Category Archives: Society News

Seattle Genealogical Society News

by Charles Hansen

GREAT NEWS FOR SGS!

4Culture has renewed our Sustained Support Grant for the next two years. 4Culture is a tax-exempt public development authority (PDA) run by King County. Sustained Support grants assist with the day-to-day needs of arts, heritage, and preservation organizations such as Seattle Genealogical Society. A portion of the lodging tax revenues collected in King County provides all of the funding for the grants.

IMPORTANT MESSAGE FOR  SGS MEMBERS
The SGS Board has recently reviewed the Bylaws and found a need for some updating. Bylaw changes require a vote of the membership. Below is a link to the proposed changes – we will be asking the membership for a vote on these changes sometime before the next election period. Please take a moment and look them over and stay tuned for more information regarding your vote!

Proposed Bylaws Changes 2019

SGS MEMBERSHIP MEETING 
SATURDAY, MARCH 9, 2019
12:30 PM
  The SGS Spring Membership Meeting will be Saturday, March 9th at 12:30 PM, right before the 2nd Saturday Speaker Series presentation. 

We will once again review the proposed changes to the Society’s ByLaws and also discuss the slate of nominees for the Board of Directors in 2019-2020.   

Names of nominees being accepted. If you have a suggest contact  nominations@seattlegenealogicalsociety.org     

CALL FOR SGS BOOTH VOLUNTEERS FOR
MARCH 16 & 17
Volunteers are needed to staff the SGS Booth, pass out brochures, and answer questions at the Irish Week Festival at Seattle Center Armory on Saturday, March 16 & Sunday, March 17. Each volunteer will be scheduled for a 2 hour stint in the booth. If you can help on either day, please contact Jean Roth at 206 782-2629 or jeanaroth@juno.com   

While you are down there, you’ll have time to enjoy some of the cultural exhibits and the Irish dancing. This festival is fun for the entire family and a great way to spend St Patrick’s Day.   
SAVE THE DATE
FREE JAPANESE GENEALOGY SEMINAR
with Linda Harms Okazaki
February 2-3, 2019
Seattle Public Library,
1000 4th Ave, Seattle, WA
SGS is proud to sponsor one of the first seminars in the region to assist those interested in learning how to research Japanese-Americans heritage. While the program is free, registration is required.  Hurry, sign up now.  

Entry level family historians are encouraged to attend  Saturday’s all-day program “Exploring Our Nikkei Genealogy” geared toward novice researchers. 

Intermediate and advanced level researchers are encouraged to attend Sunday morning’s program “Japanese American Research for Genealogists”. 

Click this link to register online:  Register for SGS Japanese Genealogy Seminar

Strategies for Breaking Down Brick Walls, 
With Mary Kozy,
Jewish Genealogical Society of Washington State,
LDS Factoria Church Building
4200 124th Ave SE
Bellevue, WA 98006
Monday, February 11, 7:15 pm
Doors open at 6:30 pm for all to enjoy the extensive JGSWS library’s genealogical resources. Free Wi-Fi, admission, and refreshments. Come early to network with other attendees. Presentation starts promptly at 7:15 pm.
Beyond the Basics in Irish Genealogy,
Fairview Christian School,
844 NE 78th St,  
Seattle, WA 98115
Saturday, March 23, 10:00 am  

An all day seminar with speakers Steven Morrison and Jean A Roth. Information and registration will be through the Irish Heritage Club of Seattle website : 

http://irishclub.org/irish-week/

The ABCs of DNA Genealogy,
With Janet O’Conor Camarata,  
Mercer Island Library,
4400 88th Ave SE,
Mercer Island, WA
Thursday, March 28, 7-8 pm   

Genealogist Janet O’Conor Camarata provides tips and tools for selecting and interpreting DNA results from a variety of health and ancestry DNA providers, like Ancestry, FamilyTreeDNA, 23andMe and more. Designed for the non-technical, genealogy oriented audience. Please register. Sponsored by the Friends of the Mercer Island Library, in partnership with Mercer Island Historical Society.

