 THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s Thursday Evening E-News Edition November 5, 2020 Curious about the status of your GFO Membership?We’d love to have you as a GFO Member!gfo.org | 503-963-1932 | info@gfo.orgBe sure to check the complete GFO CALENDAR.Also, don’t miss the current issue of The Forum Insider Click here for a PDF version of this E-News.  We’re Turning 75! Help Us Celebrate The GFO is about to hit a major milestone. In two months we turn 75 years old! Please help us celebrate.What are you favorite memories of the GFO? It could be a discovery, an event, or meaningful relationship. Perhaps someone helped you break a brick wall. Maybe you got to meet a star in the genealogy world.  We’d like to share your stories with our members during our anniversary year. They might appear in the E-News, the Insider, or the Bulletin.Short blurbs work best. A single paragraph or two are ideal. If you have a nice head shot photo of yourself, it’d be great to feature that too.Our longest time member, who joined in 57 years ago in 1963, has already shared a story with us. Please share yours too. Contribute your GFO Memories  Fall Seminar: 2 Days of Genealogy Gems!You know Lisa Louise Cooke from her Genealogy Gems Podcasts. Her videos. Her articles. Her website. And her presentations at genealogy conferences.  Now you can meet her, ask questions, and get two days of her popular “Gems” for yourself! Learn about reopening cold cases, handling common surnames, finding living relatives, and see how Google Earth Pro can help every genealogist. Lisa is an extremely popular international genealogy speaker, and the GFO is thrilled she will join us for our Fall Seminar, November 14 and 15, this year online. And everyone will get a great view of her presentations from the comfort of whatever seat they choose in their home.In addition, GFO members get big discounts at this seminar! $20 off the first day, $15 off the second.We are adding extra seats so everyone can attend. Please sign up now! Register for Fall Seminar Can You Help Us on Social Media? Do you use Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram regularly? If you enjoy social media, the GFO could really use your help.We’d love to reach a broader, more diverse audience, especially on Instagram, which would be brand new to us.The GFO currently has only one person handling all Facebook posts, in addition to many other fundraising and library tasks. We’d love to communicate through other social media platforms as well, but there’s not enough time in the day for one person to tackle all this.Please contact president@gfo.org if you have a knack for social media and can help us. Follow Us On Facebook Here Free November GenTalk: Timelines & Checklists We have a great opportunity to learn how to create a timeline with what you know, identify gaps, consult a genealogical research checklist for sources to fill those gaps, and record your queries on a correspondence research log. “Kathrine Willson is one of the most talented and engaging genealogy speakers I’ve heard. I’m thrilled she’s doing a GenTalk for the GFO.” — Laurel Smith, GFO Library Chair Katherine R. Willson will be our featured online GenTalk speaker for Genealogical Timelines & Research Checklists on Saturday, Nov. 21 at 2 p.m. Discover the magic of methodology that may break down your brick walls.She is a genealogy lecturer from Michigan; an educator teaching beginning through advanced genealogy classes since 2001; the author of The Genealogist’s Guide to Grand Rapids, Michigan; and a professional researcher for private clients.Go to our GenTalk page to register now. It’s free for everyone. Special GFO Presentation: Who’s In Your Neighborhood?Friends. Associates. Neighbors. We’ve heard of the F.A.N. principle of genealogy. But what about our own GFO F.A.N club?The GFO Board has made it a priority to better serve all groups in our area. We are pleased to present Linda Harms Okazaki, who helps genealogical societies to embrace different cultures within our communities.  On Tuesday, Nov. 24 at 6:30 p.m., Linda presents Who’s In Your Neighborhood? Meeting the Diverse Research Needs of Your Community. This will be live, online and free.Historical events, laws, immigration patterns, and primary source documents will be examined to better assist individuals from different ethnic groups. A fourth-generation Californian active in the genealogy and Japanese American communities in California and beyond, Linda is a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists, a charter member of the Nikkei Genealogical Society, and a contractual genealogist with Ancestry ProGenealogists™. She is also a featured columnist for the Nichi Bei Weekly.Please come ready to ask questions and to engage in a lively dialogue. Register here for this free, online, engaging session.  