MONTHLY RCGS Program Meetings: 6:30 PM on the 2nd Tuesday of the Month
Scroll Down for Future Months' Speakers, Programs, Zoom Links and Zoom Passcodes
Scroll Down for Future Months' Speakers, Programs, Zoom Links and Zoom Passcodes
AUGUST 2026 - LIVE, IN-PERSON & ZOOM SIMULCAST
BREAK DOWN YOUR ROCK COUNTY BRICK WALLS - A LIVE DEMONSTRATION OF THE HOLDINGS & CAPABILITIES OF THE RCGS LIBRARY RESEARCH CENTER
Date & Time: Tuesday, August 11, 2026, 6:30 p.m. local WI time.
Cost: Free and open to the public.
Location: Live Presentation at the Milton House Museum, 18 S. Janesville Rd., Milton, WI (Map Link) or view by Zoom on your Home PC or Smartphone with the Zoom app.
Program Presenter: Ruth Anderson is the RCGS Librarian and Rock County Historian. Ruth is a UW-W music education grad born & raised on a small Rock County dairy farm. She has been studying genealogy for 40+ years. For many years her goal has been to put family history into historical context. As a member of many heritage societies, she has completed applications for over a hundred ancestors for herself and others. She has volunteered for the Rock County Genealogical Society for 25 years, and has had the privilege of helping patrons find definitive records about client ancestors.
Program Summary: Ruth Anderson and her talented genealogical research volunteers will showcase techniques and resources of the RCGS Library by demonstrating several Rock County research inquiries to show how the staff apply the holdings of the Library, Archives and our digital subscriptions to identify long-lost ancestors from submissions of members who've hit a brick wall. This link provides is a gateway to your own research submission: RCGS Research Help.
How to Attend: This live presentation may be attended at the Milton House (address & Map Link above) OR viewed remotely on Zoom at the same scheduled time. The Zoom link, and handout link below allow participation from your home PC, Mac, or smartphone.
Download the Audience Handout below in Adobe Acrobat (PDF) format: Available Soon
BREAK DOWN YOUR ROCK COUNTY BRICK WALLS - A LIVE DEMONSTRATION OF THE HOLDINGS & CAPABILITIES OF THE RCGS LIBRARY RESEARCH CENTER
Date & Time: Tuesday, August 11, 2026, 6:30 p.m. local WI time.
Cost: Free and open to the public.
Location: Live Presentation at the Milton House Museum, 18 S. Janesville Rd., Milton, WI (Map Link) or view by Zoom on your Home PC or Smartphone with the Zoom app.
Program Presenter: Ruth Anderson is the RCGS Librarian and Rock County Historian. Ruth is a UW-W music education grad born & raised on a small Rock County dairy farm. She has been studying genealogy for 40+ years. For many years her goal has been to put family history into historical context. As a member of many heritage societies, she has completed applications for over a hundred ancestors for herself and others. She has volunteered for the Rock County Genealogical Society for 25 years, and has had the privilege of helping patrons find definitive records about client ancestors.
Program Summary: Ruth Anderson and her talented genealogical research volunteers will showcase techniques and resources of the RCGS Library by demonstrating several Rock County research inquiries to show how the staff apply the holdings of the Library, Archives and our digital subscriptions to identify long-lost ancestors from submissions of members who've hit a brick wall. This link provides is a gateway to your own research submission: RCGS Research Help.
How to Attend: This live presentation may be attended at the Milton House (address & Map Link above) OR viewed remotely on Zoom at the same scheduled time. The Zoom link, and handout link below allow participation from your home PC, Mac, or smartphone.
- Zoom Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/8112728664?pwd=GvSnQ1fZnTC86gb8jQ7LnadxOoa2KL.1&omn=82103291863
- Password: Family (note capital F)
Download the Audience Handout below in Adobe Acrobat (PDF) format: Available Soon
SEPTEMBER 2026 - LIVE, IN-PERSON & ZOOM SIMULCAST
AN INFORMAL CONVERSATION ABOUT CEMETERIES
BY JANESVILLE'S 3RD GENERATION MONUMENT MAKER
Date & Time: Tuesday, September 8, 2026, 6:30 p.m. local WI time.
Cost: Free and open to the public.
Location: Live Presentation at the Milton House Museum, 18 S. Janesville Rd., Milton, WI (Map Link) or view by Zoom on your Home PC or Smartphone with the Zoom app.
Program Presenter: Craig Gramke is the longtime owner of Gramke Monument Works in Janesville. He has watched three (soon to be four) generations of Gramkes serve southern Wisconsin. Craig is a gifted storyteller and a font of knowledge about all things above and below ground in the regional cemetery scene.
Program Summary: Craig has the gift of gab, and will regale us with serious as well as humorous history, stories, myths, and legends of the area cemeteries. Included is a discussion of be the emerging technology that has not spared monument industry. The talk will be followed by a long question and answer period, so Bring Your Cemetery-related Questions.
How to Attend: This live presentation may be attended at the Milton House (address & Map Link above) OR viewed remotely via Zoom at the same scheduled time. The Zoom link, and handout link below allow participation from your home PC, Mac, or smartphone.
