig Pfannkuche
 * Director: Gay Sven
 * Director: Thomas Mackowiak
 * Director: Joan M. Billingham
 * Director: Barbara Baker
 * Ancestor Certificates: Craig Pfannkuche
 * Archivist/Historian: Marguerite Sandrock
 * Blog: Lindsey A. Zambrano
 * Facebook: Terri O’Connell
 * Hospitality: Amanda Jensen
 * Hospitality: Terri O’Connell
 * Library Lookups: Stephanie Carbonetti
 * Mail Distribution: Jeanne Larzalere Bloom
 * Newsletter Editor: Jaime Graetsema
 * Publication Sales: Stephanie Carbonetti
 * Publicity: Julie Benson
 * Quarterly Editor: Leslie Schramer
 * Webmaster: Rena Schergen

FamilySearch Wiki Projects &amp; Page Adoptions

 * Under construction