TIP OF THE WEEK – GET A FREE PASS TO BC GENEALOGICAL LIBRARY The BC Genealogical Society Library and Research Centre is offering a free library pass to SGS members interested in visiting their facility located in Surrey BC. It is one of the larger genealogical libraries in North America, with over 18,000 books, 2,000 maps, 6,000 films and microfiche, and 100,000+ newspaper clippings. More information can be found on their website https://www.bcgs.ca
July 1, 2023
SGS eNews! comes out the first of every month. contact eNews!
SUSAN McKEE AND CAROLYN SCHOTT, VOLUNTEERS OF THE SPRING QUARTER
This Spring Quarter 2023 we are celebrating and thanking two of our Society’s Special Interest Group (SIG) leaders – Carolyn Schott and Susan McKee. Carolyn (a member for 10 years) runs the German SIG and Susan (a member of 6 years) heads the Irish SIG along with Jim Ryan.
Carolyn’s area of expertise is Germans who lived in the Black Sea Region (which is now primarily Ukraine) and she is also the co-founder of a Black Sea German Research group (www.blackseagr.org). A fascinating but sad discovery of hers has been getting NKVD (the predecessor to the KGB) arrest records on some of her family members!
Susan, born and raised in Ireland, concentrates her research on her Irish family lines although she has discovered that her mother’s great grandfathers came to Ireland from rural England. “Researching this line continues to remind me of the very complex and long-standing interconnections that exist between Ireland and England and how important it is to remain open to the ever-changing nature of identity”, she says.
Susan and Carolyn enjoy their regular interactions with SIG members and the enthusiasm everyone brings to their research. Both women appreciate the use of Zoom. “Although there are many things I miss about in-person meetings, I actually love doing this by Zoom because we get people attending from all over the U.S. It has also made it possible to line up speakers from all over,” says Carolyn.
When not working on genealogy Carolyn is skiing, hiking, or supporting Ukraine at the local rallies – “Slava Ukraini!” She also loves to travel and is so passionate about it that she wrote the book entitled “Visiting Your Ancestral Town”. Many of Susan’s interests outside of genealogy involve similar skills. She enjoys word puzzles, jigsaw puzzles and mysteries, whether in books, films, or escape room experiences!
Both Carolyn and Susan would love you to join their SIG meetings. Both groups meet on the third Saturday of the month (Irish 10:15-12:15 and German 1:00-3:00). Please check the calendar of events at www.seagensoc.org.
Thank you, Carolyn and Susan, for all you do for SGS and our members!
SUMMER BOOK SALE
The SGS Library receives many wonderful donations of books from our members and friends and we simply can’t keep them all. So stop by the library and find a treasure on our surplus book tables, for sale until July 15th.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR THE CLANS OF IRELAND BOOTH
Continuing our community outreach commitment initiated by Jean Roth, SGS is sharing the Clans of Ireland Booth at the 27th Annual Skagit Valley Highland Games & Celtic Festival in Mt Vernon, WA, Saturday, July 8, 2023 & Sunday, July 9, 2023, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm. Volunteers are needed to help SGS staff this booth. No experience necessary.
If you can help staff our table in the booth for several hours on either day, Saturday, July 8th, or Sunday, July 9th, please contact James Ryan at janglinjehu@yahoo.com.
DON’T GET SCAMMED
You get an email that says it’s from MacKiev, maker of Family Tree Maker software. It has an offer for a free upgrade. Not so fast …. Several people are receiving similar messages by email or chat that are actually fraudulent. Here’s how to spot the scam.
The messages ask you to call a telephone number, but MacKiev does not actually have a phone help line.
The email address provided in the message is not connected to MacKiev. If a message seems to come from a company you know, a good rule of thumb is to use Google to find the company’s real site to validate claims.
Family Tree Maker 2019 is the most current version of the program. There is no 2023 version.
Don’t trust everything you hear in a chat. If you need assistance with Family Tree Maker, go to: https://www.mackiev.com/techsupport/ftm/livechat.html. This way you know you are speaking to a real representative of the company.
WATCH THE SGS100 PRESERVATION SEMINAR
“Just finished watching this wonderful set of seminars by Denise Levenick. Fantastic!”
In Celebration of our Centennial, SGS members may log in to view video recordings of all four presentations from the SGS100 Preservation Seminar with Denise Levenick, The Family Curator, until Monday, July 17, 2023.