Please Volunteer from Home Copyright © 2020 Adobe The GFO Library may be closed but there’s still plenty of work that can be done from home. We’re currently recruiting volunteers to help with these projects.We need volunteers to help with the PDF processing of digital scans. This requires the Adobe Acrobat Pro software. If you have this software already and would like to help, please contact Laurel Smith, laurel.smith@gfo.org. NGS Asks For Your Awards Entries Have you written an outstanding family history? Do you know a young person who is involved in genealogy projects? The National Genealogical Society recognizes excellence in the field of genealogy by presenting awards to individuals, societies, and organizations. The GFO is a member of the NGS, so our members are eligible to enter. Awards for Excellence categories include:  • Family History Writing• Genealogy and Family History Book • Genealogical Methods and Sources • NGSQ Article Excellence • Youth Writing: Grades 6-8, and 9-12 Check out the full list and entry requirements here. The deadline for entries is December 15. What’s New in Online Digital Resources As our library closure continues, we are featuring free online resources so you can reach out and connect, as well as continue to learn and build on your genealogy skills, from home. Researching Your French Canadian Ancestors Join speaker Johanne Gervais on November 7 from 10:00 – 11:30 a.m. (Pacific) and learn how, with the right tools, searching for your French Canadian ancestors in Québec has never been easier. Review the most common and useful features of the Québec Archives website, the BMS2000, Programme de recherche en démographie historique (PRDH), GenealogyQuebec, and FichierOrigine databases. Register here for this free webinar; a part of the Southern California Genealogical Society’s 2020 Jamboree Webinar Series. Jewish Immigrants in the American Antiques Trade Join Briann Greenfield and Erica Lome on Tuesday, November 17 from 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. (Pacific) for this free webinar from American Ancestors exploring the lives and careers of two Lithuanian immigrants, Israel Sack and Nathan Margolis, who became noted authorities on Early American furniture. Their clients included some of the most famous collectors of their era, such as Henry Francis du Pont, J.P. Morgan, and Luke Vincent Lockwood. This talk recovers their fascinating legacy and demonstrates their lasting influence on American decorative arts. Register in advance here by November 17. Surplus Book: the book of sarahsWhen Catherine E. McKinley set out to find her biological parents, she had both genealogical and cultural obstacles to confront.  the book of sarahs; a family in parts, is her memoir as a biracial woman who was among the many children of color placed for adoption with white couples in the 1960s and 1970s.It may may include the first instance of a phrase we’ve not run across before: Afro-Saxon.Poet and author Hettie Jones wrote of McKinley’s book, “At once mystery and family history, Catherine McKinley’s story is a must-read for anyone – and that should be everyone – paying attention to race issues in our increasingly diverse, harder-to-categorize twenty-first-century America.”   This memoir was published in 2002. This is a paperback copy in good condition. There are no marks of any kind on it, just some visible wear on the corners, and crease marks on the spine.Our price: $18, shipping included. Contact booksales@gfo.org if you’d like to purchase this. This week at GFO … The Week Ahead:The GFO Research Library is closed, and all on-site groups, classes, and work parties are suspended.Saturday, November 7Virginia Interest Group10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Online Topic: The Library of Virginia Digital Archives Virginia research is difficult, even in the best of time. Records destroyed, and many of those remain have limited access. The Library of Virginia is a premier resource for Virginia genealogical research, even during these stay at home times. The archive has an amazing digital collection. But, it’s not always easy to find those records. And now, they have changed their search process. In this meeting, we’ll discuss a selection of the records available online, how to find others, and we’ll talk about some of the other resources available to help your research. Judi Scott will be sharing some successful personal examples from the LVA digital resources, and attendees are encouraged to share theirs as well. Register in advance, here. E-mail questions to: virginia@gfo.org.German Interest Group 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. Online Topic: Pennsylvania Dutch and New York Palatines Join us for a presentation by Laressa Northrup as she speaks to the areas of origin for these groups in Germany, settlements in Pennsylvania and New York, as well as sources common or unique to both including tips on finding name variations. Download the handout here. If you are not already on our email list and would like to join us for this or any other German SIG meeting, please e-mail your request to German@gfo.org. Danke! Tuesday, November 10Board Meeting 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. OnlineAll GFO members are invited to attend. To receive a link to this online meeting, send an email in advance to president@gfo.org. Thursday, November 12The Q Review 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. Online For this month’s meeting, please read “DNA Identifies a Father for Rachel, Wife of James Lee of Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania,” by Patricia Lee Hobbs. For a link to this online meeting, e-mail Alexa Waddle at qreview@gfo.org |
Blog Banner Photos Wanted
Have you noticed the Blog banner changes every time you visit? The photos are submitted by readers like you. We’re always looking for scenic photos of our beautiful state for the rotating photo gallery on the blog banner.
