Category Archives: Society News

Heritage Quest Research Library News

by Charles Hansen
Beginning Your Family History
Part A: Getting Started
What is it?
Why do it?
Where to begin?
How to get organized? So you want to start a little project? How can Heritage Quest Research Library help you? We can start with a free beginning class taught by our own research librarians.   When:  September 23, 2021  11:00 AM to Noon Where:  ZOOM How to sign up:  Come into HQRL in Sumner 1007 Main Street Sumner, WA 98390
OR
CALL: 253-863-1806
Deadline: September 16, 2021

A link will be sent to your email a day before the class.
If fewer than 5 sign up, the class will be cancelled and you will be notified.

    With the advent of our new Education Coordinator, we are looking for input to guide us in the direction that will be of most help to our patrons.  Won’t you please take a moment to share your thoughts by taking our education survey?  Just click on the link below. We thank you for your participation. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/T9VLC66    

Seattle Genealogical Society News

by Charles Hansen

ONLINE NETWORKING WITH SGS

Networking is about sharing. It is as important in genealogy as it is in business. At SGS there are two online networking opportunities at your disposal. You can take advantage of either of these without leaving the comfort of your home. 

On most Wednesdays, from 10:00 AM until 11:30 AM Pacific Time, “Brags and Bricks”, a SGS special interest group meets via Zoom. Come share your story, share your knowledge, ask a question, ask for help, start a discussion, or just socialize with the group.  

Available 24/7, is the Seattle Genealogical Society Networking Group on Facebook. It is a “closed” group, which means anyone on Facebook can find the group, but only members may view the posts or the names of others in the group . 

Everyone, SGS member or non-member alike, is welcome. You simply need to request membership by clicking the “Join Group” icon. The group administrator will review your request and respond. 

The opening statement for this SGS Networking group on Facebook says, “We invite you to join us for discussions about the collections and events sponsored by the Seattle Genealogical Society & Library, to discuss your current research interests, hunting down records and cemetery research in the PNW, and to socialize with other professionals and hobbyists from Washington and beyond”. So why not submit your “Join Group” request today?
SGS Family History Writing Contest 
There’s still time! The deadline for submitting your entry for this year’s family history writing contest is September 30, 2021. The theme is They Survived and takes its cue from events of the past year and earlier – the pandemic, floods, fires, droughts, heat waves, racial and ethnic strife, and more. Tell us the story of your ancestor and the hardship he or she endured.

First, second, and third place prizes will be awarded. The winning story will be published in the Journal of the Seattle Genealogical Society.

  • Keep the word count under 3,000, and submit an MS Word document.
  • Cite your sources as endnotes (interviews, letters, books, websites, censuses, etc.).
  • Unpublished works are preferred. If your story has been published before, ensure you have permission to republish. Let us know the name and date of publication.
  • A committee will review all submissions and award prizes. Some entries selected for publication will receive prizes.
  • Subjects need not relate to Washington, the Pacific Northwest, or the United States.
  • The committee makes all decisions, and all decisions are final.

Need to talk about your ideas? Email us at publications@seattlegenealogicalsociety.org, and we will get in touch.
* SAVE THE DATE *
The Genealogical Society of Broward County, 
“Documenting the Troops: United States Military and Militia Records”, 
Sunday, September 12, 2021
1:30 PM – 3:00 PM EDT

The Genealogical Society of Broward County, Florida, invites everyone to this free virtual live webinar with Dr Josh Goodman, PhD. The presentation starts at 2:00 PM EDT. Show up at 1:30 PM EDT for a half hour of socializing. 

Registration is required; here is the link:
https://nova.libcal.com/event/7763199

SGS 2021 Fall Seminar – Online with Ari Wilkins
Saturday, October 16, 2021, 9:00 am – 4:00 pm

Mark your calendars now for our all-day seminar! 

Ari Wilkins is a genealogist and library associate at Dallas Public Library, where she provides genealogy-programming education. She specializes in African American genealogy and research, with a focus on North Carolina and Louisiana, and has been researching her family history since 1998.

