The Genealogical Forum of Oregon
is immediately closing its library in Portland until April 1. We will
re-evaluate that status later based on how the coronavirus progresses in
our community. In addition, here is a full summary of all GFO Events canceled and rescheduled: ▪ Canceled Special Interest Group meetings and Volunteer Work Parties. ▪ Canceled GenTalk about PERSI on March 21. ▪ Rescheduled the free Genealogy Open House to Sept. 25-Oct. 4. ▪ Rescheduled the DNA Seminar with Karen Stanbary to August 8-9. Tonight
the Multnomah County Library system announced it is closing all
branches immediately. An epidemiologist I’ve personally consulted
believes we should do the same. A majority of the GFO Executive Committee has agreed we should do the same. We
need to control the contagion. If closing our library to the public
helps to “flatten the curve,” as epidemiologists say, then we want to
play our part.
Vince Patton GFO President
The
Genealogical Forum of Oregon is an all-volunteer nonprofit founded in
1946 which exists to promote, preserve and publish genealogical history.
The GFO operates the largest genealogy library in the Pacific Northwest and offers more than 150 classes each year.
Wenatchee Area Genealogical Society (WAGS) will postpone their April 4
all-day seminar (“Explore DNA for the Day!” with Emily Aulicino) until a
later date.
It
is with deep regret that TPCGS has decided that it is in everyone’s
best interests to cancel our 2020 Spring Seminar. We hope to be able to
reschedule it at a future date. All registrations that we have already
received will be refunded. Thank you for understanding. Jane Irish Nelson, TPCGS Co-Chair
March 13, 2020 Notice – Seattle’s 2020 Irish Festival has been CANCELED. That includes all festival activities at Seattle Center Armory on Saturday, March 14, and Sunday, March 15, as well as the Saturday, March 21 Irish Genealogy Workshop “Putting the Gene in Genealogy” that was to take place at Fairview Christian School in Seattle. Reminder – the SGS board decided to close the SGS Library physical facility at 6200 Sand Point and to cancel all meetings and gatherings of our membership held there until 30 March 2020. The facility is not being closed due to any known contamination, but rather as a pro-active move to avoid possible person-to-person transmission of the virus. Many organizations may be canceling their activities. It would be prudent to check with organizers on the status of an event before heading out. The Seattle Genealogical Society recommends you check our website or watch your email in-box for the eNews! for status updates on our events.
Due to coronavirus situation, Olympia Genealogical Society has
cancelled all future meetings, including our Spring Seminar on March
28. Check our website for developments
www.OlyGenSoc.org
Joyce Ogden, Publicity
=======================
Coronavirus Impacts: Open House, Seminar, SIGS, GenTalk
The
Genealogical Forum of Oregon is actively monitoring communications from
local, state and federal authorities about the ongoing coronavirus
pandemic. Today, Oregon Governor Kate Brown instructed all groups
in the state to cancel events hosting 10 people or more in high risk
populations. Older adults are considered high risk. A large percentage
of our members and SIG participants are older. Therefore, we have taken these actions: Canceled Special Interest Group meetings. Canceled GenTalk about PERSI on March 21. Rescheduled the Open House to Sept. 25-Oct. 4. Rescheduled the DNA Seminar with Karen Stanbary to August 8-9. Those
who have registered for the seminar remain registered for the future
dates. All registered attendees will receive a direct email about
refunds if they need them.
Courtesy Tri-Met The library typically attracts a minimal number of people and we believe it can remain open for the time being. At
the GFO library, we are using disinfecting wipes on keyboards, mice,
desktops, chair backs, and door handles multiple times a day. You can help keep us all healthy too. The Centers for Disease Control has some basic, effective prevention steps: ▪ If you or anyone in your household has a cough or feels sick, stay home. ▪ Cough or sneeze into your elbow, not your hand. ▪ If
you do cough or sneeze into a tissue, wash your hands immediately for
60 seconds or use alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Please observe the steps
in the following videos, released by the WHO, that provide instructions
on how to properly wash your hands and disinfect your hands with sanitizer. It’s
easy to forget to cough into your elbow, but it’s really important not
to cover your mouth with your hand (and then touch surfaces others will
touch), or worse, to cough out into the air. Experts say washing hands really does prevent epidemics. Let’s work together to keep all of us healthy.
Membership Meeting Will Happen March 21 in Much Smaller Form
Our bylaws require an annual Membership Meeting in March to finalize the ballot for the election of the Board. Given the circumstances, we are not asking you to attend. We
are arranging just enough people to come as the bylaws require a
nomination for Director at Large be made from the floor. This is the
meeting at which the ballot for the upcoming Board election is
finalized. We have a willing candidate for each of the three positions
open this year: President, Secretary, and Director at Large.