Guidelines for the photos are few:
•Landscapes, landmarks, and scenery photos are preferred. If, however, you have a perfect photo that includes people, please obtain their permission to post the photo.
•Photo must have been taken in Washington State (this is the Washington State Genealogical Society blog, after all!).
•Photo will be cropped to 1100 x 250 pixels, so keep that in mind. If in doubt, send it to us & we’ll figure it out.
•You may submit as many photos as you want.
•Final decisions on suitable photos will be made by the awesome WSGS Blog Team.
•There’s no prize if your photo is chosen – just the satisfaction that your photo is being showcased on a blog viewed by hundreds of enthusiastic genealogists.
•There’s no firm deadline to submit photos, just keep ‘em coming. We want to rotate lots of photos to keep the blog fresh.
To submit your photo, please email the image (jpg only, please); what, where, when, and by whom the photo was taken to WSGSBlog@wasgs.org.
Got questions? Email the blog team at WSGSBlog@wasgs.org.
Western Washington Society Presidents Organize
Respectively submitted by Celia McNay, Eastside Genealogical Society, past president
The 2020 pandemic has been a challenge to all of us, causing many genealogical societies to rethink their mission, and how we can best serve the genealogical community. We’re rising to that challenge in various ways. One of those is the creation of the Western WA Genealogical Society Presidents Council. Out of a need for more networking, sharing, and support through the changes, Liz Osborn, the new president of Tacoma-Pierce County Genealogical Society (TPCGS), reached out to other presidents in the western side of the state. She invited us to a Zoom meeting in late June. At that first online meet-up, there were eight people in attendance: Liz; Jill Morelli, past president of Seattle GS; Jim Secan, new president of SGS; Lorraine Graeber, secretary of Tacoma-Pierce County GS; Kathy Erlandson, Olympia GS; Celia McNay, president of Eastside GS; Jane Wickert, vice-president of Eastside GS; and Karen Van Haagen Campbell, representing both the Jewish GS of WA State and the Black Genealogy Research Group.
We talked for two hours, sharing ideas, events, challenges, and hopes for the future. Some of the future topics for discussion identified at that first meeting included new president training, regional Special Interest Groups (SIGs), the defunct Family History Fair, the State (WSGS) organization, social media use, outreach activities, online general meetings and Board meetings, technology, insurance coverage, places to meet after Covid-19, and more. It was a dynamic and energized group of like-minded people with a focus on making our genealogical societies better in this new restricted, yet freeing atmosphere.
Meeting on the 4th Tuesday of the month, attendance at the July meeting jumped to 15 participants. September included a ‘guest’ speaker Ginny Majewski as both the president of WSGS and her local society. In October, Celia McNay (Eastside GS) presented information for a new president as part of a leadership training segment. Valorie Zimmerman (South King County GS) facilitated the creation of an email exchange through GroupsIO for the presidents. Jill Morelli (Seattle GS) created a chart of each GS’s SIGs with contact information. Small steps but steps forward none the less.
This group is open to any president (or designee) of a genealogical society, genealogical library, research group, etc. who might benefit from the networking. The stated purpose from the first meeting still holds true: To come together to see in what ways we can support each other and work together. As a group, we support the Washington State Genealogical Society and are not trying to re-invent the wheel. But we felt a need for leaders to share ideas and events, successes and bombs, structures and changes. The online world we have been thrust into is new to all of us and we want to succeed together!
The next meeting is 24 Nov 2020 from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. on Zoom. To be added to the distribution list and join this group, contact Jim Secan at president@seagensoc.org who will be conducting that meeting.
