Clark County Genealogical Society New Location

by Charles Hansen



NEW HOME FOR CCGS!
Correction:  The building is 2500 square feet.
Break out the horns. Bang a drum! After months of searching, CCGS has acquired a new home! Last week we signed a lease on the ex-Chase Bank Building at 3205 NE 52nd St. It is between St. Johns and St. James Roads, across the street from the High School Pharmacy. We will have a fabulous space in which to carry out our mission of Collection, Preservation, and Education. The owner is in the process of removing the bank furniture (we’ll still have the vault). We are in the process of planning how we will configure ourselves in ~5200 square feet of modern, well-lit building. Tentative time line has us in before the holidays. Woo Hoo!
Brian Runyan

We have some new footage for the inside of the new library as we begin renovation. Take a look at the footage (provided by Steve Young) as we begin our journey.

Let me see the video!

Lower Columbia Genealogical Society September Meeting

by Charles Hansen

CITING SOURCES AND CITATIONS

Any statement of fact that is not common knowledge must carry its own individual statement of source. This fact is known by many researchers, and we will be fortunate to have help with this at our September meeting. Experienced researcher,

MARY KATHRYN KOZY,

will share her experiences.

LOWER COLUMBIA GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~walcolgs/

SOMERSET RETIREMENT APARTMENTS

DINING ROOM 7:00 PM

2025 TIBBETTS DRIVE, LONGVIEW

September 12, 2019

Guests are welcome and encouraged to attend.

GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s Thursday E-News

by Charles Hansen
THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s Thursday Evening E-News Edition August 22, 2019
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
Newspapers Galore: Do You Know What GFO Offers?
Did you know the GFO offers access to two different databases filled with historic newspapers? We pay for Newspapers.com and Genealogy Bank, both of which would cost you a pretty penny at home. What’s the difference between the two? Here’s a great way to find out how to get the most out of each. Join Janice Sellers for a half-day workshop, Using Subscription Newspaper Websites at the GFO Library. The session will be held in the GFO Library, Sunday, September 8, from 9:30 a.m. – Noon. Click here for more detailed information. Registration is $25.00 for GFO members, $30.00 for non-members.
Register Here
Register for GFO Fall Seminar!
The 2019 GFO Fall Seminar, featuring Fritz Jeungling, Ph.D., AG, will be an exceptional educational opportunity that we are exited to be bringing to our membership and the community at large. Dr. Juengling is an Accredited Genealogist® (through the International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists) for Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Sweden, and he is certified by the Verband deutschsprachiger Berufsgenealogen. He is also a German, Dutch, and Scandinavian Research Consultant at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. The full-day session on Saturday, October 5th, will be held at the Center for Self Enhancement (3920 N. Kerby Ave., Portland) and will focus on German Research, while the half-day presentation at the GFO Library on Sunday, October 6th, will provide an introduction to Dutch research. Download the flyer for full details. Mark your calendar, spread the word, and register early!
Register Here
NGS and FGS Announce Intent to Merge
In a historic move, the boards of the National Genealogical Society (NGS) and the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) announced on August 21st, 2019, their intent to merge. The two organizations, both non-profit leaders in the dynamic genealogy industry, will form one consolidated group that will continue to operate as the National Genealogical Society. Both boards approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) earlier this week, and jointly announced the news at the Opening Session of the FGS Family History Conference in Washington, D.C. Leaders of both organizations believe this merger will serve the genealogy community by improving support of both individual members and societies in the pursuit of genealogical excellence. The organizational structure of NGS will be modified to increase functions that support genealogical societies and family organizations. Digitization projects of genealogical importance such as the War of 1812 pensions will continue. The two groups will continue to operate independently while all details of the merger are completed, no later than October 1, 2020.