Download Audience Handout (from a previous Cemetery Talk) below in Adobe Acrobat (PDF) format:
AN INFORMAL CONVERSATION ABOUT CEMETERIES
BY JANESVILLE'S 3RD GENERATION MONUMENT MAKER
Date & Time: Tuesday, September 8, 2026, 6:30 p.m. local WI time.
Cost: Free and open to the public.
Location: Live Presentation at the Milton House Museum, 18 S. Janesville Rd., Milton, WI (Map Link) or view by Zoom on your Home PC or Smartphone with the Zoom app.
Program Presenter: Craig Gramke is the longtime owner of Gramke Monument Works in Janesville. He has watched three (soon to be four) generations of Gramkes serve southern Wisconsin. Craig is a gifted storyteller and a font of knowledge about all things above and below ground in the regional cemetery scene.
Program Summary: Craig has the gift of gab, and will regale us with serious as well as humorous history, stories, myths, and legends of the area cemeteries. Included is a discussion of be the emerging technology that has not spared monument industry. The talk will be followed by a long question and answer period, so Bring Your Cemetery-related Questions.
How to Attend: This live presentation may be attended at the Milton House (address & Map Link above) OR viewed remotely via Zoom at the same scheduled time. The Zoom link, and handout link below allow participation from your home PC, Mac, or smartphone.
- Zoom Link: www.us02web.zoom.us/j/85731293557?pwd=rJFjGKAA2W3mGSMvlxCBSx2eJQyOOs.1
- Password: Family (note capital F)
Download Audience Handout (from a previous Cemetery Talk) below in Adobe Acrobat (PDF) format:
| cemetery_visit_newsletter_version_2018_with_imagry.pdf |
EIGHTH ANNUAL RCGS SCHOLARSHIP CONFERENCE WORKSHOP
OCTOBER 24 2026 - 9:00AM - 3:00 PM SCHOLARSHIP CONFERENCE WORKSHOP
Register Securely Online Here
All Funds from the RCGS Scholarship Conference go to graduating seniors in Rock County Wisconsin selected by the scholarship committee & whose applications include an essay on the importance of family.
Date & Time: Saturday, October 24, 2026, Registration begins at 8:30 AM local WI time.
Cost: $25 (RCGS/Milton House members); $35 (non-members) for all 4 programs: Register Here.
Lunch choices and soft drinks: are extra and may be selected at online checkout.
Location: (1) Live presentation at the Milton House Museum, 18 S. Janesville Rd., Milton, WI (Map Link), or
(2) View by Zoom on Oct 24th on your Home PC or Smartphone with the Zoom app, or
(3) View recordings later on the RCGS Website (registered attendees)
Zoom Information: The Zoom Link and Password is will be sent by email upon paid registration.
Program Presenters: This conference has four speakers (download brochure below for more info.):
֎ PRESERVATION & GENERATIONAL TRANSFER OF YOUR HEIRLOOMS
David Bradford, genealogist, speaker & RCGS webmaster.
֎ TBA
speaker name & short bio.
Lunch Break - bring your own or add lunch & soft order while registering
֎ TBA
speaker name & short bio.
֎ TBA
speaker name & short bio.
How to Attend: This is a live program at Tomah Room of the Milton House Museum available to paid registrants (register here). Paid registrants will also receive a Zoom link and password to allow viewing of the live presentation from home. Afterward, all paid registrants will receive a link to the video recordings.
Download the Conference Brochure & Four Audience Handouts below in Adobe Acrobat (PDF) format:
OCTOBER 24 2026 - 9:00AM - 3:00 PM SCHOLARSHIP CONFERENCE WORKSHOP
Register Securely Online Here
All Funds from the RCGS Scholarship Conference go to graduating seniors in Rock County Wisconsin selected by the scholarship committee & whose applications include an essay on the importance of family.
Date & Time: Saturday, October 24, 2026, Registration begins at 8:30 AM local WI time.
Cost: $25 (RCGS/Milton House members); $35 (non-members) for all 4 programs: Register Here.
Lunch choices and soft drinks: are extra and may be selected at online checkout.
Location: (1) Live presentation at the Milton House Museum, 18 S. Janesville Rd., Milton, WI (Map Link), or
(2) View by Zoom on Oct 24th on your Home PC or Smartphone with the Zoom app, or
(3) View recordings later on the RCGS Website (registered attendees)
Zoom Information: The Zoom Link and Password is will be sent by email upon paid registration.
Program Presenters: This conference has four speakers (download brochure below for more info.):
֎ PRESERVATION & GENERATIONAL TRANSFER OF YOUR HEIRLOOMS
David Bradford, genealogist, speaker & RCGS webmaster.
֎ TBA
speaker name & short bio.
Lunch Break - bring your own or add lunch & soft order while registering
֎ TBA
speaker name & short bio.
֎ TBA
speaker name & short bio.
How to Attend: This is a live program at Tomah Room of the Milton House Museum available to paid registrants (register here). Paid registrants will also receive a Zoom link and password to allow viewing of the live presentation from home. Afterward, all paid registrants will receive a link to the video recordings.
Download the Conference Brochure & Four Audience Handouts below in Adobe Acrobat (PDF) format: