Wenatchee Area Genealogical Society DNA Research Plan
Let’s Talk About: Railroads, Part 2
Continued from last week’s post………………
The Union Pacific Railroad had a must easier time of it due to the flat midwestern terrain. A large 20-car work train crawled along the newly-laid tracks to bring supplies and support the army of workers. This train was a combination of factory, hotel, restaurant, hospital and administrative center. It required two locomotives to pull it along. Some cars were divided into offices, storerooms, blacksmith shop, carpenter shop, saddler shop. The rail hands boarded in huge sleeping cars packed with 144 bunks and fed in massive 75-foot long dining cars. Food was good and plentiful: bread, meat and coffee being the staples.
The Central Pacific had less mileage to cover but the Rocky Mountains were extremely difficult to conquer. Remember, all the work was done by blasting with TNT and then with the workers’ hands. At first, labor was scarce and expensive and unemployed immigrants were quickly snapped up by railroad recruiters. “The solution to this labor shortage lay not across the Atlantic but the Pacific,” wrote David Norris in his publication, History of Railroads. China provided thousands of men willing to travel over the ocean to work on the railroad; Chinese recruiting began in 1865 and soon grew to over 10,000 men…… who, being Chinese, were paid $31.00 per month instead of $45.00 for whites.
The worst part of the route for the Central Pacific was the Summit Tunnel over Donner Pass. This project took two full years and in the winter the workers had to dig through tunnels of deep snow just to reach the work site.
The sunny May day in 1869 when the two rail lines finally converged at Promontory Summit in Utah was indeed a milestone and reason to celebrate but the photos of the day omit the details of the full story. In those historic photos, you’ll see no Black or Chinese faces….. these ethnic workers were given no credit for their sacrifices on that auspicious day.
Jumping ahead, the Pullman sleeper car was the brain child of George Pullman who, after being “tormented during a jolting and uncomfortable ride in an overnight passenger car,” turned his mind to a solution and came up with a way to improve overnight rail travel. By 1869, his Pullman sleeper cars were running coast to coast on the new combined Union & Central Pacific Railroads.
South King County Genealogical Society July-Early August Meetings & Events’
Some of our regular monthly events are paused for the summer so be sure to check the Program Updates section below for the latest news.
JULY – EARLY AUGUST 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
- The in-person Research Group is cancelled for July and August
- EGS German Interest Group is on summer break and will resume September 9, 2022
- SKCGS monthly General Meetings with featured speakers will resume September 16, 2022
- July and August SKCGS Board Meetings are cancelled
- NEW! Genealogy Help (in-person) with SKCGS at the Auburn Library starts July 28, 2022
Saturday, July 2, 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, July 11, 2022 ⋅ 1:00pm – 3:00pm PT
Genetic Genealogy/DNA Interest Group (virtual)
Triangulation – What is it, Why Should I Care, and How Can I Use It?
Resources:
Triangulation Resources In One Place: https://dna-explained.com/2020/12/16/triangulation-resources-in-one-place/
This group is for genealogists who use DNA data as part of their research. Join for meeting invitations and discussion: https://skcgs.groups.io/g/Genetic-Genealogy
Monday, July 18, 2022 ⋅ 1:00pm – 3:00pm PT
Technical User Group (virtual)
Starting & Keeping a Successful Blog
Resources:
Blogger Help: https://support.google.com/blogger/answer/1623800?hl=en
Start a Free WordPress Blog: https://wordpress.com/website-builder
Tips to Write an Excellent Genealogy Blog: https://ancestralfindings.com/tips-write-excellent-genealogy-blog/
TUG is for sharing knowledge and learning about technology tools, media, apps and websites. Join for meeting invitations and discussion: https://skcgs.groups.io/g/TUG
Monday, July 25, 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
Thursday, July 28, 2022 ⋅ 11:00am – 1:00pm PT
Genealogy Help with SKCGS at the Auburn Library (in-person)
Genealogy questions? SKCGS offers one-on-one help with a volunteer
1102 Auburn Way S
Auburn, WA 98002
Registration not required. In-person event. Safety guidelines and current protocols followed. More information at King County Library, email kcls-auburn@kcls.org
Saturday, August 6 , 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.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY
Volunteer needed for approximately one hour per month. Our new Secretary until recently posted and ensured the accuracy of our Groups.io calendars, which send out meeting invitations and reminders. She needs to step back from that job. Please volunteer by writing to president@skcgs.org. Training is provided.
