Cost:   Free for members of St. Cloud Area Genealogists
$7 for non-members (to register email kmsauer@ymail.com)

When Anne Hanson’s dad first asked her to investigate the secret past of his parents, little did she know what she was getting into. Numerous genealogical searches and traditional sources failed to reveal even a speck of evidence that the families of her grandparents, Frank and Ida Hanson, had ever existed. Finally, after two decades of dogged research, Anne unearthed her grandparents’ true identities and the secrets they took to their graves. While her new book, Buried Secrets: Looking for Frank and Ida, is one of suspense, it also celebrates love and family. Her genealogical research helped to heal familial wounds and gave her father the answers he had longed for his entire life.

Hanson will present “Buried Secrets: Looking for Frank and Ida – a Genealogical Webinar” for the St. Cloud Area Genealogists on Tuesday, January 16, 2024 at 7 p.m. at Stearns History Museum (235 33^rd Ave S., St. Cloud). The presentation will also be available online and will be recorded for members of SCAG and registered guests.

Anne Hanson crossed the ocean for her African Studies degree, and as a reporter, would drive endless miles across town to get the story. Anne has written for the Boston Globe and numerous newspapers, as well as for corporate publications and the New England Historic Genealogical Society’s American Ancestors magazine. She lives with her husband in Brookline, Massachusetts.

Cost:   Free for members of St. Cloud Area Genealogists
$7 for non-members (to register email kmsauer@ymail.com)

Most genealogists know to look in cemetery records, but most miss a valuable resource: the funeral home. Daniel Earl will present a webinar on the history of funeral homes and the records they kept. He will also look at a case study showing the value of these historic and unique records. The presentation will be available remotely and will be recorded for members of SCAG and registered guests.

Daniel Earl got his start in family history at age 10 when his father took him to the grave of his great-grandfather. That sparked a lifelong interest in family history. He has spent the last 25 years researching his own family history and helping others make history a part of their story. You can find out more about Earl at his website www.familyhistoryguy.net.

RootsTech is the premier event to celebrate your heritage and other meaningful connections through a deeper understanding of family history and genealogy.

Register for this free (online portion) event at https://www.familysearch.org/en/rootstech/

Cost:   Free for members of St. Cloud Area Genealogists

$7 for non-members (to register email kmsauer@ymail.com)

The number of online resources available to genealogists has skyrocketed in recent years, but using those resources to their full potential can be tricky without a few helpful hints. Eleanor Brinsko will be sharing a few insights into one of those resources for local genealogists. Digitalarkivet is a free resource for Norwegian-focused genealogists around the world that offers resources pertaining to Norwegian history as well as government, religious and legal records.

Brinsko will present “Digitalarkivet: What to Know and How to Do It” for the St. Cloud Area Genealogists online on Tuesday, March 19, 2024 at 7 p.m. at Stearns History Museum (235 33^rd Ave S., St. Cloud). The presentation will be available remotely and will be recorded for members of SCAG and registered guests.

Eleanor O. Brinsko, MLIS, of Carlon Genealogy Services, LLC, is a professional genealogist based in Wisconsin. She specializes in Norwegian-American genealogy by looking at genealogical and social trends on both sides of the Atlantic. She has given lectures for the Wisconsin Historical Society and numerous universities, public libraries and genealogical societies across the United States.

Cost:   Free for members of St. Cloud Area Genealogists
$7 for non-members (to register email kmsauer@ymail.com)

Are you interested in DNA research but not sure where to start? Michelle Wilson will guide participants through a case study by showing how to separate paternal and maternal relatives, how to get support and gain access to locked trees and how to construct pedigrees for your DNA connections. She will illustrate how she solved a tough DNA case that also had a few surprises along the way.

Michelle Wilson will present “Bio-Parents for Peg and Donna: A Genetic Genealogy Case Study” for the St. Cloud Area Genealogists online on Tuesday, April 16, 2024 at 7 p.m. at Stearns History Museum (235 33^rd Ave S., St. Cloud). The presentation will be available remotely and will be recorded for members of SCAG and registered guests.

Michelle Bray Wilson has been active in the genealogy community for more than a dozen years. She speaks throughout the Midwest on genetic genealogy, French Canada, ancient ancestry and creating family history books. She has lectured for the Illinois State Genealogy Society, Franco Fete in Minneapolis and MENSA as well as being a featured speaker for the Chicago Public Library. She is the former president of the Computer Assisted Genealogy Group of Northern Illinois and served many years as registrar of a local Daughters of the American Revolution chapter. An engineer by training, Michelle has recently begun accepting a limited number of genealogy clients.

Join us for an exciting day of fun and exploration as we tour the new Benton County Historical Society facility on Saturday, April 20, 2024 at 9:00 a.m. in the heart of Sauk Rapids, Minnesota. This special event is in honor of our 50-year anniversary.

Enjoy a presentation about the rich history of the region and information available to family historians in Benton County.

Explore the fascinating research facility and spend time uncovering your ancestor's artifacts, photos, and other genealogy materials. Discover your family in surname files, digital databases, newspapers, naturalization records, city directories, census records, plat mats, yearbooks, gravestone registers, photo albums, family history books, audiotapes, and so much more.

Connect with members who share your interest and passion for genealogy with lunch at noon a short walk away at Jimmy's Pour House in Sauk Rapids, MN. Meal at your own expense.

Join us for a day of fun to branch out and explore Benton County to celebrate our 50 years. Continue to research all day if you wish or join us for lunch afterwards.

Registration Required (Space Limited) Due to limited space, registration is required for this event. This special event is open to members of St. Cloud Area Genealogists and Morrison County Historical Society genealogy organizations only. 

Register at Register for Branching Out Event

Registration Deadline: April 1st if you want surname folders pulled by the museum to review. Otherwise, register no later than April 15th.