Join us on the 2nd Thursday of the month
at 7:00 PM (Central)
General meetings are free and open to the public.
Our January, February, and March meetings are held online via Zoom (registration required). All other general meetings are in person. We do not meet in July, August, or December. Members can access the recordings and handouts from past meetings HERE (member login required).
In-person meeting location:
Grace United Methodist Church – Fellowship Hall (Lower Level)
(300 E Gartner Rd, Naperville, IL)
Download a copy of the 2026 FVGS Program Schedule
ONLINE-January 08, 2026 Meeting: What You Can Learn from Lineage Societies… Without Being a Member! by Elizabeth Swanay O’Neal, CG
Lineage societies have been collecting and preserving family histories for more than 125 years. Did you know that some of these resources are available online for free? And you don’t even need to be a member to take advantage of them! From the databases and documents of the DAR to simple lists of pioneers and soldiers, this presentation will show you the gems that are available online and how to find them.
REGISTER HERE
Elizabeth Swanay O’Neal, Certified Genealogist®, is a professional researcher, writer, educator, and national genealogical speaker. Her specialties include methodology, technology, and online research resources.
Elizabeth has studied at the National Institute for Genealogical Research (NIGR, now known as GenFed) in Washington, DC; the Forensic Genealogy Institute (FGI) in Dallas, Texas; and the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG) in Salt Lake City, Utah. She is the President of the Second Life Virtual Genealogical Society, Director of the NGSQ Study Groups program, and a Genealogy Consultant for the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR).
As a family history lecturer, Elizabeth has given presentations for Legacy Family Tree Webinars, RootsTech, the Federation of Genealogical Societies, the Utah Genealogical Association, and many others. Her professional memberships include the Board for Certification of Genealogists, the Association of Professional Genealogists, the Genealogical Speakers Guild, and she is an active member of the public speaking club Toastmasters International.
Since 1987, Elizabeth has made it her goal to research, share, and preserve her family stories. She is a co-host of the Branching Out Genealogy Podcast (https://branchingout.show) and the author of the family history lifestyle website Heart of the Family™ (https://www.thefamilyheart.com). Her mission is to help others make the past part of their present.
ONLINE-February 12, 2026 Meeting: Using Artificial Intelligence Tools for Genealogy by Blaine Bettinger, PhD, JD
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) is a valuable new tool for genealogists, potentially saving 100s of hours a year and offering new ways to organize our research. However, these tools have important limitations that must be understood in order to utilize them properly and efficiently. We will cover the benefits and limitations of generative AI, and how you can explore this entirely new field without becoming overwhelmed!
REGISTER HERE
Blaine Bettinger, PhD, JD, is a professional genealogist specializing in DNA evidence. In 2007, he started The Genetic Genealogist (www.thegeneticgenealogist.com), one of the earliest blogs on the topic. Blaine is the author of The Family Tree Guide to DNA Testing and Genetic Genealogy and co-author with Debbie Parker Wayne of the award-winning Genetic Genealogy in Practice, the world’s first genetic genealogy workbook. He also co-authored “Genetics for Genealogy” with Judy Russell in 2018’s Professional Genealogy: Preparation, Practice & Standards (ProGen PPS) (Elizabeth Shown Mills, Author and Editor).
Blaine is or has been an instructor for genetic genealogy courses at the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research (IGHR), Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG), Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP), and Virtual Institute of Genealogical Research. Blaine is a graduate of ProGen Study Group 21, a trustee for the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society, and a member of the DNAngels Board of Directors since 2022 (President since January 2023), and a member of the Scientific Working Group on DNA Analysis Methods (SWGDAM) “Investigative Genetic Genealogy Working Group” since 2019. He is also the founder in 2017 of Genetic Genealogy Tips & Techniques, a very active Facebook group with approximately 90,000 members.
ONLINE-March 12, 2026 Meeting: Learning DNA Strategies Through Case Studies by Kelli Jo Bergheimer
Different DNA research questions sometimes require different strategies. See three unique questions solved using DNA analysis tactics you can apply to your own research.
REGISTER HERE
Kelli Jo Bergheimer is a writer, teacher, editor, author, and international genealogical speaker. Kelli holds a Bachelor’s in Biology, a Master’s in Education: Curriculum and Instruction, and a Master’s in Business Management. Kelli is the Director of Education for Your DNA Guide. Kelli runs a small business—Mess on the Desk, a genealogical organization company with a YouTube channel. Kelli is a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists.
