Author Archives: Charles Hansen

Wednesday’s Nostalgia

by Charles Hansen

How many of us have a nice hanging rack over our stove where we hang our utensils and perhaps pots and pans? This is not a new idea. People who cook have always wanted their utensils handy.

I took this photo in the cooking building at Fort Vancouver National Park in Vancouver, Washington. Notice the variety of things…. big pans, little pans, ladles, hooks, cups, forks, lifters….. all with L-O-N-G handles for reaching into the fire. Notice the in-fireplace racks on the right? For baking?

Does this kitchen look anything like YOUR kitchen??

** I always think: how did they keep the ash out of their food?

Tri-City Genealogical Society June Meeting

by Charles Hansen

I hope you are planning on attending our June 13th meeting which is sponsored by Washington Humanities.  Our speaker will be John Jensen who will be giving a presentation on:
Hollywood and the Homefront:Tinsel Town’s Contribution to World War II 
 
Date: Wednesday, June 13th
 
Time: 7:00 p.m.
 
Place: Benton PUD Auditorium (Corner of Hwy 395 and 10th street in Kennewick)
 
Also, don’t forget to take advantage of our Beginning Genealogy Class on June 13th. The topic for this class will be:
Hidden Treasures of Ancestry.com
 
The Beginning Genealogy Class starts at 6:15 p.m. and ends at 6:45 p.m.
We will also have our monthly Genealogy Book Sale too. So, we are looking forward to seeing you this Wednesday. If you have any questions, please call 943-9322 and as always, please invite someone.  Thank you. (see enclosed attachment)

Kelowna & District Genealogical Society September Conference

by Charles Hansen

 

 

Guess Who’s Coming to the Conference? …Louis Kessler!

 

Louis is a programmer and a genealogist and a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists (APG) and Genealogical Speakers Guild (GSG). He developed the genealogy software Behold and built the GenSoftReviews site where genealogists go to rate and review their software. In 2016, Louis got into DNA in a big way and developed his Double Match Triangulator program for autosomal DNA analysis. The program won third place at the 2017 RootsTech Innovator Showdown.

 

Louis lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba with his wife and two daughters. He has been the chair of the Archives Committee, leader of the Genealogical Institute, and a Board member and President of the Jewish Heritage Centre of Western Canada. Louis is an active GeneaBlogger and participates in the genealogy communities on Twitter and Facebook.

 

Since Louis has registered for our Conference, we asked if he would give a talk in the late afternoon time period as Blaine Bettinger’s talk is now full. Louis has kindly agreed and will be talking on:

Using Double Match Triangulation to Find DNA Ancestors:  There’s more to a DNA segment match than you think. If the same segment is passed down from a common ancestor, it is called IBD (Identical by Descent). But matches can be by chance or false and you need to distinguish these. Find out what triangulation can and cannot be used for. Learn how to efficiently find all triangulations with double matching techniques and how to use triangulation groups to help you find your DNA ancestors. Level I-A.

 

Louis is also donating three licenses to his Double Match Triangulator software – two as door prizes and one to an attendee of his talk! We are very grateful for Louis’ generosity and look forward to having him at our Conference!

 

ARE YOU REGISTERED FOR THE CONFERENCE?

 

 

Claire Smith-Burns

Kelowna & District Genealogical Society

Director, KDGS Family & Local History Resource Centre, Librarian@KDGS.ca

“Harvest Your Family Tree” Conference 2018, Conference@KDGS.ca

www.KDGS.ca

 

Spotlight on Clark County Historical MUSEUM

by Charles Hansen

Danielle Utter is a ball of fire….fire for a good cause. She is the Education & Programs Manager for the Clark County Historical Museum in Vancouver. I was blessed to meet her at the Clark County Genealogical Society conference the end of last May.

I asked her to tell me more about the collections of the Museum. “How long do you have?” she prompted quipped back.  “We have 46,000 photos of Clark County history posted online; we have issues of the Vancouver Independent back to 1910; we have ‘rooms and rooms’ of boxes for artifacts; we have the local NAACP collection online; we have hundreds of oral history interviews all online and so much more!

