Category Archives: Society News

Jewish Genealogical Society September Event

by Charles Hansen

Dear Genealogy Friends,

 

You are invited to attend our upcoming free genealogy event, on
Monday evening, September 17, 2018.

 

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

Flyer: 9-17-18 Flyer for Janice M. Sellers–Using Online Historical Jewish Newspapers for Genealogical Research

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

 

Using Online Historical Jewish Newspapers for Genealogical Research
By Janice M. Sellers, Professional Genealogist

 

DATE: Monday, September 17, 2018 (this is the 3rd Monday of September)

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!
  • Free Wi-Fi available and come early to network with other attendees
  • Presentation starts promptly at 7:15 p.m.
  • Free admission and refreshments

 

ABOUT OUR PROGRAM: “Using Online Historical Jewish Newspapers for Genealogical Research”    

Many historical Jewish newspapers are now available online, with more being added regularly. Most are on free sites. This presentation gives an overview of which ones are online and where they can be found, suggests access strategies, discusses what to do if you don’t read Hebrew or Yiddish, and shows sample search results.

 

ABOUT OUR SPEAKER

Janice Sellers, a professional genealogist, has been researching her family since 1975 and has conducted genealogical research for others since 2005. She is the editor of four genealogical periodicals: ZichronNote, the journal of the San Francisco Bay Area Jewish Genealogical Society (SFBAJGS); The Baobab Tree, the journal of the African American Genealogical Society of Northern California (AAGSNC); The California Nugget, the semiannual journal of the California Genealogical Society; and the CSGA Newsletter, the newsletter of the California State Genealogical Alliance. She is also the vice president and publicity & programming director for San Francisco Bay Area Jewish Genealogical Society, board member and journal committee chairman for AAGSNC, board member for CSGA, and a staff member of the Oakland Regional Family History Center since 2000.

Janice has a B.A. in French with minors in Spanish and Russian and has completed graduate studies in library and information science, computer programming, and music. She has worked as an editor, indexer, and translator since 1983. Her genealogical areas of specialization are in family history research for the 18th-21st centuries, specializing in Jewish, black American, newspaper, and forensic genealogy.

 

 

Please visit our website at http://www.jgsws.org 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!

Karen vanHaagen Campbell
Secretary & Publicity, Jewish Genealogical Society of Washington State
www.jgsws.org

 

Puget Sound Civil War Roundtable

by Charles Hansen

September 13, 2018 Meeting

 

First meeting for this season will be at China Harbor (6:00 pm).
The speaker will be Kent Hickey, he will discuss the 1865-66 travels to Appomattox and throughout the South by young Northern journalist John Richard Dennett, whose essays first appeared in the Nation and were later collected in The South as It Is 1865-1866.  During part of his talk Mr. Hickey will portray the journalist Dennett in character, especially in reporting on the Freedmen.   Mr. Hickey will also tell what it is like to work in living history for the National Park Service, based on his volunteer service as a historical interpreter at Appomattox during summers.  For the rest of the year he is the President of Seattle Prep.

See Website for more information and to make a reservation.

Olympia Genealogical Society September Meeting

by Charles Hansen

No waiting in line this year to hand in your membership check! With our new Website (www.OlyGenSoc.org) accepting membership payments there’s no need to bring a check in person (or put on a stamp to send it in the mail). So come, get acquainted, and hear about upcoming Special Interest Groups (SIGs). We’re expecting to form groups on Ancestry; DNA; Family Tree Maker; Legacy; RootsMagic, and maybe FamilySearch.  Which one (or more) is for YOU? Join us on Thursday Sept. 13 at 7 pm at Thurston County Courthouse, Building 1, Room 152.  360-451-1059

JOYCE OGDEN, PUBLICITY

=======================================================================
Joyce T. Ogden
jtogden@comcast.net

360) 754-8625

Whatcom County Genealogical Society September Meeting

by Charles Hansen

Whatcom County Genealogical Society will meet on Monday, September 10 at 2 pm at the Bellingham Elks Lodge, 710 Samish Way.  The program will be “What I Did on My Summer Vacation”. Members are encouraged to share what they discovered over the summer break.   We will have some ice breakers and get-to-know-you activities as well.  Visitors welcome!  Contact:  360-733-8300

 

Sharon Neem

WGS Publicity Chair

 

Updated Genealogy Society Page

by Charles Hansen

Need help with research in WA State?  Check out our updated Genealogy Society Page.  All known genealogical societies or historical societies with genealogical collections are listed by region.  Information includes how to contact each society, meeting schedules, archive locations and hours and Special Collections.  Local Societies are one of your best resources!  If you know of a genealogical society or historical society with a genealogical collection that we missed, please contact us so we can include them.  Happy Hunting!