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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.
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
Seattle Genealogical Society Tip of the Week FRENCH GENEALOGY FETE!
TIP OF THE WEEK –
FRENCH GENEALOGY FETE!
July 14, 1789 is the day that marks the symbolic start of the French Revolution. Bastille Day, celebrated on July 14th each year, is France’s largest national holiday. In honor of Bastille Day, FamilySearch has scheduled four back-to-back webinars on French genealogical research. Register through your FamilySearch free account. Here’s the schedule for Family History Library Bastille Day 2022:
8:00 AM MDT/7:00 AM PDT; Reading French Civil Registration Records (60 min) – This class will cover basic French paleography by teaching you how to read and navigate French civil registration records.
9:15 AM MDT/8:15 AM PDT; Accessing the Archives of France Online (45 minutes) – Every department in France has placed the records of greatest genealogical value online, freely accessible to all. This class will demonstrate some tips and tricks to help you navigate these websites.
10:15 AM MDT/9:15 AM PDT; How Geneanet Can Help You with French Research (45 min) – The website Geneanet.org is one of the best resources for French research. Not only does it contain thousands of family trees, it also houses indexed collections of genealogical society publications, books newspapers, and vital records. Learn how to access each of these collections and use them to optimize your French research.
11:15 AM MDT/10:15 AM PDT; Using the French Genealogy Website Filae (45 min) – Come learn the basics of navigating and searching on the website Filae. This site is a wonderful resource when searching your French ancestry.
These webinars, as well as other July webinars, are listed on the Family History Library Webinar Calendar for July 2022 :
https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/img_auth.php/f/f7/07_July_2022.pdf
Seattle Genealogical Society News
WSGS AWARDS
The Washington State Genealogical Society (WSGS) has restarted its awards programs and five SGS members received awards this year. Four SGS members received a WSGS Outstanding Volunteer award. This award is given by WSGS based on recommendations from local societies. The SGS recipients are:
- Kathi M and Rob Sexton (team award) were recognized for their efforts in planning and executing the move and restructuring of the SGS library.
- Cary Bright was honored for her many years of running the SGS DNA Special Interest Group.
- And accolades go to Christine Schomaker for being, in essence, the SGS Swiss army knife, doing whatever is needed, and doing it well, for so many years.
Created in 2015, the WSGS President’s Award for Outstanding Achievement is not given out each year. It was designed and is reserved to single out that rare individual, society, or organization who has demonstrated exemplary service, above and beyond expectations. For 2022 this award was given to SGS’s past president, Jill Morelli. Everyone who knows Jill also knows that she has earned this award for her many efforts, not only within SGS, but within the genealogical community at large.
Our congratulations, and thanks, to all the award recipients!
A MESSAGE FROM THE SGS PRESIDENT
What Should We Be Doing?
At the July meeting of the SGS Board we will be having a discussion of what we should be doing over the next year or so. Our time these past couple of years has been consumed by responding to COVID-19, the move to the Good Shepherd Center, and the library restructuring project. So, now what?
Please send your thoughts on what the SGS Board and SGS should be doing over the next little while to me at president@seattlegenealogicalsociety.org.
Thanks, and have a great summer!
Jim Secan
President, SGS
ANOTHER REMINDER TO RENEW OR
JOIN THE SEATTLE GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY
For Members – to renew online log in at Members Home, go to your Member Profile, and then click the green “Renew Membership” button. If you’d rather renew by postal mail, click print a membership application and send it together with your dues payment to SGS. Or better yet, stop by the SGS Library and renew in person!