Ari worked with the esteemed genealogist, Dr. James Rose, on his project, “Generations: The WPA Ex-Slave Narrative Database.” She has spoken nationally at the National Genealogical Society, Federation of Genealogical Societies, RootsTech, Texas State Genealogical Society, Ohio Genealogical Society, the Institute of Genealogical and Historical Research, American Library Association, and at a multitude of local societies.


SGS CALENDAR OF EVENTS*

The SGS Library is open Tuesdays and Saturdays, 10:00 am – 3:00 pm, for computer-based research only. 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, Sep 8, 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. 

Tuesday, Sep 14, 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, Sep 15 , 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, Sep 22, 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. 

Tuesday, Sep 28, 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, Sep 29, 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.

Southern King County Genealogical Society September Happenings

by Charles Hansen

Check out our SKCGS Blog! This week: our Annual Report
Amidst many challenges, we have continued our mission of education and promoting genealogy. Find the report here: http://skcgs.org/blog.html

South King County Genealogical Society Five Year Plan: Call for Volunteers
Winona Laird has volunteered to chair the committee, which will meet virtually via Zoom. South King County is changing and we need to grow and change with it! We need to reach out beyond serving our present membership, in order to better serve the larger community. Our sessions in partnership with the King County Library System and some of the area historical societies is part of that; how can we reach out even more? Please write to president@skcgs.org to volunteer.

A note of thanks to the many organizations that help spread the word about our society. Recent promoters of our activities include the Genealogical Forum of Oregon (gfo.org), the Tri-City Genealogical Society (tricitygenealogicalsociety.org), and Barbara Mattoon, former SKCGS president, in a PEO group presentation. The Washington State Genealogical Society Blog faithfully promotes our events, and even tweet about them! http://wp.wasgs.org/ @WSGSociety


SEPTEMBER 2021 MEETINGS & EVENTS

Be in the know! Receive notices for our virtual meetings, as well as the latest genealogy news and tips, by subscribing (free) to the online group at https://skcgs.groups.io

Skcgs.groups.io is the SKCGS online discussion and collaboration arena where:

  • we communicate and share information with each other
  • other than your email, you are not required to provide personal information
  • you can unsubscribe at any time

PROGRAM UPDATES

  • IMPORTANT: Be sure to check meeting invitations for updated Zoom meeting links this month
  • All meetings except the Research Group are virtual
  • Live transcription (captioning) is available during our Zoom meetings by request


Saturday, September 4, 2021, 10:00 am PT
Family Tree Maker Users Group (virtual)
Question & Answer. Each month, we will learn about using the features of FTM. Go to https://skcgs.groups.io/g/FTMUG for meeting link, meeting reminders and discussion.

Tuesday, September 7, 2021, 6:30pm PT
SKCGS Board of Directors Meeting (virtual)

SKCGS Board Meeting. All SKCGS members are invited to attend; only Directors may vote. Write to Board@skcgs.org for the meeting link.


Friday, September 10, 2021, 12:30pm-2:30pm PT
German Interest Group (EGS) (virtual)
“Find Your Germanic Ancestor’s Village on Maps” presented by Dorothy Pretare
Visitors are always welcome and can request an invitation via Contact tab on the website no later than 2 days prior to the meeting: https://egsgermangroup.wordpress.com/

Monday, September 13, 2021, 1:00 – 3pm PT
GG/DNA (virtual)
Glen York Presenting: Finding the Birth Mother—A DNA Case Study
Go to https://skcgs.groups.io/g/Genetic-Genealogy for meeting link, meeting reminders and discussion.

Friday, September 17, 2021, 1:00 – 3 pm PT
Research Group (in-person)
Kent Family History Center 12817 SE 256th St. Kent
Seating is limited
RSVP REQUIRED to Winona at w.laird@skcgs.org

Saturday, September 18, 2021, 10:00 – 12:00 PT
SKCGS General Meeting (virtual)
Annette Lyttle Presenting : Genealogical Proof for the Everyday Genealogist


“Annette Burke Lyttle owns Heritage Detective, LLC, providing professional genealogical services in research, education, and writing. She speaks on a variety of genealogical topics at the national, state, and local levels and loves helping people uncover and share their family stories. She was a faculty member for “Exploring Quaker Records in America” at the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh in June 2020 and course coordinator for “From Sea to Shining Sea: Researching Our Ancestors’ Migrations in America” for the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy in January 2021. Annette is a member of the board of directors of the Association of Professional Genealogists and editor of The Florida Genealogist.”

