VOLUNTEERS OF THE QUARTER
CARY BRIGHT & CRAIG GOWENS

Each quarter the Seattle Genealogical Society recognizes one member as our volunteer of the quarter. For the Fall Quarter 2021, we are recognizing the team of Cary Bright and Craig Gowens, co-leaders of the DNA SIG.  

Ceil Rogers, SGS Director of Education, announced these two were chosen because “They have led the way and set the example for keeping SGS’s special interest groups active during the pandemic.”  

Cary has been an SGS member for 21 years and has co-chaired the DNA group since 2009, inspired, she says, “by the vision of the late Jim Gunderson.” She added she is deeply grateful for all the knowledge her other co-chairs, Herb McDaniels followed by Craig Gowens, have shared over the years.

Cary Bright enjoys finding tools for different learning styles and says “I love working with adult learners.” For her, the greatest satisfaction comes when helping someone find resources that dovetail with how they process information. “Embrace how you learn and find tools that work with your learning style,” she advises.

Over time, group members have expanded their comfort zone working with DNA results. “What was once daunting is grasped as we all learn together,” Cary said. “The deer-in- the-headlights looks are fewer. … I love the success stories we hear about from group members.” She recommends that anyone wanting to learn about DNA should seek out knowledge in blogs, YouTube videos and online classes.

“DNA matches are just another resource to prove or disprove a connection to an ancestor,” Cary says. “Easily missed, but a great facet of proof when the matches align at the right time and testing company!”

Craig Gowens is a Texas transplant with deep Southern roots. He joined SGS shortly after moving to the Seattle area from Austin, Texas, back in March 2019. In Texas, he had been active in DNA groups of both the Austin and Williamson County genealogical societies, so it was natural for him to approach Cary Bright offering to help. “She immediately put me to work and just a few weeks later I gave a presentation at that June’s SGS DNA SIG meeting,” Craig recalls.

As someone who works from home, Craig thinks “Participating in organizations like SGS provides me with the social interaction I lack from a workplace environment. I like meeting new people and discussing, learning, and teaching concepts and techniques.”

Craig has been into genealogy since childhood. His father was interested in it and he would accompany his father to the library and help out.

Both of Craig’s parents have deep Southern roots, going back to the mid-1800s in the southern Ozarks of Arkansas and the hills and hollows of central Tennessee. His most recent discovery involved using DNA to piece together the family of his 3rd great grandmother, Lucy Smith. The courthouse of the county of her birth had gone up in flames so there were few records to go by. After much analysis of information gleaned from 320 DNA matches, Craig was able to narrow down that his ancestor was one of six sisters born between 1818 to 1832 in Georgia or Tennessee. “This type of genealogy would have been impossible even 10 years ago,” he says.

When he’s not digging into DNA, Craig can be found shooting photos in National Parks and other natural areas.

FROM OUR SGS PRESIDENT, 
REOPENING ANNOUNCEMENT!

Beginning on Monday, 8 November 2021, the SGS Library will be open at its new location at the Good Shepherd Center on Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Due to COVID restrictions, we are limiting the total number of people in the space to six, which means we are limited to four library patrons on Mondays and Tuesdays and five patrons on Fridays and Saturdays. We will also continue to require visitors to wear masks while in the building.

Because we need to limit the number of people in the space at any one time, please call ahead to see if the library is already at or near capacity before you come down. We have the same phone number:  (206) 522-8658.

NOTE: There is a possibility that we will not have our connection with Family Search in place when we reopen (network assignment issues); therefore, if you want to use our Affiliate Library status to access locked materials, you should call before you come in.

See the SGS website for directions to our new location and parking information. 

And welcome back!

Jim Secan
President, Seattle Genealogical Society

* SAVE THE DATE *

Jewish Genealogical Society of Washington State, 
“Jewish Genealogy in the Germanies” with Roger Lustig, 
Monday, November 8, 2021, Via Zoom
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM PDT

Roger Lustig is an expert on general German Jewish research and history. He is also a native German speaker.

The Germany where your ancestors lived is not the Germany of today. Before unification in 1871, Germany was more a concept than a state. It was composed of dozens of kingdoms, duchies, and principalities large and small. People doing non-Jewish research in the Germanies will get an incredible amount of information out of Roger’s talk, too. 

The Zoom meeting doors will open at 5:30 pm for networking. 

Roger’s presentation will begin at 6:00 pm. This presentation is free.  All are invited. Registration is required.  To register, visit the JGSWS website: 

http://www.jgsws.org/meetings.php

SGS CALENDAR OF EVENTS*

Coming up, the SGS Library has new hours and a new location. We are in the process of moving. Please visit the SGS Website for details. We recommend you plan your visit and call ahead – 206 522-8658. 
** Always check the SGS Website Calendar of Events for the meeting links and for any last minute updates or changes to the schedule.  Wednesday, Nov 3, 2021, 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,  Nov 6, 2021, 10:15 am-12:15 pm, FamilySearch Interest Group with Lou Daly, Discover the many ways to use FamilySearch. At each meeting a different aspect of the website will be featured. There will be time for Q & A.  Want to join the mailing list? Email Lou: loudaly@nwlink.com

Sunday, Nov 7 , 2021, 1:00 pm-3:00pm, DNA Workshop, To be included you need to be on the SGS DNA Interest Group email list. Contact Cary Bright at SGSDNASIG@gmail.com to join.  

Tuesday, Nov 9 , 2021, 10:00 am-11:00 am, Tech Tuesday (Virtual), back by popular demand, the informal consultation time on DNA, genealogy software, or genealogy-related technical issues. All are welcome. No appointment necessary. 

Wednesday, Nov 10, 2021, 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.

Wednesday, Nov 10, 2021,   7:00 pm – 9:00 pm, MAC Computer SIG ,  Jointly sponsored by the Fiske Library and SGS this group meets every other month on the second Wednesday of the month. Meetings address topics and resources helpful for those using MacIntosh (Apple) computers and the Reunion program in their genealogy research. Visit the SGS website Calendar of Events for instructions on joining the MAC email list.  

Thursday, Nov 11, 2021 and Friday, Nov 12, 2021, 10:00 am-4:00 pm,
Huge Book Sale at SGS Sand Point Way NE location, 
* Members Only on Thursday from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm 
** General Public invited to join in from 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm Thursday
     and from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm Friday 
***  See “Tip of the Week” below for all details 

Saturday, Nov 13, 2021, 1:00 pm-2:30 pm, Second Saturday Speaker Series: Indirectly Evident: Finding William’s Parents, with Debbie Wilson Smyth. When no known records exist to identify the parents of an individual, a researcher may use indirect evidence to build a proof argument. This presentation offers a case study using indirect evidence to identify the parents of William Graham of Meigs County, Ohio.

Wednesday, Nov 17, 2021, 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.

Sunday, Nov 21, 2021,   1:00 pm-2:30 pm, Virtual Sundays: Something Old, Something New,  Jill Morelli will present “Family Search: The Other 95%”. Visit the SGS website Calendar for all the particulars. 

Tuesday, Nov 23, 2021, 10:00 am-11:00 am, Tech Tuesday (Virtual), back by popular demand, the informal consultation time on DNA, genealogy software, or genealogy-related technical issues. All are welcome. No appointment necessary. 

Wednesday, Nov 24, 2021, 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.