Hall of Fame Nominations Sought
It’s time for GFO Hall of Fame Nominations! Any GFO member may nominate another member by April 1. Nominees
must have a well-documented history of service, leadership, and
accomplishment in more than one facet of the GFO, over a long period of
time. Please include: ▪ Name, list of services, activities, positions, and accomplishments; ▪ A narrative describing the nature of their work in terms of its importance to the success of the GFO; ▪ A short biography. Please send to secretary@gfo.org by April 1. The
board will decide if any merit selection. Winners are awarded in June
and receive a free Life Membership and their name on our Hall of Fame
plaque.
Have a Fun Genealogy Story? Share it with our Insider
We’re looking for stories for the May 2020 Insider issue at this time, and we need your help. What
we’re looking for: genealogy and history- centric articles, tips,
resources, ideas, serendipity stories, techniques, events, etc. Please email insider@gfo.org by April 4th to get your news and items of interest into May’s issue. Again, submissions are due by April 4th, please.
News from the Library
New Digital Content ▪ Berks of Old ▪ Craig Links ▪ Edgar Newsletter ▪ Francisco Researcher [Francisco surname and variations] ▪ San Luis Obispo County Genealogical Society, Inc. [bulletin].New Books ▪ The Blows of yesteryear: an American saga ▪ Genealogies of Hadley families: embracing the early settlers of the towns of Hatfield, South Hadley, Amherst and Granby ▪ Painter families ▪ The Descendants of Peter and Margaret Rankin: from Kilsyth, Scotland ▪ Stratton notes ▪ Monumental inscriptions of the parish church of St. Mary, Oakley: (Part only) ▪ Who was Ann Gregg ▪ Colonial tavern keepers of Maryland and Delaware, 1634-1776 ▪ Chesapeake
and Ohio Canal: a guide to Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National
Historical Park, Maryland, District of Columbia, and West Virginia ▪ The Civil War in Fairfax County: civilians and soldiers ▪ Communities of kinship: antebellum families and the settlement of the cotton frontier ▪ A guide to researching land in Oklahoma at the Oklahoma Historical Society. ▪ Genealogical research guide to Reno County, Kansas ▪ Hughes County history ▪ Ghost towns and historical haunts in Arizona: Stories and photos ▪ Baker County [Oregon] links to the past ▪ Camp Polk Cemetery, 1880-1999 ▪ Monmouth, Oregon: the saga of a small American town ▪ Collected memories: Umatilla Tales from the past: pioneer stories of the lower Willamette Valley
This week’s surplus book has a truly self-explanatory title: Historic Buildings Now Standing In New York Which Were Erected Prior To Eighteen Hundred. However, the “now” in that title is a bit dated, because this book was printed in 1914. This
is a fun piece of pictorial New York history with photos on almost
every page, accompanied by descriptions of the truly old buildings of
New York.
It’s
a thin volume, 45 pages, and its cover is a bit tattered, its spine
taped to keep it intact. Pages inside are crisp and as vibrant as when
they were printed. This booklet contains library marks and a label. Price for pickup at the GFO: $18 Price to ship to you: $24 If you’re interested, please contact booksales@gfo.org.
Survey Results:
Last
week, we provided a list of research locations and asked what
percentage of respondents had been there. Respondents were allowed to
select more than one answer, and the percentages have been rounded. 75% Family History Library (Salt Lake City, Utah) 61% National Archives (Washington, DC) 32% NEHGS Library and Archives (Boston, MA) 32% National Archives (other locations) 25% DAR National Library 21% Allen County Public Library (Ft. Wayne, Indiana) 11% Mid-Continent Public Library (Independence, Missouri) Many
of the respondents wanted to go to the places in the survey again. But
here are the places mentioned that were not listed above: ▪ Musselman Library in Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania ▪ National Records of Scotland to research my Scottish connections ▪ New York State Archives ▪ Fayetteville Arkansas Archives and the Fayetteville Library ▪ The Newberry Library was a good one. ▪ Richmond Virginia it was a treasure trove of Virginia history. They have a fantastic archive. ▪ I’ve also visited the Oregon State Archives and the Minnesota Historical Society Library ▪ Indian
and Colonial Research Center, Connecticut. A hidden gem with an amazing
resources for a researcher with extensive CT and RI ties as well as
Indian ancestors. ▪ University of Washington Libraries. ▪ Anything in England, now that I know where we came from. ▪ Tennessee State Archives ▪ I want to go to New England, so pretty much any library or archive there. ▪ The Fiske Library in Seattle because it is relatively nearby and I have never been there.
