Heritage Quest Research Library January Class

by Charles Hansen
January 2020 Class Schedule
Join us on Tuesday, January 21, 2020 
as we Welcome our speaker
Michael Lee Stills.
10:30 AM
 
  Myths, Legends and Lies: The Dangers of Family History Research Can you handle the truth? Family History Research is a burgeoning pursuit thanks to TV pro-grams like “Who Do You Think You Are?” “Genealogy Roadshow” and “Finding Your Roots.” But before you jump in, have you asked yourself if you are prepared for what you might discover? Together we will be opening closets to expose skeletons, peeking under the lid of Pan-dora’s Box, and shining light on the ethical dilemmas you may encounter in the quest to find your missing ancestors. They may have good reasons for why they are hiding from you.
 
$20.00 members $25.00 non members
For reservations please stop by HQRL or call HQRL at 253-863-1806. Due to the size of our classroom after reserving a seat, if you are unable to attend the class, please call to cancel so that others may attend.

GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s Thursday E-News 2020

by Charles Hansen
THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s Thursday Evening E-News Edition January 2, 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.org Be sure to check the complete GFO CALENDAR.
Also, don’t miss the current issue of The Forum Insider
2020: The Year of DNA
What’s the number one topic in genealogy circles? It’s got to be DNA. We’re learning so much more than many of us ever expected. If you want to know more than just a ballpark estimate of where your ancestors came from, it can get a bit complicated. On April 4 and 5, GFO is bringing the accomplished genetic genealogy educator Karen Stanbary in for our two-day Spring Seminar. To get the most out of her lectures, we’re offering you a chance to bone up on DNA basics and relevant tools between now and then! Jan. 25: DNA Advanced Group with Tim Janzen – 9 a.m. to Noon
Feb. 5 & Mar. 4: DNA Beyond the Basics with Lisa McCullough – 1 to 3 p.m.
Feb. 19: DNA The Basics with Lisa McCullough – 1 to 3 p.m.
Feb. 22: DNA Beginners with Emily Aulicino – 9 a.m. to Noon
Feb. 23: Workshop: Excel for Genealogy with Mary Kircher Roddy – 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (Paid registration required.)
March 14: DNA Day at GFO Open House – Five classes to choose from.
March 18: Jumpstart Your DNA Discoveries with Lisa McCullough – 1 to 3 p.m.
March 22: Excel Spreadsheet Basics with Kendra Blumberg – 9:30 to 10:30 a.m Except for the Feb. 23 workshop, all classes are free and open to the public. Drop in and join us!
Honored Collections Get Recognition
The GFO Library depends on far more than financial donations. We owe a great debt of gratitude for the library’s 52,000 holdings to donors too. Two people in particular gave us absolutely enormous donations of books focused on specific geographic areas. Now, we are giving them the recognition they deserve in the stacks themselves. Merrill Mosher donated a vast portion of our Virginia holdings, and we would not have such an extensive collection of French Canada resources without George T. Brown. Look for signs on our shelves paying tribute to these distinguished donors.
Free Monday Reminder
Don’t forget, the GFO Library is free to everyone on the First Monday of each month. Our first Free Monday of the new year is Monday, January 6th.
Save the Dates for GFO’s Genealogy Open House
Mark your calendars! The GFO brings back its biggest event of the year March 13 through 22. The library is free every day, and we’re offering 42 free classes during this 10-day run! It’s like having a genealogy conference in your own backyard. And it doesn’t cost a dime! There are too many classes to list here, but they’re all on our website. Here are some highlights:
• An Evening with Guest Speaker John Schmal on Mexican Ancestry
• Beginners Day
• DNA Day
• Software Day
• Irish Day
• Full Library Access Save time to come learn about your favorite topics. And do us a favor, please tell a friend!
GFO Open House 2020
News from the Library: Digitized Society Periodicals
The library team has been working for the last few months to make our periodicals more user friendly. We’ve created digital files so that you can search every word in the publications when you visit the library. Each digitized periodical will have an icon to indicate it is an ePublication. Here are society journals we’ve done so far:
• Boulder Genealogical Society Quarterly (Colorado)
• Circuit Rider (Sangamon County, Illinois)
• Diggers Digest (Sutter & Yuba Counties, California)
• Ohio Cross Road of Our Nation
• Petticoat Gazette 1957-1959 (Seward, Alaska newspaper)
• Redwood Researcher(Northern California)
• Roots and Leaves (Eastern Nebraska)
• Santa Maria Valley Genealogical Society Quarterly
• The Genie (Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas)
Want to help? Send a message to library@gfo.org or come to the Sunday work parties on January 12, 19, and/or 26. As a team, we’ll be prepping more items for scanning and doing some scanning too.
CGGS January Meeting
The Columbia Gorge Genealogical Society will meet from 10:30 a.m. – Noon on January 11, 2020 in the downstairs classroom at the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center. This months program will be the “Individual Research Assistance” project, where members collaborate with other members to solve their research dead ends or brick walls. The project will run both January and February. Members are encouraged to bring their laptops and their research data. A short business meeting will begin at 10:30 followed by the beginning of our research assistance project. There is no admission charge to the Discovery Center for attending our meetings. A $1.00 donation is appreciated to cover room rental.