Registration link:  https://kcls.bibliocommons.com/events/5c350f9b48fd702a009916d9

SGS CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Unless otherwise indicated all programs will be at the SGS Library, 6200 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle. Check the SGS Web Site for additions, changes, and corrections. Programs may be canceled or postponed because of inclement weather. 

FEBRUARYSaturday, February 2, 10:15 am – 12:15 pm, Family Tree Interest Group, Lou Daly is leader of this special interest group exploring all the features of the tool Family Tree on FamilySearch.org

Sunday, February 3, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm, DNA Workshop, with Cary Bright. Q&A first hour, while focus second hour in on Genome Mate Pro.

Saturday, February 9, 1:00 pm-3:00 pm, Second Saturday Speakers Series – “Using Manuscripts and Family Records for Genealogical Proof” with Steven Morrison

Saturday, February 16, 10:15 am – 12:15 pm, Irish SIG, Jean Roth, leader  Saturday, February 16, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm, German SIG, Jean Roth, leader 

MARCHSaturday, March 2, 10:15 am – 12:15 pm, Family Tree Interest Group, Lou Daly is leader of this special interest group exploring all the features of the tool Family Tree on FamilySearch.org

Sunday, March 3, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm, DNA Workshop, with Cary Bright. Q&A first hour, while focus second hour in on Genome Mate Pro.

Saturday, March 9, 10:15 am – 12:15 pm, (FTM) FAMILY TREE Maker Users Group, co-leaders Reiley Kidd & Jess Ramey, meets on the 2nd Saturday of every odd month (Jan 2019, Mar 2019, May 2019). Family Tree Maker is the genealogy software long associated with Ancestry.com 

Saturday, March 9, 12:30 pm-1:00 pm, Seattle Genealogical Society Membership Meeting, important meeting – discuss proposed bylaw changes and board nominees 

Saturday, March 9, 1:00 pm-3:00 pm, Second Saturday Speakers Series – “Finding Your Female Ancestors” with Lisa Oberg

Saturday, March 30, 10:00 am – 12:30 pm, DNA SIG , this group meets quarterly at Wedgwood Presbyterian Church, 8008 35th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98115, co-chaired by Cary Bright & Herb McDaniel. For more info contact SGSDNASIG@gmail.com

Wenatchee Area Genealogical Society Meeting

by Charles Hansen

Monday, February 11Wenatchee Area Genealogical Society2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. (Local society meetings)Douglas County PUD Auditorium1151 Valley Mall Parkway, East Wenatchee WAGS members and guests are invited to a round table discussion on”Your Research: from ‘the Pits’ to the Mountaintops!” where we will share, first, mistakes we have made; and second, things we did well in our research. Come and profit from others’ experiences!
For more information, call 509-782-4046, or visit the WAGS website (www.wags-web.org)

Jewish Genealogical Society Free Event

by Charles Hansen

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Dear Genealogy Friends,

You are invited to attend our upcoming free genealogy event, on
Monday evening, February 11, 2019.

We would also appreciate it if you could help us publicize this event using this email or our flyer, by emailing it out, posting it on your bulletin board or calendar, and/or website, or handing out flyers to or sharing this blog post with those you think might be interested.

The Jewish Genealogical Society of Washington State is pleased to present our February meeting program

“Breaking Down Brick Walls”

presented by Mary Kathryn Kozy, Genealogical Lecturer

 

DATE: Monday, February 11, 2019

LDS Factoria Church Building
4200 124th Ave SE

Bellevue, WA 98006

(just off I-90 and I-405)

•        Doors open at 6:30 p.m., for all to enjoy the extensive JGSWS Library’s genealogical resources,
                 including FREE access to the FHC computers and genealogical websites!

•        Free Wi-Fi available. Come early to network with other attendees!

•        Presentation starts promptly at 7:15 p.m.

•        Free admission and refreshments

ABOUT OUR PROGRAM: “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!

ABOUT OUR SPEAKER

Mary Kathryn Kozy has been working on her own family history for almost 40 years, since she first became interested as a young teenager. Over the years she has researched families in the United States from the Midwest to the Deep South, and from both Western and Eastern Europe. She started her own family history website in November 1996 and has continued developing it. She has served in multiple positions in several local societies and on the state level. She currently supports the USGenWeb project, serves as a part-time LDS Family History missionary, and speaks to many groups in the area. Mary is married, the mother of three wonderful children, and is now a grandma of three. She holds bachelor’s degrees from UW in both Zoology and Information Technology & Systems and has completed two certificate programs with the National Institute for Genealogical Studies. She has also completed the ProGen program with an eye toward certification as a professional genealogist.