Clark County Genealogical Society September Programs

by Charles Hansen

WHAT’S BEEN DONE: USING SOMEONE ELSE’S GENEALOGY RESEARCH WEBINAR

Wed, Sept 5, 2018, 11 am-12:30 pm

CCGS Education Center

Whether you are new to genealogy or you’ve been working on your family history for years, incorporating the research of others can always be tricky. Here’s how to develop a proven strategy to benefit from the work of other genealogists. This Legacy Family Tree webinar is presented by Thomas MacEntee, a genealogy professional, blogger, educator, author, and social media connector.

 

Unfocused Genealogy Discussion Group

Thu, Sep 6, 2018: 1-3 pm

CCGS Education Center

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.

 

SCANDINAVIAN ROOTS FOCUS GROUP

Thu, Sep 13, 2018: 10-11:30am

CCGS Education Center

If you want to discover your Scandinavian roots, attend this monthly meeting and learn how to conduct your research. 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. This group meets regularly on the second Thursday of the month, September-May. Members and non-members are welcome.

 

GETTING STARTED TRACING YOUR FAMILY ROOTS CLASS

Tues, Sep 18, 2018: 10 am-12 noon – Free Class

CCGS Education Center

Are you clueless about unraveling the mysteries in your family tree? This class will get you started with a begin at the beginning strategy. Topics include collecting information from the family, family group sheets, pedigree charts, genealogy database programs and best practices for research. This free introductory class is taught by CCGS president and expert genealogist, Brian Runyan.

 

25 SIMPLE RESEARCH HACKS EVERY GENEALOGIST SHOULD KNOW WEBINAR

Wed, Sept 19. 2018, 11 am – 12:30 pm

CCGS Education Center

Whether you are searching online databases, trying to obtain information from an uncooperative cousin, or need to streamline your research workflow, this webinar will outline 25 simple hacks you can use to get more genealogy done in less time! This Legacy Family Tree webinar is taught by Lisa Alzo, MFA, who is an internationally recognized lecturer and author.

 

THIRD THURSDAY EVENING HOURS

Thurs, Sep 20, 2018: 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.

 

LOCAL HISTORIES AND PUBLISHED RESOURCES GENEALOGY CLASS

Tues, Sep 25, 2018; 10 am-12 noon

CCGS Education Center

Published resources such as local or county histories as well as family histories are now available in printed and digital electronic formats. This class will explain the what, when, where and how-to of published resources and is an updated version of Larry Dean’s popular and extensive 2006 class outline. Our CCGS Library shelves are such a great starting point – we have books! Learn useful tips for researching these sources from expert genealogist and Education Director, Marcia Grubb. Classes are $12 for CCGS members and $15 for non-members. To register in advance call the CCGS library, 360-750-5688. (Classes with insufficient registration may be cancelled.)

 

General Membership Meeting FOR GENEALOGY ENTHUSIASTS

Tues, Sept. 25, 2018, 7-9pm

Presentation: Tracing Ancestors through Slavery and Freedom: Two Cases from Indian Ocean Islands

Researching slave ancestors overseas can be challenging due to naming and record-keeping practices. Professor Sue Peabody at Washington State University Vancouver will discuss two projects: 1) her recent prize-winning book, Madeleine’s Children: Family, Freedom, Secrets, and Lies in France’s Indian Ocean Colonies (Oxford, 2017), and 2) her new project: The Failure of the Succès: Anatomy of a Slave Smuggling Voyage. Both projects involve the careful reconstruction of families in France’s Indian Ocean Colonies of Réunion and Mauritius (with asides to Bengal and Mozambique) in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries using online databases and digital civil status records.