Ginny Majewski  (president of the Washington State Genealogical Society) and I visited the museum together that day and were so very impressed by their library…… shelves and shelves of archival boxes of documents all labeled for ease of access and more shelves and shelves of books regarding local history.

Danielle explained that they do work on mail or email research requests for a per-hour fee, but it’s free to anyone to come use the library in person. “Most folks come looking for information on property, homes and people” of this area, she said.

The museum partners with other local smaller museums; they have a First Thursday speaker series; they offer periodic historical Walking Tours (like of the old City Cemetery) and they have changing exhibits. The next exhibit, “Music, Movement & Sound,” features the Cotington piano, the very first piano in the Northwest, Danielle happily explained.

Danielle Utter welcomes questions, especially questions about photos to donate. You can contact her via the museum website, www.cchmuseum.org.

Thanks, Danielle, for a lovely (and too short!) visit.

Tuesday’s Trivia

by Charles Hansen

 

In 2009, the City of Washougal endeavored to create a connection between the downtown district and the Columbia River.  The SR-14 Pedestrian Tunnel is now open.  This tunnel provides safe passage from Pendleton Way to Steamboat Landing, William Clark Regional Park, and the Steigerwald National Wildlife Refuge & footpath – all connected by the US Corps of Engineers 3-½ mile long levee trail.

(The words over the tunnel read Gateway to the Columbia. I stopped at the Pendleton Woolen Mills outlet and could walk right through this tunnel from the parking lot.)

The tunnel passage between downtown Washougal and the Columbia River takes visitors back into ancient times.  The City of Washougal created a “petro glyph design team” consisting of nine students from Washougal High school, several adults, and led by artist Rex Ziak.  The design team researched Columbia Basin rock “art” to develop concepts for seven hand etched basalt slabs.  Ziak designed the images and had them hand etched by local craftsmen.  The pieces provide glimpses into the ancient Columbia River Corridor.  It’s up to you to determine the story behind each petro glyph.  For more information on the “petro” team’s journey and to learn more about this ancient form of communication, log on to http://culturewatchnorthwest.blogspot.com/

(Info and quote from Google-search-website; photos from Donna.)

 

Monday’s Mystery

by Charles Hansen

Ah, got a good one for you today. What can you tell me about the connection between Washington, specifically Clark County, and prunes?

Yes, prunes……that yummy, sticky dried fruit that begins as juicy plums. Vancouver, in Clark County, was once the Prune Capital of the world. There were prune-themed everything including a parade and a Prune Princess! And wouldn’t you guess that Prune Wine would be delicious?

(Took this image and learned all about this at the Clark County Historical Society in Vancouver.)

Tacoma Pierce County Genealogical Society June Meeting

by Charles Hansen

TPCGS will hold our monthly meeting this Tuesday, June 12, at 6.30 pm, at Bates Community College.

Our Speaker will be Midori Okazaki  from the Washington State Archives.

From  6:30 to 7:00 she will explain how to become a Scribe for the Washington State Archives. Then after a short business meeting, she will also cover the Preservation of physical records.

Hope to see everyone there!

TPCGS monthly meetings are held September through May from 6 pm to 9 pm, usually at Bates Technical College, South Campus, Building E, 2201 South 78th St., Tacoma. Guests are always welcome, so bring a friend!  For more information check our website at www.tpcgs.org.

Success Story

by Charles Hansen

Genealogy Serendipity

By Barbara Gorham Johnson

We’ve all heard of serendipity in genealogy but how many of us actually experience it? Well I did!

I had the great experience about one year ago when my husband and I were planning a trip to Ireland and Yorkshire. As a veteran genealogist, I knew to research my ancestral parish by looking for a local genealogical society. Nope. OK. Next step is to look for a local historical society. Bingo! Saddleworth (a tiny parish in West Riding of Yorkshire, England) has a very active Historical Society with lots of publications. I also made arrangements to tour the “family” church, St. Chad’s, built in 1215. Turns out I have thousands of cousins in the Parish.

I looked through the Historical Society web site and noticed that the President was a Mike Buckley. Hmm. I have Buckleys in my tree. I quickly sent him an e-mail and politely asked him how I could find out the maiden name of the Elisabeth who had married my John Buckley. A few days later, Mike responded that the bride was Elisabeth Heywood, gave me the date and the fact that they were married by licence (UK spelling) which meant one or both of them were wealthy. How did he know that? His response: our ancestors have lived here since the 1100s. Gasp!