Register in advance for this meeting:
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJAkd-CtqDIrHNaVmOZf2VyJNCgiisd2djKi
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

NOTE: This month’s speaker handout will be made available for download during the September 18th meeting.

Monday, September 20, 2021, 1:00 – 3:00 pm PT
Technology User Group (virtual)
Facebook & Groups.io locality groups surnames and special genealogy interests
There are groups for almost any genealogy topic! How do you find the ones which will help you? We’ll look at Facebook, at Groups.io for localities, surnames, and other topics such as software, users of specialized sites, GenealogySquad, etc. Go to https://skcgs.groups.io/g/TUG for meeting link, meeting reminders and discussion.

Monday, September 27, 2021, 1pm-3pm PT

Genealogy Chat (virtual)

Meet up and chat about genealogy subjects and topics. We have no agenda; we just like one another! Go to https://skcgs.groups.io/g/Society for meeting link, discussion and meeting reminders.

Like – Facebook :: Subscribe – Blog :: Follow – Twitter :: Website – SKCGS.org :: Member support – info@skcgs.org

SOUTH KING COUNTY GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY
PO BOX 582
AUBURN, WASHINGTON 98071-0582

MyHeritage Free Census Records

by Charles Hansen

I’m happy to share that for the next week we’re offering free access to all census records on MyHeritage, from September 1–8, 2021!

The Census & Voter Lists category on MyHeritage encompasses a vast repository of over 1.3 billion records, including census records from the U.S., U.K., Ireland, Scandinavia, and Canada as well as electoral rolls and other records from Australia, Venezuela, Chile, Argentina, Armenia, Greece, and much more. These records offer valuable snapshots of the lives of people living in these locations throughout history, especially from the 19th century onward.

Search all census records on MyHeritage

You can read more about MyHeritage’s treasure trove of census records on our blog. 

Please share this opportunity with your audiences so they too can take advantage of this valuable genealogical resource. You can feel free to use the visual above. Enjoy Daniel Horowitz
Genealogy Expert

MyHeritage (USA) Inc.,
2975 Executive Parkway,
Lehi, Utah

Tracing Your Family Using the Census

by Charles Hansen

Tracing Your Family Using the Census

Saturday, September 11, 1:30 pm Eastern

This is a ZOOM meeting, so you can participate conveniently and safely from wherever you compute.   What was your grandfather’s occupation? Did your grandmother ever attend school? Census records are one of the best ways to discover details about your family. Learn about the census and how to access it using library resources.  

Preregister at http://events.pbclibrary.org/node/18935/register. 

Portland Genealogy Library Awarded Federal Grant

by Charles Hansen

August 24, 2021

For Immediate Release

Portland Genealogy Library Awarded Federal Grant

(Portland, Oregon, 08/24/2021) — The Genealogical Forum of Oregon has received a $1,400 federal American Rescue Plan Act grant for digitizing our holdings. The money will permit the purchase of a much-needed scanner that can be used by our trained volunteers. Records will then be made available to members at home via the GFO website. Prior to the pandemic, digitization was done on a modest basis, mainly to protect our periodicals. Patrons only had access to the digitized images onsite at our library.

In the past year, due to the pandemic, a team of dedicated volunteers moved more than 150 annual classes online and has transferred more than 334,000 pages of records onto the GFO’s website. This grant will increase that effort.

The GFO received the grant in a highly competitive process; less than a third of the total funding requested was approved. Grants were made possible thanks to the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, and provided by the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services, through the Library Services and Technology Act. The grants application process was administered by the State Library of Oregon.

The federal funds were included in the American Rescue Plan Act to help libraries, museums, and related nonprofits promote digital inclusion and connectivity, address needs arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, and support efforts to provide equitable service to communities.

GFO Vice President Susie Chodorow, who secured the grant, says, “The majority of our members identify as 65 years and older. Many are living with disabilities, especially mobility concerns. It’s imperative that we continue to offer online services. This grant will help us work towards our goal of making our collections accessible online as quickly as possible for use by our members.”