In case of inclement weather please call the Discovery Center at 541.296.8600 after 9:00 a.m. for cancellation information.
From Petticoats to Poodle Skirts: A Historical Fashion Tea
The West Linn Historical Society and the Friends of McLean House Park and House are again presenting this historical fashion show and tea event, “From Petticoats to Poodle Skirts: A Historical Fashion Tea,” on Saturday, February 22, 2020 at the McLean House; West Linn, Oregon. Tea begins at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Tickets will be on sale SOON. We are letting you know early since both seatings sold out quickly last year. If you are interested, check the WLHS website frequently to ensure your ticket.
Surplus Chart: Kings & Queens of Great Britain
We have an unusual bit of surplus historical fun to offer this week. “The Kings and Queens of Great Britain” is a large genealogical chart showing royal descent and relationships. It is a reprint of a chart that was published in 1776 by Crown
Publishers and is arranged to read through the centuries from left to right. Our copy of this chart is nearly perfect and quite framable! It’s dimensions after unfolding measure roughly 34“ by 48”.
Our price to pickup: $35 Price to ship to you: $40 If you’re interested, contact booksales@gfo.org.
Survey Results: New Year’s Resolutions
Last week, we asked you about New Year’s resolutions. Of those who responded, 49.1% said they were making a resolution, 27.3% were not, and 13.6% were undecided. Writing and sharing family history research were mentioned most often, as well as the desire to get organized.
Here are a few of the responses: • Learn the genealogy program on my computer.
• Start writing the history for relatives!
• Saving spare nickels to apply for a passport and use it to research “over there.”
• Try to get my DNA data organized and my genealogy papers too.
• Complete 3 more books relating to early Oregon ancestors, with one including such people as the first mail express rider, the first ferry owner in Oregon City, and the couple who donated the first cemetery for Hillsboro.
• Finish and submit all the projects required for BCG certification portfolio.
• I’d love to build my grandmother’s tree to 5 generations and make her a poster by her birthday in May!
• Send old photos and letters to “closer” descendants – from 50 to 125 year old items. My grandmother saved it all!
New Survey: We’re Curious!
Of course we are—we wouldn’t be asking all these questions if we weren’t. But seriously, we want to know if you like our weekly survey or not. And we’re giving you a chance to tell us what questions you’d ask if you were writing the survey each week.
Take the Survey Now
This week at GFO …
Saturday, January 4th
Virginia Group 10:00 a.m – Noon
Colonial Migration Roots: For many of us, our genealogy story includes at least one tale of traveling a well-trodden path to make a better life. From the Wilderness Road to the Oregon Trail, numerous waves of migration have swept across the continent. To understand our ancestors, we need to understand the reasons that fueled their migration. This month we will look at various early migration routes and some of the reasons they were traveled. For more information see our blog: Virginia Roots and Vines. Contact Judi Scott and Carol Currency, at virginia@gfo.org with questions.
German Group 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
To lead off our meeting, Christina Rainer will talk about the genealogy courses she is taking online. For our second topic, we ask you to bring a New Year’s genealogy resolution and let’s see if we can help each other “solve it.”
If you would like more information about this group or have questions, please contact Mike Fernandez and Tia Cobb at german@gfo.org.
Sunday, January 5th
Library Work Party 9:00 a.m. – noon
Come on in and lend a hand. First Sunday is dedicated to the work of the Manuscripts Committee. Explore our manuscript, personal papers and Bible collection while we organize, scan, and create finding aids. Drop by at the time that works for you. Questions? Send a note to manuscripts@gfo.org.
Monday, January 6th
First Monday 9:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
GFO Library open to non-members for free.
Tuesday, January 7th
Italian Ancestry Group 10:00-11:30 a.m.
The Italian group is dedicated to promoting Italian family history and genealogy through education using nationally-recognized genealogical standards and practices. If you have any questions, feel free to contact facilitator Stephanie Silenti at italian@gfo.org.
Wednesday, January 8th
GFO Library Open Late to 8:00 p.m.
Thursday, January 9th
Beginner’s Boot Camp 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
-This Event is now SOLD OUT–

