Author Archives: Roxanne Lowe

Carrie Bergquist Named One of WSGS’s Outstanding Volunteers in 2025

by Roxanne Lowe

Since 2003, the Washington State Genealogical Society has recognized over 600 outstanding volunteers and teams, nominated by their local society or genealogical organization for their service and dedication. These volunteers are the backbone of their local society, giving their time and expertise, to the organization and the field of genealogy. In the coming months, you will be introduced to each of the 2025 award recipients and learn why they received they received a WSGS Outstanding Volunteer and Team Award.

Today we’re introducing Carrie Cartwright Bergquist of Renton, Washington who was selected by the Grays Harbor Genealogical Society as its recipient of a WSGS Outstanding Volunteer Award.

The Grays Harbor Genealogical Society (GHGS) won big when it welcomed Carrie into its membership just a few years ago. Carrie was already president of the North Beach Genealogy Society in Ocean Shores. She was already providing free genealogy research services to her community there, and she was already active in a local chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution.

When Carrie joined GHGS, she quickly took on even more responsibility. She began as a member of our program committee and continues in that role. She then became chair of the research committee and continues in that role. She also serves as one of our trustees. Carrie is a frequent volunteer for our genealogy cafes. In her spare time, she puts on training classes for those new to genealogy research. Most recently, Carrie became a board member of the Renton Historical Society. Carrie is wise, creative, and easy going. She can be counted on consistently and is a cheerleader for others. GHGS could not function without volunteers like Carrie.

For more information on the WSGS Outstanding Volunteer Award program, visit the Recognition page of the WSGS website or contact Info@wasgs.org. Please type “Volunteer Award” in the subject line.

Lisa Battern Named One of WSGS’s Outstanding Volunteers in 2025

by Roxanne Lowe

Since 2003, the Washington State Genealogical Society has recognized over 600 outstanding volunteers and teams, nominated by their local society or genealogical organization for their service and dedication. These volunteers are the backbone of their local society, giving their time and expertise, to the organization and the field of genealogy. In the coming months, you will be introduced to each of the 2025 award recipients and learn why they received they received a WSGS Outstanding Volunteer and Team Award.

Today we’re introducing Lisa Battern of Edmonds, Washington who was selected by the Sno-Isle Genealogical Society as its recipient of a WSGS Outstanding Volunteer Award.

Lisa spearheaded a project to scan and organize our extensive collection of marriage and anniversary announcements. Her rapid mastery of the scanning equipment was critical to the success of the project, but equally important was her ability to work through the logistical, organizational, and indexing challenges to make the collection more accessible. Lisa then shared her newly acquired knowledge about the book scanner by developing a presentation for members and guests on how to effectively use the tools for family history.

With that work complete, Lisa is now collaborating with a team to enhance the SIGS website, focusing on improving content and user experience. Lisa’s tireless work behind the scenes significantly benefits our community, enabling us to more easily pursue our mission of advancing genealogical research.

For more information on the WSGS Outstanding Volunteer Award program, visit the Recognition page of the WSGS website or contact Info@wasgs.org. Please type “Volunteer Award” in the subject line.

Important Deadlines for Society Awards

by Roxanne Lowe

Local societies, don’t forget the following deadlines for Outstanding Volunteer/Team awards, Supportive Grants and the President’s Award for Outstanding Achievement.

  • Outstanding Volunteer/Team awards: Due July 1. Every year, WSGS supports the nominations of local society members and teams that make societies better.
  • Supportive Grants: Due July 1. Two grants for $250 each may be awarded to projects that support the work and mission of local societies.
  • President’s Award for Outstanding Achievement: Due August 1. This award is given to single out that rare individual, society or organization who has demonstrated exemplary service above and beyond expectations.

Questions? Email Outreach@wasgs.org (Supportive Grants) or Info@wasgs.org (Outstanding Volunteer/Teams and President’s Award for Outstanding Achievement).

Sizer and Scott Re-Elected For Two-Year Terms

by Roxanne Lowe

Congratulations are extended to Kathy Sizer and Jill Scott who were elected recently as WSGS President and Secretary, respectively. Their terms run through Dec. 31, 2027. Kathy will be serving her third two-year term, while Jill is serving her second term as Secretary. Jill’s election was unanimous and Kathy’s was almost unanimous — someone with a sense of humor wrote in “anyone, but me.”

Kathy and Jill, and the rest of the WSGS Board, are anticipating a year filled with growth and service to its members. WSGS members are invited to attend (virtually) the monthly board meetings which are the third Tuesday of each month at 2:00 p.m. The minutes of each meeting are available in the Members’ Area of the website.

For more information about participating in WSGS, email Info@wasgs.org.

Looking for a Last-Minute Gift?

by Roxanne Lowe

If your ancestor lived in the Washington Territory before it became the nation’s 42nd state on November 11, 1889, you may be eligible for a Washington Pioneer certificate. Or if your ancestors arrived a little later — before December 31, 1900 — you can get a First Citizen certificate. What a great gift for yourself and your family members!