We greatly appreciate Congress’s support of the American Rescue Plan Act. It is directly benefiting the residents of Oregon.

For more information about the federal library grants, please visit the Institute of Museum and Library Services at https://imls.gov. More information about American Rescue Plan Act grants awarded by the State Library of Oregon, is available at https://libguides.osl.state.or.us/lstagrants/arpaawards.

———

Editors: For more information, contact GFO President Vince Patton at president@gfo.org

GFO Logo available: https://bit.ly/3pRnYxH

The Genealogical Forum of Oregon is an all-volunteer nonprofit founded in 1946
to promote, preserve and publish genealogical history.
The GFO operates the largest genealogy library in the Pacific Northwest
and offers more than 150 classes each year.

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Genealogical Forum of Oregon
2505 SE 11th Ave., B-18
Portland, OR 97202
gfo.org

Seattle Genealogical Society News

by Charles Hansen


SGS MEMBERSHIP MEETING, OCTOBER 9, 2021 at 12:30 PM

The next membership meeting will take place via Zoom on Saturday, October 9, 2021, at 12:30 PM and will be followed by a new Second Saturday Speaker Series presentation at 1:00 PM.  

Come hear what’s happening at SGS – the move and the new library space.  
  Not a SGS member? Join online today and enjoy discounted class and event fees, free research requests, special interest groups, and access to exclusive SGS publications and databases, as well as video recordings of some of our past Second Saturday Speaker presentations. 

SGS members, have you renewed? Check that by logging in at Members Home.

IMPORTANT CHANGE TO ANCESTRY TERMS & CONDITIONS 
On August 3, 2021, Ancestry.com announced changes to their Terms and Conditions. Judy Russell, the Legal Genealogist, was concerned enough by the addition of these two words, “perpetual” and “irrevocable”, that she devoted her blog on August 4, 2021, to the subject. In a nutshell and quoted here, what Judy Russell thinks the new terms mean for Ancestry users is :

“In plain English, the rights to use that family photo you posted, that story you wrote and uploaded, that snippet of family history you’ve shared basically now belong to Ancestry. You can continue to use it elsewhere if you wish, since you’re still technically the owner, but you can’t do anything to stop Ancestry from using it any way it wants, forever. That’s a very big change.”

To deflect the flak they were receiving, Ancestry walked it back a bit. They modified their Terms and Conditions yet again on August 5th.  “Making Our Terms and Conditions Clearer: Modifications to the August 2021 Update” was the claim and the headline of the release. These two paragraphs in the release explain Ancestry’s position and answer the questions many users had: 

 “When a user chooses to delete their tree or other content they have contributed, it is removed. However, this clarification to the Terms and Conditions enables Ancestry to allow other users to keep a copy of the previously shared user provided content in their own family trees, even after the original contributor has made their tree private or deleted their content. The change made today further clarifies this point.”

“Part of the Ancestry experience has always been connecting our users and enabling them to share discoveries about their family history with each other. Each user is able to choose the privacy and sharing settings for their family tree. We honor those choices. If a user chooses to share photos, documents, and stories from their tree with the community, we also honor the experience other users have should that tree be made private or user provided content be deleted in the future.” 

What this means is if you posted a photo or story as content to your public tree on Ancestry, and you later take that item down, or make the tree private, or delete the tree all together, as long as another user has saved or posted your item to their own tree, then Ancestry continues to have rights to it. 

The lesson to be learned here, the experts say, is to always pay attention to terms and conditions of use. And to think very carefully about what you allow to be public. 
  If you would like to read more about this, go to Judy’s blog (the link is below) and search for her entries for August 4 and August 6. Also inserted below is the link to Ancestry’s release about the new terms and conditions. 

https://www.legalgenealogist.com/blog/

https://www.ancestry.com/corporate/blog/making-our-terms-and-conditions-clearer-modifications-our-august-2021-update

* SAVE THE DATE *”Back 2 Research”, a Virtual Conference
featuring Lisa Louise Cook & Devon Noel Lee, 
Saturday, September 11, 2021
10:00 am EDT (7:00 am PDT)

Early bird price $19.99 through August 31, 2021. After August 31, 2021 it’s $24.99. 

