Bainbridge Island Genealogical Society Destination Canada

by Charles Hansen

On November 18, 2022 BIGS Presents

At 10AM, Friday, Nov 18, 2022, on Zoom,

Dave Obee will present:

“Destination Canada”

When we say he wrote the book on this subject, we mean it. Dave is a distinguished British Columbian journalist and genealogist. In 2010, he published the book “Destination Canada: A Genealogical Guide to Immigration Records,” He will tell us how to find the more than 7 million people who arrived in Canada between 1815 and 1930. They came from Europe, Asia, and even from the United States.

Many sources such as ship passenger lists, border crossing records, and naturalization and citizenship documents can be found online. Other sources exist, of course, and we’ll learn about how to find information from those as well.

So, please join us on November 18th at 10AM for this informative presentation. The Zoom link will be available on our website bigenealogy.org on November 17th, the day before the meeting. Everyone Welcome! No membership necessary.

Gift Idea: Washington Pioneer Certificate

by Roxanne Lowe

pioneer

If your ancestor was one of the 350,000 people who lived in the Washington Territory when it became the nation’s 42nd state on November 11, 1889, you may be eligible for a Washington Pioneer certificate. Or if your ancestors arrived a little later — before December 31, 1900 — you can get a First Citizen certificate. What a great gift for yourself and your family members!

firstcitizen

We began the Washington State Centennial Pioneer Certificate Program in 1984 in anticipation of the state’s centennial admission to the union in 1889. The initial certificates were issued to applicants who could prove their ancestors were in Washington Territory on or before November 11, 1889. Those descendants’ names, almost 18,000, were printed in a two-volume set of books entitled “Washington Pioneers” in 1992. A third volume, published in 1993, included Pioneers and First Citizens (those in the state on or before December 31, 1900). The three original volumes are out of print, but an index is available here. WSGS members have access to family lineages in the Members’ Only section of the website.

Pioneer and First Citizen Certificates are still being issued, although they are published only on the WSGS website at this time. If you can prove your ancestor was in Washington prior to November 11, 1889, you may be eligible to purchase a Pioneer Certificate. If your ancestor was in Washington on or before December 31, 1900, you may be eligible for a First Citizen Certificate. More information, including resources to prove residency, is available in the Pioneer and First Citizen Program brochure. An application and instructions are available here.

Let’s Talk About: Sharing Books

by Donna Phillips

 Found these three books in a going-to-the-dump pile and rescued them!

Will send them to you for postage.


Garden of the Sun: History of the San Joaquin Valley: 1772-1939 by Wallace Smith, 2004


Collected Poems of Robert Service, “poet-bard of the Yukon”


The Fountain & the Mountain: The University of Washington Campus, 1895-1995, by Norman J. Johnston

WSGS Announces Pioneer Pursuit Contest

by Roxanne Lowe

The Washington State Genealogical Society is excited to announce a year-long contest to document the family histories of every man, woman and child living in Washington Territory on or before it became a state on November 11, 1889.

Beginning today, genealogical societies and individual genealogists can start researching and documenting Pioneers and two subsequent generations for inclusion in the Pioneer Pursuit Collection. We intend to make the histories accessible online at the end of the contest, October 31, 2023.

It is estimated there were nearly 350,000 people living here in 1889. Together, we can uncover the family histories of those Pioneers — and win a cash prize. For more information about this important undertaking, including forms, examples and resources, please visit the Pioneer Pursuit web page.

Heritage Quest Research Library and the Fire

by Charles Hansen
Dear members, patrons and valued friends of Heritage Quest Research Library,

Many of you may have already heard the devastating news surrounding the fire this morning in Sumner, Washington and I am sure you have a million questions regarding the library’s viability and future.
Let me begin by stating “We are still here, and we will get through this.”  

In the short term as we have yet to be allowed in the building, we will be closed for the next week or so.  There is much to get through with all the intricacies involved in a fire.  We are hoping for minimal damage, considering the fire was just next door and there was a fire wall between the businesses.  We have sustained some water damage, but again we hope minimal. We will continue to move forward making the best possible decisions regarding the future of HQRL. 

We hope for your continued support and patience as we get through this stressful time.

My sincerest regards,
Jo-Anne Huber 
Director

Let’s Talk About: Halloween

by Donna Phillips

One good picture says it all:

Starting in early September, the stores are already stocking Halloween stuff and I for one do not like that. By October the offerings include 100 different “ghoulish goodies.” It’s always fun to find something really different.

I spotted this Mickey Mouse Pumpkin Lamp in a thrift store! Was only $22. Now this is my kind of Halloween decoration. 

Tacoma Pierce County Genealogical Society November Legacy Family Tree SIG

by Charles Hansen

Tacoma Pierce County Genealogical Society

Legacy Family Tree SIG Meeting Nov 1st, 2022, 7:00 pm

This month’s meeting will be a little different as we have exhausted the longer free Legacy Family Tree videos, so I will be picking 2 – 3 topics from the paid videos to discuss. We won’t be watching the paid videos, but I will review them and try to channel my inner Geoff to discuss and demonstrate the topics live via zoom and my Legacy family file.

I hope to see you on Tuesday November 1st!

Our meetings are held on the 1st Tuesday of each month from 7:00 pm until 8:30. The link to the reoccurring Zoom Meeting is located at the bottom of this page.

The purpose of this Special Interest Group is for open discussion of topics related to using Legacy. This could include any questions or problems we are having with the program or tips and features we have discovered.  If you think of something you would like to bring up, please write it down so you can share it with the group.

1st Tuesday of Month Meeting Link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82495661568?pwd=dy85YmluVzF5aEU4SzFTcTUrVDlTUT09

As always if a hyperlink is not active just copy and paste it into your browser.

Eastern Washington Genealogical Society Heritage from the Heartland Indiana

by Charles Hansen

Saturday, November 5

EWGS Monthly Meeting 

1:00 pm to 3:30 pm

A Hybrid Meeting at Shadle Public Library

Our “Heritage From The Heartland” series continues with

Indiana – Hoosiers in the Heartland

Presented by Allison DePrey Singleton

Acting Genealogy Services Manager at Allen County Public LibraryHoping to see each of you at this excellent presentation!

There will be several great raffles…

so bring a couple bucks to enter!

And…if you don’t already have your “Ugly Sweater” ready for December’s contest, you may be able to get one at this meeting!

Something’s Coming!

by Roxanne Lowe

WSGS is just about ready to announce a new project — where you can win a cash prize! We’ve been working behind the scenes for more than a year on a project that will be fun, challenging and rewarding! Watch for the big announcement coming soon. Maybe even next week!!