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Please    by clicking on
https://www.facebook.com/Jewish-Genealogical-Society-of-Washington-State-548090815567964/

Please visit our website at http://www.jgsws.org/membership.php to join or to donate to JGSWS to help support the incredible speakers and workshops we bring to you, to view library listings, download handouts, or for more information.  JGSWS is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt non-profit organization. Membership dues and donations are tax deductible.

Thank you very much and we look forward to seeing you, your friends and family members!

Karen vanHaagen Campbell
President & Publicity, Jewish Genealogical Society of Washington State

President@JGSWS.org

www.jgsws.org

Eastern Washington Genealogical Society Meeting

by Charles Hansen

Saturday, February 2 Black History Month  (EWGS Meetings) 12:30 pm to 3:00 pmSpokane Public Library Auditorium – Downtown Spokane – Main Floor Black History Month 2019 Poetry – Genealogy – History Join Spokane poet Stephen Pitters as he reads poetry, discusses genealogy, and shares his personal experiences as the first black student to live on an all-white campus in Louisiana.   Pitters hosts the Spokane Open Poetry Program on KYRS-Thin Air Community Radio. He has published five volumes of poetry, with a sixth arriving in February or March.

Kittitas County Genealogical Society February Meeting

by Charles Hansen

“How to Use Family Search” will be the topic presented at the February 4th  meeting of the Kittitas County Genealogical Society (KCGS).  Chris Fowler will be the presenter at the 7 pm meeting held at the society’s Library at 413 N. Main in Ellensburg.  Some of us have never used Family Search, so Chris will give us some of the basics, plus update us on what is new.  Guests are welcome to attend this presentation.

In addition, KCGS is proud to announce that their new website at www.kcgswa.org is now up and running.  We have become another of the websites developed by EasyNetSites.com and proudly join with other WA State genealogical sites connected with EasyNetSites.

David L. Storla

Storla98926@charter.net

KCGS Treasurer and Webmaster

Lower Columbia Genealogy Society February Meeting

by Charles Hansen

Moving into February, our society is pleased to present

Round Table Discussion:

Family Search & General Genealogy

led by member, JOAN ENDERS, to help us learn the most effective ways to use FamilySearch. We look forward to a good discussion session with help from her colleagues, and varied round table topics.

LOWER COLUMBIA GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~walcolgs/

SOMERSET RETIREMENT APARTMENTS

2025 TIBBETTS DRIVE, LONGVIEW

DINING ROOM 7:00 PM

February 14, 2019

Visitors are welcome and encouraged to attend.

Skagit Valley Genealogical Society Meeting

by Charles Hansen

I’d like to let you know about an upcoming educational program we are offering on Saturday, February 9, 2019 from 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. at Burlington Public Library, 820 E. Washington Ave. in partnership with Skagit Valley Genealogical Society. The topic of the program is An Introduction to Jewish Genealogy and will be presented by Mary Kathryn Kozy. This event is free and open to the public. I’ve attached a flyer with more information. Please feel free to forward or post on any wall you wish! We appreciate your help in getting the word out, because we would like as many people as possible to benefit from our programs.

Please contact me with any questions or feedback. Thank you for helping us spread the word about these free and valuable community resources.

Hope to see you there!

Kathleen Headden, Reference Librarian

Burlington Public Library

820 E. Washington Ave.

Burlington, WA 98233

360-755-0760, ext. 7906

Clark County Genealogical Society February Meetings

by Charles Hansen

LEGACY FAMILY TREE GENEALOGY SOFTWARE USER GROUP

Mon, 4 Feb 2019: 10 am-noon

CCGS Library

If you use Legacy Family Tree Software for tracking your genealogy research, there is a Legacy Users Group that meets monthly to discuss tips, tricks and problems. You will always come away with some new ideas. The meetings are held regularly on the first Monday of the month. Members and non-members are welcome.

