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Evidence Analysis
JOIN US AT THE SGS LIBRARY
FOR SECOND SATURDAY WORKSHOP
Debbie
Wilson Smyth
Come down to the SGS Library as we learn more about effective evidence analysis methods. Debbie Wilson Smyth’s live presentation will be shared on the big screen at the library. It is a great opportunity to discuss what we learn together — and checkout something you’ve been meaning to get from the Library while you are here.
Debbie Wilson Smyth holds a Certificate in Genealogical Research from Boston University. She is past-president of the Suncoast Genealogy Society and a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists.
RSVP to attend in personRSVP to attend via livestream from home
AMANDALEI BENNETT, FRONT DESK COORDINATOR, NAMED 2024 VOLUNTEER OF WINTER QUARTER
“Wow–how very nice,” was Amandalei Bennett’s reaction to the news that she has been selected by the SGS Board as this quarters Top Volunteer.
“Amandalei has made the transition from outstanding SGS Secretary to an equally outstanding Front Desk Coordinator,” observed SGS President Jim Secan. “She makes sure we have a reliable person sitting at the Library’s front desk and takes that worry off both the Library Director and the President.”
Amandalei
Bennett Bennett isn’t sure what year she joined, but she had been attending events and classes, including Cary Bright’s DNA Special Interest Group. Then one January during that SIG she noticed that she could sign up for a 15-month membership and has been with SGS ever since.
When asked how long she has been volunteering, she replied: “My volunteering started fairly early by helping clean the library, rearrange books and price books for sale. I also helped at the seminars. But, my volunteering escalated when Reilly Kidd and Linda Fitzgerald, both roped me into more serious volunteering, first as a Desk Volunteer and then as the Nominating Committee Chair. I’ve been Board Secretary, election committee chair, and helped Jean Roth at Irish Day and the Highland Days. Now I’m the Library’s Desk Volunteers Coordinator, trying to fill Elizabeth’s very capable shoes.”
Sheyna Watkins, an active member and SGS eNews editor recalled getting to know Bennett through the SGS Write It Up Special Interest Group. “Amandalei’s contributions, not just to the group but to the activities of SGS in general show the depth of her knowledge and her enthusiasm for our mission. She is always engaged, faithful and thoughtful.”
What Bennett enjoys about volunteering is meeting other members and patrons — all who are equally passionate as she is about genealogy.
Bennett attends many of the events and seminars put on by SGS. These include some downtown at the Library, Volunteer Appreciation Days, last year’s Ice Cream Social and the recent Smith Family Day Open House. Bennett especially noted SGS’s 100th year celebration at Dunn Gardens: “an exceptional event from the gardens to the food to the lecture.”
When asked how she became interested in family history research Bennett said she got into genealogy determined to find out if her dad was related to Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. “Since his middle name was Wadsworth, as was his mother’s. How hard can it be?”
This lead Bennett on a much longer search then she initially thought.
“Longfellow had six kids but none of them had kids, so I had to go to the National Archives during the limited time they were open on Saturdays, groping around in the dark, trying to read the microfiche there. Ten years later, I finally found out we were indeed related to Longfellow through his mother, Zilpha Wadsworth (sheese — I should have figured).”
More discoveries followed. With the Longfellow connection confirmed, Bennett was “off to the races” as she described it. Longfellow was already proven to be related to the Mayflower members, Priscilla Mullins and John Alden (he authored ‘The Courtship of Myles Standish’). And just like that Bennett had confirmed she had Mayflower ancestors.
“Most of my ancestors moved from Cape Cod to Maine and never left, so I’m heavy into New England and Colonial research. I’m lucky there are so many resources, since I’m fairly lazy about researching, but I am addicted, since I’ve found quite a number of famous ancestors. After all, if you have one Mayflower relative, you’ve probably got a fair number!”
When not focusing on genealogy, Bennett enjoys gardening, reading, traveling and art, giving thanks to her dad who was an artist, an educator and wildflower enthusiast. SGS ELECTIONS DRAW NEAR
SGS elections are coming up in April. So far the following slate of SGS members have volunteered to run for SGS officer and director positions:
President: Kathy Weber
Vice President: Lisa Oberg
Secretary: Cybele O’Brien
Treasurer: Betsey Cotter
Education Director: Cecellia Rogers
Library Director: Kathi McGinnis
At this time there is only one name per position. If you would like to volunteer to run for any of these positions, or if you know of someone who you think would be a good candidate, please contact either Jim Secan or Kathy Weber.
SAVE THE DATEOlympia Genealogical Society Seminar: “Immigration & Naturalization” by Rich Venezia (Virtual)
Saturday, February 3, 9:00 am-3:00 pm
- Emerald Isle Express: Researching Irish Ancestors
- Discovering Your Immigrant’s Origins: Exhausting Every Resource
- Ship Manifests: An In-Depth Look
- Naturalization Know-How: The Laws and Records of U.S. Citizenship
More information on the OGS site.Eastside Genealogy Society “Voting Records: the Best
Kept Genealogical Secret” presented by Pam Vestal
Thursday February 8, 2024, 7:00 pm
Looking for a date of birth or death? The date and court of naturalization? Where your ancestor disappeared to, or where he came from? His political outlook? Even what kind of house he lived in? Voting records may have the answer. More information available on the group’s page.Please sign up at least two days prior to the event.
Jewish Genealogical Society of Washington State,
usually 2nd Monday meetings
usually 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm Pacific Time
JGSWS meets on the second Monday of each month, from Sept-June. Doors open at 6:30 pm unless noted otherwise. The next meeting is Feb. 12, 2024, “Help! I Got My DNA Results and I’m Confused, Part 2: Next Steps for 2024,” presented by Gil Bardige. For more information see http://www.jgsws.org/meetings.php
GRIP Registration for 2024 Opens
Tuesday, February 20
This year the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP) offers two sessions of classes: June 23-28, 2024, on Zoom and July 14-19, 2024, in-person. Download a list of the 2024 courses.
