GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s Thursday 2020 E-News

by Charles Hansen
THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s Thursday Evening E-News Edition April 2, 2020
Memberships will not expire during the crisis, and will be extended a month beyond the date of our re-opening. You may renew online with a credit card now; membership materials will be sent later after the closure ends. We are grateful for all your support.
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
GFO Remains Closed
Originally, we announced the GFO Library would be closed until April 1. Unfortunately, that’s not long enough. Medical experts currently say the peak of COVID-19 cases may come in mid- May. It will take several more weeks after that of steady decline before we can safely get together. If they’re wrong and it peaks earlier, we still have to wait for substantial declines, which could take weeks. ▪ Therefore, the only responsible thing to do is to close the GFO Library through May. ▪ Boot Camp is canceled, as are all Special Interest Group meetings. ▪ A few of our Special Interest Groups have expressed an interest in meeting online by video. Read the next article below for the first one! ▪ The Forum Insider for May and the Bulletin in June will be available only in electronic format.
We’re Minding Your Donations & Membership Dollars Safety is the first thing we consider in all our decisions during this pandemic. But we’re also trying to find ways to save money. It’s disheartening to pay monthly bills on a library we cannot open. We are fortunate to be all-volunteer. It would be much more complicated – and expensive – if we had employees. We’d like to publicly thank three vendors who have shared the pain with us to help save us money. Pacific Office Automation is giving us three free months on the lease of our copier. That machine is our workhorse, printing the Insider, Bulletin, and scanning thousands of pages in our digitizing project. It’s also our second largest expense. We agreed to an extended lease with them and they lowered our payments too, when we start paying again. Likewise, WAVE Broadband agreed to suspend our internet service while the library is in “hibernation.” AbeBooks, through whom we sell used books, has also refunded us monthly fees while we are unable to fulfill book orders. They all accepted less money knowing we’re bringing in less. Unfortunately, our landlord, NAI Elliott, only offered to delay payments until later, if we accepted a lease extension. They did not offer any actual savings. Since it does not help our bottom line, we declined. Suppliers of our pricey genealogy databases say they’re not able to suspend service. So, how do we stand overall financially? I’m confident we will weather this storm. That’s because previous GFO leadership saw the importance of creating an emergency reserve fund, and an Endowment. Thank you predecessors! We are setting the budget for the new fiscal year which starts in July. We are certain to need to draw from our reserves. The coming year will be one for tight belts. GFO’s Board will consider the budget at its meeting on April 14 (via video link) and I’ll report back to you after that. If you’d like to continue supporting us, we welcome any donations online with a credit card. Also, you may renew your membership (or join) online with a credit card. Your membership materials will be sent after the library reopens. We cannot accept checks at this time. Please don’t mail anything in; no one is there to receive it. Most important, be safe, and stay well. ▪ Vince Patton, GFO President
Italian Group Goes Virtual
GFO Italian Interest Group leader Stephanie Silenti passes on this invitation: It looks like we have a good amount of interest to move the SIG to digital/video next week, so let’s do it! I will figure out those details and get them out to you this week. For now, please hold our USUAL TIME SLOT for Tuesday, April 7, 10am PT, for a digital gathering. The topic, I think, will be twofold:
a. Check in, say hello, remind you that it’s COMPLETELY NORMAL if you’ve struggled to continue your research while we adjust to these new circumstances.
b. Sharing which genealogy resources have opened up for free in the last few weeks. There have been several. I will try to pull a list together but perhaps we can collaborate. Keep a list of any you know of, and we can share them on Tuesday. Also, if video meetings are new technology for you, don’t worry. This is how I earn a living — I do it daily. I’m confident we can get you all up to speed. If you would like to join in on this webinar, please email Italian@gfo.org.
ORForum—An Interactive Way to Get Answers to Your Genealogy Questions
Did you know that the GFO has an online community of members who can help answer your genealogy questions and point you to the resources you need? Or help you figure out the handwriting on a census or baptism record? Or even recommend a great place to eat when you visit Salt Lake City? If you would like to join this group or just check out the posts simply click below.
Go to ORForum
Flashback: 1918 Pandemic Shutdown
Here’s how the newspaper in Brownsville, Oregon, covered the 1918 pandemic shutdowns. Thanks to Linda Lewis McCormick from the local historical society there for finding this, and to GFO Members Don & Doxie Cook for passing it along.
GFO Board Election Now Open
We have an official ballot now for this year’s GFO Board election. Vince Patton is running for re-election as president. Alexa Waddle is running for secretary. Joyce Grant-Worley seeks re-election as a Director at Large. And Geoff Smith has offered to serve again on our Endowment Committee. While voting on a GFO election may not seem like a top priority right now, our bylaws require that the election be held. We are attempting to follow our bylaws despite the difficult circumstances. Only active GFO members are eligible to vote. The Forum Insider for April included online voting instructions.
Hall of Fame Nominations Sought
We are still looking for GFO Hall of Fame Nominations! Any GFO member may nominate another member by May 1. Nominees must have a well-documented history of service, leadership, and accomplishment in more than one facet of the GFO, over a long period of time.
Please include:
* Name, list of services, activities, positions, and accomplishments;
* A narrative describing the nature of their work in terms of its importance to the success of the GFO;
* A short biography.
Please send to secretary@gfo.org by May 1.
The board will decide if any merit selection. Winners are awarded in June and receive a free Life Membership and their name on our Hall of Fame plaque.
What’s New in Online Digital Resources
Since we are unable at this time to process new books and new digital content for the GFO Library, we will be temporarily suspending our “What’s New” weekly feature. In this time of physical distancing and responsible sheltering in place, we will instead share online resources so that you can reach out and connect as well as continue to learn and build on your genealogy skills from home. • In a recent GenealogyBank blogpost, Gena Philibert-Ortega describes five ways family historians can use library services even when the building itself is closed. Check out her entry entitled Genealogy during Quarantine: 5 Things to Do When the Library Is Closed. • How many of us wish we had a diary or journal from an ancestor who lived through the 1918 Spanish Influenza Pandemic? The Genealogy Reporter, Amie Bowser Tenant has some suggestions for creating your own journal of memories related to our current Covid-19 experience in her post, Journaling about the Coronavirus Pandemic of 2020. • Looking for fun ways to engage kids in finding family history? The National Archives is providing downloadable family trees and charts for kids of all ages. What a great way to spend some of your time with your loved ones in this time of physical distancing. While there, check out some of their other Educator Resources.
Survey Results: Spending Time
Just as we suspected, most of our survey respondents say they’ve been doing more genealogy during the current health crisis. Organization is high on the list. Here’s a sampling of what they’ve been doing:
Writing a family history of one of my ancestral couples. I also wish I had time to organize my files, etc. My room looks like I’m a CPA! Trying to read old French, Spanish and German documents.
Focusing on records I have collected but not put into my data base. Reading newly acquired reference books and preparing for upcoming presentations. Finding people to send old “non-family” photos to. Working on my Ancestry ThruLines, writing to DNA matches. I have been trying to get back to people who have contacted me from my DNA matches. It is hard to maintain ongoing conversations with all these people, but they are so important to moving my research forward. I’ve been researching, organizing, and reading the book “Tracing Your German Roots Online” by James Beidler. Investigating Family Tree webinars through the link the GFO provided (Thanks so much!).
This has given me a chance to catch up on some online classes. I am going through a lot of loose papers to extract information and organize things. I have a new great-grandson, and I have been working on a booklet for him. I am transcribing an old school/cemetery ledger book from 1871 to 1892 for our community. I’m finally taking time to watch some webinars, and I’ve begun to tackle the gargantuan task of organizing my digital images. Pounding my head on brick walls.
New Survey: Acquiring New Skills
Some of you told us you’re reading books, others are watching webinars. We love to hear about any new skills or tips you’ve learned in the last few weeks.
Take our survey now
This week at GFO …
The Week Ahead: The GFO Research Library is closed, and all on-site groups, classes, and work parties are canceled. Tuesday, April 7 10 a.m. – Noon Italian Special Interest Group meets by video conference. (See article above for details.)

Thanks for Your Help

by Charles Hansen

I want to thank all the people that have been sending me the information on cancelled or postponed meetings, and hope all of you are well and not too bored to work on your genealogy while you sat away form other people. Lets hope it ends soon so we can get back to work before we all look like shaggy dogs. There are many free seminars this month so I hope you can find the one that will give you the clue to break all your brick walls.

Seattle Genealogical Society Tip of the Week

by Charles Hansen

TIP OF THE WEEK –
 ENJOY ROOTSTECH 2020 VIDEO SESSIONS
Thanks to Karen P for this tip she shared with the Seattle Genealogical Society Networking Facebook group. 

Recorded class sessions from the RootsTech 2020 Conference  are available for anyone to view for free! Karen highly recommends Blaine Bettinger’s presentation “DNA, Genealogy, and Law Enforcement: All the Facts”.

Here’s the link where you can watch free video of many of the sessions from RootsTech 2020, as well as RootsTech 2019: 
https://www.rootstech.org/video-archive

Seattle Genealogical Society News

by Charles Hansen

COMING TO YOU IN APRIL

  While the SGS Library may be closed for the month of April, the dedicated volunteers at Seattle Genealogical Society have put together an array of online programs to help keep you engaged. Why not join Heidi Mair, Jill Morelli, and Lisa Oberg for their online presentations – each presentation will be followed by a discussion period.  And don’t forget the online Coffee Klatch and SGS Membership Meeting on April 11, 2020. Hope to “see” you all there. Just Zoom in. Here are the details for each of April’s online events. 

Discovering Amelia: 
The Story of a Pennsylvania Dutch Woman, 1854-1931  
(Online Class and Discussion)
Thursday, April 2, 2020 
6:00 pm to 7:30 pm
Follow this link to join: https://zoom.us/j/664765827

Join Heidi Mair for an online presentation summarizing the search for her maternal great-grandmother. 

Topics include:
Major events and changes during Amelia’s lifetime  included the Civil War, technological advances from the telephone to the sewing machine, World War I, labor unions, prohibition and more. How did these changes affect life in small town America?

Who are the Pennsylvania Dutch and what are some of the challenges researching their records?
Genealogical research spanning more than 30 years – what worked and what didn’t? 
Read the story of Heidi’s search in  Discovering Amelia.

This 50-minute presentation will be followed with a discussion period. 

Coffee Klatch and Membership Meeting  
(Online Special Event)
Saturday, April 11, 2020
12:30 pm to 1:30 pm
Follow this link to join: https://zoom.us/j/305340772
  This is an informal and “virtual” meet up. We will review the past year as well as look at upcoming events. The conversation starter is “What online resource have you found particularly helpful?” It does not have to be about genealogy, but you get a gold star if it is!  

Using the Parish and Census Records of Scandinavia  
(Online Class and Discussion)
Tuesday, April 14, 2020 
7:00 pm PDT   SGS is helping the Tacoma-Pierce County Genealogical Society put on their first Zoom,  webinar style online event in April and to reciprocate TPCGS is inviting SGS members and friends to attend. While the event is free, registration is required. If you plan to attend, please register by sending an email to  tpcgs3@gmail.com Let them know you are an SGS member. A link will be sent to those who register.  

Jill Morelli, SGS president and CG, will speak on Scandinavian records. Don’t know the language? No problem! She will review the parish records and census records for the three Scandinavian countries and explain how they work together to give you an amazing amount of information.  

Dancing with the Spanish Lady: 
The Influenza Pandemic of 1918  
(Online Class and Discussion)
Thursday, April 23
6:00 pm to 7:30 pm
Follow this link to join: https://zoom.us/j/491608500

Here’s a timely topic to be presented by Lisa Oberg. 

Schools canceled, closed theaters and churches, social distancing… all of these public health measures in effect today were used to help combat the influenza pandemic of 1918. Lisa will share how influenza affected Seattle and the country in 1918. Just as today’s pandemic is impacting all of our lives, 1918’s influenza affected the lives of our ancestors. After the presentation, we will share stories of the impact of the flu on our ancestors and how we’re getting along, too!

I, for one,  know my own 29 year old, great grandfather was among the more than 200,000 US citizens that died from this influenza in October of 1918.  
STORIES OF OUR FEMALE ANCESTORS – MARCH 2020 
Read Mary Watkinson McRae’s diary of her week-long journey aboard the newly constructed Northern Railroad from Portland, Oregon to Ontario in 1884. Mary’s mother Jane had traveled with her family to Oregon from Missouri along the Oregon Trail in 1852. That trip took most families four to six months to complete. In just 30 years the continental train system transformed not only travel, but the lives or our ancestors. Thanks to this month’s contributor, Mary Ellen McRae for sharing her grandmother’s diary with us.

https://seagensoc.org/upload/menu/Mary_McRae.pdf     

VOLUNTEERS TO TRANSCRIBE
CITY OF SEATTLE RECORDS NEEDED
Jeanie Fisher, reference archivist at Seattle Municipal Archives, would like everyone to know about their online crowdsourcing project to transcribe early handwritten City of Seattle Records.