Jewish Genealogical Society of Washington State November 9th Presentation
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| The Jewish Genealogical Society of Washington State proudly presents a free presentation Monday evening, 11/9/20, at 7 p.m.: “Help! I tested my DNA and I’m confused!” presented by Gil Bardige, DNA/Genealogical Lecturer and DNA Mentor/ Project Leader DATE: Monday evening, November 9, 2020, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. (Pacific Time) via Zoom This free online meeting will open at 7 p.m., and the presentation will start at 7:15 p.m. Registration is required: 1) To register for this Zoom meeting, copy this into link your web browser: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85286034736?pwd=bnU1a1JOOTRHZG43d1hYTGovTUZUUT09 2) You will be prompted to enter your name and email address and when you hit enter, you will automatically be sent an email with the Zoom meeting link. Meeting ID: 852 8603 4736 Pass code: 751676 For audio, dial 1 253 215 8782, 85286034736, US (Tacoma), use Code 852 8603 4736#, Password: 751676 – Or find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kwgAJx6Yh [online via Zoom] Dial by your location +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose) +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) +1 301 715 8592 US (Germantown) +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 929 205 6099 US (New York) Meeting ID: 886 6992 1281 Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kd1gL0ABIT ABOUT OUR 11/9/20 PROGRAM This presentation will provide specific guidance on how to use DNA/Genetic Genealogy as an effective tool in your genealogy tool belt. Gil will provide examples from the four major DNA testing companies to clarify ethnicity estimates and give a detailed review of what matches mean at each company. He will outline the recommended steps to take for prioritizing and making contact with your DNA matches. The end goal is to have your match help with your family tree and, hopefully, provide information, photographs, documents, stories, etc., that you don’t already have. Gil will review the DNA tests available, what you can expect from the results, and who should test. At the end of the presentation, you will be able to say, “Now I get it… I know what to do.” During the presentation, you may ask questions by using the Chat feature, and Gil will answer them at the end of his talk. If there is time after that, he will take more questions via audio.  ABOUT OUR SPEAKER Gil Bardige was born and raised in Chicago and now lives the Columbus, Ohio area. A graduate of the New York Institute of Technology, Gil recently retired after a long career, most recently as a national business development leader for Trane. Gil has three children and three grandchildren. Gil began his genealogy adventure in 1979 with 54 people in his tree. Today his family tree is over 2,000 and traces three branches back to his 5th great grandfathers born about 1740. For the past 12+ years Gil has expanded his knowledge base to Genetic Genealogy, testing at each of the major DNA companies, and he currently manages three Y-DNA projects at Family Tree DNA as a Volunteer Administrator. He loves to help people manage their expectations and begin to remove confusion from their DNA results. With a good percentage of Sephardic ancestry shown in his DNA ethnicity, Gil has added that research to learn about his Bardiga origins. Gil is a firm believer that using DNA results as a tool in genealogical research can generate clues that help confirm relationships. ————————————————————————————————————————- SAVE THE DATES FOR OUR UPCOMING MEETINGS! If you would like to be added to our emailing list to receive our MailChimp e-Newsletter on upcoming programs and resources, please email President@jgsws.org and, for security purposes, please provide: your full name your email address how you heard about the JGSWS programs, and the city/state you live in Monday evening, December 14, 2020, 7 p.m. “Finding My Roots: Using the Entire Genealogy Toolbox” Presented by Coral Grant, Genealogical Lecturer  Description: The secrets that Coral Grant’s grandparents thought were safe eventually became unraveled through the magic of DNA, archival research, and tenacity. The truth revealed an unknown ancestor and a truly rich Latvian heritage. Working back in time, this adventure begins in the Garment District of Toronto, Canada in the early 1930’s and ends deep in the Latvian countryside of the 18th century. The journey includes a life altering deportation from the Latvian countryside during World War I, a survivor’s struggle to return home, a deception to avoid military service, and a most reluctant immigration. Along the way, Coral encountered many genealogical roadblocks: name changes, protective descendants, and multiple individuals with the same name. Using her research to share her family story and Latvian Jewish history, Coral’s presentation highlights the use of all the tools available to the genealogist. Ultimately, the goal of our genealogical research is to honor our ancestors and to make sure we do not forget their stories. Coral’s presentation will leave you with the tools to break through your genealogical roadblocks and find your ancestors, for you to tell their stories.– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – |
Eastern Washington Genealogical Society November Meeting
Saturday, November 7 Monthly Meeting (EWGS Meetings) 12:30 pm to 3:00 pm Meeting Via Zoom Ancestry Thru Lines, Are Thru Lines True Lines? with Janice Moerschel Handout for this program is attached below. It is a pdf file so it should open on any device. Download: Are ThruLines True Lines-HANDOUT
Our regular monthly meeting is being held online via Zoom.If you are a member of EWGS you will receive an email that includes the Zoom invitation. If you are not a member you may attend by emailing John Wilson at ewgsmeetingreg@gmail.com (email address must be copied by hand) before Friday, Nov 6 at midnight PST time.