IN PERSON-April 09, 2026 Meeting: The Happy Invention: History & Significance of Picture Postcards by Katherine Hamilton-Smith
The first picture postcards were published for the 1889 Paris Exposition, celebrating the completion of the Eiffel Tower. In America, the first picture postcards were printed for the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago —making Illinois the birthplace of the American picture postcard.
Since those flowery Victorian originals, uncountable billions of postcards of every aspect of life have been printed, depicting train stations and bandstands, street views and cartoons, ads for products and services, ‘beauties’ and ‘freaks,’ social history both whimsical and dark, and everything in between. An early mention of postcards is in the 1870 diary of a Welsh curate, who called them “a happy invention.”
In 2016, the world’s largest public collection of postcards and related materials, the Curt Teich Postcard Archives, was given to the Newberry Library by the Lake County Forest Preserve District.
Katherine Hamilton-Smith, the founding curator of the Teich Archives, presents a look at the documentary, power, and significance of picture postcards. She touches on the Curt Teich Company of Chicago, the role Illinois played in the history and development of postcards, and the picture postcard as a cultural icon.
NOTE: Attendees are encouraged to bring their family postcards/collections for review and comment!
Katherine Hamilton-Smith is a museum and archives professional with 30+ years of experience in public history, historic sites management, exhibitions and interpretation, collections development and care, National Historic Landmarks, and fundraising.
Katherine is the founding curator of the Curt Teich Postcard Archives Collection—a core collection of the Newberry Library, Chicago. Her work with the Teich Archives gave her special expertise in the history and significance of picture postcards. She holds an MA in Art History from the University of Chicago and a BA in Art History from the University of Nebraska, and studied art history and music history at St. Andrews University in Scotland, where she specialized in early medieval manuscript illumination and American Abstract Expressionism.
IN PERSON-May 14, 2026 Meeting: Murder Most Foul by Mike Fichtel
A look into what one newspaper called the most sensational murder case in Kane County history (as of 1912). The Murder of Edwin Kelchner in 1890 created numerous records. Edwin was married to the speaker’s great-great-grandfather’s sister. This talk will explore the sources used in researching this case, some of which might not be familiar to the researcher, and will also evaluate those sources for reliability and any potential pitfalls they may contain.
IN PERSON-June 11, 2026 Meeting: Details Coming Soon
IN PERSON-September 10, 2026 Meeting: Remembering Route 66 by Leslie Goddard, PhD
The name evokes images of gas stations, mom-and-pop motels, quirky attractions, and adventure on the open road. In this nostalgia-packed lecture, historian Leslie Goddard, Ph.D., explores the history of Route 66, the iconic road that linked Chicago to Los Angeles from 1926 until its closing in the mid-1980s. Learn why Route 66 remains so indelibly associated with the lore of the American road trip. What was Route 66 like at its pinnacle –and what is it today?
Leslie Goddard is an award-winning actress and scholar who has been presenting history programs for more than twenty years. She holds a Ph.D. from Northwestern University, specializing in American studies and U.S. history, as well as a master’s degree in theater. A former museum director, she is the author of three books on history and currently works full-time as an author and public speaker.
IN PERSON-October 8, 2026 Meeting: Details Coming Soon
IN PERSON-November 12, 2026 Meeting: Heirloom Show & Tell by FVGS Members and Guests + Annual Meeting
Do you have a unique family artifact that led you to seek discoveries about your ancestral roots? Did you discover a document or a photo that helped you solve a brick wall? Do you have a cherished heirloom that tells part of your family history? We’d love to hear about it!
Bring your family heirloom, photo, document, or other interesting item, and share the story behind it with other genealogy enthusiasts. Members and guests can participate in the ‘Show & Tell’ event. Be ready to share your family artifact and take a minute (or three) to tell a story about it. If your item is too large to carry, you can still tell us about it and, if available, bring a photo.
Even if you don’t bring anything, we know you’ll enjoy seeing the heirlooms and hearing their stories. Come for the refreshments and stay for the great conversation with others who share your love for family history. We hope you will join us for this fun and inspiring event!