Know where the World’s Largest Egg Sculpture is?????
Did you guess Winlock, Washington, in Lewis County?
In the 1920s Lewis County was the second largest egg producer in the U.S. So they have this wonderful statue, which they often repaint as the mood strikes, to celebrate their “eggy” history.
| Bend Genealogical SocietyBend, Oregon Dear Genealogical and Historical Society Friends, We are excited to announce our upcoming Seminar events, which are on two days this year.Warren Bittner, CG, nationally-known genealogist and educator, will be in Bend for a Friday afternoon German research workshop on March 29; and a Saturday all-day Seminar on March 30 with four presentations that will benefit both beginning and advanced genealogists. The Web of Evidence: Proof and DisproofDeath Records as a Starting PointTen Genealogical Lessons I Learned the Hard WayExhausting Research to Find an Impossible Immigrant PLEASE NOTE: The Seminar events will be at different venues this year than past years. Friday Workshop: Williamson Hall, 2200 NE Hwy 20, Bend, OR 97701 (We can email a map showing its location in Bend, if needed.) Saturday Seminar: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 60800 Tekampe Rd., Bend OR 97702 As in the past, lunch is included in the cost of the Saturday Seminar. At the Friday afternoon workshop, we will only provide some light snacks. An event flyer and registration form that you may use to inform your members of our Seminar events this year. Payment can be made with check and registration form via US mail. Deadline for Registration is March 25.The Seminar flyer and registration form are also available on our website at: http://www.orgenweb.org/deschutes/bend-gs/springseminar.html Come on one day or two days; and enjoy this year’s Spring learning opportunities with the family history community in Bend. We look forward to meeting your members this year!Sandy Thompson, TreasurerBend Genealogical Societybgs@bendbroadband.com or phone: (541) 317-9553 |
| THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s Thursday Evening E-News Edition February 7, 2019 |
| Curious about the status of your GFO Membership? We’d love to have you as a GFO Member! |
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For more information visit www.gfo.org. Contact us at info@gfo.org or 503-963-1932. Be sure to check the complete GFO CALENDAR. Also, don’t miss the current issue of The Forum Insider During inclement weather this winter, lease be sure to check our Facebook Page or website to see if we’re open! Or, call the library at 503-963-1932 to insure someone is here. |
| GFO is Proud to Offer Black History Resources |
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This
Black History Month, we’d like to remind you that GFO has dozens of
books to help with your African American ancestral research. 80% of genealogical information still has not been digitized. It’s always worth exploring what’s on the bookshelves. Our holdings include: * Black history: a guide to civilian records in the National Archives * List of free Black heads of families in the first census of the United States, 1790 By National Archives Record Service * The African-American century: How Black Americans have shaped our country * An index of African Americans identified in selected records of the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands We’ve added more African American titles to our collection in just the last year, so if you haven’t been in for awhile, come see what’s new! |
| Explore Fold3’s Black History Collection for Free this Month |
| In recognition of Black History Month, Fold3 is making the records in its Black History Collection available for free through the end of February. Whether you’re searching for your ancestors or looking for primary documents to help with other research, the Black History Collection gives you access to more than a million documents, records, and photos that help to capture the African-American experience during five eras of American history: Slavery, The Civil War, Reconstruction & Jim Crow Laws, World War I & II, and the Civil Rights Movement. See all their wonderful resources in this collection here! |
| Join GFO’s Great Lakes Special Interest Group this Saturday! |
| “Lockport, Erie Canal” — by W. H. Bartlett, 1838 Erie Canal Opened the West to Settlement We all learned about the Erie Canal back in 6th grade. But what do we know about how it affected the experiences of our Great Lakes Region ancestors? The Canal enticed immigrants, settlers, and workers with the promise of better lives, and interestingly, it transported more than just people and goods. Come join GFO’s Great Lakes Special Interest Group this Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. as they discuss the importance of this historic canal on our ancestors. All Special Interest Group meetings at the GFO Library are free and open to the public. |
| PMUG College Teaches iOS for iPhone, iPad and iTouch |
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The Portland Mac Users Group returns to the GFO for another of its college classes on Wednesday, February 13th, 6 to 8 p.m. This class will look at the operating system our popular mobile Apple devices rely upon. • Learn how to arrange and manage your apps on your iPhone and iPad. • Tour the Settings utility to customize how your device works. • Learn how debug and reset your device when problems arise. • Oversee your data usage to control programs that continue GPS tracking in the background. • Find hidden functions in the iOS system that can enhance your use of these devices. All PMUG classes are free for GFO and PMUG members. To register: call 503-228-1779 or email college@pmug.org. |