Not a member yet? Join online today and enjoy discounted class and Seminar fees, free research requests, special interest groups, and access to exclusive SGS publications and databases. Find out more about membership at Join SGS.
Take part as SGS enters it 100th Year!
Help wanted! A few more volunteers are needed to man the SGS booth at the Scottish Highland Games & Clan Gathering, Saturday, July 23, or Sunday, July 24. Volunteers will get a free entry ticket to the games that day. Also we have one volunteer from the Northgate area who needs a ride to the games. If you can help in the booth and/or provide a ride, call or text Jean Roth at 206 510-5202. Please make that call today. Thank you.
SAVE THE DATE
Jewish Genealogical Society of Washington State,
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.
http://www.jgsws.org/meetings.php
Virtual Celtic Connections Conference 2022,
Saturday, July 9 – Friday, Sept 30, 2022
Registration is now open. Here are some of the highlights.
- 22 international and national speakers will deliver over 50 pre-recorded talks
- Talks available 24/7 for almost 3 months
- 6 Conference Tracks
- 15 live chats to engage with Presenters
- At least 5 interactive roundtables
For all the details visit: http://celtic-connections.org/
Pacific NW Scottish Highland Games &
Clan Gathering,
Enumclaw Expo Center,
Enumclaw, WA
Friday, July 22, 2022 – Sunday, July 24, 2022
Mark your calendar and show up for plenty of fun at the 75th Annual Pacific NW Scottish Highland Games & Clan Gathering. For full details visit:
https://www.sshga.org/daily-event-schedule/
SGS CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Good Shepherd Center, Suite 302
4649 Sunnyside Ave N
Seattle, WA 98103
206 522-8658
New Hours : Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, 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
Wednesday, July 6, 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.
Sunday, July 10, 2022, 1:00 pm-3:00 pm, Scandinavian Interest Group, Jill Morelli will speak about Scandinavian Handwriting at this meeting. Hosted by Karen Knudson.
Tuesday, July 12 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, July 13, 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.
Wednesday, July 13, 2022, 7:00 pm-9:00 pm, MAC Computer SIG, Jointly sponsored by SGS and Fiske Genealogical Library, this group meets every other month from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Meetings are open to the public and address topics and resources helpful for those using MacIntosh (Apple) computers and the Reunion program in their genealogy research. Meetings are virtual via Zoom until in-person meetings can resume. 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.
Saturday, July 16, 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.
Sunday, July 17, 2022, 1:00 pm-2:30 pm, Virtual Sundays: Something Old, Something New, Jill Morelli is the host. Visit the SGS website Calendar for details and updates. Please register in advance. Topic this month is “150 Years of Burned Records: Parents for Elna Johansdotter”.
Wednesday, July 20, 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, July 26, 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, July 27, 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.
MyHeritage July Webinars & a Benefit For Your Society Members
We have some fantastic free webinars from Legacy Family Tree Webinars in July, plus a free genealogy conference AND a new benefit for your society members. Check out the details below and let your audience know about July 2022’s live webinars:
- The Madness of ‘Mc’ Surnames by Carol Baxter
- What’s New at DNA Painter by Jonny Perl
- Exploring Your Ethnicities on MyHeritage by Gal Zrihen
- Montana Genealogy Treasures by Janet Thomson, Ed.D.
- Colonial Spanish & Mexican Censuses & Census Substitutes by Henrietta Martinez Christmas
- Les nouvelles collections belges sur MyHeritage (French) by Marie Cappart
- Ancestors’ Religions in the U.S. by Carolyn L. Whitton, CG
- Our hour to master your camera settings by Jared Hodges
- MyHeritage’s Latest Photo Innovations by Tal Erlichman
Free Genealogy Conference, July 23
Treat yourself to a genealogy conference Saturday, July 23! Join us at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com/conference to enjoy five, completely FREE, pre-recorded classes on the topic of Military Research. No registration is required.