Anyone who can read handwriting is welcome to join in! The project encourages participants to discover and index names and other information in the documents, making them more easily accessible to everyone. Early petitions, letters, claims, and reports – these documents contain nuggets of gold for genealogists researching Seattle-area ancestors. 

If you have some free time and are interested in helping out, the project is available here: https://fromthepage.com/sma-archives

Create a free account, pick a document, start reading, and transcribe what you see. It’s that simple.       SGS NEW ACQUISITIONS for MARCH 2020
Nebraska:  Illustrated History of Nebraska: A History of Nebraska from the Earliest Explorations of the Trans-Mississippi Region with Steel Engravings, Photogravures, Copper Plates, Maps and Tables. Volume 1 and Volume 2  (in the Rare Books Section)

Family Collection:  Morris Collection — William A Morris and Andrew J Morris  

West Seattle High School:  West Seattle Chinook Newspaper Volume XXIX Number 27 –  May 3, 1945   

SAVE THE DATE

Spring 2020 SGS Seminar
with Fritz Juengling,
Fairview Christian School,
844 NE 78th St,
Seattle, WA
Saturday, May 16, 2020 *** Canceled ***   Mr Juengling is the German, Dutch and Scandinavian Research Specialist at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City.    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.  APRIL
*** In consideration of COVID-19 social distancing recommendations, the SGS Library is closed for the month of April and all SGS in-person events for April have been canceled or postponed. Stay tuned or check the SGS Website for library status updates. 
Stay home – stay healthy – but stay engaged by attending the online events highlighted in this issue of the eNews!  


Seattle Genealogical Society News

by Charles Hansen
24 March 2020
 
Dear Seattle Genealogical Society (SGS) members and friends,
 
The SGS Board met in special session on Monday to discuss the Covid-19 recommendations of our health professionals and our responsibilities to our members and friends.
 
Your safety is our primary concern. We are making it as easy as possible for you to remain safe and still participate in the activities of SGS. Here are some of the actions taken by the Board on Monday:
The SGS Library at 6200 Sand Point Way will extend its closure date through May 4. This action will be reassessed at our next regular Board meeting on April 13.
All in person meetings of Special Interest Groups (SIG) are cancelled. Please check with the group leader or the eNews! to determine if the meeting will be held virtually.
All members, friends, and volunteers should shelter in place and not enter the facility at 6200 Sand Point.
We discussed many options and made the difficult decision to cancel the May Seminar with Fritz Juengling. We are working with Fritz to discuss alternatives and will let you know as soon as possible.  
While our physical facility is closed to all volunteers and patrons, we are committed to bring you online educational opportunities and to nurture a close community of genealogists, wherever you live. In an effort to fulfill this promise, SGS is moving more program content online. Watch the eNews! for the online links.
 
On 19 March, we held a very successful Pop-Up Presentation on line using our Zoom host, attended by 20+ people from Seattle, Washington, and other states!  Based on that success, we are scheduling additional online events.  All links will be published in the eNews!
The next Pop-Up Presentation will be 2 April,   “Discovering Amelia; The Story of a Pennsylvania Dutch Woman, 1854-1931” given by Heidi.
The 11 April “Second Saturday” session has been moved to 9 May, Heidi Mair will present “1890-1920: The Progressive Era & Women’s Rights.” Watch the eNews! to determine if this will be held at the Library or virtually.
On 11 April, we will hold an online “Coffee Klatch and Membership Meeting” at 12:30 pm.  This is an informal meet up but will review the year in the past and upcoming events. The conversation starter is “What online resource have your found particularly helpful?” It does not have to be about genealogy, but you get a gold star if it is!
We have a number of online classes starting up. Sign up through our website (https://seagensoc.org).
“Level 1: Genealogy Basics and Beyond” will start the first part of May. This is a highly interactive class for five students. Our guarantee? Your genealogy research will be improved after the course. The first class is already full, but Valerie Lair, the instructor, is willing to run the course again if five of you sign up on the wait list which is now open. “Certification Discussion Group”: If you are interested in becoming a Certified Genealogist or just want to know more, we are taking names of those interested for the fall session, dates to be announced.
“WAYtoGo: A Methodology for Writing Efficient Research Reports” will be taught twice this spring/summer. This online workshop will start you on solving that brick wall problem by systematically recording your findings. We will use the wait list to identify the next group of attendees, but you can’t be notified of the program, if you aren’t on the wait list. If you want to write better reports, sign up now. Dates and times to be determined.  
Attending an SGS online event is as easy as  – 