We began the Washington State Centennial Pioneer Certificate Program in 1984 in anticipation of the state’s centennial admission to the union in 1889. The initial certificates were issued to applicants who could prove their ancestors were in Washington Territory on or before November 11, 1889. Those descendants’ names, almost 18,000, were printed in a two-volume set of books entitled “Washington Pioneers” in 1992. A third volume, published in 1993, included Pioneers and First Citizens (those in the state on or before December 31, 1900). The three original volumes are out of print, but an index is available here. WSGS members have access to family lineages in the Members’ Only section of the website.

firstcitizen

Pioneer and First Citizen Certificates are still being issued, although they are published only on the WSGS website at this time. If you can prove your ancestor was in Washington prior to November 11, 1889, you may be eligible to purchase a Pioneer Certificate. If your ancestor was in Washington on or before December 31, 1900, you may be eligible for a First Citizen Certificate. More information, including resources to prove residency, is available in the Pioneer and First Citizen Program brochure. An application and instructions are available here.

President and Secretary Candidate Statements

by Roxanne Lowe

Kathleen “Kathy” Weddle Sizer of Granger has been nominated to serve a third two-year term as WSGS President. Additionally, Jill Scott of Yakima has been nominated as Secretary for a second term. The terms of office are 01 Jan 2026 through 31 Dec 2027.

Online voting for the slate will begin 15 Dec 2025 and run through 22 Dec 2025. All WSGS members will receive an email with a Google link to their anonymous ballot. Members are asked to vote for each position. Write-in nominations are allowed.

Kathy’s candidate statement

Serving you as President has been a pleasure for the last two terms (4 years). I had hoped someone would step up to take my place as it is not a difficult job. However, it looks like you may be stuck with me again for another term.

The Washington State Genealogical Society has been a driving force for many years and can be for many more. Our focus has gone from helping form societies and hosting seminars with noteworthy speakers to being a clearinghouse promoting our many great societies here in our state and helping them to advertise their seminars, workshops and meetings. WSGS has made it easy for me, as well as you, to find events and attend in person or virtually programs that will benefit genealogical research.

WSGS not only promotes local societies but has financially helped local societies through various grants and one-time gifts through the dues our loyal members have paid. Thank you, members! We, on the Board, have been pleased to offer these grants to societies for various needs. This is something that is a plus serving as President or in any other position.

WSGS is embarking on updating the Pioneer Files for Washington State, an ambitious project but a boon for those with early families to our state. Let’s keep Washington State Genealogical Society relevant!

Jill’s candidate statement

I am thrilled to be nominated again to the Washington Society Genealogy Society Board as Secretary. I eagerly anticipate contributing to the betterment of our membership. Here’s a little about me:

I was born in Idaho Falls, Idaho. After graduating from high school, I moved to Spokane and attended Kinman Business University. I found not only a job, but a husband in Portland while I worked for Pacific Power & Light as an executive secretary. We moved to Klamath Falls where my only child, Alison, was born. Then we moved to Sunnyside for Charlie’s job and retired to Tucson in 1994. In 2000, I moved to Escondido, California to take care of my aging dad.  After his death in 2003, I decided to stay in Southern California and then moved to Yakima in 2017.

I am a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution – Narcissa Whitman Chapter in Yakima, where I am the immediate Past Honorary Chapter Regent; P.E.O. Chapter FR; Daughters of Utah Pioneers; Huguenot Society; Daughters of the Republic of Texas; U.S. Daughters of 1812; Flagon & Trenchers and a Utah Genealogy Society supporter of their Utah Founding Pioneer program.

Nominations Sought for WSGS President and Secretary

by Roxanne Lowe

Are you interested in being part of the WSGS Board of Directors? The positions of president and secretary are up for election and we are seeking nominations. The nomination period will close on 10 Dec 2025.

The president acts as the figurehead of the Washington State Genealogical Society. He/she presides over the monthly board meetings, as well as any special meetings. The president is responsible for creating a monthly agenda, in cooperation with the rest of the Board. He/she also ensures the society runs smoothly and for the benefits of its members.

The secretary composes the minutes of each business and board meeting, and ensures they are correct and accurate.

The two-year terms are from 01 Jan 2026 through 31 Dec 2027. The meetings are held monthly via Zoom. More information on the positions’ duties and responsibilities is available here.

Being a member of the WSGS Board is an excellent opportunity to involve yourself in a statewide organization designed to support local societies and individuals interested in the educational and historical value of genealogical research. And besides that — it’s fun and interesting!

If you’re interested in this opportunity or have questions, please contact LeAnne Koliha or Charles Hansen, members of the Nominations Committee.

New Feature: Book Review — New Land by John Hughes

by Roxanne Lowe

Welcome to the Blog’s newest feature: a quarterly book review. The review may be a book from a society’s library, authored by a member, about an ancestor or any book of interest to our readers. The first book to be reviewed is “New Land: Southeast Asian Refugees Finding Home in Washington” by John C. Hughes and Edward Echtle, Jr.