 

 

“The good things you do and throw in the river of life, will be returned to you in the desert of life.” Sa’adi

Seattle Genealogical Society News

by Charles Hansen

SGS LAUNCHES SGS TV!
Are you unfamiliar with all the Seattle Genealogical Society Library has to offer? Are you planning your first trip to our library, and want to know what to expect?Take a look at our YouTube video postings. In this new initiative, Sue Jensen, Director of the SGS Library, gives you a quick tour, pointing out the features of our library holdings. In another short video, Heidi Mair, Director of Volunteers, outlines some of the many ways to become engaged with the Society. Stay tuned for future videos which will highlight our unique holdings and how to use them.
Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCa9HwzVg-5JKX_rEhjcUJdw , or go to YouTube (free, no registration necessary) and search for Seattle Genealogical Society..

RARE BOOK FIND!“Panthermen” I Salute You, written by Major General H.F. Kramer is a rare find that was donated to our Library this summer. It is a compilation of the “40,000 Black Panthers of the 66th Infantry Division” of the US Army during World War II. It includes a brief history of the Panther Veteran’s Association with photos and then a long list of infantrymen that were part of the historic missions against Hitler during the war with Germany. As far as we know, the only other available copy is at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. This book has found a home in our rare book cabinet and is available for your inspection. Stop by and ask to see it.”Panthermen” I Salute You – by Major General H. F. Kramer

COMING BACK IN SEPTEMBER

Our popular Second Saturday Series will resume in September with the presentation “Beyond the Pie Chart: Making the Most of Autosomal DNA” by Karin Borgerson. Join us on Saturday, September 8th from 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm at the SGS Library. While DNA testing companies emphasize bioregional (ethnicity) estimates in their marketing campaigns, but there is so much more to autosomal DNA than the pie chart! This talk will briefly address the benefits and limitations of bioregional estimates, but most of the presentation will focus on the more valuable part of the results—the DNA matches.

Also on the schedule that Saturday, from 10:15 am-12:15 pm, is (FTM) the Family Tree Makers User Group. They will meet in this second Saturday time slot every other month – Sept 2018, Nov 2018, Jan 2019, Mar 2019 – the odd months. Reiley Kidd and Jess Ramey are leading this group.

 

PHOTO DETECTIVE

 

Maureen Taylor, the nationally known “Photo Detective”, is coming to Bellevue on Saturday, September 15, 2018.

Her three presentations will help you date old photographs and possibly identify the people in them. The cost is only $25 and registration before September 1st is highly recommended.

Following the presentations, and for an additional cost, private consultations with Maureen are available.

This Eastside Genealogical Society event will be held on Saturday, September 15, at the Vasa Park Ballroom, 3560 W Lake Sammamish Road SE, Bellevue, WA 98008. Free parking and doors open at 9 am with presentations from 9:30 am to 2:00 pm.

Additional info at :
https://eastsidegenealogicalsociety.com/save-the-date/
SAVE THE DATE

2018 Northwest Genealogy Conference,
Stillaguamish Valley Genealogical Society,
Byrnes Performing Arts Center,
18821 Crown Ridge Blvd,
Arlington, WA
August 15 – 18, 2018  

Keynote speakers will be Beth Foulk, CeCe Moore, Peggy Lauritzen, and Amie Bowser Tennant.

Days 2-4 will be packed full of lectures and activities, such as post a surname on the “Cousin Board”; have fun connecting with other attendees you may be related to. On Friday, participate in the optional  “Dress As Your Ancestor”  day to honor your heritage.

As usual, the first day of this four day conference is designed for beginners and is free (registration required).   .

For more details and to register, visit their website:
https://stillygen.org/cpage.php?pt=50
Unlock the Past in Seattle, the “land conference”
Seattle Public Library,
1000 4th Ave, Seattle, WA
Thursday, September 6, 2018

Have you heard of Unlock the Past Cruises, genealogy on the high seas? Their 14th conference cruise will be to Alaska, Sept 7-14, and sail out of Seattle. They have put together an all day, companion “land conference” for September 6. It will be held at the downtown Seattle Public Library and it is open to all  – whether on the cruise, or not. Blaine Bettinger, Maurice Gleeson, Cyndi Ingle, and Wayne Shepheard will be the presenters.

