NGS 2023 Conference Richmond Virginia

by Charles Hansen


Save the Dates: 31 May – 3 June
NGS 2023 Family History Conference
Richmond, Virginia

Dear Charles,
Mark your calendars for the National Genealogical Society (NGS) 2023 Family History Conference, 31 May – 3 June, in Richmond, Virginia. The theme is Virginia: Deep Roots of a Nation.

Thanks to the more than 885 NGS members who answered our conference survey, the NGS Family History Conference promises to deliver the programming you’re looking for in 2023.

Pre-Conference Events and Official Opening: Wednesday, 31 May

Local Tours
Delegate Council Meeting
New Focus Program for Societies, Libraries, and Archives, including a luncheon and “Shout Out”
SLAM! Idea Showcase Reception
Official Start of Conference with Expo Hall Opening

Conference Program: 1 June – 3 June (Thursday through Saturday)
The program will include

BCG Skill Building
Virginia Track
Methodology
Latest DNA Tools
African American Research
Native Peoples Research
Jewish records, and more.

Special Bonus
The Library of Virginia has confirmed that it will extend its research hours from
9:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. on Thursday,1 June, and from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.
on Saturday for its Archives Research Room. You may also want to visit Richmond’s other outstanding genealogical research facilities. Take advantage of NGS’s discounted hotel rates three days before and three days after the conference to research your Virginia ancestors.

Program/Registration/Hotels
The 2023 Family History Conference program will be available online approximately two weeks before we open conference registration. Check your email or the NGS Conference website for announcements about the program and registration. We will open hotel registrations at three downtown hotels—Richmond Marriott, Hilton, and Omni—after conference registration opens.

See You in Richmond!


Copyright © 2022 National Genealogical Society (NGS), all rights reserved.
National Genealogical Society · 6400 Arlington Blvd · Suite 810 · Falls Church, VA 22042-2318 · USA

Let’s Talk About: Sad 1811 Story

by Donna Phillips

John Cleves Symmes, 1742-1814, was the delegate from New Jersey to the Continental Congress. The following is a letter he wrote to his grandson, John Cleves Short, from Cincinnati and dated “March the 3rd, 1811.”

“My dear grandson, your letter of the 18th I received this day a week ago, and the day after I arrived in town. …….. I have now, my son, a Melancholy piece of intelligence to communicate. I left home in the morning of the 22nd of Feby and went first to Springfield, then crossed the country to Columbia, came to this place on Saturday the 23rd…went again to Springfield on the 27th and returned here on the 28th…

(In this letter I learned that )my house at Cleves with all its contents was reduced to a heap of ashes in the afternoon of the 1st instant….. the flames burst out and by three o’clock that valuable pile that 14 years ago cost me $8000 was in ashes. All my maps, deeds, mortgages, receipts, ledgers, day books, many of my bonds, and thousands of other important papers are lost. All my books, and yours, your clothes and mine, save what I have on my back, all my bedding, my years provisions, ten barrels of beef and pork of the first quality, 100 lbs of tallow, 100 lbs of old sugar, a stock of butter and cheese, all sorts of furniture…..not a cents worth has been saved that could not burn and what is not combustible is either melted, broken or in some way spoiled. $30,000 cannot repair my loss. But to all this I must submit and give up the idea of ever being able to keep house there again during my life. 

I have no appetite, my sleep is short, my thirst feverish. I hope however, my son, that it will not drive me mad. I know that I came naked into the world and I can but go naked out of it….. Man projects, but God frustrates the most sanguine prospects.” 

As I read this sad tale, I wondered how much paper-documentation-of-history has been lost through the years to fire????

Let’s Talk About: Useful Tidbits

by Donna Phillips

War Bonds:  debt securities issued by a government to finance military operations and other expenditures in time of war.  

Chain:  a chain is a unit length measuring 66 feet, or 22 yards, or 100 links. There were/are 80 chains in one statute mile. The chain was used for several centuries in Britain and in some other countries influenced by British practice. (Can you imagine dragging this through the dense woods of the forests of Eastern America, up and down hill????)

Scurvy:  Our long-sea-voyage-seafaring ancestors often suffered from scurvy. After three months at sea, with no Vitamin C in their diet, the sailors would become irritable, lethargic and with bleeding gums leading to tooth loss. Once this was realized, captains would take jugs of vinegar on board for these long voyages. People in third-world countries still get scurvy today. 

