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Debra Dudek

Genealogist   Author   Librarian

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About Debra Dudek

Genealogist  Author  Librarian

Debra M. Dudek is Head of Adult and Teen Services at the Fountaindale Public Library District in Bolingbrook, IL.
Ms. Dudek specializes in British genealogy, World War I research, and emerging technology topics. An alumna of Olivet College (Olivet, Michigan) and the University of Strathclyde (Glasgow, Scotland). Ms. Dudek holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism, a Masters in Information and Library Studies, and a Post Graduate Certificate in Genealogical, Palaeographic & Heraldic Studies.

Finding Your
World War I Ancestors

Need help tracking down your World War I military ancestor?  Watch this free webinar and get started with your research!

Books and Ebooks

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Upcoming Events

  • Researching your Irish Ancestors Online
    Tue, Mar 21
    McLean County Genealogical Society
    Mar 21, 6:30 PM CDT
    McLean County Genealogical Society
    Learn online tools and resources to unpuzzle your Irish heritage. This lecture will introduce you to a variety of online sites, new search strategies, and what steps to take to further your research objectives online and abroad.
    Share
  • More than Money and Land - The Evolution of Bounty Land, Military Pensions, and Alternative Records Documenting Service
    Mar 25, 11:30 AM CDT
    New Lenox Village Hall, 1 Veterans Pkwy, New Lenox, IL 60451, USA
    Share
  •  Discovering your UK/Irish Roots Online
    Tue, Mar 28
    Riverside Public Library
    Mar 28, 7:00 PM CDT
    Riverside Public Library, 1 Burling Rd, Riverside, IL 60546, USA
    Websites and Resources for English, Welsh, Irish and Scottish Ancestry
    Share
  • Internet Archive - The Amazing Genealogical Resource!
    Wed, Apr 05
    North Riverside Public Library
    Apr 05, 7:00 PM
    North Riverside Public Library, 2400 Des Plaines Ave, North Riverside, IL 60546, USA
    Learn all about Internet Archive and its amazing collection of city directories, county histories, gazetteers, yearbooks, and family genealogies.
    Share
  • Unusual Places to Find Births and Naturalizations
    Thu, Apr 13
    Naperville Municipal Center – Room B
    Apr 13, 7:00 PM CDT
    Naperville Municipal Center – Room B, 400 S Eagle St, Naperville, IL 60540, USA
    Widen your search for birth dates and locations as well as naturalizations from a variety of underutilized resources such as military rosters, consulate applications, voter registrations, cancelled passports, frakturs and much more.
    Share
  • Mixers and Shakers - Tracing your Saloon, Tavern, and Bar Keeping Ancestors Before Prohibition
    Apr 24, 9:00 PM CDT
    Placer County Genealogical Society
    Our ancestor's need for a good drink can provide new details and narratives for your genealogy research.
    Share
  • Mixers and Shakers - Tracing your Saloon, Tavern, and Bar Keeping Ancestors Before Prohibition
    May 06, 8:30 AM EDT
    MassMutual Center, Springfield, MA 01103, USA
    Our ancestor's need for a good drink can provide new details and narratives for your genealogy research.
    Share
  • Every Girl Pulling for Victory – Suffrage and Service during the  Great War
    May 06, 12:00 PM
    MassMutual Center, Springfield, MA 01103, USA
    This lecture examines how the suffrage movement motivated women to perform military and volunteer service during the Great War and how to find local, state, and national suffrage records to tie these stories of service together.
    Share
  • Wide World of Passports
    Tue, May 30
    McHenry Public Library District
    May 30, 7:00 PM
    McHenry Public Library District, 809 Front St, McHenry, IL 60050, USA
    Look beyond passports issued by the United States government! In this lecture, we'll examine an array of passports from different countries and time periods, and how to incorporate this information into your genealogical research.
    Share
  • Unusual Places to Find Births and Naturalizations
    Sat, Jun 03
    Oswego Public Library -Montgomery Branch
    Jun 03, 1:00 PM CDT
    Oswego Public Library -Montgomery Branch, 1111 Reading Dr, Montgomery, IL 60538, USA
    Widen your search for birth dates and locations as well as naturalizations from a variety of underutilized resources such as military rosters, consulate applications, voter registrations, cancelled passports, frakturs and much more.
    Share
  • Unusual Places to Find Births and Naturalizations
    Mon, Jun 05
    German Interest Group Wisconsin
    Jun 05, 7:00 PM CDT
    German Interest Group Wisconsin
    Widen your search for birth dates and locations as well as naturalizations from a variety of underutilized resources such as military rosters, consulate applications, voter registrations, cancelled passports, frakturs and much more.
    Share
  • Mixers and Shakers - Tracing your Saloon, Tavern, and Bar Keeping Ancestors Before Prohibition
    Jun 07, 7:00 PM CDT
    Minnesota Genealogical Society
    Our ancestor's need for a good drink can provide new details and narratives for your genealogy research.
    Share
  • Mixers and Shakers - Tracing your Saloon, Tavern, and Bar Keeping Ancestors Before Prohibition
    Jun 13, 6:00 PM CDT
    New Lenox Public Library
    Our ancestor's need for a good drink can provide new details and narratives for your genealogy research.
    Share
  • Discovering Witches: The Real Records and Manuscripts Seen in Movies, Books, and TV Shows
    Jun 22, 5:00 PM
    Omaha Public Library
    We'll uncover the real records and printed resources seen in your favorite shows, what the writers used as inspiration, and how to access historical resources for free from home.
    Share
  • A Beginners Guide to Fold3 Library Edition
    Wed, Jul 12
    Howard County Genealogical Society
    Jul 12, 6:00 PM CDT
    Howard County Genealogical Society
    Learn how to navigate the site, browse resources effectively, and find the hidden gems on this fantastic database.
    Share
  • Unusual Places to Find Births and Naturalizations
    Wed, Aug 09
    Pikes Peak Genealogical Society
    Aug 09, 8:00 PM CDT
    Pikes Peak Genealogical Society
    Widen your search for birth dates and locations as well as naturalizations from a variety of underutilized resources such as military rosters, consulate applications, voter registrations, cancelled passports, frakturs and much more.
    Share
  • Unusual Places to Find Births and Naturalizations
    Wed, Sep 20
    Wheaton Public Library
    Sep 20, 7:00 PM CDT
    Wheaton Public Library, 225 N Cross St, Wheaton, IL 60187, USA
    Widen your search for birth dates and locations as well as naturalizations from a variety of underutilized resources such as military rosters, consulate applications, voter registrations, cancelled passports, frakturs and much more.
    Share
  • A Beginners Guide to Fold3 Library Edition
    Sat, Sep 23
    Capital District Genealogical Society (NY)
    Sep 23, 12:00 PM
    Capital District Genealogical Society (NY)
    Learn how to navigate the site, browse resources effectively, and find the hidden gems on this fantastic database.
    Share