Topics include: 
 * How to Reopen & Work a Genealogical Cold Case
 * Creating Simple & Complex Clue Webs to Solve Family Mysteries 

For additional topics and registration, visit:
https://www.familyhistoryfanatics.com/back2research


SGS 2021 Fall Seminar – Online with Ari Wilkins
Saturday, October 16, 2021, 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Mark your calendars now for our all-day seminar! 

Ari Wilkins is a genealogist and library associate at Dallas Public Library, where she provides genealogy-programming education. She specializes in African American genealogy and research, with a focus on North Carolina and Louisiana, and has been researching her family history since 1998.
Ari worked with the esteemed genealogist, Dr. James Rose, on his project, “Generations: The WPA Ex-Slave Narrative Database.” She has spoken nationally at the National Genealogical Society, Federation of Genealogical Societies, RootsTech, Texas State Genealogical Society, Ohio Genealogical Society, the Institute of Genealogical and Historical Research, American Library Association, and at a multitude of local societies.

SGS CALENDAR OF EVENTS*

The SGS Library is open Tuesdays and Saturdays, 10:00 am – 3:00 pm, for computer-based research only. 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, Aug 18, 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. 

Tuesday, Aug 24, 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, Aug 25, 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, Sep 8, 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. 

Tuesday, Sep 14, 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, Sep 15 , 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, Sep 22, 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. 

Tuesday, Sep 28, 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, Sep 29, 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.

South King County Genealogical Society August Programs

by Charles Hansen

We can see the end of summer vacation approaching. SKCGS has been busy planning for the upcoming year and preparing for the return of Genetic Genealogy SIG and the Technology User Group. 

We would like to change the group formerly called Persons of Interest, to instead focus on Collaboration. This can include persons of interest with whom you would welcome help, our research projects such as the Black Heritage of Franklin, https://skcgs.groups.io/g/Black-Heritage-Franklin, or other collaborative projects. Share your thoughts with us: President@skcgs.org

If you’d like to attend our next virtual Genealogy Chat this month, on the 23rd at 1 pm Pacific Time, please bring projects you have been working on, problems you are experiencing, breakthroughs, and cool things you have encountered. Every chat is different and they have all been interesting and fun! Watch for invitations and reminders on https://skcgs.groups.io/g/Society. You will notice that we are now transitioning to Zoom rather than Google Meet for video conferencing. We are sorry to make a change, but Zoom offers some features we need. 

If you are interested in a monthly study group of Mastering Genealogical Proof by Thomas Jones, be sure to join https://skcgs.groups.io/g/Study-Group. Be warned: this is intense!

AUGUST 2021 MEETINGS & EVENTS

Be in the know! Receive notices for our virtual meetings, as well as the latest genealogy news and tips, by subscribing (free) to the online group at https://skcgs.groups.io

Skcgs.groups.io is the SKCGS online discussion and collaboration arena where:

  • we communicate and share information with each other
  • other than your email, you are not required to provide personal information
  • you can unsubscribe at any time


PROGRAM UPDATES

  • Research/Person of Interest, Genetic Genealogy/DNA, and Technical User interest groups are taking a summer break
  • There is no General Meeting in August
  • King County Library System/SKCGS joint monthly program is on hiatus
  • IMPORTANT: Be sure to check meeting invitations for updated Zoom meeting links this month

Monday, August 23, 2021, 1pm-3pm PT

Genealogy Chat
Meet up and chat about genealogy subjects and topics. We have no agenda; we just like one another! Go to https://skcgs.groups.io/g/Society for meeting link, discussion and meeting reminders. This is a virtual meeting with closed captioning available. Dial-in (audio only) is also available.

PLAN AHEAD
Take a look at our Fall/Winter line up of topics and speakers. Be sure to mark your calendars!

  • September 18, 2021 – “Genealogical Proof for the Everyday Genealogist” Annette Burke Lytle
  • October 16, 2021 – “You Can Do This: Photo Organizing and Preservation” Thomas MacEntee
  • November 20, 2021 – “Using Maps for Genealogical Research” Dr. Malinda Kashuba
  • January 15, 2022 – “The Hicks Babies” Dr. Leah Larkin