 19th CENTURY CASE STUDY WILL SHOW HOW DNA HELPED FIND A FATHERSecond Saturday: June 13, 1 p.m.When no birth record exists, how can we identify a biological father? Patricia B. Coleman, Ph.D. will present a case study to SGS that follows a woman born about 1877 in Lee County, Virginia, and demonstrates how DNA evidence can resolve questions that traditional records cannot. Using tools such as Genetic Affairs, One2Tree, and BanyanDNA, this session highlights a clear, step-by-step approach to clustering DNA matches, building trees, and testing hypotheses to reach a supported conclusion. Patricia Coleman is a professional genealogist specializing in DNA analysis and Irish research. Much of her recent work focuses on analyzing Irish records, building DNA match family trees, and identifying shared ancestors through evidence-based methods. She is a moderator for the DNA Painter and Genetic Affairs Facebook user group and frequently presents on genetic genealogy, Irish research, and practical applications of AI in genealogy. Sign Up Membership Meeting: June 13, 2:30 p.m.Learn what is happening at SGS. Election results will be shared after the Second Saturday presentation June 13. Sign up for both the Second Saturday presentataion and membership meeting. SECOND SATURDAY GOES ON SUMMER BREAK: See you in September for “Which Date is Right?” with Carolyn Ladd. Sign up separately for this event held Sept. 12. base image courtesy of Kateryna Hliznitsova / Unsplash SGS ELECTS 2026–2027 OFFICERSThe Election Committee met on May 11 to count the votes and certify the results from the recent SGS elections. The results are as follows: President, Kathy Weber Vice President, Lisa Oberg Secretary, Leslie Vogel Treasurer, Betsey Cotter Director of Education, Stephanie O’Connell Director of Library, Kathi M. Thanks to the membership for participating in our 2026-2027 election. We also wish to thank the Election Committee consisting of Amandalei Bennett, Bruce A Finlayson and Woods Fairbanks. LIBRARY NEWSSGS and Internet ArchiveIn 2021 when SGS decided to move from its location on Sand Point Way to its current location in the Good Shepherd Center, we knew we would not be able to keep our entire library of books. After making difficult decisions on what we would keep, donating hundreds of books to Seattle Public Library and a book sale, we still had approximately 3000 books remaining. Following discussions with Internet Archive, they agreed to accept our donation with the understanding the material would be digitized and made available online (subject to copyright). More than 100 boxes of books were moved to a temporary storage space in Seattle until arrangements were completed for Internet Archive to transport the material to their storage facility. At the temporary storage facility, it was necessary to unpack the 100 boxes, catalog each book for our records and repack the books into sturdier shipping boxes. In addition to the SGS President and Director of Library a team of volunteers – Woods Fairbanks, Ellen Peterson, Allegra Andersen and Melanie Mosher – spent two days completing the necessary work. We recently received notification that our donation to Internet Archive has been digitized and is available to access online. Internet Archive will be listing the material in a metadata field so it will be easy to locate all items associated in the Seattle Genealogical Society collection. As of eNews press time, about one-third of SGS’s donated book are displaying on the site with the correct metadata and can be accessed here. If you are interested in viewing a particular book online that is not displaying, please email library@seagensoc.org with the book’s title and we’ll provide you with a direct link to the book. Archion NewsHaving trouble deciphering the handwritten entries in the church books? With its new text recognition feature, researching the original document is now more convenient. There are two ways to use text recognition: Search and use transcribed church books Church books that have already been transcribed can be found specifically using the new filter function in the location search and used for research together with the original. Use Text Recognition On-Demand for individual pages If a church book has not yet been fully transcribed, individual relevant pages can be sent for text recognition directly from the Viewer. After just a few minutes, the recognized text is available together with the original entry. SGS Desk Volunteers will be available to assist you with using this new feature. Library’s Evening Hours Change; No Evening Hours in AugustEvening Hours at the SGS library will change in June to 6 to 8 p.m. going forward. Evening hours are held every third Wednesday of the month. However, there will be no evening hours in August. SGS 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. Meeting content is for personal genealogy learning and may not be recorded or transcribed. All times listed are Pacific Time unless otherwise noted Monday, June 1, 2026, 7:00 p.m.