New Survey: Newspapers
Newspapers can be a great resource. This week, we’re asking if they’ve helped you solve any genealogical puzzles.
Sunday, March 15th Library Work Party – 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. We’ll be working to digitize more periodicals while we have fun chatting about genealogy. We will make sure everyone sits three feet apart, in accordance with state recommendations. French Canada Group CANCELED Per Governor’s Instruction. The group leader is Bob LaMarche. FrCan@gfo.org Wednesday, March 18th DNA Q&A – CANCELED Per Governor’s Instruction Leader: Lisa McCullough dna_qa@gfo.org GFO Library Open Late to 8:00 p.m.
I have been trying to keep up with all the Corona Virus Cancellations here, but this blog is really not a great place to post them, because the majority of people get the once a week digest, and so I have also been posting all the cancellations I have gotten on the Washington State Genealogical Society FaceBook page as soon as I get the notice, so check there for the most up to date list of cancellations.
The EWGS Seminar scheduled for April 4th has been postponed till May 2nd. If you have already paid and can not make the May date you can get a refund, or the money carries over for the May Seminar. Saturday, May 2 Enhancing Your Genealogy Repertoire (Seminar) 9:30 pm to 3:30 pm Prince of Peace Lutheran – 8441 N Indian Trail Rd. Spokane, WA 99208
#1 Researching Is Child’s Play with Barbara Brazington
#2 Census with Lynda Keenan
#3 Ancestry DNA and Thru-Lines with Janice Moerschel
#4 DNA Painter with Lynda Keenan
Handouts will be on the Home page of the website for attendees to print their own. LUNCH: Taco Bar catered by Becky’s Catering COST: $25.00 (includes lunch) for members
$30.00 (includes lunch) for non-members
$30.00 at the door (lunch not guaranteed)
Doors open at 9:00 am Payment methods will be listed on the website soon!
As you know Seattle is the country’s epicenter of the Covid-19 virus
outbreak. All experts urge those who are vulnerable due to older age or
with compromised immune systems to stay at home. While not all of our
SGS friends fall into these categories, many do.
Yesterday, at our monthly Board meeting, which was held virtually, we
decided to close the physical facility at 6200 Sand Point and to cancel
all meetings and gatherings of our members held there until 30 March
2020. The facility is not being closed due to any known contamination,
but rather as a pro-active move to avoid possible person-to-person
transmission of the virus. The Board will meet on 23 March to reassess
the situation and we will let you know when this policy changes.
Our ability to help with your family history has not stopped, however!
Here are a few things we will be doing in the next few weeks of this
shutdown to reach out to you and help with your genealogy:
The
eNews! will be issued more frequently in order to keep you apprised of
the situation; inform you of new online resources; and outline upcoming
online opportunities. Thanks to Deb Klein, our editor!
We
are postponing all meetings and volunteer events held at the Society at
least until 30 March.This includes all Special Interest Groups (SIGS),
SGS Writer’s Group, our Second Saturday (and quarterly meeting) session,
the Centennial Planning Kick-off meeting and any volunteer work at the
desk or for the Library. The events will be rescheduled.
We
are NOT cancelling SGS sponsored events which are held at off site
locations, e.g. “Digging Deeper: Researching Women’s History” (UW) by
LIsa Oberg. This event and its potential closure will be decided by the
institutions or individuals who run them. If it is held, it is your
decision whether you attend or not.
At
the Board meeting today, the Board approved the slate of officers and
authorized SGS to inform the members of the slate via eNews! on
15 March. We have several openings still unfilled; if you know of
someone who might be good to fill the position, please let us know. We
will contact that person and see if they are willing to serve before
placing them on the ballot. The ballot will go to the members
electronically on 31 March. Note: There will also be a couple of by-law
issues that we ask for your consideration. These were missed last year.
Don’t
forget that we have two Facebook pages “Seattle Genealogical Society
and Library” and “Seattle Genealogical Society Networking.” The former
is generally for announcements and the latter is for asking your
research questions. If you get stuck with your research you can also
always request help through the FB page or by submitting a research
request through the website.
SGS
will ramp up its online offerings during this period that our physical
facility is closed. Watch your eNews! for the link to join the
presentations by Heidi Mair and me.