After booking our flights, I re-contacted Mike to ask him if we could meet him. He responded affirmatively, saying he would be delighted to drive us around the parish and show us the ancestral sites! The day finally arrived. Mike picked my hubby and me up at our B&B and proceeded to drive us around for 5 hours! He was an encyclopedia of genealogy, family history, Roman history, and had tales to tell about our ancestors. We scoured the local cemetery finding grave after grave of MY ancestors! As a small thank you, we treated him to dinner.

Trivia: I learned from him and a few other locals that a Saddleworth good-by is a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

Mike and I still email and exchange information. What an example of Serendipity!

And all it took was a quick Google search and one e-mail.

 

 

Friday Serendipity

by Charles Hansen

It’s June! The month announcing summer, my mother’s name and, the name of a particular green beetle. Is there really such a critter?
Well yes there is:  
Cotinis nitida, commonly known as the green June beetle, June bug or June beetle, is a beetle of the family Scarabaeidae. It is found in the eastern United States, where it is most abundant in the South.  
I’ve never seen one but I know my Dad called my Mom his “June bug.”

GENEALOGICAL Forum’s Thursday Evening E-News

by Charles Hansen

THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s

Thursday Evening

E-News, Edition

7 June 2018

For more information visit www.gfo.org, contact us at info@gfo.org, or call our library at 503-963-1932. We love hearing from you!

For a complete GFO CALENDAR click here.

Also, if you missed your free copy of our monthly Insider for May 2018, you’re in luck because we saved you a copy HERE. Simply scroll down at THIS page and click on the Insider 2018 May issue.

Curious about the status of your GFO Membership? We’d love to have you as a GFO Member!
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Did you know your groceries can support GFO!?
FredMeyer-GFO

Here’s how:

You can financially support the GFO simply by linking your Fred Meyer Rewards Card to the Genealogical Forum of Oregon. You won’t pay more for groceries, but we will get a small donation every time you shop.

Please click HERE and then click on “Re-enroll or link your Rewards Card now” to add the Genealogical Forum of Oregon as your charity to support.

Thank you for helping us meet our rising rent and other expenses!
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books3

Saturday, June 16th, at GFO is Jam Packed!

Genealogy Problem Solvers (GPS) Takes One 9:30 – 11:30am

The Challenges: (1) Discover who were the parents and paternal grandparents of Riley Hash, the father of William M. Hash (1876–1937). (2) Is there a connection between Riley Hash and the Revolutionary War veteran William Horton Hash Sr.?

The primary geographical focus: Grayson County, Virginia, and Ashe County, North Carolina.

The resolution to Darrell Gulstrom’s questions will take a most unexpected turn. After resolving the parents and paternal grandparents of Riley Hash, one of his lines will be traced back to a surprising ancestor and the earliest days of settlement in North Carolina and Virginia.
GenTalk Photos Jun2018 graphic

GFO’s GenTalk 2:30 – 3:30pm

Presenter: Harold Hinds, Ph.D

Topic: The Family Photo Collection and Its Uses in Visualizing Your Personal Family History

Most of us hope to illustrate our personal family histories with family photographs. But what should be collected? Which deserve to be preserved and identified for posterity? What types of photos might you find in typical family albums or shoe boxes? What guidelines might you apply in selecting items from your collection for inclusion in a family memoir? This lecture tackles these important questions.

Harold Hinds, Ph.D., was Distinguished Research Professor of History at the University of Minnesota-Morris, and is the author of several books, including Crafting a Personal Family History: A Guide Plus A Case Study, and A Basic Guide to Genealogical and Family History Resources for Essex County, New York.

Be sure to download the handout for the GenTalk ahead of time right HERE.

Don’t miss GFO’s Annual Meeting at 2pm! We’ll be installing our new board members.

Also don’t miss the Italian Group meeting from Noon – 2pm. A little somethin’ for everyone! Personal research assistance will be provided on your current research problems. Keith Pyeatt facilitates this group.
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Early Bird Special Ends June 17th! Don’t miss out!
Hamburg.Domkirche.1800

GFO’s Summer Half-Day German Seminar

You can still REGISTER after June 17th, at the regular price of course, but who doesn’t like an Early Bird Special!?