The Year in Review

by Charles Hansen

I want to thank all the wonderful people that send me their society programs and seminars, it helps make my job here easier. We had 40, 628 page views of our blog in 2019. Seven of the top 25 most read were on the closing of the Washington Vital Records which passed the legislature but will not be implemented till 2021. Two of the top 25 were on the Northwest Genealogy Conference and there should be many more than that as this is a very important conference. The most surprising is #3 on the list a post from June of 2015 on the University of Washington Genealogy Class.

Seattle Genealogical Society 2020 Tip of the Week

by Charles Hansen

TIP OF THE WEEK – QUICK AND EASY CATALOG
  Want to stay abreast of any new material on the shelves of the SGS library? It couldn’t be easier. Use the new, improved “Library Catalog” application on our website to quickly get a list of recent acquisitions. 

Navigate to our website https://seagensoc.org 

Scroll down a little and click on the “Library and Catalog” shown on the left hand side. That displays two lines:  “Library Catalog” and “Journal of SGS”.  

Click on the  ‘’Library Catalog”.  
  That brings up the form which has four search criteria fields: Location, MediaType, New and Search. While these four search criteria fields allow for robust search capabilities in the app, for this example we will only be using the search criteria titled “New:”.   Click on the box next to the “New:” and it displays a drop down list, where you click on “New” to select that option.  A list of the titles of any new material acquired in the last six months will be displayed. Right now there are approximately 83 titles on that list. You may save or print this list as a PDF by using the button labeled “PDF List”. It’s toward the upper right corner of the entry form.  

We hope you will visit our website often and use the Library Catalog to explore all the wonderful holdings you can find on our shelves.  

Seattle Genealogical Society News

by Charles Hansen

WOMEN’S SUFFRAGE IN
YOUR FAMILY HISTORY

Coming up in 2020, the Seattle Genealogical Society will commemorate the 100th anniversary of Women’s Suffrage with educational events including lectures, workshops, articles, a resource guide, and an exhibit in our library.
  Join us on a path of exploration. Learn to access and use genealogical tools and techniques to successfully discover female ancestors and write their stories. Learn about the expanding civic role of women, explore the changes in women’s lives and that of their families and communities, culminating in the passage of the 19th Amendment.

In the Fall of 2020, SGS plans to publish a special edition of our Journal of the Seattle Genealogical Society with articles describing the changing roles of women’s lives from 1880-1920, especially in Washington state. We hope to hear the stories of your female ancestors; whether they resided in our state, or elsewhere.
  If you are interested in sharing a story, photo, or a genealogical gem, please contact Heidi Mair, Director of Volunteers, volunteers@seattlegenealogicalsociety.org .  We want to thank the Washington State Historical Society for their grant in support of our project.  For more information, see https://www.suffrage100wa.com/
CALLING FOR INTERESTED CANDIDATES 
FOR SGS ELECTION 2020-2021
As we move towards the upcoming SGS election in April 2020. there are a few positions for which we need candidates:

  • Vice President
  • Treasurer
  • Director of Publications
  • Director of Volunteers
  • Directory of Social Media
  • Nominating Committee (six positions, for 2021-2022 election)

Short descriptions of the duties associated with these positions can be found on the SGS website (see https://seagensoc.org/cpage.php?pt=93). New officers and directors will assume their offices in early June 2020. If you have questions regarding these positions, the outgoing directors of these offices are more than willing to discuss the position responsibilities. The new Nominating Committee members (also voted on by the membership) will not start their work until Fall 2020 in preparation for the 2021-2022 elections. 

If you have any questions or are interested in any of these open positions. please email nominations@seattlegenealogicalsociety.org or call the main SGS phone number (206-522-8658) and leave a message.    
IT’S THE GIVING SEASON!   Please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to support the Seattle Genealogical Society and Library during our Annual Appeal this December.    SGS 2019 Annual AppealDonate Now Online   If you have a Paypal account, you may donate to SGS via the Paypal Giving Fund. The transaction fee will be waived and your gift will be matched with an additional 1% by the fund. Go to:  Paypal Giving Fund – SGS     THANK YOU!