Wenatchee Area Genealogical Society Zoom Meeting
Wenatchee Area Genealogical Society (WAGS)
Zoom Meeting–Monday, November 9–2:00 p.m.
Special guest and DNA expert Emily Aulicino will virtually present “Finding Your Way Through DNA.”
Free to WAGS members–$10.00 for non-members. Contact treasurer@wags-web.org to receive your Zoom invitation or for payment.
Thank you,Susan RumbleWAGS
Skagit Valley Genealogical Society Meetings
Seattle Genealogical Society News
JULIA MARCONI, VOLUNTEER OF FALL QUARTER
Each quarter, the Seattle Genealogical Society recognizes one member as our volunteer of the quarter. Our Volunteer for Fall 2020 Quarter is Julia Marconi.
Almost 10 years ago, Julia joined SGS and immediately volunteered for the front desk. Later she served on the Nominating Committee before becoming the SGS Director of Membership. During this tenure she helped “bring membership into the digital age”, performing more tasks online. She worked on the old website updating events and keeping it current. When a vacancy arose on the publications committee, she volunteered to layout and publish the Bulletin, while simultaneously serving as Membership Director. The semi-yearly Bulletin was rebranded as the Journal and eventually became an online publication. Julia has continued serving on the publications committee with the help of her husband, Bob, who has acted as editor of the Journal. Julia credits him with being “very good at catching small errors.”
Julia has attended and volunteered at many seminars and library events. She once gave a presentation on social media and genealogy. On occasion, Bob has provided the board with legal advice. Julia says her volunteerism has been rewarding. “I enjoy meeting other members, putting faces to names, and learning about everyone’s genealogical journeys.” She also values the relationships she has developed through countless board meetings. ”It’s been fun and I’ve learned a great deal.”
In addition to her work with SGS, Julia volunteers with the Assistance League of Seattle and co-manages their thrift shop in Wallingford. She also likes to read, garden, knit, and do other types of needlework, as well as watch reruns of Law and Order in all its incarnations.
Her genealogical interests focus mostly on Illinois, Indiana, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Virginia. She is very interested in her Revolutionary War ancestors and has one ancestor who was “a big deal” during the War of 1812.
Her best story has also turned into a brick wall. While working on a project for her Certification in Genealogy and Family History at UW, she dug up an old family tree that her paternal great-aunt had drawn up years earlier. She found a name—listed as her great-grandmother’s son—that no living relatives recognized. It turned out her great-grandmother left her first husband (who had gone to prison) in Indiana and relocated to Chicago with this son. She met and married Julia’s great-grandfather and had two more children. Research into the mystery son revealed he was a victim of a little-known ship disaster on the Chicago River in 1915 (the Eastland disaster) in which more than 800 people perished. Fascinated, Julia continued.
Further research provided no concrete evidence of her great-grandfather before 1904, the year he married Julia’s great-grandmother, who recorded on his death certificate “don’t know” for his mother, father, and POB. His own wife knew nothing of his past! (or wasn’t saying). DNA research has revealed no one with the family surname other than immediate and known, close relatives. “Who was this guy? I really want to find out.” Well, now we do, too.
TECH TUESDAYS ARE BACK!
Need some assistance? In response to numerous requests, SGS is reinstituting Tech Tuesdays, the popular informal consult time on DNA, genealogy software, and genealogy-related technical issues. Everyone is welcome. Especially helpful for beginners.
These Tech Tuesdays sessions will be virtual via Zoom from 10am-11am on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month. No appointment necessary. No guarantee we can solve your problem, but we certainly will try.
This service will be free of charge. Donations to SGS are always welcomed and appreciated.
Facilitators will vary.
The first session will be on November 10, 2020.
There will be no session on December 22, 2020.
EVERY WEDNESDAY!
You are invited to the “Brags and Bricks Social Interest Group” (formerly called “Kaffee Klatsch”) meeting every Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. PST on Zoom.
Sue Jensen, the hostess, says, “We are a relaxed social group that discusses our genealogy research, or our intentions to do research, with a bit of fun thrown in. Come join the fun.”
As always, the link to join will be in the Calendar of Events on the SGS website: seagensoc.org.
