 WHAT MYSTERIES MIGHT DNA OR AI HELP YOU SOLVE?This Year’s Speaker, Blaine Bettinger, is a professional Genealogist Specializing in Using DNA and AIJoin SGS and Blaine Bettinger Saturday–Sunday, Oct. 11–12 for an exciting weekend of learning. The four sessions will be spread out over two days to maximize your learning The seminar runs Saturday morning Sept. 11 from 9 a.m. to noon and picks up again on Sunday afternoon from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. DNA-Based Relationship Estimators & Analyzers [NEW] Using Autosomal DNA for 18th and 19th Century Mysteries Sprinters, Caffeine Addicts, and Daredevils! Understanding DNA-Based Traits Are You Doing Everything? Presentations will be recorded and available (only) to registrants for a limited time. Dr. Blaine Bettinger is a professional genealogist specializing in DNA evidence and the use of artificial intelligence for genealogical research. He is the author of the long-running blog, The Genetic Genealogist and frequently gives presentations and webinars to educate others about the use of DNA and artificial intelligence.Sign Up Now!photos courtesy Francis Odeyemi, Kamila Maciejewska and Maud Beauregard / UnsplashTOUR THE MOHAI ATRIUM WITH SGSAfter a summer break, SGS field trips return with a tour of the atrium at the Museum of History and Industry. Join SGS at 1:30 p.m. on Sept. 16 for this exciting look at Seattle’s history. A museum guide will utilize several of the largest artifacts in the atrium to trace some of the tensions and contradictions of expansion and industry in Seattle. This includes a focus on the experiences of working people as the city rapidly grew in the late 19th and 20th centuries.There are 5 stops on the tour with several handouts used as tools for discussion and investigation. The guide will share facts about the artifacts, engage in storytelling, and also have discussion questions for the group. This will be a conversational and active tour, rather than simply lecture based. Additionally, the tour will include an overview of the kinds of materials in the MOHAI library and collections, as well how to book research time at the library and access online collections. Optional lunch at noon at the Lakefront Pavilion (the museum café, which is to the left of the admissions desk, past the museum store). Bring your own lunch or purchase from the café’s menu. Registration fee: $30 non-members (SGS Members $20) Limited to 25 participants, so sign up now.Join the Tour  FOCUS OF SECOND SATURDAY TO BE GERMAN IMMIGRANTSSecond Saturday: Sept 13, 1 p.m.We are excited to welcome back Kimball Carter, CG®, for the opening session of our fall Second Saturday speaker series. Join on Sept. 13, at 1 p.m. as Kimball guides attendees in discovering the places of origin of their German immigrant ancestors. Using U.S. and German records, Kimball will demonstrate practical strategies with case studies that will help advance your research.Kimball Carter, CG® has more than 45 years of family history research experience. A retired graphic artist and creative director, he now volunteers at the FamilySearch Library in Salt Lake City, helping patrons with German ancestry, identifying immigrant hometowns, and Colonial American research. Sign Up Today!Come Early for the Membership Meeting There will be a membership meeting just before the Second Saturday presentation on Sept. 13 at 12:30 p.m. Learn about the America 250 writing contest, updates on our new website and more.photos courtesy Roman Kraft / Unsplash, Library of Congress, David Rumsey Map Collection, David Rumsey Map Center, Stanford Libraries and location icon created by kmg design / FlaticonWSGS HONORS SGS’S CEIL ROGERS Cecellia Rogers The Washington State Genealogical Society named Cecellia Rogers one of their outstanding volunteers of 2025. This award honors individuals and teams who contribute to Washington State’s local genealogical societies. The announcement was made on Aug. 21, at the WSGS Annual Meeting. Seventeen local society members and two teams were recognized. The volunteers and teams were praised for their commitment and energies to promote their local societies, family history and cooperation in their local communities.Rogers has been researching her family history for more than 50 years. She joined SGS in 2017 soon after moving to the Seattle area and has served SGS in various leadership roles over the years including Director of Volunteers and Director of Education. Rogers leads four of SGS’s special interest groups including Brags & Bricks, Tech Tuesdays, Ancestry Users and the FamilySearch groups. In addition to her leadership roles she works behind the scenes updating SGS’s website calendar of events and the society’s Zoom and Vimeo accounts. SGS