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Blog Entries: 1 to 10 of 70
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Free Civil War Related Webinar
 Calling all of those interested in the Civil War and especially those interested in the Civil War in Missouri. Bill Eddleman, the coordinator of the State Historical Society of Missouri (SHSMO) Cape Girardeau Research Center, will host a free webinar entitled, “Civil War Forts and the Prominence of Southeast Missouri in Battles” on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, at 10 a.m. CST. The webinar will last an hour, and Bill will discuss the role that Cape Girardeau and Southeast Missouri played in the Civil War. The webinar is free, but registration is required. You can read more about the webinar and register here. |
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Where is it Wednesday - An Invitation
For the past few months, I’ve been posting to a new, weekly column on the historical society’s Facebook page. That column is called, “Where is it Wednesday” and each column features either a location or object with ties to Iron County’s rich and diverse history. I have selected locations, objects, and events from all over Iron County and will continue to do so until I run out of ideas (which won’t happen any time soon).
If you are like me, you may have mixed feelings about social media. Social media often gets a bad rap, and rightfully so – the constant comparisons, the negativity, the echo chambers. But let's not forget that social media can also be a powerful force for good. When used intentionally, it can be a valuable tool for connection, learning, and personal growth. That is what I have tried to do with the Society’s Facebook page. The Iron County Historical Society is a registered 501(c)(3) organization and, as such (by law), we are apolitical meaning that we don’t take sides and stay out of politics.
Besides the Where is it Wednesday column, I also use the Society’s Facebook page to make any announcements of a timely nature, e.g., weather closures, meeting cancellations, etc. If you haven’t been to our Facebook page, I would invite you to take a look and, if like what you see, follow us there. Social media doesn’t have to be a bad thing.
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January 2025 Meeting Agenda
 The agenda for the January 2025 Quarterly Meeting, along with the minutes from the October 2024 Quarterly Meeting have been posted on the Meeting Minutes Page in the Members Only Area of the website. Just a reminder, the meeting will be this Sunday, January 19, 2025 at 2 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church of Ironton located at the corner of Reynolds and Knob Streets in Ironton.
We hope you will join us and bring a friend or two or three. We will have our Annual Members Show & Tell Program prior to the start of the business meeting and invite all of our members and guests to bring along a historical object or two to share with the group. Note that the item should be historic in nature, but it does not have to directly relate to Iron County. We hope to see you there! |
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Avoiding Rookie Mistakes in Research
 The folloing is from Geneaolgy Explaned and details14 Rookie Mistakes That’ll Torpedo Your Family Tree (And How to Avoid Them)
I can tell you that I made some these myself and I think many of us who have been researching for many years might also admit to the same. Here's the link! |
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Free On Demand Programs at SHSMO
Hello everyone, if you are snowed in like me, perhaps today would be a good day to take a look at one of the free, on demand, historical presentations available from the State Historical Society of Missouri.
Here is some more information:
Learn Something New About the Past
Newly Available On-Demand Programs
FREE • AVAILABLE ONLINE
As part of our mission to generate appreciation for the rich cultural heritage of Missouri and its people, SHSMO offers a growing list of over 100 workshops, lectures, and virtual programs that are freely available to worldwide audiences to watch anytime. We've added eight programs to the list since October and we're busy planning more for 2025. Spend some time over the cold winter months learning how history informs our lives today. |
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Reclaim The Records & the BIRLS Database
Reclaim The Records, is a not-for-profit activist group of genealogists, historians, researchers, and open government advocates. They identify important genealogical records sets that ought to be in the public domain but which are being wrongly restricted by government archives, libraries, and agencies. They file Freedom of Information and Open Data requests to get that public data released back to the public. And if the government doesn’t comply, they take them to court. To date, they have worked to gain access to some 60 million records. Their newest additions is the Beneficiary Identification Records Locator Subsystem (BIRLS) database. What exactly is the BIRLS database?