Not an SGS member? You may register to view the presentations for $25, click here.
JOIN US FOR AN 1923 ICE CREAM SOCIAL
Come out to Meridian Park on August 5th for some ice cream and to celebrate SGS’s centennial. We will be dishing out ice cream to all comers 1923-style. The park is located behind the Good Shepherd Center. Watch the SGS website Calendar of Events for more details.
SGS CENTENNIAL MEMBERSHIP
Join the Seattle Genealogical Society today and become a charter member for our second century!
If you are already a member, it’s time to log in to your account and renew your membership for 2023-24 as we continue the celebration of our 100th year.
Participate in special Centennial Events and enjoy discounted class and Seminar fees, free research requests, special interest groups, and access to exclusive SGS publications and databases. Your membership will extend through the 2023 Centennial Year and until May 31, 2024.
The University of Washington Stadium was noted to be “the only structure of its kind in the country built primarily for a university which is opened to the public uses.” The article pointed out the student body was trying to reduce the remaining indebtedness to save on interest charges. This could allow them to take on other projects such as a basketball pavilion, armory and gymnasium. The article also noted the numerous large affairs to which it was being put – last year’s The Wayfarer, the presentation this year of “Americanus”, when President Harding would be in the city, the Fourth of July Celebration, , and musical concerts.
— “The University of Washington”, Seattle Daily Times, 15 Jun 1923, p 6, col 2,
* Watch each eNews! issue for “100 years ago”, our new anecdotal series. We will be running it for the duration of 2023, our centennial year.
SAVE THE DATE
Skagit Valley Highland Games & Celtic Festival Edgewater Park, Mt Vernon, WA 98271 Saturday and Sunday July 8-9, 2023 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
This Festival, now in its 27th year, attracts over 10,000 people annually. It is part of an annual circuit of Scottish competitions held in the Pacific Northwest and Lower Mainland of British Columbia. The organizers call it “Scottish 3-ring circus” with a wide range of activities for young and old alike.
Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy 2024 Classes Saturday, July 22, 2023, 9:00 am
Registration opens for SLIG 2024 Classes (Virtual Event-$$), SLIG 2024 (virtual) courses run daily, January 22–26 from 7:30 to 3:00 pm PST; some will include homework and other sessions outside those times. Registration opens on 22 July 2023 at 10 am Mountain / 9:00 am Pacific. Some classes fill very quickly. More information on courses, faculty, and registration here.
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 Sept. 11, 2023, topic to be announced. For more information see http://www.jgsws.org/meetings.php
SGS100 Birthday Party October 20, 2023
Mark your calendar now! SGS is turning 100. Join the celebration at Dunn Gardens on October 20th. There will be a keynote speaker you will not want to miss!
SGS CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Good Shepherd Center, Suite 302 4649 Sunnyside Ave N Seattle, WA 98103 206 522-8658
The elevator is back in service!
Please call ahead to make sure our library will be open. We are short on front desk volunteers.
Hours : Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday ** 10:00 am – 3:00 pm **
Masks are recommended inside the Good Shepherd Center. Due to COVID the events listed below continue to be virtual, online via Zoom. 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.
NOTICE: SGS has imposed more security on our Zoom meetings. Some meetings will begin with a waiting room. The host must take action to let people into each meeting. The host will try to open the waiting room about 10 minutes ahead of time. Please be patient.
All times listed are Pacific Time unless otherwise noted
Monday, July 3, 2023, 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, July 10, 2023, 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, July 10, 2023, 1:00 pm-3:00 pm, Board of Directors Meeting at SGS (Virtual), All SGS members are welcome to attend. SGS is an all volunteer organization. Please be involved.
Monday, July 10, 2023, 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, June 11, 2023, 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.
Wednesday, July 12, 2023, 7:00 pm-9:00 pm, MAC Computer SIG, Co-chaired by Lisa Marker and Diane Hettrick. Jointly sponsored by SGS and Fiske. Meetings address topics and resources for Macintosh (Apple) computers and the Reunion genealogy software program. Meetings are on the second Wednesday of alternating months. A link to login will be sent to the MAC SIG email list. If you would like to join, send an email to macusersig@seagensoc.org to be added to the email list.
Saturday, July 15, 2023, 10:00 am- 12:00 pm, IRISH SIG, with Susan McKee. See the SGS website Calendar of Events for further information. New Zoom link starting this month.