1) Log onto your internet and click on the link for the meeting you wish to join that was supplied to you in the eNews! No pre-registration is necessary;

2) You may have to accept Zoom’s invitation to download the application (app) which takes 2-3 minutes, but after you do,

3) You’re in the meeting!! You do not have to have an “account” with Zoom, but you do need to download the app.
 

SGS is focused on our mission—to deliver the best genealogy education and provide for the preservation of genealogical resources for our members and friends.
 
Flatten the curve!



Jill Morelli, CG
President, Seattle Genealogical Society
 

Colorize your Black & White Photos

by Charles Hansen

I’m happy to share that My Heritage is giving everyone FREE and unlimited access to MyHeritage In Color™ from March 23 to April 23, so that people everywhere can join in the fun of colorizing their black and white photos. Ordinarily only 10 photos can be colorized by users who do not have a Complete plan, but now, you can colorize as many photos as you’d like for free.

Colorizing photos is the perfect activity for anyone who is isolated at home. We invite everyone to pull out their family photo albums, colorize their photos, and start reminiscing. Over the coming month, anyone who shares their colorized photos on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram with the hashtag #ColorBeatsCoronavirusBlues and tags @MyHeritage will enter a weekly draw. Each week we’ll select one lucky winner who will receive a free MyHeritage Complete subscription!

Please share the news on your social channels and with your audience so they can make the most of this opportunity and colorize their photos.

GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s Thursday 2020 E-News

by Charles Hansen
THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s Thursday Evening E-News Edition March 26, 2020
Memberships will not expire during the crisis, and will be extended a month beyond the date of our re-opening.
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
You Are Not Alone
Sign in Ford Food & Drink cafe above the GFO. We are home.
All of us.
Living through one of the most significant events in world history. At the GFO we are more concerned than ever for the well being of you whom we serve. This week, Oregon Governor Kate Brown issued an Executive Order instructing everyone to stay at home, and closing all non-essential businesses. This means we will not re-open as hoped on April 1. Our shutdown is now indefinite. It’s vital that we protect each other by staying a safe distance from each other to slow the spread of COVID-19. In the midst of this great time of uncertainty, I think it’s worth reminding all of us that the history we preserve matters. Libraries like ours provide valuable spaces to gather. Unfortunately, that is a service we cannot fulfill at this time. Our collections contain our ancestors’ stories, and ours too, all saved for future generations. We will survive and return. In the meantime, we hear that a number of you are making some great genealogy discoveries as you have extra time for online research. As we hear about more online research opportunities, we’ll pass them on here in our weekly E-News and on our GFO Facebook page. The GFO has already begun looking at how this crisis will affect our budget. We’re spending money while unable to provide on site services. To that end, we’ve asked vendors and our landlord if they’ll offer any relief in the monthly bills we pay for services we’re not currently able to offer. Finally, I’d like to echo the message from a sign on the window of Ford Food and Drink, the café upstairs from the GFO: You Are Not Alone. ▪ Vince Patton, President
GFO Board Election Now Open
We have an official ballot now for this year’s GFO Board election. Vince Patton is running for re-election as president. Alexa Waddle is running for secretary. Joyce Grant-Worley seeks re-election as a Director at Large. And Geoff Smith has offered to serve again on our Endowment Committee. While voting on a GFO election may not seem like a top priority right now, our bylaws require that the election be held. We are attempting to follow our bylaws despite the difficult circumstances. Only active GFO members are eligible to vote. You will receive ballot instructions in The Forum Insider for April. Please note that the Insider is only being delivered electronically this month. Due to our closure, we are unable to print it.
GFO British Group Offers Resources Instead of Meeting
Our British Special Interest Group is offering links and resources in lieu of its usual meeting. Click on the link “England and Wales Civil Registration” for a free webinar, offered by FamilySearch. Before watching the webinar, you can familiarize yourself with what is available by going to the FamilySearch Wiki: English Civil Registration. Duane Funk, the leader of this group, is working on other resources to share. If you’d like to be added to his group’s email list, please contact him at uk@gfo.org.
1918 Flu Pandemic More Relevant Than Ever
Amid the current crisis, a number of stories have mentioned the 1918 flu pandemic. It was nicknamed the “Spanish Flu” despite the very first case being detected in Kansas. (New Yorker, 1997). GFO member pointed out a fascinating local Portland blog called Alameda Old House History, which recently focused on how hard that pandemic hit Oregon. In October of 1918, the city health bureau said that Portland remained dangerous. Of note, there was a ban on public gatherings. That sounds familiar. That ban was lifted and flu cases surged, increasing by 50% in one week.
Doug Decker is behind the Alameda Old House History website. He writes, “The first mention in the papers in early October 1918 was a simple sentence buried on an inside page: “Seattle thinks it is getting the flu.” At first, the news percolated in conversation and people weren’t sure what to make of it. Jokes were made in small talk:”
Decker continues, “But on October 10th, Portland Mayor George Baker implemented an order that required downtown businesses to close by late afternoon each day, and completely closed “schools, churches, lodges, public places of meetings, and places of amusement.”
To read the complete blog entry, click here.
Text and images reprinted with permission of Doug Decker
American Ancestors Offers Free Organizing Guide
© 1996–2018 New England Historic Genealogical Society. All Rights Reserved. Now is your time to get a free digital copy of The Portable Genealogist: Organizing Your Research, from American Ancestors. “No matter how monumental the task of organizing your research may seem, a systematic method saves valuable time and creates more accurate work. This Portable Genealogist, [authored by Rhonda R. McClure, Genealogist at the New England Historic Genealogical Society], offers practical advice on how to organize your research and files, keep track of families, and create goals to guide future research.