We
will soon be announcing 2 new online courses–“Genealogy Basics &
Beyond,” and “DNA by the Numbers.”. Stay tuned for registration
information.
The
online offerings will use Zoom as the meeting platform, the same as we
use for our Board meetings. Zoom is very easy to use…click on the link
provided for the class or the meeting, click positively through the
question and you’re in!
We certainly hope
that you are safe and well. Our thanks go out to the scientists at the
UW, Fred Hutch, the CDC and other institutions who are working overtime
to tame this beast. In the meantime—have you washed your hands
recently?
Thanks so much for your support of SGS.
Jill Morelli, CG
Seattle Genealogical Society, President
Based on all the current information, the WCGS board decided it is best to postpone our April 4 seminar. We have been in touch with both speakers about a date in the future that would work for both of them and have settled on Sat., Aug. 29 in the morning, using the same format as previously published. We have also contacted Bishop Place and put it on their calendar so the venue will be the same as previously published. It’s not too early to mark your calendar for this informative and, what we think, is an exceptional mini-seminar with very well-known and much in demand speakers. We thank both Bob and Steve for their flexibility in working with us to re-schedule their presentations at a later date. Monica Peters, WCGS Corresponding Secretary
For questions or more information contact WCGS President, Sue Kreikemeier at: 509-635-1303 or aerocraft@completebbs.com. Please RSVP to Sue or whitmancgs@gmail.com by March 28 to accommodate handouts & refreshments. The seminar is free, but donations are welcome at the door.
Directions: Turn off Bishop Boulevard onto Klemgard
Ave., follow Klemgard Ave. up the hill and turn left at the top. Do
not go into the front entrance, but turn right, continuing up the hill
and turn left at the white car ports. Find an appropriate parking
place, enter the building through the main doors and go straight ahead
to the Social Room.
BIOGRAPHIES
OF SPRING SEMINAR SPEAKERS
Robert
King’s biography includes the following:
Robert
E. King grew up in Pullman where he graduated from WSU with degrees
in Anthropology and History. He completed his Ph.D. at the
Univ. of Pennsylvania in Anthropology (specialty: Ethnohistory &
Archaeology) and since 1981 has worked for the Bureau of Land
Management in Alaska. He has been the BLM’s State Archaeologist
in Alaska for over 33 years, with his work taking him to much of the
state. He has a strong interest in federal land laws including
homesteading, and has spoken and written on this subject for several
years. Currently, he writes a guest monthly column on the
history of homesteading for the Homestead National Monument of
America’s electronic newsletter. Locally, he is best known in
Whitman County as a frequent contributor to the “Bunchgrass
Historian,” having authored over 30 articles in the past nearly
25 years on a variety of topics. He is also an avid genealogist
and has co-written several books on various families, with some of
his relatives settling in Whitman County in the 1870s. He
maintains homes in both Anchorage and Pullman.
Steven
Branting’s biography includes the following:
Since
2000, many of this country’s leading history, geography and
preservation organizations — including the American Association for
State and Local History, The History Channel and the Society for
American Archaeology — have honored Steven Branting for the depth,
scope and variety of his research and field work.
In
2009,
he
was nominated for the American Historical Association’s prestigious
William and Edwyna Gilbert Award, which recognizes outstanding
contributions to the teaching of history through the publication of
journal articles. Branting has written eight (8) books on the history
of Lewiston. Branting’s articles have appeared in, among others,
the Western
Historical Quarterly,
TheHistory
Teacher,
Idaho
Magazine, Nostalgia
and Idaho
Yesterdays.
The
Idaho State Historical Society conferred upon him the 2011 Esto
Perpetua Award,
its highest honor, citing his leadership in “some of the most
significant preservation and interpretation projects undertaken in
Idaho.” Governor C. L. “Butch” Otter awarded him that year’s
Outstanding Cultural Tourism Award for showcasing Idaho’s heritage.
In
2013, the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution
awarded Branting its coveted Historical Preservation Medal. In 2015,
Lewis-Clark State College selected him for the Marion Shinn Lifetime
Achievement Award, and in 2016 he was awarded the President’s
Medallion for his efforts to safeguard the heritage that the college
and community have shared since the 1890s.
During
2018, the Lewiston
Tribune
published 104 of his columns highlighting events and people who
featured greatly in the history of Lewis-Clark State College, which
was celebrating its 125h anniversary and for whom Branting holds the
office of “Institutional Historian,” the first since Henry
Leonidas Talkington in the 1940s.
Branting’s eighth
Lewiston book — The
Words That Were Our Names
— was released in October 2019.
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