GENEALOGY RESEARCH BOOK CLUB

Mon, 4 Feb 4 2019: 12-1:30 pm

CCGS Library

There are many “research rich” books of genealogical historical collections, as well as “how to” books on methods, collection and data storage of genealogy research. This group delves into one chapter at a time and discusses how to make the best use of it. Join this casual group as they delve into their favorite topic of books on family history discovery and sleuthing. (Brown baggers welcome!)

DNA AND THE GPS SOLVES A MYSTERY: HAMILTONS IN COLONIAL NEW ENGLAND WEBINAR

Wed, 6 Feb 2019: 11-12:30 pm

CCGS Library

Who was Captain Thomas Hamilton? Y-DNA solves a 300-year old mystery of his origins. Using the Genealogical Proof Standard as well as DNA evidence, the instructor in this Legacy Family Tree webinar describes how the mystery is solved. Types of testing will be covered and how DNA can solve family mysteries.

UNFOCUSED GENEALOGY DISCUSSION GROUP

Thu, 7 Feb 2019: 1-3 pm

CCGS Library

There’s no meeting agenda, no special topic, just a group of curious people bringing genealogy research notes, questions, brick walls, etc. to share with the group. Get ideas for the next steps you should take in your research.

CCGS HOURS

Sat, 9 Feb 2019: 6-9 pm

CCGS Library

Do you find it hard to get to the Clark County Genealogical Library during daytime hours? Come in on Third Thursday to tap into our richest resource: knowledgeable librarians who can help you with your family history search. We won’t do it for you, but we will provide guidance. One librarian has Scandinavian research expertise. The library has over 10,000 books and resources, and free access on our computers to Ancestry.com and AmericanAncestors.com. Bring your own computer and use our free wifi.

SCANDINAVIAN ROOTS INTEREST GROUP

SCANDINAVIAN ROOTS INTEREST GROUP

Mon, 18 Feb, 2019: 2-3:30 pm

CCGS Library

If you want to discover your Scandinavian roots, come to this interest group and be inspired. You’ll get tips for conducting research and finding cousins. Meet with other like-minded individuals who have discovered their ancestors going back many generations. Geographic areas include Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and the Faroe Islands.

ONLINE RESOURCES FOR FRENCH GENEALOGY WEBINAR PART I

Wed, 20 Feb 2019: 11 am-12:30 pm

CCGS Library

French genealogy researchers benefit from some of the most complete, detailed, and well-preserved records in the world. Due to the digitization efforts, records commonly used for French genealogy are also among the most accessible. In this first of a three-part Legacy Family Tree webinar series, explore the record sets most commonly found online.

CCGS HOURS

Thurs, 21 Feb 2019: 6-9 pm

CCGS Library

Do you find it hard to get to the Clark County Genealogical Library during daytime hours? Come in on Third Thursday to tap into our richest resource: knowledgeable librarians who can help you with your family history search. We won’t do it for you, but we will provide guidance. One librarian has Scandinavian research expertise. The library has over 10,000 books and resources, and free access on our computers to Ancestry.com and AmericanAncestors.com. Bring your own computer and use our free wifi.

GENEALOGY ENTHUSIASTS GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING

Tue, 26 Feb 2019:  10 am to noon

Clark County Historical Museum, 1511 Main Street, Vancouver, Washington 98660

How much do you know about the War of 1812? What was it about, what did it accomplish, and how can you find the records of those who served? Military history and genealogist expert Duane Funk will talk about the often overlooked War of 1812. Nevertheless, it gave us our national anthem, was an important time in our nation’s history, and nearly tore the country apart.

SPREADSHEETS 401: EXCEL-LENT INSPIRATION FOR GENEALOGISTS WEBINAR

Wed, 27 Feb, 2019: 11 am-12:30 pm

CCGS Library

Take a trip with spreadsheets to the lands of your ancestors. In this Legacy Family Tree Webinar, learn how spreadsheets can help as you learn to read foreign language newspapers or serve as a translation tool for your ancestors’ vital and religious records. Create spreadsheets to track your ancestors and those great ethnic or locality websites.