SAVE THE DATE
“Help! I Tested My DNA and I’m Confused”,
Jewish Genealogical Society of Washington State,
Bellevue, WA
Monday, November 9, 2020
7:00 PM PST
Gil Bardige will be the presenter for this online, virtual meeting. The “room will open” at 7 PM and the meeting will begin at 7:15 PM. Visit their website for more info and the meeting id.
https://www.jgsws.org
RootsTech Connect 2021 (Virtual),
hosted by FamilySearch International
February 25-27, 2021
This 2021 virtual conference is free. They do ask that you register. Something for everyone, no matter your age or experience:
- Genealogy Classes
- Food and Cultural Demonstrations
- Mind-break Activities, Exercise and Relaxation
- Travel and World Heritage
Visit the website for more info and registration.
http://www.rootstech.org/?lang=eng
SGS CALENDAR OF EVENTS*
In consideration of COVID-19 social distancing recommendations, the SGS Library is closed until further notice and SGS in-person events have been replaced with online events.
** Go to the SGS Website Calendar of Events for the meeting links and for any last minute updates or changes to the schedule.
Wednesday, Nov 4, 2020, 11:00 am-12:30 pm,
Brags & Bricks Social Interest Group (Virtual), With Sue Jensen, hostess/facilitator – Join us for an informal social gathering. Share your recent genealogical successes and challenges, or just come to hang out with other genealogists.
** This workshop originally scheduled for Nov 1, 2020, will take place on Sunday, Nov 8, 2020, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm, DNA Workshop SIG (Virtual), Is back! For now it will be online via Zoom. Watch for details. Chaired by Cary Bright and her new co-chair, Craig Gowens.
Saturday, Nov 7, 2020, 10:15 am – 12:15 pm, FamilySearch Interest Group, Discover the many ways to use Family Tree and FamilySearch. Featuring a different aspect of the website each meeting. There will be time for Q & A. Chaired by Lou Daly.
Saturday, Nov 7, 2020, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm, Digging Deeper: Researching Women’s History, Beyond census records and vital records, a wealth of information can be found about the experiences of our female ancestors in archives and other special collections. This workshop is aimed at learning how archives are arranged in order to locate information when researching women’s history. Presented by Lisa Oberg. Lisa is the Associate Director and the History of Science and Medicine Curator for Special Collections in the UW Libraries. This workshop is part of the Seattle Genealogical Society’s lecture and workshop series: Women’s Suffrage in your Family History. We thank the Washington State Historical Society for their grant in support of our project. For more information, see https://www.suffrage100wa.com/.
Tuesday, Nov 10, 2020, 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 welcomed. No appointment necessary. Visit www.seagensoc.org Calendar of Events for the Zoom meeting link.
Wednesday, Nov 11, 2020, 11:00 am-12:30 pm, Brags & Bricks Social Interest Group (Virtual), With Sue Jensen, hostess/facilitator – Join us for an informal social gathering. Share your recent genealogical successes and challenges, or just come to hang out with other genealogists.
Wednesday, Nov 11, 2020, 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm, Mac Computer Interest Group, sponsored by SGS and Fiske, this group meets every other month from October through June on the second Wednesday of the month from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. via Zoom. 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.
The link to logon will be sent to the MAC SIG email list. People wishing to attend should email dhettrick@earthlink.net to be added to the mailing list.
Co-Chairs: Lisa Marker and Diane Hettrick
Saturday, Nov 14, 2020, 10:15 am-12:15 pm, Family Tree Maker (Virtual), We’re back. Learn and share tips and tricks for using Software MacKiev™ With Rob Sexton.
Saturday, Nov 14, 2020, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm, Second Saturday: For the Record: Memoir, Oral History, And Writing Family Stories, author and archivist Claire Gebben leads participants through exercises and strategies for writing about the past, especially in the creation of memoir. This session guides you to the art, and heart of telling your story.
Wednesday, Nov 18, 2020, 11:00 am-12:30 pm, Brags & Bricks Social Interest Group (Virtual), With Sue Jensen, hostess/facilitator – Join us for an informal social gathering. Share your recent genealogical successes and challenges, or just come to hang out with other genealogists.
Monday, Nov 23, 2020, 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm, Quilting Your Family History, Cozy up with a quilt and a cup of tea, cocoa or coffee and learn about the role of quilts in family history. Kathy Emmel’s special presentation will feature 14 quilts she has made that showcase family history, stories and heritage, as well as celebrations, historical events and groups of people.
