All About RICIGS
Mission Statement
The purpose of the Rock Island County Illinois Genealogical Society is to bring people together who are interested in genealogy and family history, to promote genealogy research, and to preserve and perpetuate genealogical materials relevant to Rock Island County.
We meet our mission by providing stimulating meetings, a robust website, a genealogy focused library, and engaging educational opportunities.
Membership is open to anyone interested in furthering the objects of the Society. Dues are payable in January of each year as follows:
Rock Island County Illinois Genealogical Society is a non-profit organization founded in 1972 by 110 Charter Members. Our objectives are:
- To preserve and perpetuate members’ ancestral records and assist each other in genealogical research.
- To discover, collect and preserve any materials which may help to establish or illustrate the history of the Rock Island County area, as well as all of Illinois.
- To encourage the preservation and safeguarding of county, township and state records.
- To receive and hold gifts of real and personal estate from any source for the benefit of the Society.
- To promote and publish historical and genealogical material covering this and other areas from which our ancestors came.
Membership
Membership is open to anyone interested in furthering the objects of the Society. Dues are payable in January of each year as follows:
Individual Membership $20
Family Membership (2 at same address) $22
Student Membership $10
Contributing Membership $40
Life Membership $300
Brochure
50th Anniversary (1972-2022)
Learn about 50th Anniversary Celebration here!
50th Anniversary Booklet
50 Society Highlights
Meetings
Meetings are held virtually at 6:30 pm on the fourth Tuesday of the month, January through October unless otherwise announced. Meetings may be held in hybrid format (virtual and in-person) at a designated public venue. The annual dinner meeting is held in November. There is no meeting in December.
Library
The library collection of the Society is housed at the Rock Island County Historical Society (RICHS) Library. The Rock Island County Illinois Genealogical Society (RICIGS) maintains a library of over 3,000 books, publications, documents, CDs, maps, and periodicals spanning from colonial times to the present, covering every region of the U.S. The collection includes copies of all the Blackhawk Genealogical Society and the more recent Rock Island County Illinois Genealogical Society publications and a complete set of back issues of the Quarterly. The Society also welcomes contributions to the collection. As an added benefit to our members, we have free full access to Rock Island County Historical Society (RICHS) materials. Donations are always welcomed and accepted by Rock Island County Historical Society (RICHS).
Publications
Members have access to many of the Society publications in the Members Only section of the website. This section that contains speaker handouts, the RICIGS Learning Series, meeting minutes, 45 years of past society quarterlies, and content regarding Rock Island County vital records, cemetery records, newspaper abstracts, court records, and county histories. Non-members can purchase publications in our website Shop.
Research
We will do research for you! The cost is $10 per hour prepaid -1 hour minimum – 3 hour maximum. Send your family group sheets with sources of data, and detail your problem area. To request assistance, click Research Assistance.
Queries
Queries are put on the blog free for members. Queries for non-members are $2 and limited to 50 words.
Where to Write or Email
All correspondence to the Society should be addressed to Rock Island County Illinois Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 3912, Rock Island, IL 61204-3912. Mail should be marked for person intended, i.e. Registrar, Quarterly Editor, Research Chairman, Publications Sales Chairman, etc. Email should be sent to: info@ricigs.org
More details about our society are set out in our Bylaws and the Standing Rules.