Be sure to spread the news far and wide so your friends and followers don’t miss out on this fantastic FREE content! You can use the graphic above.
New benefit for your society members
I know of the challenge of recruiting new members for your society and hoping that your current members will renew. We’ve now created a new membership benefit that you can offer to your members and potential members that I think will help solve these challenges.
In addition to the free webinars at Legacy, the complete back-library of 1,700+ webinar recordings is available with a webinar membership. As a new membership benefit for your society members, you can now offer them a first-year 50% off discount for a webinar membership (regular pricing is $49.95, the discount would make it $24.98, valid for new memberships only). Included in the membership are:
- Anytime access to the recorded webinars (currently 1,798 classes)
- Anytime access to the instructor syllabus (currently 6,643 pages)
- Anytime access to the chat logs of the live webinars
- Bonus members-only webinars
- Lots of other goodies
Please write to Geoff Rasmussen at Geoff@LegacyFamilyTree.com to obtain your society’s unique coupon code or if you have any questions. He has also prepared a draft announcement you can share with your group. Sounds like a great opportunity.
Best regards!
Daniel Horowitz
Genealogy Expert
| MyHeritage Ltd., P.O.Box 50, 3 Ariel Sharon Blvd., Or Yehuda, Israel 6037606, Israel, +972-3-6280000 |
Surrey Libraries Family History
Hello WaSGS,
A quick note from over the border here at Surrey Libraries Family
History… We have two FREE online Eastern Europe research programs in
August, on the heels of our really popular Eastern Europe program
earlier this year. Are you able to promote to your gen folks? I’d be
grateful for whatever you are able to do. Posters are attached, and
blurbs are below.
Genealogy: Eastern Europe Border Changes
ONLINE program
Tuesday, August 16
10:00 – 11:30am PDT
Anyone researching their family history in Eastern Europe probably has
faced the challenges that changing borders present. In this program,
Edie Adam will use findings from her family history research to
demonstrate the key factors — time and place — and how to use them to
your advantage.
Free. Registration required. Email familyhistory@surrey.ca or call
604-598-7327
https://www.surreylibraries.ca/events/genealogy-and-eastern-europe-border-changes?eventdate=Tue%20Aug%2016%20|%2010:00%20am
Genealogy: Online Polish Records
ONLINE program
Tuesday, August 30
10:00am – 11:30am PDT
The ability to search for birth, marriage and death records in regions
now in Poland has enabled genealogy research most of us never thought
possible. However, to many these resources are a perplexing maze of
random searches. This presentation will provide a brief overview of two
primary databases which reveal parish and civil registry records in
Poland encompassing many Polish, German and Jewish residents of in the
19th – early 20th centuries: Geneteka and Metryki.Genealodzy.PL
Free. Registration required. Email familyhistory@surrey.ca or call
604-598-7327
https://www.surreylibraries.ca/events/navigating-online-records-poland-find-ancestors?eventdate=Tue%20Aug%2030%20|%2010:00%20am
Many thanks!
Carmen
Carmen Merrells, BA, MLIS | Information Services Librarian
Cloverdale Branch, Family History Department
5642 – 176A Street, Surrey, BC, Canada V3S 4G9
T 604.598-7447 | F 604.598-7321 | www.surreylibraries.ca [1]
_Discover something new at Surrey Libraries!_ [2]__
_Surrey Libraries recognizes that our work takes place on the ancestral,
traditional, and unceded territories of the SEMYOME (Semiahmoo),
q̓ic̓əy̓ (Katzie), kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwikwetlem),
q̓ʷɑ:n̓ƛ̓ən̓ (Kwantlen), qiqéyt (Qayqayt), xʷməθkʷəy̓əm
(Musqueam) First Nations and on the ancestral and traditional territory
of the sc̓əwaθən məsteyəxʷ (Tsawwassen) First Nation._
Links:
——
[1] http://www.surreylibraries.ca/
[2] https://www.surreylibraries.ca/services/online-library
MyHeritage Theory of Family Relativity
I’m excited to tell you that MyHeritage has just completed an additional update to the data for our ultimate genetic genealogy tool, Theory of Family Relativity™!