Gretna Green:  A Gretna Green was a favored marriage place when a couple wanted to run away from home to get married…… a place with fewer marriage restrictions. Maybe they wanted to marry without parental consent, marry at a younger age, wanted to avoid paying a marriage bond, etc. The original Gretna Green is a town by that name just over the border in south Scotland. Most all U.S. states have a Gretna Green. 

Tacoma Pierce County Genealogical Society November Meeting

by Charles Hansen

You are invited to attend our monthly membership meeting Tuesday November 8th beginning at 6:30 pm.

This is a hybrid meeting being held at the Tacoma Family History Center located at 5915 S 12th Street, Tacoma, WA 98465 and online via Zoom.  Please email publicity@tpcgs.org for Zoom login.

We will have a presentation about our popular local resource the Heritage Quest Research Library by its Director, Jo-Anne Huber. The HQRL is located at 1007 Main St., in Sumner.  hqrl.com

We look forward to your attendance

Seattle Genealogical Society Tip of the Week Special Offer from Legacy

by Charles Hansen

TIP OF THE WEEK –
A SPECIAL OFFER FOR SGS MEMBERS

Legacy Family Tree Webinars offers Seattle Genealogical Society members a 50% discount off a first-year Legacy webinar membership. 
 
Legacy Family Tree Webinars hosts online genealogy programs presented by nationally-known speakers on a variety of genealogy and technology topics. The live webinars are initially free to view for about a week. Then the recordings are placed in the Webinar Library and viewing access is granted through an annual membership ($49.95/year). 

The SGS member discount makes it $24.98 for the first year, valid for new Legacy webinar memberships only. 

SGS members, please login to your “Members Home” via the SGS website to take advantage of this offer. 

Seattle Genealogical Society News

by Charles Hansen

 BRITISH ISLES RESEARCH DAY
NOVEMBER 2, 2022

The Family History Library will present 5 online classes focused on research in the British Isles, in succession, from 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM Mountain time ( 8:00 am – 11:00 am Pacific time), on Wednesday, November 2. 

The classes are: 

  • 9:00 AM MDT – Beyond 2022 Ireland
  • 9:30 AM MDT – New Records on ScotlandsPeople
  • 10:00 AM MDT – Irish Ancestors aka JohnGrenham.com
  • 11:00 AM MDT – What’s New for British Research on FamilySearch.org
  • 11:30 AM MDT – British Research on Findmypast.com

Like most Family History Library presentations, this morning of research in the British Isles is free, but registration is required. Register here: 
https://churchofjesuschrist.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_s_FE_f-dQFqWTB0wBU7R-Q

SEATTLE PUBLIC LIBRARY
ANNOUNCEMENT

Recently the number of days that Levels 6-9, known as the Book Spiral, at Seattle’s downtown central public library was extended from 3 to 5 days a week. These levels are now open Sunday through Thursday during library open hours. These levels are where you will find  the bulk of the library’s non-fiction holdings. The Genealogy Section is located on level 9. For assistance with research or item retrieval, please call 206 386-4636. 

AN INVITATION TO THE NOVEMBER

SGS BOARD MEETING 

For SGS members, as always, you’re invited to attend the next SGS board meeting, November 14, 2022, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM.  

The Board continues to meet via Zoom, and the information needed to login to this meeting can be found in the calendar section of the SGS website.

IMPORTANT NOTICE FROM 
THE GOOD SHEPHERD CENTER 

SGS has been notified by the manager of the Good Shepherd Center that the elevator in our building will be taken out of service for about four weeks starting in early November. We will post the exact dates on the SGS website when we receive them from the manager.

SAVE THE DATE

Jewish Genealogical Society of Washington State, 
usually 2nd Monday meetings
usually 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM PST

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 Monday, Nov 14, 2022 at 7:00 pm.  The presentation will be “Putting Your Family in Context: The History of Jews in Ukraine” with Tammy Hepps. 

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

“Julefest: A Nordic Christmas Celebration”, 
National Nordic Heritage Museum, 
2655 NW Market St,
Seattle, WA 98107 
Sat-Sun, Nov 19-20, 2022
10:00 AM – 5:00 PM 

Modeled after a traditional outdoor Christmas market, expect all the traditional Nordic holiday goodies. Ticket price for non-members includes entry to the museum.  Julefest is  no charge for museum members. 

https://nordicmuseum.org/events/julefest

SGS CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Good Shepherd Center, Suite 302
4649 Sunnyside Ave N
Seattle, WA 98103
206 522-8658

New Hours :  Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday
10:00 am – 3:00 pm ** Please call ahead to make sure our library will be open. We are short on front desk volunteers this summer.  