Who can forget the gut-wrenching scenes on the evening news in 1975 of desperate South Vietnamese civilians and employees who had U.S.-related jobs and businesses trying to leave the country? As the North Vietnamese Army rolled into Saigon, thousands tried to board U.S. helicopters or fled to neighboring countries to avoid reprisals from the North.

New Land is a beautifully written history of a time when these refugees were welcomed to Washington State when other states balked. Much credit is given to Governor Dan Evans who took the lead to establish a resettlement of the refugees. The 327-page book contains interviews with a number of the refugees 50 years later. Many of those who were just babies at the time didn’t know what their parents had endured, and the parents were often reluctant to relive the trauma. “Tens of thousands came to Washington, where they have worked hard, raised families, and started businesses, weaving their cultures into the fabric of the Evergreen State,” Hughes writes.

Author John Hughes, former editor and publisher of The Daily World (Aberdeen), recently retired as chief historian for the Office of the Secretary of State. Co-author Echtle is an oral historian for Legacy Washington and a contributing author at Historylink.org.

Publication of this book marks the 50-year anniversary of the fall of Saigon and the Washington State welcome mat extended to people who deserved a better life. The book is available at the Secretary of State’s website.

Four Societies Awarded Supportive Grants

by Roxanne Lowe

The WSGS Board of Directors awarded Supportive Grants to four local societies. Diane Huckabay, WSGS Education Chair, announced the awards at the Annual Meeting on August 21, 2025.

The grants were awarded to:

Clark County Genealogical Society — Develop and launch a membership initiative. CCGS has seen a 20 percent decline in membership since 2020. Additionally, the COVID 19 pandemic and relocation greatly reduced foot traffic at their research library. Despite this, their volunteers logged more than 6,100 hours in 2024, managing operations and opening the CCGS Library on about 200 days to patrons.

The Supportive Grant will help CCGS:

•           Update and print a new brochure and other materials with appealing layouts and designs.

•           Extend the brochure’s content across platforms, ensuring the monthly newsletter, the weekly email update, their website, Facebook, and YouTube deliver cohesive messaging.

•           Host an Open House or a free beginning genealogy class to attract attention to CCGS, inviting the public to meet their dedicated volunteers and explore the Library.

Lower Columbia Genealogical Society — Provide speakers for on-line meetings.  This small society usually has about 10 speakers per year for their 18 – 25 members.  Because of their location (Southwest Washington), society cost-cutting and the limited number of members who have already spoken, they often need to reach out to outside speakers. With the rise in speaker fee and loss of society income, the Supportive Grant will help them obtain quality speakers with an eye to increasing membership as well as educating their members. 

North Beach Genealogical Society — Purchase a copy of “The Archaeology of Minard: A case study of a late-prehistoric Northwest Coast Procurement system” by Tom E Roll. This doctoral thesis was published in 1974 and refers to archaeological work conducted at the Minard Site, located near Ocean Shores, beginning in 1968. The copy at the Ocean Shores Public Library is falling apart and is kept in the backroom. Owning this book will preserve the local history and allow NBGS to share it with the community.

Stillaguamish Valley Genealogical Society — Offset the cost of three 3’x6’ vinyl banners. These banners are an important communication tool for the society.

Оne banner will be used to identify their booth at community events.  The eye-catching banner will draw attention to SVGS and encourage community interaction.  The other two banners will mark their building’s location, which is set back from the road. The banners will make it easier for people to find the Library. 

For more information about the Supportive Grants, click here.

2025 Outstanding Volunteers and Teams Announced

by Roxanne Lowe

Congratulations to the amazing individuals and teams who contributed to Washington’s local societies. The announcement was made on Thursday, August 21, at the WSGS Annual Meeting. Seventeen local society members and two teams were recognized with Outstanding Volunteer and Team awards. The volunteers and teams were praised for their commitment and energies to promote their local societies, family history and cooperation in their local communities.

Bainbridge Island Genealogical Society

  • Ann Eklund
  • Patricia Ann Scott (posthumous)

Eastside Genealogical Society

  • Kimberly A. Nichols

Grays Harbor Genealogical Society

  • Carrie Cartwright Bergquist

Lower Columbia Genealogical Society

  • Donna McLain

Mason County Genealogical Society

  • Bob and Micki McMath

Northeast Washington Genealogical Society

  • Kathleen Loose Ochs

Seattle Genealogical Society

  • Cecillia Rogers

Sno-Isle Genealogical Society

  • Lisa Battern

South King County Genealogical Society

  • Tina Lawson
  • Michele Norton Mattoon
  • Valorie Cowen Zimmerman

Stillaguamish Valley Genealogical Society

  • Bill Grant (posthumous)
  • LeeRoy Kind

Wenatchee Area Genealogical Society

  • WAGS Publicity Team (Kris McGregor & Kari Strain)

Whatcom Genealogical Society

  • Jim DeLucia

Yakima Valley Genealogical Society

  • Barbee Buchanan
  • Rosemarie Boat Robins
  • YVGS Binding Project (Larry Ball and Don Boatright)

For more information about the Outstanding Volunteers and Teams, visit the Washington State Genealogical Society, Local Society Support page or email Info@wasgs.org.