The Beneficiary Identification Records Locator Subsystem (BIRLS) database was originally created and maintained by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (the VA). It provides an index to basic biographical information on more than 18 million deceased American veterans who received some sort of veterans benefits in their lifetime, including health care, disability or life insurance policies, educational benefits (the GI Bill), mortgage assistance (VA loans), and more. The BIRLS database includes people who served in all branches of the US military, including some branches that no longer exist, such as the Women's Army Corps (WACs) and the Army Air Corps, as well as a few associated non-military groups and government agencies, such as NOAA. It even includes files for some non-US nationals, including veterans of the Philippine Commonwealth Army and Philippine Scouts and Guerillas, who served prior to and during the Second World War.
You can search the BIRLS database by clicking here.
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2024 Christmas Message
"And in despair I bowed my head; 'There is no peace on earth,' I said; 'For hate is strong and mocks the song Of peace on earth, good will to men.'"
These poignant lines from the beloved Christmas hymn, "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day," by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, resonate deeply even today. The song, penned amidst the Civil War, captures the anguish of a nation grappling with division and violence.
At the Iron County Historical Society, we believe that understanding the past is crucial to building a better future. By examining the challenges faced by our ancestors, we can gain valuable insights into the enduring human struggle for peace and reconciliation.
The Civil War, a period of immense suffering and social upheaval, serves as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of unchecked hatred and division. It highlights the importance of dialogue, empathy, and a commitment to finding common ground.
"Then pealed the bells more loud and deep: 'God is not dead, nor doth He sleep; The wrong shall fail, the right prevail, With peace on earth, good will to men.'"
Longfellow, despite the darkness surrounding him, ultimately expresses a profound hope for the future. He reminds us that even in the face of overwhelming adversity, the human spirit can prevail.
As we celebrate Christmas, let us reflect on the enduring message of "I Heard the Bells." Let us strive to heal our nation’s divisions and come together as one towards a brighter future for all. Let us remember that the struggle for peace is an ongoing one, requiring constant vigilance, courage, and a commitment to understanding and compassion.
We hope you will visit our museum to learn more about our local history and the important lessons of the past. Merry Christmas!
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Avoiding Genealogical Errors
 I don't know about you, but the last thing I am thinking about right now with less than a week left before Christmas is genealogy. We have different groups of family members coming on Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday (Christmas) and yours truly is in charge of planning, purchasing, and preparing all the meals.
That said, the cold, winter season with it's short days and inclement weather is a perfect time to devote to researching your family history. As we are all human, we all make mistakes. I can remember I typo that I made regarding my paternal grandparents wedding date and how I got into a great deal of trouble with one of my favorite aunts, when according to my faulty recording of dates that I had her being born before my grandparents got married. Needless to say, I corrected that error very quickly. Innocent typos are just one kind of common mistake that family historians make.
Andrew Koch, writing for Family Tree Magazine, wrote a article, available here that details five common genealogy errors and how to avoid them. I hope you will give it a look as I am sure you don't want to be accosted by an angry relative as I was! |
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Greek Genealogy Handbook - Free
 Earlier this year, Carol Kostakos Petranek of Spartan Roots and Georgia Stryker Keilman of Hellenic Genealogy Geek released a series of short videos via their Bite-Sized Greek Genealogy podcast, to address the most common Greek genealogy research questions that people ask. Now, the content of these videos has been compiled and summarized into a handbook, which you can download for free! Get the Greek Genealogy Guidebook. |
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PSA - Tis the Season for......Scams!
 12 Scams for Christmas
Have you ever been shopping for an item on-line and then later when using your social media account find an ad for the very same item at a really great price? Well, I have, and I fell for it! Luckily, in my case, it wasn't a high dollar item, so while I wasn't exacltly happy, I chalked it up to the price of my education. The thing is, the website that I clicked on from my social media page looked so professional, that I really didn't think twice before getting taken.
The holiday season is an exceptionally busy time for scammers, including those scammers that run fake websities like the one that fooled me. The Better Business Bureau has identified 12 holiday scams to be on the lookout for this holiday season and into the new year. You can read all about them here.
It's easy to get fooled, take it from me. So, for scams like the one that I fell for, just remember this: If the price is too good to be true, then it could very well be a scam! |
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