Even if you are a seasoned family historian, it’s not too late to incorporate these practices into your work!” Click this link and enter your email to receive a free copy of the guide.
Hall of Fame Nominations Sought
It’s time for GFO Hall of Fame Nominations! Any GFO member may nominate another member by May 1. Nominees must have a well-documented history of service, leadership, and accomplishment in more than one facet of the GFO, over a long period of time.
Please include:
* Name, list of services, activities, positions, and accomplishments;
* A narrative describing the nature of their work in terms of its importance to the success of the GFO;
* A short biography.
Please send to secretary@gfo.org by May 1.
The board will decide if any merit selection. Winners are awarded in June and receive a free Life Membership and their name on our Hall of Fame plaque.
What’s New in Online Digital Resources
Since we are unable at this time to process new books and new digital content for the GFO Library, we will be temporarily suspending our “What’s New” weekly feature. In this time of physical distancing and responsible sheltering in place, we will instead share online resources so that you can reach out and connect as well as continue to learn and build on your genealogy skills from home.
• Do you have kids or grandkids in your life, or even neighbors and friends with kids who are now coping with the challenges of being schooled at home? If so, the latest blog entry at Billion Graves: “20 Homeschool Genealogy Ideas,” may be a way that you can lend support to them and their parents with creative ways that they can incorporate genealogy in their lessons. • Starting on March 23, 2020, MyHeritage In Color™ will be free and unlimited for one month “to give people who are isolated at home a fun way to pass the time and enjoy genealogy. Colorized photos can be shared with the whole family, and can help you see your historical family photos in an entirely new way.” A weekly drawing for a free MyHeritage Complete subscription is being held for those who share their colorized photos online.
Survey Results: Preserving Research
Last week, we asked you about your plans for preserving or passing on your genealogical work. Only 63% of respondents say they’ve made plans. We hope those who haven’t will think about doing so. Please don’t let your hard work and discoveries end up in a landfill. Here are a few of the responses from those with a plan:
I am bequeathing it all to the one nephew in the family who enjoys genealogy. I’m also making sure the Family Bible record pages are donated to the GFO. All records are to be given to Salt Lake Mormon Library. Instructions have been included in our wills. I have written a series of books. Digital life changes so quickly that I fear what I produce there may not be accessible when the children grow up. It will be split between two relatives who really want it. I definitely need to update my will so that what I have written is preserved, even if the well-sourced chapters I have written and the documents to back up my research end up in boxes at the GFO.
Spread it out through my cousins Yes, BUT I’ve only half way implemented my plan. I have print outs of records plus copies of originals filed in binders. Each ancestor has their own plastic file in the binders. I maintain a running timeline summary with notes also for each ancestor and keep a copy in each file. I make binders for my sibling and my husband’s siblings so someone somewhere knows what I did. I’m sure there is more I could do and look forward to other people’s comments to see what ideas I might implement. Organizing my research materials so that my children will be able to understand what they are. Last year I sorted all the research materials for fifty years of work for my own family and the families of others. While staying at home for the current health concerns I want to finish that process and then move on to the pictures. The early pictures are scanned, but many more have been taken since the early 1990s.
My plans are still in progress. Part of my plan, is to give all my records to GFO. I’m trying to tie up loose ends, reduce my actual paper files, and prepare my records for the GFO. I hope that GFO sees themselves as being the repository for all their members’ work! Also, I would like to recommend the creation of some guidelines for members to get our records in the shape GFO would like to receive them in! I’m using Google Blogger to write about my ancestors. Each blog entry is about a different person on my pedigree chart, including their vital statistics, children, and a few paragraphs about their life (plus a list of sources). Whether or not my genealogy research papers and files get passed down, the blog should survive as long as there’s a Google!
New Survey: Safe at Home
Our question this week is about whether you’re spending more time on your genealogy lately?
Take the Survey Now
This week at GFO …
The Week Ahead: The GFO Research Library is closed, and all on-site groups, classes, and work parties are canceled