President Kathy Weber applauded Roger’s contributions. “I am so grateful for Ceil’s dedication to SGS. Under her 3+ years as our Director of Education, we started recording many presentations so our members could watch them later and we greatly expanded our SIG offerings.” Rogers is a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists.HELP SPL PATRONS RESEARCH THEIR FAMILIESVolunteers Sought for SGS-SPL Pilot ProjectThe SGS Board and the Seattle Public Library have agreed to a pilot project bringing genealogy volunteers to branch libraries. This not only shares our genealogy skills with the public who visit their neighborhood library but also introduces more people to SGS and our Special Interest Groups, classes and Library resources. We need 10-15 volunteers to sit in one of three SPL branch libraries and answer genealogy questions from library patrons. SGS volunteers will work in teams of two people on specific weekday afternoons. You should have at least intermediate level research skills. Training will be provide by SPL staff. Email splvolunteers@seagensoc.org. NEW BEGINNING GENEALOGY CLASS STARTS IN OCTOBER  Motivated to learn more about your family’s story? Want to learn how DNA can help? SGS will be offering a new beginning Genealogy class in October. This online course will give you the tools to succeed in your research.Four weekly online sessions are included with a fifth, optional session in person at the SGS library. The class covers how to successfully conduct, organize, and record research for your genealogy. How to begin? How to evaluate evidence? What are the best sources? Where are the records–online and off? What can DNA tell us? Start your journey on a foundation of good habits and best practices. Participation will help you develop great genealogy skills. The course finishes with a list of favorite sources for additional learning and an optional meet-up with a personal research session at the SGS library. There are two options for class time: Morning class: Wednesdays, Oct. 15, 22, 29 and Nov. 5, 10:00-11:30 p.m. Evening class: Thursdays, Oct. 16, 23, 30 and Nov. 6, 7:00-8:30 p.m. Weeks 1 – 4 will meet virtually and consist of lecture, discussion, and workshop for one-and-a-half-hours each session. Week 5 (optional) includes a library tour and one-on-one research assistance. There is a limit of 20 people per class. Class fee $80 (SGS members $60).Join the ClassJOURNEY BACK IN TIME TO THE YUKON GOLD RUSHVirtual Sunday: Sept 21, 1 p.m.  SGS’s Virtual Sunday presentation will take attendees back to the days of the Klondike Gold Rush in Canada’s Yukon territory. Local author Steve Lundin will share the compelling true story of two Ivy League friends who left Cornell Law School in 1898 in pursuit of gold. Based on the experiences of Lundin’s grandfather, Mark Odell, and his college friend Ellis Aldridge, this tale follows their harrowing journey to the gold fields—through illness, hardship, homesickness, and the long, dark winter of 1898–99 in a remote cabin near Fort Selkirk on the Yukon River. Steve Lundin is a retired attorney, historian, and author with a passion for uncovering and preserving the stories of the past. His most recent book brings personal insight and scholarly depth to the exploration of the Yukon Gold Rush.Register HereSGS CALENDAR OF EVENTS Good Shepherd Center, Suite 302 4649 Sunnyside Ave N Seattle, WA 98103 206 522-8658Hours : Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday ** 10:00 a.m .- 3:00 p.m. ** Always check the SGS Website Calendar of Events for the meeting links, registration, or for last minute updates or changes to the schedule. Be advised you may need to register in advance to join a meeting. All times listed are Pacific Time unless otherwise noted Monday, Sept. 1, 2025, 10:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m., Brags & Bricks Social Interest Group (Virtual), Join us for an informal social gathering. Share your recent genealogical successes and challenges, or just come to hang out with other genealogists. See SGS Calendar for more information. Monday, Sept. 1, 2025, 7:00 p.m.-8:30 p.m., NEW-ish! Organizing for Genealogy SIG, Share information and discuss organization tips, techniques, and habits to enhance your genealogical journey. Contact Susan McKee at sgsOrganizingsig@seagensoc.org to join. Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025, 6:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m., Pacific Northwest Interest Group (Virtual), Share information and discuss Pacific Northwest genealogical research. Register on the SGS website Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025, 6:30 p.m.