In case you’re still unfamiliar with Theory of Family Relativity™, this feature pulls together billions of data points from across all the family tree profiles and historical records on MyHeritage to bring you theories about how your DNA Matches may be related to you. The calculations are run on a periodic basis, and since our last update, countless new DNA kits, family tree profiles, and historical records have been added to MyHeritage.
This means that the number of theories, the number of DNA Matches that include a theory, and the number of kits that have a theory have all increased significantly — and so have your chances of getting a new theory! As a result of this new update 25,636,711 Theories of Family Relativity™ were added.
Check out our blog post to learn more about this update, and feel free to use the graphic below and spread the news.
Best regards!
Daniel Horowitz
Genealogy Expert
| MyHeritage Ltd., P.O.Box 50, 3 Ariel Sharon Blvd., Or Yehuda, Israel 6037606, Israel, +972-3-6280000 |
Tacoma Pierce County Genealogical Society Legacy SIG
Tacoma Pierce County Genealogical Society
Legacy Special Interest Group Meeting July 5th, 2022, 7:00 pm
This week we will be viewing two short videos and starting 1 long video done by Geoff that are free and available from the Help tab in Legacy by clicking to the QuickTip Videos icon. The direct link to each video is listed below its title:
Using Legacy’s TreeFinder
Using Legacy’s Character Ribbon
Hands-On with Legacy Hints: Using MyHeritage Record Matches and Smart Matches
Please take some time this week to review the “FREE” videos available on the Legacy Family Tree Webinars site and bring your list of videos you would like to review back to the group next Tuesday.
We hope to see you this coming Tuesday, July 5th!
Our meetings are held on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month from 7:00 pm until 8:30. Links to the reoccurring Zoom Meetings are located at the bottom of this page, one for the 1st Tuesday and one for the 3rd Tuesday of each month.
The first half of each meeting we will work thru training videos, watching, and then pausing to talk about the section we just watched before moving on to the next section. The second half will be used 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
3rd Tuesday of Month Meeting Link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87839130000?pwd=dGdHY2wrZ0d1bDNRTEQ4Uk15OVk0Zz09
As always if a hyperlink is not active just copy and paste it into your browser.
Let’s Talk About: Railroads, Part 1
Railroads were lifelines across America to our ancestors. Anything we can learn about railroads and railroading will benefit the social history we seek to fill out our ancestors’ lives. Do keep in mind that it was our ancestors who did this railroad building not “hired workers from elsewhere.”
David Norris authored a special issue from Internet Genealogy Magazines titled The History of Railroads. This issue was 50 pages all about the topic of railroads and you might want to order a copy for yourself. I do quote from that publication.
In the beginning, there were two railroads: the Central Pacific in the west and the Union Pacific in the east. Soon after the Civil War, it was apparent that the need to connect both side of the county was sorely needed. So the government gave financial incentives to these two railroad companies, with greater benefits going to the Central Pacific for they had the far rougher terrain to conquer. Railroad companies were granted up to 6400 acres of public land and $48,000 in government bonds for every mile of track; this was to the Central Pacific with lesser amounts to the Union Pacific.
First, surveyors had to map the path. Then crews wee assigned to build bridges, culverts or tunnels. Next came the graders to shape the track bed. Most work was done by hand with pick, shovel and wheel barrows. Other crews cut timber along the way for lumber to build these structures, for the ties and for fuel.
Working at top speed, crews could lay over 100 feet of track per minute… or less than one hour to lay a mile of track. Each mile of track required 380 rails, 2600 ties and 10,000 spikes which were transported to the work site along the newly-laid tracks.
This last paragraph applies to the work across the midwestern plains. Work crawled along with much greater difficulty through the Rocky Mountains.
To be continued………………..