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 

Saturday, November 5, 2022, 10:15 am- 12:15 pm, FamilySearch SIG, 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, November 6, 2022, 1:00 pm- 3:00 pm, DNA Workshop SIG, with Cary Bright and Craig Gowens. To participate you need to be on the SGS DNA Interest Group email list. Contact Cary at SGSDNASIG@gmail.com to join. 

Monday, November 7, 2022, 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, November 8, 2022, 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, November 9, 2022, 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm, MAC Computer SIG, Jointly sponsored by SGS and Fiske this group shares an interest in Macintosh (Apple) computers and the Reunion family history software. They meet every other month,  through June. The link to logon will be sent to the MAC SIG email list. People wishing to attend should email macusersig@seagensoc.org to be added to the mailing list. Lisa Marker and Diane Hettrick are the co-chairs.

Saturday, November 12, 2022, 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm, Second Saturday: You Light Up My Census! Researching Beyond Population Schedules”, with Jennifer Roodzant

Monday, November 14, 2022, 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, November 14, 2022, 1:00 pm- 3:00 pm, SGS Board Meeting (Virtual), Remember all SGS members are welcome to attend the board meeting. Come see what it’s all about. 

Monday, November 14, 2022, 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 

Saturday, November 19, 2022, 10:00 am- 12:00 pm, Irish SIG, with Susan McKee and Jim Ryan. See the SGS website Calendar of Events for further information. Notice there is a new Zoom link.

Saturday, November 19, 2022, 1:00 pm- 3:00 pm, German SIG, with Carolyn Schott See the SGS website Calendar of Events for further information. Notice there is a new Zoom link.

Monday, November 21, 2022, 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, November 22, 2022, 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. 

Monday, November 28, 2022, 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.

Stillaguamish Valley Genealogical Society Voting Records

by Charles Hansen

Stillaguamish Valley Genealogical Society

Join us on Election Day!

Presentation: Voting Records: Genealogy’s Best Kept Secret and SVGS monthly meeting

Tuesday November 8, 2022,,1:00 PM Pacific

Zoom Meeting: Society Library or Virtually

Online via Zoom, via phone, and in-person at the SVGS Library 6111 188 PL NE, Arlington.


The Stillaguamish Valley Genealogical Society is now providing monthly meetings at the library and via Zoom. Pam Vestal will be speaking virtually at our November 8th meeting. Our business meeting will follow the presentation.


Pam’s topic: Voting Records: Genealogy’s Best Kept Secret

Looking for a date of birth or death? When and where your ancestor became a citizen? Where he disappeared to or where he came from? Voting records may have the answer. These often-overlooked gems can be packed with genealogical information, and you won’t believe what they can tell us about our ancestors!


Pam’s Bio:

Pam is a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists and has been a speaker for the Federation of Genealogists, the National Genealogical Society, our own Northwest Genealogy Conference and many others. She is the owner of Generations Genealogy, LLC and can be found on her website at www.generationsgen.com.

You are invited to watch free (donations to the society are always appreciated) Zoom presentation at the society library located at 6111 188 PL NE, Arlington, Washington. If you prefer to watch virtually, a Zoom link to join the meeting using your computer or by phone can be found on our website.
www.stillygen.org

Lower Columbia Genealogical Society DNA Research and Sourcing Tips

by Charles Hansen

Terry Mattison will present the program, DNA: research and sourcing tips, for the Thursday,   November 10th, Zoom program for the Lower Columbia Genealogical Society.  The Zoom meeting will open at 6:30 PM for announcements and to welcome guests.  The program will start at 7:00 PM.  The public is invited to join.  For the Zoom link to attend the program

contact  lcgsgen@yahoo.com  

South King County Genealogical Society Meetings & Events

by Charles Hansen

NOVEMBER – EARLY DECEMBER 2022 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

  • All meetings are virtual except the in-person Research Group and Genealogy Help at the Auburn Library
  • Live transcription (captioning) is available during our Zoom meetings by request


Tuesday, November 1, 2022, 6:30pm PT
SKCGS Board of Directors Meeting (virtual)
All SKCGS members are invited to attend; only Officers and Directors may vote. Write to Board@skcgs.org for the meeting link.

Friday, November 4, 2022, 12:30 – 2:30 pm PT
EGS German Interest Group (virtual)
“Using German Newspapers” by Carol Whitton, CG®

Learn how to read German newspaper print and find those newspapers in the U.S. and Germany. 