Sunday, July 16, 2023, 1:00 pm- 2:30 pm, Virtual Sunday: Something Old, Something New, Topic TBD, with Jill Morelli. See the SGS website Calendar of Events for further information. Please register in advance.
Monday, July 17, 2023, 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, July 17, 2023, 10:00 am-12:00 pm, Family History 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.
Friday, July 21, 2023, 10:30 am-12:30 pm, Family Tree Maker SIG, the FTM by Software MacKiev user’s group meets via Zoom on the 3rd Friday of each month. If you would like to attend and are not on the SIG e-mail distribution list, please send an e-mail to egsgenealogyhelper@yahoo.com.
Monday, July 24, 2023, 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, July 25, 2023, 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.
Monday, July 31, 2023, 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, August 7, 2023, 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, August 8, 2023, 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.
On my recent cruise trip to the Canadian Maritimes, our Daily Post onboard always carried a very corny boat-joke-of-the-day. On a (hopefully) hot day before the July 4th weekend, I share these silly jokes with you:
*What’s a sailor’s favorite detergent? Tide!
*What happens when a red sailboat hits a blue sailboat? They get marooned!
*Have you seen the movie where the Wizard sails his ship across an ocean of orange soda? It’s a Fanta Sea flick.
*Why do pirate have trouble remembering the alphabet? They always get lost at “C.”
*I went to a Black Friday sale at the boat store….. it was quite an oar deal.
*How do you know when a boat is feeling affectionate? When it hugs the shore.
*Where do sick ships go? To the Dock.
*A dentist opened an office on a boat; what was the boat’s name? The Tooth Ferry.
*Why didn’t the sailors play cards? ‘Cuz the captain was standing on the deck.
*How to make a boat feel better? Give it some Vitamin Sea.
*What do you call a boat full of buddies? A friend-ship.
*Making a boat out of stone would be a hardship.
*When do you know you’re getting a good deal on a boat? When there’s a sail on it.
*Where do zombies like to go sailing? The Dead Sea.
SGS NEEDS VOLUNTEERS FOR THE CLANS OF IRELAND BOOTH! Continuing our community outreach commitment initiated by Jean Roth, SGS is sharing the Clans of Ireland Booth at the 27th Annual Skagit Valley Highland Games & Celtic Festival in Mt Vernon, WA, Saturday, July 8, 2023 & Sunday, July 9, 2023, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm. Volunteers are needed to help SGS man this booth. No experience necessary.
If you can help staff our table in the booth for several hours on either day, Saturday, July 8th, or Sunday, July 9th, please contact James Ryan at janglinjehu@yahoo.com.
If you would like more information on this popular festival, go to: http://celticarts.org The 27th Annual Skagit Valley Highland Games & Celtic Festival, Edgewater Park, Mt Vernon, WA 98273 Saturday, July 8, 2023 & Sunday, July 9, 2023 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
I just finished a great read: Unwelcome Americans: Living on the Margin in Early New England, by Ruth Wallis Herndon, 2001. I had no clue about this part of Colonial history! Here’s what I learned:
In 18th century America, there was no Social Security, Medicaid, unemployment insurance or old age pensions, no welfare of any sort…… “no colony or state created and maintained a safety net for those unable to support themselves.” Thousands of our ancestors living on the margins due to injury, health, discrimination, or poor choices had an extremely rough time just staying alive.” Each local government administered “poor relief” to its own inhabitants and almshouses or poorhouses were constructed so that needy people could be grouped together and helped.
In New England, town officials met regularly to raise taxes due to the high cost of poor relief. This was especially true when the Revolutionary War, with tremendous expenses, loomed. One method sought to resolve this tension was the “warning-out” system. This was the way town authorities sent away from their towns those people who had no legal claim on the town treasury. Through warnings-out, towns avoided the greater costs of supporting frail, ill, or injured people long term.
One facet of this system was that such needy people were shunted back to the town of their birth; being born in XX town, it was XX town’s responsibility to care for them. Sometimes this meant dividing up families! If a family of five were all needy and candidates for being sent elsewhere, they could be sent to five different towns, regardless of the children’s ages.
The book is 200 pages of carefully researched case studies that really brought this situation, this problem, to life for me. Cost for the paperback was under $7 via Amazon books. If you have New England ancestry who were not among the well-off, this might be good history for you.