-8:30 p.m., 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, June 3, 2026, 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. Saturday, June 6, 2026, 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. Saturday, June 7, 2026, 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. NOTE the change of day due to the Easter holiday. Monday, June 8, 2026, 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, June 9, 2026, 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. NOTE: Zoom link alternates between 2nd and 4th Tuesday. Tuesday, June 9, 2026, 6:30 p.m.-8:00 p.m., 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. Saturday, June 13, 2026, 1:00 p.m-2:30 p.m., Second Saturday, “DNA Case Study: Finding a Father ” Presented by Patricia B. Coleman, Ph.D.. Register here.Saturday, June 13, 2026, 2:30 p.m-3:00 p.m., Membership Meeting, Register here. One registration works for both the Second Saturday presentation and the Membership Meeting. Monday, June 15, 2026, 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, June 17, 2026, 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, June 19, 2026, 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, June 20 2026, 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. Saturday, June 20 2026, 1:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m, German SIG (Virtual), topic: Friedrich Eiler, Building an Identity with Scant Clues. Jill Morelli will be telling you a fun story of researching a German rogue. Register on the SGS website. Monday, June 22, 2026, 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, June 23, 2026, 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. NOTE: Zoom link alternates between 2nd and 4th Tuesday. Saturday, June 27, 2026, 10:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m., DNA SIG (Virtual), Join our quarterly meetings to discover what’s new in genetic genealogy and learn more about select, in-depth topics. Email SGSDNASIG@seagensoc.org to join. Monday, June 29, 2026, 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, July 22, 2026, 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. NOTE: New Zoom link starting this month. Check the calendar on the SGS website for the most recent dates and times and for additional events as they are added. CALENDAR NOTES: No Artificial Intelligence (AI) SIG meeting in June. OUR NEIGHBORS AND BEYOND “Exploring the Nuances of FamilySearch for Genealogical Research” with Veronica Anguiano Jewish Genealogical Society of Washington State Monday, June 8, 7:00 p.m. (virtual — Zoom opens at 6:30 p.m.) FamilySearch is one of the most powerful—and free—resources available to genealogists, yet many researchers only scratch the surface of what it offers. This presentation will provide a practical overview of FamilySearch’s key tools, including historical records, the collaborative Family Tree, and unique resources such as the catalog, full-text search, and digital image collections. Get more information and register.“Bureaucracy to the Rescue: Unlocking Family Mysteries with State Records” with Crystal Hicks Jewish Genealogical Society of Washington State Thursday, June 11, 7:00 p.m. (virtual — Zoom opens at 6:30 p.m.) Genealogists often overlook government publications, but these materials can play a key role in solving difficult research problems. The Washington State Library preserves one of the most extensive collections of state and territorial publications in the country, and many of these resources are available online even when the building is closed. This presentation introduces researchers to these often-underused sources. Case studies will show how government documents can help identify family members, trace migration patterns, and more. Get more information and register. “Following a Civil Case Through Documents Filed in Court” with J. Mark Lowe Eastside Genealogical Society Thursday, June 11, 7:00 p.m. (virtual — Zoom opens at 6:30 p.m.) About our program: Our ancestors often utilized the judicial systems to resolve conflicts and make estate judgments. Finding court records for your family and neighbors can provide a wealth of information for your research. Understanding the arrangements of court records can help you find the right documents. Learn the basics of the legal system. Understand the process of following a case through court including dockets, orders, depositions, etc. Find the key to solving a problem using these records. For more information and to register. TIP OF THE WEEK — FIND THE WOMEN IN YOUR FAMILY TREEFind the names of female ancestors in the ledger in their local general store. Purchases by the family are listed by household account numbers in a day book which often mentions the various family members. There is usually a corresponding account book with additional information.Join SGS Today* to renew your membership: log in on the Members Home page and click the green renew membership button. DONATE TO SGSYour donations represent a significant part of the SGS budget. Your continued generosity helps us increase our financial security and expand our services for everyone. We make it easy for you to contribute appreciated stock from your portfolio. We have a brokerage account established and ready to receive your donation from any firm. For details, write treasurer@seagensoc.org. For questions about our needs and our vision, write president@seagensoc.org. June 1, 2026 SGS eNews! comes out the first of every month. contact eNews! forward this email to a friend |