If you are interested, see their website :
https://www.unlockthepastcruises.com/

“A Day of Discovery with Lisa Louise Cooke”,
Puget Sound Genealogical Society,
4131 Pine Rd NE (at the Bremerton Elks),
Bremerton, WA
Saturday, September 22, 2018
8:30am – 3:30pm

Cost is $50 for PSGS members / $55 for non-members. Lunch is included and will be catered by the Bremerton Elks. For  more information and the registration form see www.pusogensoc.org/psgs/seminar2018

​”Harvest Your Family Tree”,
The Kelowna & District Genealogical Society Conference 2018,
Kelowna, BC

Friday, September 28 – Sunday, September 30

 

There will be plenty to see and learn at one of Western Canada’s largest genealogy conferences – eleven speakers on 31 topics. Featuring Louis Kessler, programmer,
genealogist, member of the Association of Professional Genealogists (APG) and Genealogical Speakers Guild (GSG) will be speaking about Double Match Triangulation, the program he developed for autosomal DNA analysis. His program won third place at the 2017 RootsTech Innovator Showdown.

For more on this conference, visit their website :

https://kdgswix.wixsite.com/kdgs

 

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. The SGS Library will closed September 2-4 for Labor Day.

AUGUST

Sunday, August 19, 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm, “Digging Deeper Workshop: The Genealogical Proof Standard” with Jill Morelli, This intensive session will look at all five elements of the GPS, dissecting each one individually and then collectively to gain a better understanding of its application and benefit. Foundational vocabulary will be covered. This is an interactive workshop so bring a research question of your own to work on.  As this is a beta test workshop, we will stop in the middle of the session and have a debrief of the effectiveness of the exercises.

SEPTEMBER

Saturday, September 8, 10:15 am – 12:15 pm, (FTM) Family Tree Users Group, Reiley Kidd & Jess Ramey co-leaders, this group will begin meeting on the 2nd Saturday of every odd month (Sept 2018, Nov 2018, Jan 2019, Mar 2019, May 2019). Family Tree Maker is the genealogy software long associated with Ancestry.com

Saturday, September 8, 1:00 pm-3:00 pm, Beyond the Pie Chart: Making the Most of Autosomal DNA, presenter Karin Borgerson

Sunday, September  9, 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm, Scandinavian SIG, with Karen Knudson

Saturday, September 15, 10:15am – 12:15pm, Irish SIG, with Jean A Roth
Saturday, September 15, 1:00pm – 3:00pm, German SIG, with Jean A Roth

Monday, September 24, 10:30 am – 7:00 pm,  SGS Volunteer Recognition Day, the Board of Directors will host a Volunteer Appreciation Day for all 2017-2018 volunteers. Refreshment and a raffle. Stop by for an hour, or stay for the whole day! No need to RSVP.

Saturday, September 29, 10:00 am – 12:30 pm,  DNA SIG, this group meets quarterly at the Wedgwood Presbyterian Church, 8008 35th Ave NE, Seattle. Co-chaired by Cary Bright and Herb McDaniel. For more information
contact SGSDNASIG@gmail

SGS MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL – IT’S NOT TOO LATE!
Join or renew your SGS membership for 2018-19. The fastest way is to use our new onine form and pay with a credit/debit card here: Online SGS Membership form

Or, print out a copy of our membership form and send it with your check to Seattle Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 15329, Seattle WA 98115-0329. Here’s the link: Printable SGS Membership form

Thanks for supporting SGS!

Jefferson County Genealogical Society News

by Charles Hansen

August 2018 finds a number of JCGS volunteers gearing up for several educational events that will occur in the Fall. We are offering a Beginners Class starting the 1st of October. However, the  registration deadline is in September. Speaking of September, September’s monthly program on Saturday, the 15th  for members and the public will be “Bagging a Live One: Reverse Genealogy in Action” given by Mary Roddy. In November, a large and exciting event will be presenting CeCe Moore, Genetic Genealogist, in a full day of lectures at a spacious venue in Fort Worden State Park in Port Townsend. (A limited number of  tickets are still available.) See our website <www.wajcgs.org> for all the latest information.