WHEN? July 7th, 9:30am – noon
WHO? Presenter Fritz Juengling, PhD, AG®
WHAT? Learn the wonders of the Meyers Gazetteer, and learn how to read German Church and Civil Records
WHERE? GFO’s Library (map)

Registration starts HERE! (Sign up online or print the paper registration form and mail it in today.)
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Ford Building Freight Elevator
elevator

Next Friday, June 15th, the freight elevator will be inoperable due to scheduled repairs.

If needed, please plan ahead for freight use on Thursday June 14th. The Ford Building anticipates ability to have the freight elevator up and running again on Saturday June 16th.

Please note, this should NOT impact the regular elevator.
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The Irish Are Coming!!
Irish Ancestry Group

This group’s next meeting will be held on Wednesday, June 20th, at 6pm.

FOCUS: Although all of the island of Ireland is included, our primary focus is the genealogical research of the Republic of Ireland, also known as the Irish Free State, Éire, Ireland, and Southern Ireland. Members of the GFO as well as their guests and any interested members of the public are welcomed to attend the Irish Genealogy SIG. One hour of each two-hour meeting will be spent on presentations about Irish history, genealogy, and resources while the second hour will focus on Irish Brick Wall questions.

Also upcoming is the Celtic Connections Conference, which is co-sponsored by The Irish Ancestral Research Association (TIARA) & The Irish Genealogical Society International (IGSI). Sign up and all the details are HERE.
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Irish Famine Interactive Map
Irish Famine Online Map

Research The Great Irish Famine via UCC’s New Website

Last month at University College Cork, The Great Irish Famine Online was made accessible for online researchers.

“This ground-breaking project allows users to access interactive maps containing detailed information on the impact of the Famine on each of 3,000 civil parishes and 1,600 towns across the island. You can analyse statistics that chart changes in the social, political and economic landscape of Ireland pre- and post-Famine. The statistics are taken from the 1841 and 1851 census….” (read the entire article HERE)

Interact and explore UCC’s The Great Irish Famine Online HERE.
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This week at GFO…
desk-calendar-12992149

FRIDAY, June 8th

Mexican Ancestry Group 11:30am – 1:30pm

Finding your Hispanic ancestors from Mexico, Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, and California
This Special Interest Group (SIG) pertains specifically to Mexican ancestors from Mexico and the American Southwest (New Mexico, Arizona, Texas, and California).

Beginning and intermediate researchers are very welcome. Some subjects will include online parish records, Hispanic genealogy societies, Family History Library/FamilySearch.org. Ancestry.com, solving genealogical problems, methodology of organizing your research, etc. Of course this group will also be about sharing our research experiences, and having fun.

If you know of any other people interested in Hispanic genealogy tell them about the up and coming group. They don’t have to be a GFO member to participate.
For questions or comments, please email Vince at sw@gfo.org.

SATURDAY, June 9th

Great Lakes Region Group 9:30 – 11:30am

The Sizzling Summer of 1901, Google Tips, and More

We will look at the deadly heat wave that took over the Eastern half of the US in the summer of 1901 and affected almost every aspect of peoples’ lives for several weeks. Also, we’ll explore some “cool” ideas for getting more out of our Google searches. In the second hour participants are invited to share their own genealogy research, puzzlers, great finds, and more. Even if your ancestors are not from the Great Lakes Region, you may find something useful at this meeting! Contact Lynn Rossing at greatlakes@gfo.org with any questions.

SUNDAY, June 10th

Maps Work Party 9am – Noon

We are planning to continue working on this project on the second Sunday of the month from 9am until noon, or to whatever time you can spare. Come when you can. Doris Cruickshank is our fearless map project coordinator.

WEDNESDAY, June 13th

Portland Meetup: How Do I Get Started On My Family Tree 5 – 7pm

This meeting is part of the Portland Genealogy Meetup Group. It’s organized by GFO’s new secretary, Geoff Smith. Come on down for a guerrilla guide for those who are just starting — How to get started, how to organize your search. Additional information is available HERE.