Free Webinars


Fabulous Frakturs - Documenting Family Life Through Folk Art

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April 2022

This program will examine the history of this unique artform, the vital records generated from these items, and how to use them in your genealogy research. Originally presented as a recording for the  DuPage Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Colonists.

Webinar for personal use only.  Please contact speaker for society or group viewing options.

 

Aliens in the Army
World War I Military Naturalizations

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March 2023

Non-citizens residing in the USA during World War I were drafted in the military, and with their induction into service, and the government responded by streamlining the naturalization process for these 'alien' servicemen.  Find out how you can research your WWI ancestor's military service and personal path to citizenship.
 

Webinar for personal use only.  Please contact speaker for society or group viewing options.

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Recently Published Works

Articles and Book Reviews

Summer 2022

Illinois State Genealogical Society Quarterly

Amazing Discovery: The Only Known Copy of the 1845 Will County Census

What once was thought lost has been found: The only known copy of the 1845 Illinois Census of Will County. The census was found rolled up in an underwear drawer in the home of a local historian.  A note found with the census stated it had been discovered by a workman when Will County was demolishing its historic 1887 courthouse in the 1960s.  The census was compiled at the time Irish immigrants and other laborers in Will County were digging the Illinois & Michigan Canal, which connected Lake Michigan to the Mississippi River. 

June 2022

National Genealogical Society Quarterly 

Book Review: American Merchant Seamen of the Early Nineteenth Century by Anne Morddel

This is an essential book for anyone with ancestors who sailed the seas, regardless of  age, race, income, or religion. The author provides a concise yet robust list of  records and methodologies in accessing North American and European records from the time period.

Spring 2022

Illinois State Genealogical Society Quarterly

Book Review - Sources for Irish Family History compiled by James G. Ryan.  While covering an extensive list of surnames for families of all socioeconomic classes, the newest edition of Sources for Irish Family History takes great pains to provide complete citations for essential resources such as periodicals, journals, books, family histories, websites, and privately printed materials.

Spring 2022

Illinois State Genealogical Society Quarterly

Book Review - Irish Immigration to America by Stephen Szabados.  This book provides an in-depth examination of the Irish migration process based on time period and location.  It also provides a robust account of voyage conditions, ship types, maps, visual materials, and detailed research topics in an easy-to-read format.

Get in Touch

Debra M. Dudek

Lockport, Illinois

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