South King County Genealogical Society November Meetings
???? Saturday, 7 November, 10–noon PST. Family Tree Maker User Group. Q&A. For meeting invitations and discussion, join https://skcgs.groups.io/g/FTMUG
???? Monday, 9 November, 1–3 pm PST. Genetic Genealogy / DNA: Recap: Strategies for Research. For meeting invitations and discussion, join https://skcgs.groups.io/g/Genetic-Genealogy
Wednesday, 11 November: Veterans Day –https://auburnwa.gov/vetsday. The local live event this year is all virtual.
THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s Thursday E-News
| THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s Thursday Evening E-News Edition October 29, 2020 |
| Thank you to all who have renewed their membership, especially those who included a donation with their renewal. We are so grateful for your loyalty and support. |
| Curious about the status of your GFO Membership? We’d love to have you as a GFO Member! gfo.org | 503-963-1932 | info@gfo.org Be sure to check the complete GFO CALENDAR. Also, don’t miss the current issue of The Forum Insider Want to share an easy-to-read version of this E-News? Click here. |
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| Thank You For Sticking With Us |
| We don’t say it often enough. Thank you. We are truly indebted to all our loyal GFO members who have stuck with us during this chaotic year. Unfortunately, recent numbers do give us cause for concern. This month alone, we lost 41 members, the largest loss of renewals in one month since the pandemic began. |
 We believe in transparency. That’s why we are sharing this update now. The GFO is working diligently to provide you as many services online as we can while COVID keeps our library closed. We are working to make more records available for members soon too. It’s the biggest pivot in our history – in order to continue to serve you. For you who keep your membership current, we can’t say Thank You deeply enough. The future of the GFO depends on our members. We will continue to try our hardest to be worthy of your support. |
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| The GFO is proud to host the popular host of Genealogy Gems Podcasts Lisa Louise Cooke for our Fall Seminar, now online. We’ve added extra seats! Sign up for one or both days. GFO Members get big discounts! |
 This is your chance to meet her (virtually), ask questions, and get two days of her popular “Gems” for yourself! Learn about reopening cold cases, handling common surnames, finding living relatives, and see how Google Earth Pro can help every genealogist. |
| Lisa is an extremely popular international genealogy speaker, and the GFO is thrilled she will join us for our Fall Seminar, November 14 and 15, this year online. And everyone will get a great view of her presentations from the comfort of whatever seat they choose in their home. GFO members get significant discounts: $20 off the first day, $15 off the second. Sign up now! |
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 We have a great opportunity for you to learn how to create a timeline with what you know, identify gaps, consult a genealogical research checklist for sources to fill those gaps, and record your queries on a correspondence research log. Discover the magic of methodology that may break down your brick walls. |
| Katherine R. Willson will be our featured online GenTalk speaker for Genealogical Timelines & Research Checklists on Saturday, Nov. 21 at 2 p.m. Willson is a genealogy lecturer from Michigan; an educator teaching beginning through advanced genealogy classes since 2001; the author of The Genealogist’s Guide to Grand Rapids, Michigan; and a professional researcher for private clients. Go to our GenTalk page to register now. It’s free for everyone. |
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| GFO’s Biggest Idea Needs Your Input |
 Last month we sent a special email to our members. We let you know the GFO Board is thinking about how we can buy our own building. The board’s job is to manage both short and long term prospects for the GFO. A permanent home would free the GFO of rent increases from a landlord. It would give us stability, a known space, and control of our future. Acting now could guarantee our future 25 years from now. |
| Many of you responded. Thank you! However, a number of you offered to serve on a committee, but you did not give your names or contact information. If you answered the survey already and offered to help but have not yet received an email from us, please take the survey again and let us know who you are and how to reach you. Several of you left out your contact information. (Do not “reply” to this E-News email.) Please note that this committee is limited to GFO Members. |
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| Local Boy Scout Asks Your Help: Index Family Records |
| We are happy to share a request from Daniel Clark of Boy Scout Troop 46 in Canby, Oregon. He’s close to earning his Eagle Scout rank, but still has a project to fulfill. For that, he’d like your help. |
 Daniel Clark, Troop 46, Rivers Edge District Daniel has set an ambitious goal: he hopes to get volunteers to help him with an Indexing Blitz. His goal is to index 10,000 names on records at FamilySearch! He writes to us, “I’m really excited about this project because it is something that will last forever and benefit so many people!”And he wants to achieve this between November 1-14. |
