Fall 2022 Genealogy and Local History Series

Programs to help you trace your family tree
Unravel the mysteries of the past and bring your ancestors' stories to life during the library's October Genealogy Series.

Starting Your Genealogy Journey 
     Part I: What You Need to Know 
     Part II: Where to Look
 
Sue Goodacre from the Winnebagoland Genealogical Society talks about starting your genealogical research in this two-part series. Part I: What You Need to Know introduces you to genealogical terminology, how to get organized and begin your research. Part II: Where to Look will show you where to find vital records, obituaries, census records, and other places that might have your ancestors' records.   

Sue Goodacre has been conducting genealogy research for over 25 years and is a member of multiple genealogical societies in Wisconsin.   
SAT | Oct. 1 | 10 a.m. (Part I) & 1 p.m. (Part II) | Lower Level 
 
Fall Genealogy Lock-In  
Attend this after-hours research event and get one-on-one help from a Winnebagoland Genealogical Society member or local librarian. This year we’re including anyone with a local history question. Wondering about the history of your house? A local business? Why is that statue there? Join us and satisfy your curiosity!  

Enter via the original library entrance on Washington Avenue. Participants will have access to AncestryLibrary, as well as newspapers online and on microfilm.  
FRI | Oct. 7 | 6 - 8 p.m. | Under the Dome  

You Don’t Have to Go to The Vatican for Catholic Church Records!   
 Steve Herro is currently the Assistant Archivist for the Diocese of Green Bay.  He is also a member of St. Norbert Abbey in De Pere.  He has served in his Diocesan and Abbey Archives intermittently since 1988.  He received his BA from St. Norbert College in 1985, MALIS from the University of Wisconsin in 1990, and MS from Minnesota State University in 1999.  His presentation will focus on Catholic historical records available in the Archives of the Diocese of Green Bay and effective use of online sources outside of his Archives that he often uses when assisting genealogists.  
SAT | Oct. 15 | 10 a.m. | Under the Dome  
 
What’s the Story?   
We all have heard some crazy stories about our ancestors, but are they true?  A great-great uncle murdered during a train robbery in 1911?! A great grandmother charged with murder in 1840s Ireland?! Long time genealogist Dave Miller shows how he researched, investigated, and got to the truth behind some of his family’s oft-repeated stories.  
 
Dave Miller retired from a 45-year career in radio and television in 2019. He has been researching his family history for over 40 years, recording a monthly podcast, appearing on The Travel Channel’s Dead Files, and speaking on numerous genealogical topics. He is a member of the Irish Genealogical Society International.  
WED | Oct. 19 | 6 p.m. | Under the Dome 
 
Exploring City Directories  
Local History Librarian Michael McArthur will dive into how city directories can enhance your genealogy and family history.  
SAT | Oct. 22 | 10 a.m. | Under the Dome  
 
History

Lewis Hine  
Local author and photographer Michael Cooney will discuss the life and works of Lewis Hine, the Oshkosh native whose photographs of immigrants and everyday workers, particularly child laborers in the early 20th Century, shaped the nation’s views of child labor.  
WED | Oct. 5 | 6 p.m. | Lower Level 

Finding Her Place: A Yorkshire Mill Girl’s Journey to a Home in the Gold Coast Colony 
Catherine Cruickshank will share her remarkable story of her mother, Ioné Acquah, née Crabtree, who became the first single Englishwoman to go out to the Gold Coast, present day Ghana, to marry an African in 1947. 
THURS | Oct. 13 | 6 p.m. | Lower Level  
 
Learning in Retirement: Railways of Oshkosh 
Librarian Michael McArthur will explore how the railroad shaped Oshkosh’s development into a lumber powerhouse and Wisconsin’s largest city in the mid-19th century. We’ll also look at how the railroads shaped the cityscape as well as its eventual removal.  
MON | Oct. 24 | 1:30 p.m. | Lower Level   
 
It Seems Like Only Yesterday 
Randy Domer, local Oshkosh author and president of the Winnebago Historical and Archaeological Society, will share stories from his latest book It Seems Like Only Yesterday, including the Alexian Brothers Hospital, The Great Train Wreck of 1900, and more. Presented in partnership with the Winnebagoland Genealogical Society.   
THURS | Nov. 10 | 6 p.m. | Lower Level