Heritage Quest Research Library News

by Charles Hansen
Stay at Home!
On Monday, March 23, 2020, Washington’s Governor, Jay Inslee issued a new temporary “stay at home” order to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus.  The new order went into effect last night and will last until April 6, 2020. 
We are taking the direction of our Governor and the medical community seriously and encourage our members and patrons to stay home until we can all return to our normal daily lives.  
Meanwhile, take an online class, learn a new language, sort through your collection of family photos, read a genealogy book or develop a class to share when we return to the Library!

Seattle Genealogical Society Good News

by Charles Hansen
WOW! ANCESTRY LIBRARY EDITION FROM THE COMFORT OF YOUR HOME 
John LaMont and Mahina Oshie, our friends and favorite genealogy librarians at Seattle Public Library (SPL), have some great news for Seattle Public Library patrons. Ancestry announced they are allowing patrons of Seattle Public Library access to “Ancestry Library Edition” from the comfort of their home via the SPL website. So get out your Seattle Public Library card and navigate to your “My Account” area of the SPL website. From there you will find  “Ancestry Library Edition” by first clicking on “Research” and then clicking “Online Resources A to Z”.  We were also told that access to those restricted records at FamilySearch (the records with the little key icon next to them) has been relaxed, although we have not tried this out.     Our thanks to John and Mahina for the information and thanks to Ancestry for their kindness.  REGISTRATION IS OPEN FOR
A NEW ONLINE COURSE!
Level I – “Genealogy Basics and Beyond” Course Sponsored by Seattle Genealogical Society  May 5, 2020  – June 16th, 2020  Tuesday evenings  @ 6:00–8:00 p.m. PDT  via Zoom online Platform 
Class 1 – Getting Started – May 5 
Class 2 – Organization and Record Keeping System – May 12 
Class 3 – Genealogy Computer Software Programs – May 19 
Class 4 – Census Records – May 26 
Class 5 – Newspapers and City Directories – June 2 
Class 6 – Library Resources – June 9 
Class 7 – Citing Sources Properly – June 16 
The Level I-Genealogy Basics and Beyond Course is suitable for everyone and covers how to successfully conduct research in census records, vital records, newspapers, city directories, churches, cemeteries, military records; using major online resources along with libraries and archives; and so much more. The course will challenge you in perfecting your genealogy skills.  Register for Genealogy Basics & Beyond
TONIGHT! Soldiers, Spies and Farm Wives: The Changing Roles for Women in the Civil War   Thursday, March 19, 2020 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm Don’t forget to join Jill Morelli tonight for this online presentation and discussion. Learn about some brave women you might not have heard of, yet they played an active role in the Civil War.   Follow this link to join: https://zoom.us/j/859384515 SCHEDULE CHANGE The Second Saturday presentation  “1890-1920 – The Progressive Era and Women’s Rights” with Heidi Mair has been moved from April 11, 2020, to May 9, 2020. There will be no presentation on April 11. The presentation by Nancy Cordell, PhD, originally scheduled for May 9 has been canceled.