| FTDNA Works With FBI, Apologizes for not Telling Customers |
| The big news in Genealogy circles last week was Family Tree DNA’s admission to BuzzFeed News that it was working with the FBI to match DNA from crime scenes against its database of more than two million records. BuzzFeed’s article states that “the cooperation with Family Tree DNA and the FBI marks the first time a private firm has agreed to voluntarily allow law enforcement access to its database.” Law enforcement has found genetic genealogy has helped to unlock cold cases which might never have been solved. Blogs, news sites and the GFO’s Facebook page lit up with concerns about privacy and the company’s lack of notification to customers. Bennett Greenspan, founder of FamilyTree DNA, wrote to customers a few days after the first stories hit, stating: “I am genuinely sorry for not having handled our communications with you as we should have. We’ve received an incredible amount of support from those of you who believe this is an opportunity for honest, law-abiding citizens to help catch bad guys and bring closure to devastated families.” The highly respected Legal Genealogist, Judy G. Russell, wrote two blog posts saying she was “gobsmacked” by the revelations and expressed disappointment in the company’s reply. She called out FTDNA for falsely implying that people who care about privacy don’t care about catching criminals. “Honest, law-abiding citizens who want bad guys to be caught can come down on either side of the police-access-to-genealogical-DNA-databases debates — and nobody, but nobody, should try to shame them into going along with something they truly don’t believe in by manipulative name calling. It’s a logical fallacy,” wrote Russell. This is a debate which will continue. |
| New Norwegian Resource: Folkebladet Newspaper |
|
Augsburg
University’s Lindell Library in Minnesota has recently completed a
large digitization project of Folkebladet, a Norwegian newspaper that
ran from 1877 to 1952. Considered
the official newspaper of the Lutheran Free Church, the paper is an
unparalleled resource for historians, genealogists, or anyone who is
interested in reading Norwegian-American accounts from the past. Access it at their website here! You can search the text of the newspapers or browse by date. Librarian Stewart Van Cleve is eager to help you if you have questions. You can reach him at vanclev1@augsburg.edu. |
| This week at GFO … |
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FRIDAY, February 8th Mexican Ancestry Group Due to illness, this meeting is cancelled this week. For questions about future meetings, please email Vince at sw@gfo.org. SATURDAY, February 9th Great Lakes Region Group 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. We
all learned about the Erie Canal back in 6th grade. But what do we know
about how it affected the experiences of our Great Lakes Region
ancestors? The Canal enticed immigrants, settlers, and workers with the
promise of better lives, and interestingly, it transported more than
just people and goods. We will also take a quick look at some
lesser-known ways to use the Family Search website and have time to
share our genealogy brick walls and success stories. If your ancestors
were in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio,
Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, or Ontario, Canada, or if you just want to hear
about this interesting time in US history, you are most welcome. Writers’ Forum 1 – 3 p.m. This
is a peer group of genealogists, who meet to learn about writing and to
share our writing with each other. Peggy Baldwin facilitates this group
and can be reached at peggyrbaldwin@gmail.com or 503-916-9410. SUNDAY, February 10th Library Work Party 9 a.m. – noon There’s
another work party at the GFO library today for those of you who can
come. There’s lots to do and we’d love to have your help. Doors open at 9
and work usually wraps up around noon. Some people come for just an
hour or so; others work the full time. You are welcome to do either. Any
time you can share is valuable. Hope to see you there. WEDNESDAY, February 13th PMUG College: iOS for iPhone, iPad, iTouch 6 – 8 p.m. • Learn how to arrange and manage your apps on your iPhone and iPad. • Tour the Settings utility to customize how your device works. • Learn how debug and reset your device when problems arise. • Oversee your data usage to control programs that continue GPS tracking in the background. • Find hidden functions in the iOS system that can enhance your use of these devices. To register: call 503-228-1779 or email: college@pmug.org. Bring your Mac to participate with instruction. If you would like additional information for attending this class, please email the group’s leaders at college@pmug.org. (Note, updates may be sent for interruption of services due to weather etc. Check the GFO Facebook page and the GFO website for weather closure notices.) |
Want to discover your Irish and Scots-Irish ancestors?
