WINNEBAGO & BOONE COUNTIES GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY

The Winnebago & Boone Counties Genealogical Society (of Illinois) exists to:

• Encourage and support genealogical researchers.
• Promote the discovering and preserving of valued genealogical resources of Winnebago and Boone County, Illinois.
• Through our website, provide resources to help genealogists with an interest in Winnebago or Boone County, Illinois.
• Offer networking opportunities with others who have similar research interests.

All in-person meetings are at the Rockford Public Library - East Branch  6685 East State St, Rockford IL

UPCOMING MEETINGS

WBCGS holds monthly meetings that are open to the public.  Meetings are the first Saturday of the month at 1:30pm. 
We do not have meetings in December, July and August.  
At each meeting, our speaker makes a presentation about a specific topic related to genealogy or a topic of local interest.

Based on the success we've had in using Zoom for our monthly meetings, we plan to continue offering Zoom meetings.  Meeting invitations will be sent to all WBCGS members with an email address prior to each meeting. Members and non-members can register for our meetings using the links below.

APRIL MEETING

Saturday, April 11, 2026 at 1:30 p.m. CDT
"Dark Days of Illinois History: Prohibition"
Speaker: Kathi Kresol
Meeting Location: RPL East Branch (in-person speaker, but also available via Zoom)

Zoom registration for this meeting
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Explore the dark side of Illinois history with a thrilling look at Prohibition, when infamous criminals turned the state into their own playground of shootouts, heists, and hideouts. Rare photographs and little-known stories reveal the shadowy legacy of Illinois’s most notorious “businessmen.”

Kathi has been researching the area's history for almost 20 years for her column in The Rock River Times, “Voices from the Grave.” She has two solo books published including, "Murder and Mayhem in Rockford, Illinois" and "Haunted Rockford, Illinois".​​

MAY MEETING

Saturday, May 2, 2026 at 1:30p.m. CDT
"ABC's of Self-Publishing"
Speaker: Maureen Lang
Meeting Location: RPL East Branch (in-person speaker, but also available via Zoom)
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​Zoom registration for this meeting
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Drawing on her experience in both traditional and independent publishing, Maureen Lang will present the steps to bring your manuscript directly to the largest book market in the world: Amazon's KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing).
She will guide you through setting up a cost-free KDP account, enabling you to release eBooks, paperbacks, or hardcover books while retaining all rights to your work. Learn how easy it is to publish a book—for yourself, your family, or the world.
Bring your laptop for hands on.  MUST have an Amazon account to access KDP.
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Maureen Lang has always had a passion for writing. She wrote her first novel longhand around the age of ten, put the pages into a notebook and bound it with soft deerskin (an Indie publisher from the beginning!), then passed it around the neighborhood to rave reviews. It was so much fun she’s been writing ever since.

Author of 27 books and novellas, Maureen is an advocate for her oldest son who is disabled with Fragile X Syndrome. She is the mother of three adult children and a granddaughter, and moved to Belvidere three years ago with her husband, Neil. 

JUNE MEETING

Saturday, June 6, 2026 at 1:30 p.m. CDT
"America at 250! Researching Your Revolutionary War Ancestors"
Speaker: Scott Norrick
Meeting Location: RPL East Branch (in-person speaker, but also available via Zoom)
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​Zoom registration for this meeting

For the 250th anniversary of America’s independence, this presentation will guide you in discovering Revolutionary War ancestors using key archives, resources, and strategies while exploring both Patriot and Loyalist stories.  
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Scott Norrick’s passion is connecting people to their past. While providing a list of names, dates and places for ancestors is a start, Scott enjoys helping others discover the stories of triumphs and tribulations that defined our ancestors’ lives. He does this by assisting clients with breaking down their genealogical brick walls and by helping them document the rich stories of their family history.
His areas of expertise include research in the American Midwest along with the immigration to the Midwest from European countries.
He has an undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois and a graduate degree from Northwestern University. With over 30 years of family history research experience, he is familiar with all the latest and time-tested genealogical tools. Through his company Ancestral Past, he welcomes the opportunity to assist others on their genealogy journey.

ISGS Associate Member​

The Illinois State Genealogical Society (ISGS) was formed in 1968 through the cooperative effort and forward thinking of Illinois genealogical society representatives, who envisioned a statewide genealogical organization. ISGS is a not-for-profit, nonsectarian, educational organization.

Visit their website for more info
www.ilgensoc.org