PRINCETON - The Bureau County Genealogical Society will present a program at the Society library located at 629 South Main St., Princeton on Thursday evening, Sept. 23. This meeting will begin at 7 p.m. and feature Julie Hallock, president of the LaSalle County Genealogy Guild, and Rachael Mellen, vice-president of the organization. The public is invited to attend this free program. Masks are required for all people in attendance. This program will be presented with speakers in-person at BCGS and will not be recorded for later viewing.

The speakers will share information on “Navigating Cemeteries and Cemetery Websites.” Since tombstone evidence is a basic tool in genealogy research, this topic and material should be very relevant for those in attendance.

This presentation will focus on cemetery records in LaSalle County but will also take a more in-depth look at Find-A-Grave and will discuss the challenges of locating and reading headstones. 

Mellen has been involved with genealogy for over 40 years and is the author of two books on English genealogy. She has also written a book centered on Civil War letters to be published soon. Hallock has been to many cemeteries over the years and has enlisted the help of her grandsons who especially like the cemetery hunts.

BCGS has extensive Bureau County tombstone and cemetery records. Volunteers are happy to help researchers view and use those records at any time that the Society library is open. Their hours are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday and also the first Saturday of each month from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Other days and times are available by appointment for those from a distance or working during regular hours.