Many people believe that researching Irish ancestors is impossible because of the destruction of the Public Record Office in 1922. While many records were destroyed, others survived and large collections have come online in recent years.
Join Fintan Mullan and Gillian Hunt from the Ulster Historical Foundation during their annual United States lecture tour to learn how to get the most out of Irish resources and records, gain strategies for breaking down brick walls, and grasp important historical context that may help fill in gaps in your research.
Whether you are just beginning your Irish research or have been at it for years, you won’t want to miss these workshops!
Fuller contact details with additional information can be found at: https://www.ancestryireland.com/lecture-tour-2019/
Wednesday, 20 March, Coeur d’Alene, ID (1:00pm–8:30pm)
Location: Lake City Center, 1916 N. Lakewood Drive, Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814
Program title: Irish & Scots-Irish Research Seminar!
Hosts: Family Hunger, PLLC and Jan Clizer—Painting Scotland
Web: https://janclizerpainting.com/event/116353/ulster-historical-foundation-lecture-in-coeur-dalene
Telephone: 219-462-0524
Main contact: Todd Neel –
208-691-0870 – twneel@gmail.com
Jan
Clizer – 208-771-2912 – jan@janclizerpainting.com
Cost: Pre-Registration cost $35. Registration or attendance after cutoff date will be $50.
Please send Pre-Registration with check (to Family Hunger, PLLC), or cash (due 2/20/2019) to: Todd Neel, Family Hunger, PLLC, 317 W. Spokane Ave, Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814.
Pre-Registration for the workshop due one month prior to the workshop, on February 20, 2018. Live Celtic music and dancing during the short evening dinner break.
Just in case, here it is again! You really, REALLY want to come sit at the feet of such a really good teacher. Google her on YouTube.
SUNNY JANE MORTON IS COMING
TO SPOKANE
NEXT APRIL 6th for EWGS Spring Seminar
And who is Sunny Jane McClellan Morton, you rightfully ask?
Sunny Jane Morton is an internationally-known, award-winning writer, editor and speaker for the multibillion-dollar genealogy industry. She is a Contributing Editor at Lisa Louise Cooke’s Genealogy Gems Podcast, with more than 2.5 million downloads worldwide, and a Contributing Editor at Family Tree Magazine, the U.S.’ premiere publication for genealogy hobbyists. A popular speaker at events across the country (including RootsTech), Sunny is especially known for expertise in tracing U.S. ancestors, particularly in church records; her unique comparisons of the industry’s largest websites; and inspiring presentations on how to reconstruct and tell meaningful stories from the past. Sunny is the author of Story of My Life: A Workbook for Preserving Your Legacy, Genealogy Giants: Comparing the 4 Major Websites and the forthcoming How to Find Your Family History in U.S. Church Records (working title), co-authored with Harold Henderson, CG. She is the Co-Editor of Ohio Genealogy News and winner of the prestigious NGS Newsletter Competition (2017) and writing awards from the International Society of Family History Writers and Editors. She holds degrees in history and humanities from Brigham Young University.
Stay tuned to www.EWSGI.org for more information. That’s the Eastern Washington Genealogical Society in Spokane.
On February 7, 2019 The Senate Law and Justice Committee offered up this substitute bill: Click Here for the whole bill.
The substitute bill still locks birth records for 100 years, and death, marriage and divorce records for 25 years. Informational death certificates will NOT have a cause of death.
Certified copies will be $25, informational copies will be $13. Multiple copies have their own costs.
In the hearing today they asked if genealogists approve of the changes in the substitute bill. It was then voted on and the 4 democrats voted yes, and the 3 republicans voted no. Minority position to not support the bill. There is no date set yet for the full senate to vote on the substitute bill, so contact your senator to let hem know if you agree with the substitute bill or to vote against the substitute bill. Click here to send your thoughts to your senator.