SGS Second Saturdays: Women in Special Collections
Saturday March 9, 2024, 1:00 pm-2:30 pm
Zoom and in person at the SGS library
What can you find in special collections at libraries and archives? Learn more about the lives of your women ancestors by digging into special collections of diaries, letters, manuscripts, and photographic material generated by women. To view at the library, register here. To view from home online register here.
SGS CALENDAR OF EVENTSGood Shepherd Center, Suite 302
4649 Sunnyside Ave N
Seattle, WA 98103
206 522-8658Hours : Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday
** 10:00 am – 3:00 pm ** Always check the SGS Website Calendar of Events for the meeting links, registration, or for last minute updates or changes to the schedule. Be advised you may need to register in advance to join a meeting. All times listed are Pacific Time unless otherwise notedSaturday, Feb. 3, 2024, 10:15 am-12:15 pm, FamilySearch SIG (Virtual), with Lou Daly. Discover many ways to use the FamilySearch website in your research. Meeting includes instruction and time for Q&A. Email Lou to get on the email list: loudaly@nwlink.com
Sunday, Feb. 4, 2024, 1:00 pm-3:00 pm, DNA Workshop, with Cary Bright and Craig Gowens. To participate you need to be on the SGS DNA Interest Group email list. Contact Cary Bright at SGSDNASIG@gmail.com to join.
Monday, Feb. 8, 2024, 10:00 am-11:30 am, Brags & Bricks Social Interest Group (Virtual), Join us for an informal social gathering. Share your recent genealogical successes and challenges, or just come to hang out with other genealogists.
Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024, 1:00 am-2:30 pm, Second Saturday: Evidence Analysis (Virtual or at the SGS library), Effective evidence analysis requires analyzing not only the source, but also the information it contains and the evidence it provides. Join Debbie Wilson Smyth as she offers an in-depth look into the evidence analysis process.: To view at the library, register here. To view from home online register here.
Monday, Feb. 12, 2024, 10:00 am-11:30 am, Brags & Bricks Social Interest Group (Virtual), Join us for an informal social gathering. Share your recent genealogical successes and challenges, or just come to hang out with other genealogists.
Monday, Feb. 12, 2024, 1:00 pm-3:00 pm, SGS Board of Directors Meeting (Virtual), All SGS members are welcome to attend. SGS is an all volunteer organization. Please be involved. Members must sign in to website to see Zoom link.
Monday, Feb. 12, 2024, 7:00 pm-8:30 pm, Write It Up! SIG (Virtual), Join this group to share and discuss writing projects, resources, and ideas. To join or learn more, contact Alaine Keisling at keisling@gmail.com
Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024, 10:00 am-11:00 am, Tech Tuesday (Virtual), informal consultation time on DNA, genealogy software, or genealogy-related technical issues. All are welcome. No appointment necessary. Bring us your problem; we’ll try to help.
Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024, 10:00 am-12:00 pm, Irish SIG (Virtual), with Susan McKee. See the SGS website Calendar of Events for further information.
Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024, 1:00 pm-3:00 pm, German SIG (Virtual), Bring your favorite German research resource to share with the group. Carolyn Schott is the facilitator. Get the new Zoom link. Register on the SGS website.
Monday, Feb. 19, 2024, 10:00 am-11:30 am, Brags & Bricks Social Interest Group (Virtual), Join us for an informal social gathering. Share your recent genealogical successes and challenges, or just come to hang out with other genealogists.
Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024, 1:00 pm-3:00 pm, “Pass It On” Writers’ Group (Social Interest Group), Create your family history and share with others in an effort to improve your writing. Please note: The Writers’ Group is at the maximum number of participants and is not currently accepting any new members.
Monday, Feb. 26, 2024, 10:00 am-11:30 am, Brags & Bricks Social Interest Group (Virtual), Join us for an informal social gathering. Share your recent genealogical successes and challenges, or just come to hang out with other genealogists.
Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024, 10:00 am-11:00 am, Tech Tuesday (Virtual), informal consultation time on DNA, genealogy software, or genealogy-related technical issues. All are welcome. No appointment necessary. Bring us your problem; we’ll try to help.
Saturday, Mar. 2, 2024, 10:15 am-12:15 pm, FamilySearch SIG (Virtual), with Lou Daly. Discover many ways to use the FamilySearch website in your research. Meeting includes instruction and time for Q&A. Email Lou to get on the email list: loudaly@nwlink.com
Sunday, Mar. 3, 2024, 1:00 pm-3:00 pm, DNA Workshop, with Cary Bright and Craig Gowens. To participate you need to be on the SGS DNA Interest Group email list. Contact Cary Bright at SGSDNASIG@gmail.com to join.
Saturday, Mar. 9, 2024, 1:00 am-2:30 pm, Second Saturday: Women in Special Collections (Virtual or at the SGS library), Celebrate Women’s History Month with “Special Collection Repositories: Finding Women’s Stories and Voices,” presented by Janice C. Lovelace: To view at the library, register here. To view from home online register here.
February 1, 2024
SGS eNews! comes out the first of every month. contact eNews!
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Kelli Bergheimer is a writer, teacher, editor, and international genealogical speaker. She works as the Director of Education for Your DNA Guide. Kelli runs a small business – Mess the Desk, a genealogical organization company with a YouTube channel. She is a facilitator for Genetics, Genealogy, and You, an online DNA interest group. She is a member of APG and the Genealogical Speakers Guild. When: Thursday, February 1, 2024