FAMILY TREE WEBINARS 2020
MyHeritage and FamilyTreeWebinars.com are pleased to announce that registration is now open for its 2020 Legacy Family Tree Webinars series, now in its 10th year. Choose from 100 classes on a range of topics from genealogy’s leading educators. Such an easy way to learn. Three SGS members are featured speakers: Janice Lovelace, Trish Hackett Nicola, and Jill Morelli. 
Click here to register (free).

SAVE THE DATEJewish Genealogical Society of Washington State, 
“Finding My Roots: Using the Entire Genealogy Toolbox”,
LDS Factoria Building,
4200 124th Ave SE,
Bellevue, WA  98006
Monday, January 13, 2020   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 during World War I. Come hear all that speaker Coral Grant has to share. 

Doors open at 6:30 pm. Free admission, refreshments, & WiFi.  The program begins promptly at 7:15 pm. 
Stillaguamish Valley Genealogical Society, 
“Did My Ancestors Really Pay for the Mayflower Voyage?”,
6111 188th Pl NE
Arlington, WA 98223
Tuesday, January 14, 2020
1:00 pm- 2:00 pm

While researching her English ancestral roots, Lori Lee Sauber keeps seeing non-specific references to her family being among the merchant group who provided the capital for the Mayflower voyage…but is it true? Follow the research trail as Lori Lee identifies whether this may be factual or just a myth propagated by others through the years.This meeting is free and open to the public.

Spring 2020 SGS Seminar 
with Fritz Juengling,
Fairview Christian School,
844 NE 78th St,
Seattle, WA
Saturday, May 16, 2020   Mr Juengling is the German, Dutch and Scandinavian Research Specialist at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. SGS is happy to have Fritz as the presenter for our spring seminar.   SGS CALENDAR OF EVENTS
  Unless otherwise indicated all programs will be at the SGS Library, 6200 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle. Check the SGS Web Site for additions, changes,  and corrections. Programs may be canceled or postponed because of inclement weather. The Library will be closed Dec 21, 2019 – Jan 1, 2020 for the Winter Holiday. 
JANUARY
Sunday, January 5, 1:00 pm-3:00 pm, DNA Workshop SIG with leader Cary Bright

Wednesday, January 8, 7:00 pm-9:00 pm, MAC Computer SIG, co-chairs Lisa Marker & Diane Hettrick. Meets every other month at the Fiske Genealogical Library in Madison Park, 1644 43rd Ave E, Seattle, WA. Jointly sponsored by SGS & Fiske. Open to the public. Focuses on resources for users of Macintosh/Apple computers & the Reunion Program.

Saturday, January 11, 10:15 am-12:15 pm, Family Tree Maker (FTM) Users Group, with co-chairs Reiley Kidd & Jess Ramey, Learn and share tips and tricks for using Family Tree Maker 2017 by Software MacKiev   Saturday, January 11,  1:00 pm-3:00 pm, Second Saturday Series: “Fraktur und Fremdworter: Hacks for Reading Foreign Books & Newspapers” –  presenter will be Mary Kircher Roddy.

Sunday, January 12,  1:00 pm-3:00 pm, Scandinavian SIG, lead by Karen Knudson, this group will be reviewing new searches from Arkivdigital (Swedish Research) and Digitalarkivet (Norwegian Research). Everyone is welcome to come and share their research.

Saturday, January 18, 10:15 am – 12:15 pm, Irish  SIG, with Jean Roth
Saturday, January 18, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm, German  SIG, with Jean Roth

Saturday, January 25, 10:00am-12:30pm, DNA SIG, Meets quarterly in the fellowship hall of Wedgwood Presbyterian Church, 8008 35th Ave NE, Seattle. Come early for the Beginner Session 9:30-10:00am. Co-chairs Cary Bright & Herb McDaniel. An annual $5 contribution is collected at the door to fund rental of the space.   

FEBRUARY

Saturday, February 8, 10:15 am-12:15 pm, FamilySearch  SIG, with leader Lou Daly, discover the many ways to use Family Tree & FamilySearch.org. Each meeting will feature an aspect of the FamilySearch website.  There will be time for Q&A.  

Saturday, February 8,  1:00 pm-3:00 pm, Second Saturday Series: “The Price of Love: American Women, the Cable Act and Lost Citizenship” – presenter will be Lisa Oberg. American women proselytized and protested for more than 70 years to finally win the right to vote. And yet, the victory wasn’t complete with the ratification of the 19th amendment in 1920. Come learn more. 

Saturday, February 15, 10:15 am – 12:15 pm, Irish  SIG, with Jean Roth
Saturday, February 15, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm, German  SIG, with Jean Roth