The Bainbridge Island Genealogical Society (BIGS) will meet Friday, February 15, 2019, at the Bainbridge Island Public Library on Bainbridge Island, 1270 Madison Ave, from 10:00a.m. – 12 noon. The topic for the Monthly BIGS Meeting will be “Mapping an Ancestor: Using Geography and Maps in Family Research.” The presenter is Janet O’Conor Camarata, a noted and popular NW genealogist, educator, and technology specialist. Parking is available in the 2 library parking facilities, accessed from High School Ave and Madison Ave North. Free to members, a $5.00 donation is suggested for nonmembers. For more information go to http://www.bigenealogy.org or call 206-755-9283. BIGS is a 501c(3) non-profit organization.
Thank you! Sue Elfving
Bainbridge Island Genealogical SocietyDirector of Publicity and Public Relations
Dear Friends,
We are sorry to have to cancel the free genealogy meeting set for this Monday evening, 2/11/19, due to the continued snowy and icy conditions and the likely chance of more snow tomorrow and Saturday.
We have rescheduled Mary Kathryn Kozy’s talk to Monday, April 8, 2019, and invite you to join us then. Attached is the updated flyer for her talk.
Also attached is the flyer for our Monday evening, March 4, 2019 free genealogy meeting. We are hosting Mark Olsen, of Family Tree Maker. Please note that his talk is on the first Monday of March and the location for this one meeting has changed to the Downtown Bellevue Public Library.
Would it be possible for you to post the attached flyers on your bulletin board, calendar and/or website for upcoming events?
Our upcoming events, on 3/419 and 4/8/19, are free to the public.
If it would help for me to mail you color paper copies of the flyers, I’d be happy to – just let me know!
The descriptions of our March and April topics are:
3/4/19 – “Using MacKiev’s Family Tree Maker Software”
Mark OIsen, Family Tree Maker Ambassador, will join us in-person, to walk us through the newest features, tips, and upgrades in Family Tree Maker 2017, as well as answering the questions: Do I need to upgrade? How do I upgrade? What’s new in version 2017? Mark will also discuss options to synchronize your FTM trees with your trees at Ancestry.com. Other topics and features to be addressed include: FamilySync™, Photo Darkroom™, FamilySearch Integration, Color Coding, DNA Basics in conjunction with Charting Companion 7 (a partner product), Saved Filtered Lists, Sync Weather Report, Moving to FTM 2017, Using FTM 2017 for the first time, Upgrading to FTM 2017 from prior versions, moving trees over to the new version, and the FTM 2017 Free Update. This program will be a live, interactive presentation. Come meet Mark and bring your questions to the meeting!
A raffle for free Family Tree Software will be held! You’ll be able to purchase Family Tree Maker Software, at a deeply reduced price, before and after this presentation, from 6:15-6:30 p.m. and 8:30-8:45 p.m.
4/8/19 – “Breaking Down Brick Walls”
Everyone has them: family lines that seem to have defied every effort to push them back farther in time. (Don’t have a brick wall yet? Just wait. You probably haven’t been doing family history long enough!) This presentation will discuss how you might be adding to that wall yourself, brick by brick, with some common research mistakes. We will also discuss several simple steps you can take to reevaluate where you are in the research process. Using the Genealogical Proof Standard, we will walk through methodologies that, when applied to your problem, may give you greater insight. Who knows? Perhaps looking at your genealogical problem with a fresh perspective will cause that brick wall to come tumbling down in 2019!
Thank you so very much,
Karen vanHaagen Campbell
JGSWS President & Publicity
KarenCampbellGenealogy@outlook.com
206-790-2167 Cell/Texts/Home
GSSWI has cancelled the Monday, Feb. 11, 2019 presentation about the DAR due to the weather conditions.
The DAR presentation will has been moved to March 11, 2019.
Hope to see you then.
Maureen MacDonald President, GSSWI
It’s Time to Recognize our Wonderful Volunteers!
Nominations for the WSGS Awards program opened on Feb. 1, 2019. Information on how to recommend a volunteer, team, communication or special genealogist are available on the WSGS website, www.wasgs.org . Applications for awards are open until March 30th.
Does Your Society need Financial Assistance?
Applications for Grants and Educational Assistance are now open! Details are available for both programs on the WSGS website, www.wasgs.org . Applications are open until March 30th!