Visitors welcome and more information at https://egsgermangroup.wordpress.com

Registration is required:  

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMrf-mgrjsvH9eP9utBbi3_KMUp1y-u5H1e


Saturday, November 5, 2022, 10:00am – 12:00pm 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.

Monday, November 14, 2022 ⋅ 1:00pm – 3:00pm PT
Genetic Genealogy/DNA Interest Group (virtual)
“Use DNA Painter Tools to Answer Your Research Questions”
This group is for genealogists who use DNA data as part of their research. DNA evidence, like all genealogical evidence cannot stand alone. So we use DNA and other research to answer questions about who is related to whom genetically, and how can we support that conclusion? Subscribe for meeting invitations and discussion: https://skcgs.groups.io/g/Genetic-Genealogy

Friday, November 18, 2022, 1:00pm – 3:00pm PT
Research Group (in-person)
For SKCGS members
Kent Family History Center 12817 SE 256th St., Kent, WA
Seating is limited
RSVP REQUIRED to Winona at w.laird@skcgs.org

Saturday, November 19, 2022, 9:30am PT social time; 10:00am – 11:30am PT program
SKCGS General Meeting (virtual)
Dave Obee presents “In Search of Home: Migration into, out of, and within Canada”
Understanding the flow of people will help you understand how your family fits in the history of the country. In some cases, records are available in Canada and in other countries, but in other cases researchers will need to consider social history and traditional migration routes to understand the lives of their ancestors. Includes a look at the social history of the arrival of the railway, which helped bring massive development to the four western provinces.


Dave Obee is a journalist and genealogical researcher who has written a dozen books and given more than 700 presentations at conferences and seminars in Canada, the United States and Australia since 1997. He is a columnist for Internet Genealogy magazine, and has been awarded an honorary degree by the University of Victoria for his work as a genealogist, journalist and historian. He is the author of books on immigration to Canada, and the Canadian census.

REGISTER IN ADVANCE
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email from Zoom
Save the email – it contains your link to join the meeting
Link to register for this meeting:
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIscemgpj4qGtLGeXpzlBKTv8pvDRaoSNvU


Monday, November 21, 2022 ⋅ 1:00pm – 3:00pm PT
Technical User Group (virtual)
“Helpful Browser Extensions for Genealogy”
TUG is for sharing knowledge and learning about technology tools, media, apps and websites. Subscribe for meeting invitations and discussion: https://skcgs.groups.io/g/TUG

Monday, November 28, 2022 ⋅ 1:00pm – 3:00pm PT
Genealogy Chat (virtual)
Meet up and chat about genealogy subjects and topics. We have no agenda; we just like one another! For meeting invitations and discussion, join https://skcgs.groups.io/g/Society

Friday, December 2, 2022, 12:30 – 2:30 pm PT
EGS German Interest Group (virtual)
“Beyond the Nutcracker: German Christmas Traditions” by Claire Gebben

Learn about those traditions brought to the US by the German immigrants and the current ones in Germany.

Visitors welcome and more information at https://egsgermangroup.wordpress.com

Registration is required:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMsfu-trj0vG9NNobUkwXRvDei-wujsWHY-

Saturday, December 3, 2022, 10:00am – 12:00pm 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.


Volunteers Needed (in-person)

SKCGS partners with the King County Library System in Auburn by offering a Genealogy Help Desk (GenDesk) to assist library patrons with ancestor research. GenDesk is available monthly on the fourth Thursday from 11 am to 1 pm (except November). We have materials to help anyone coming to the desk and we use our own genealogy research skills to show how to research and make progress on genealogy questions. And we are LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS to help with this project! If you would like to volunteer once a month, help others, and improve your own skills, let us know! Having a tablet or laptop to bring with you is valuable, but library computers are available to use as an alternative. We’d love to hear from you. You don’t need to have an advanced skill level to help. E-mail outreach@skcgs.org with some information on your research skill level.  

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MEMBERSHIP:  We welcome guests to our meetings and special interest groups, which are free. Naturally we hope that visitors will want to become members. Support like yours helps us to educate and engage with our community to foster interest in family and local history. Regarding our programs, even if and when we can meet again in person, we will continue with some virtual programs. You can find more information about membership at our website at http://skcgs.org/membership.

You are receiving this email because you have attended a SKCGS meeting and indicated you would like to receive periodic notice of events. If you would like to be removed from our list and stop receiving emails from us, send an email to skcgsfriends+unsubscribe@skcgs.org.

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