| If you’d like to help, here are Daniel’s instructions: • Go to FamilySearch.com and login or create an account. • Then go to ” indexing “ • Select “Web Indexing.” • Scroll down to the bottom and in the “Groups” section select “Find Groups.” • Finally search “Daniel J. Clark” and click on “Join group.” FamilySearch has indexing training here. Good luck, Daniel! |
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| Do you have a child or grandchild who might be interested in family history? Here’s something for them. |
 The New York Genealogical and Biographical Society’s Back to Your Past program is for students ages 8-12. Participants will learn more about family history and its relevance in the world. Sessions will include discussions on various components of family history including photos, recipes, and oral history. This is a four-week course happening each Monday, starting November 9 at 1:00 p.m. (Pacific time). The cost is $20. Learn more here. |
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| Please Help: Volunteer from Home |
| For the last few years, our volunteers have been organizing, scanning, and creating finding aids for the many papers that have been donated. Some collections predate computer research. Often, the most interesting part is the correspondence because it is unique and includes information that cannot be found in other sources. |
 We need volunteers to create finding aids for the collections that have been scanned. This involves going through the digital images and recording basic information about them onto a spreadsheet. Volunteers are not expected to read the material, just skim through it to pull relevant data. Procedures and examples can be found here. If you’d like to help with the manuscript collection, please contact Nanci Remington, nanci.remington@gfo.org. |
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| What’s New in Online Digital Resources |
 As our library closure continues, we are featuring free online resources so you can reach out and connect, as well as continue to learn and build on your genealogy skills, from home. |
| Those who speak Spanish or have Mexican heritage are invited to participate in ExpoGenealogía — a free, virtual family history event entirely in Spanish on October 30–31. Coinciding with Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), this event is similar to RootsTech and will provide a varied program aimed at “honoring and celebrating family” that will also be available for on-demand viewing for a year. Learn more and register for free here. |
| What does the symbol on your ancestor’s gravestone mean? Check out a great review on Legacy Tree Genealogists blog, entitled, “Details in the Graves: Using Tombstone Symbolism to Unlock your Ancestor’s History.” These symbols can unlock information about military service, fraternal organization membership, religious affiliation, and more. Recognizing and then interpreting these symbols can lead you to records relating to those symbols that further unlock the history of your ancestor. |
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| Surplus Book: England and Wales Research |
 This week’s surplus book includes two volumes of a set of three: Genealogical Research in England and Wales, Volumes 1 and 3. We wish we had Volume 2, but alas, we can only offer these bookends. David E. Gardner and Frank Smith wrote these books to give a thorough understanding the many useful sources for English and Welsh research. |
 Volume 1 reviews a wide variety of sources including Civil Registrations, Parish Registers, Bishop’s Transcripts, as well as sources on Nonconformists, Jews, and Roman Catholics in Britain. Volume 3 dedicates a large portion to deciphering handwriting from centuries ago, with ample examples and charts. What a boon this is when you encounter ancient handwritten records. |
 Our copy of Volume 1 is a sixth printing from 1964, a retired library copy with a label on the dust jacket and markings on the title page. It is a hard back in excellent condition with dust jacket. Our copy of Volume 3 is a hard cover in excellent condition, a revised edition from 1966. It too is a retired library copy with a label on the spine (there is no dust jacket), and a library stamp on the first page and an embossed stamp of the original owner on the title page. We find no other markings in either book. |
| Our Price for this set: $35, shipping included. Contact booksales@gfo.org if you’d like to purchase this. |
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 The Week Ahead: The GFO Research Library is closed, and all on-site groups, classes, and work parties are suspended. Tuesday, November 3 Italian Interest Group – No meeting this month In light of this being Election Day, the November Italian SIG meeting is cancelled so that people are free to participate fully in the voting process. If you have any questions, feel free to contact facilitator Stephanie Silenti at Italian@gfo.org. Wednesday, November 4 Learn & Chat 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Online Join our “genealogy self-help” group. Please bring tales of your latest genealogy related adventures and a wish list of subjects to build our calendar. For questions and a link to the meeting, contact Jeanne Quan and Sandy Alto at: learnandchat@gfo.org. DNA Q&A: The Basics 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. Online This meeting is for those who are just beginning to use DNA testing for genealogy. Each class begins with a presentation of general information about DNA testing. General questions regarding DNA testing are welcome at the end of each planned discussion. Lisa McCullough leads this group.. Questions or to request a link, email: dna_qa@gfo.org. |