Beginning DNA for Genealogists Getting back to the basics. In this presentation, we will look at all types of DNA that are currently being used for genealogical purposes. The inheritance pattern of each will be reviewed. Identify basic information that should be provided by all testing companies. The purpose of the “admixture” will be explained. Also explained will be why your admixture percentages change from time to time. Any time remaining will be open for questions. Judy Line has been doing genealogy off and on for thirty years. She has completed several formal education programs. She holds certificates from the National Institute for Genealogical Studies, Boston University and holds a business degree from Washington State University. Thursday: July 6, 2023 ZOOM 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM Sign up by going to the HQRL Store at https://www.hqrl.com Thursday, July 20, 2023
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? Start with a free beginning class taught by our very own research librarians. Thursday, July 20, 2023 ZOOM 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM Sign up by going to the HQRL Store at https://www.hqrl.com. A link will be sent to your email 2 days before the class.
June is my only daughter’s birthday month. She was born in June and I remember well her naming story. Looking through a women’s magazine, I spotted an ad for Ivory Soap. It was not this exact one (below) but I could not find “the real” one. It showed a baby in a bubbly bath and the words were something like “Jane Elizabeth enjoys her Ivory soap bath.” Well! Husbnd’s mother was Esther Mary, so we quickly fell in love with Jane Esther and that’s what she became. And that’s how we found her name.
My name is Donna Ruth; I was named after my Aunt Ruth. Four years earlier, Aunt Ruth had a daughter she named June Ellen, after my mother, June. And the Donna part? From a 1942 novel by Daphne du Maurier, Frenchman’s Creek. How do I know? I asked mom!
My dentist used to be Frank Vedelago. His partner dentist in the same building was Stephen Carnell. They were brothers! Deciding to go into dental practice together but with separate practices in the same building, they realized that with two Dr. Vedelagos there would be confusion. So they tossed a coin and Stephen took their mother’s maiden name, Carnell. And his children all went by that surname too.
Years ago, in one of my classes, a young woman had a seriously difficult family history problem. The family looked every bit Italian, dark hair and eyes and beautiful olive skin. But the great-grandfather’s name was Lars Swenson. What? (This was obviously before DNA.) On his deathbed, Grandpa Lars told the truth: When he was a newly arrived immigrant, he got drunk, was rolled and his money and papers stolen. Realizing the situation, and seeing another fellow drunk in the corner, “Lars” took that fellow’s papers and became in name, if not in fact, Lars Swenson. And on the point of death, he could not remember his real, Italian, surname. True story.
How did your parents pick your name? If you have folks to ask, ASK! And realize, when researching your family tree and come up against a seemingly impossible brick wall, remember that our ancestors were survivors……..and that’s why we’re here today.
Tacoma-Pierce County Genealogical Society DNA Special Interest Group Meeting
Tuesday, June 27 at 7:00 pm via Zoom
We will continue studying Genetic Genealogy in Practice by Blaine Bettinger and Debbie Parker Wayne.
This month we will discuss Chapter 6: Genealogical Applications for X-DNA.
This book is available from The National Genealogical Society (the publishers, Amazon, or perhaps through your local public library or via Inter-Library Loan.
Check WorldCat to see what libraries may have copies.
Tacoma-Pierce County Genealogical Society is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: TPCGS DNA Special Interest Group Meeting
Every month on the Fourth Tue beginning at 7:00 PM Pacific Time
Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system.
Many of you have embraced the Pioneer Pursuit contest with enthusiasm and vigor. We’re very excited about all the submissions (more than 1,500 so far!). It’s hard to know exactly how many people lived In Washington Territory, but there are estimates that about 350,000 individuals were here in 1889, so we have a ways to go.
We acknowledge we’re a little behind on posting the submissions in the index, but we’re working hard to get caught up. Thanks for your patience.
Even though we’re still posting your submissions, don’t let that slow you down. We’re still looking to document every man, woman and child who lived in Washington Territory on or before 11 Nov 1889. And don’t forget there are prizes for every individual and genealogical society that submits a Pioneer.
The submission form, instructions, examples, frequently asked questions and research hints are all available here. If you have other questions, don’t hesitate to contact us at Info@wasgs.org. We’re here to help!
You are free to copy articles to any non-commercial web site or message board or printed publication you wish. Don’t bother to ask permission, just do it.
Judy Line has been doing genealogy off and on for thirty years. She has completed several formal education programs. She holds certificates from the National Institute for Genealogical Studies, Boston University and holds a business degree from Washington State University. Thursday: July 6, 2023