-8:00 p.m., Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Genealogy SIG (Virtual), explore the intersection of artificial intelligence and genealogical research Email SGSAISIG@seagensoc.org. Saturday, Sept 6, 2025, 10:00 a.m.- 12:30 p.m., FamilySearch SIG, Discover the many ways to use the FamilySearch website in your research. Meeting includes instruction and time for Q&A. Email SGSFamilySearchSIG@seagensoc.org to join the mailing list. NOTE: New starting time! Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025, 1:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m., DNA Workshop, with Cary Bright and Craig Gowens. To participate you need to be on the SGS DNA Interest Group email list. Contact Cary Bright at sgsdnasig@seagensoc.org to join. Monday, Sept. 8, 2025, 10:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m., Brags & Bricks Social Interest Group (Virtual), Join us for an informal social gathering. Share your recent genealogical successes and challenges, or just come to hang out with other genealogists. See SGS Calendar for more information. Monday, Sept. 8, 2025, 1:00 p.m.-2:30 p.m., SGS Board of Directors Meeting (Virtual), All SGS members are welcome to attend. SGS is an all volunteer organization. Please be involved. Members must sign in to website to see Zoom link. Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025, 10:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m., Tech Tuesday (Virtual), informal consultation time on DNA, genealogy software, or genealogy-related technical issues. All are welcome. No appointment necessary. Bring us your problem; we’ll try to help. Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025, 6:30 p.m.-8:00 p.m., NEW! Ancestry Users SIG (Virtual), The Ancestry Users Special Interest Group is for people who use Ancestry.com (and AncestryDNA) to research their family histories. Email SGSAncestrySIG@seagensoc.org. Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025, 7:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m., MAC Computer SIG, Jointly sponsored by SGS and Fiske. Meetings address topics and resources for Macintosh (Apple) computers and the Reunion genealogy software program. A link to login will be sent to the MAC SIG email list. If you would like to join, send an email to macusersig@seagensoc.org to be added to the email list. Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025, 7:00 p.m.-8:30 p.m., Publishing SIG, Participate in writing and publishing the SGS Journal twice a year. Email SGSPubSIG@seagensoc.org. Saturday, June 14, 2025, 12:30 p.m.-1:00 p.m., General Membership Meeting, Update on SGS activities and results of the election of SGS officers. The meeting will be followed by the postponed Second Saturday presentation (see entry below). Register here. Saturday, Sept. 14,2025, 1:00 p.m.-2:30 p.m., Second Saturday, “German Immigrants” Presented by Kimball Carter, CG. Register here. Monday, Sept. 15, 2025, 10:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m., Brags & Bricks Social Interest Group (Virtual), Join us for an informal social gathering. Share your recent genealogical successes and challenges, or just come to hang out with other genealogists. See SGS Calendar for more information. Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025, 6:00 p.m.-8:30 p.m., SGS Library Evening Hours, Come by and join host, Lisa Oberg, for a quiet, comfortable place to work on your genealogy research. Every 3rd Wednesday of the month. Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025, 7:00 p.m.-8:30 p.m., Write It Up! SIG (Virtual), Join this group to share and discuss writing projects, resources, and ideas. To join or learn more, contact Sheyna Watkins at sgsWriteItUpSIG@seagensoc.org. Friday, Sept 19, 2025, 10:30 p.m.–12:30 p.m. Family Tree Maker SIG, Join Eastside Genealogical Society and SGS to learn and share tips and tricks for using Family Tree Maker by Software MacKiev. The meetings open about 15 minutes in advance. You can join and/or leave whenever you have to, and you may email your question(s) in advance or bring them up during the meeting. Saturday, Sept. 20, 2024, 10:00 a.m.-noon, Irish SIG (Virtual), with Susan McKee. Share information and discuss Irish ancestral research. View SGS calendar for details on joining this group. Sunday, Sept 21, 2023, 1:00 pm- 2:00 pm, Virtual Sunday: Something Old, Something New, Yukon Gold Rush (Virtual), with Steve Lundin. Join us for the compelling true story of Lundin’s grandfather as he journeyed to the gold fields of the Yukon. Register here. Monday, Sept. 22, 2025, 10:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m., Brags & Bricks Social Interest Group (Virtual), Join us for an informal social gathering. Share your recent genealogical successes and challenges, or just come to hang out with other genealogists. See SGS Calendar for more information. Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025, 10:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m., Tech Tuesday (Virtual), informal consultation time on DNA, genealogy software, or genealogy-related technical issues. All are welcome. No appointment necessary. Bring us your problem; we’ll try to help. Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025, 7:00 p.m.-8:30 p.m., Mexican SIG (Virtual), Share information and discuss Indigenous North American, Spanish, Cuban, and Hispanic genealogical research. Email Diane Hughes-Hart at SGSMexSIG@seagensoc.org to join. Monday, Sept. 29, 2025, 10:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m., Brags & Bricks Social Interest Group (Virtual), Join us for an informal social gathering. Share your recent genealogical successes and challenges, or just come to hang out with other genealogists. See SGS Calendar for more information. Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025, 6:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m., Pacific Northwest Interest Group (Virtual), Share information and discuss Pacific Northwest genealogical research. Register on the SGS website Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025, 6:30 p.m.-8:00 p.m., Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Genealogy SIG (Virtual), explore the intersection of artificial intelligence and genealogical research Email SGSAISIG@seagensoc.org. Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025, 10:00 a.m.- 12:30 p.m., FamilySearch SIG, Discover the many ways to use the FamilySearch website in your research. Meeting includes instruction and time for Q&A. Email SGSFamilySearchSIG@seagensoc.org to join the mailing list. NOTE: New starting time! Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025, 1:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m., DNA Workshop, with Cary Bright and Craig Gowens. To participate you need to be on the SGS DNA Interest Group email list. Contact Cary Bright at sgsdnasig@seagensoc.org to join. Monday, Oct. 6, 2025, 10:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m., Brags & Bricks Social Interest Group (Virtual), Join us for an informal social gathering. Share your recent genealogical successes and challenges, or just come to hang out with other genealogists. See SGS Calendar for more information. Monday, Oct. 6, 2025, 7:00 p.m.-8:30 p.m., NEW-ish! Organizing for Genealogy SIG, Share information and discuss organization tips, techniques, and habits to enhance your genealogical journey. Contact Susan McKee at sgsOrganizingsig@seagensoc.org to join. Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025, 7:00 p.m.-8:30 p.m., Publishing SIG, Participate in writing and publishing the SGS Journal twice a year. Email SGSPubSIG@seagensoc.org. Saturday–Sunday, Oct. 11–12, 2025, 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m., SGS 2025 Fall Seminar with Blaine Bettinger, Join SGS for a four seminars focused on using DNA to solve family mysteries. Register now. OUR NEIGHBORS AND BEYOND “Help! Part 3.25 – I Got My Y-DNA & mtDNA Results…What Do I Do Now?” Jewish Genealogical Society of Washington State, Monday, September 8, 2025, 7:00 p.m. (meeting opens at 6:30 p.m.) Join JGSWS for an interesting and practical webinar on how to use mtDNA and Y-DNA in genealogy research. Gil Bardige will help attendees understand DNA results and matches at a beginner and intermediate level. This session will be especially useful for people who have tested at Family Tree DNA. Bardige will also recommend which tests to take and whether to upgrade an older test. Learn more and register. “Probate Records: Wills and a Whole Lot More.” North Carolina Genealogical Society Wednesday, September 3, 2025, 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. PDT Join the North Carolina Genealogical Society and Annette Burke Lyttle, CG® for this free online session focusing on estate records. Learn more and register.“Researching Oregon Trail Ancestors” Olympia Genealogical Society Thursday, September 11, 2025, 7:00 p.m. From 1840 to 1869, more than 50,000 people traveled to Oregon on the Oregon Trail. Join Dawn Carlile as she covers resources for researching people and their lives as they made the trek. Learn more. “Genealogy Week” The Rogue Valley Genealogical Society Monday, Sept. 22 – Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025 This RVGS event is open to all and will feature a virtual presentation each morning on a different topic, while hosting on-site afternoon help sessions at their library. See the Genealogy Week flyer for class list and registration. SGS eNews! comes out the first of every month. contact eNews! forward this email to a friend |