Plans are still in place to hold the annual FSG Conference in Kansas City, Missouri, in 2020. Starting in 2021, the combined organization will hold one conference with four full days of genealogical lectures and a fifth day dedicated to society management topics. We will keep you apprised as plans continue to develop.
BCG to Host Six Free Webinars
The Board for Certification of Genealogists (BCG) will host six free webinars live from the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah, on 6 September 2019. The hour-long webinars begin at 11 a.m. U.S. Eastern time (9 a.m. Mountain time, 1500 GMT) and continue throughout the day.
The sponsored lecture series is in memory of BCG’s former trustee and vice president, Joy Reisinger, Certified Genealogist Emeritus. The schedule for the lectures and broadcasts is:
11 a.m Eastern time. Elizabeth Shown Mills, CG, CGL, “Reasonably Exhaustive Research: The First Criteria for Genealogical Proof.”
12:15 p.m. Eastern time. Martha Garrett, PhD, CG, “Finding Immigrants Who ‘Disappeared’: A Research Approach Based on Recognizing and Challenging Assumptions.”
1:30 p.m. Eastern time. Judy G. Russell, JD, CG, CGL, “Share and Share Alike: The Rules of Genealogical Privacy.”
3:30 p.m. Eastern time. Karen Stanbary, CG, “Details of New and Modified DNA-Related Standards.”
4:45 p.m. Eastern time. Melinda Henningfield, CG, “How to Write a Case Study that Meets the New Standards for DNA: As Codified by the Board for Certification of Genealogists.”
6:00 p.m. Eastern time. Rick Sayre, CG, CGL, “Reconstructing an Entrepreneurial Woman’s Life: From Family Intrigue to Water Rents.” Free registration for the live webinar broadcasts, as well as additional information on speakers and lecture topics, can be found here. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. In order to accommodate those who might have schedule conflicts, each webinar can be accessed at no charge for a week after the broadcast.
Learn About Train Operations in Southeast Portland
We all know how freight trains paralyze southeast Portland near the GFO, sometimes multiple times a day. In response, the GFO has donated to a group raising money to study rail solutions. Here’s a chance to learn more from the railroad’s perspective. Bill Burgel spent 50 years in the railroad industry and he knows well the issues specifically related to the streets, rail lines, and rail yard near the GFO. Bill has offered to talk about the factors involved and Ford Food & Drink has offered him its stage as a venue. You can come hear Bill talk at the café just one floor up from the GFO on Monday, August 26 at 6 p.m.
Nominate the Next GFO Star
Did someone at the GFO go out of their way to help you recently when you came in for research? Are you a volunteer who sees another volunteer go above and beyond? Please nominate our next GFO Star! Drop your nomination in the box behind the reception desk or email it to secretary@gfo.org. (Board members are not eligible)
Surplus Book: First Edition: Memoirs from 1863
The Rev. Dr. George W. Bethune wrote a short biography of his mother, Mrs. Joanna (Graham) Bethune, just a year before he died. “Memoirs of Mrs. Joanna Bethune. By her son, The Rev. George W. Bethune, D.D.” was published in 1863 by Harper & Brothers, Publishers in New York. He was described as an “eloquent and distinguished scholar, poet, preacher, and orator… but nothing from his pen will be read with greater admiration than this simple memorial of the mother who taught him to speak.” His tribute to his mother is joined by a 125-page appendix full of his mother’s own writings.
The tales include a sketch of the journey of Joanna’s mother in 1772 before the Revolutionary War, through lands of New York with the help of native tribes and then sailed to Antigua, then to Scotland and then back to New York in 1789. This first edition is a former library book containing library marks and stamps. Tape holes the cover to the spine, and pages inside show some separation. However, all the paper is in fine shape with text as clear and readable as when it was printed 156 years ago. Your price to pickup at the GFO Library: $10
Price to mail it: $15 Contact booksales@gfo.org if you’d like to buy it. (Please don’t just come to the library first to get it.)
Survey Results: Flood Survivors
Last week we asked if your ancestors had dealt with high water or floods. While only a few responded, several shared dramatic stories. 55% of respondents named a flood, 9% named a storm at sea and 41% said they didn’t know. Here are a few of their stories (edited for brevity).
After the great Iowa flood of 1851 carried off most of their stock, the Sunderland family hit the Oregon Trail. Being wary of flooding, they naturally established their new farm on the Columbia Slough. My great aunt and great uncle, an immigrant from Germany, lost their home and farm in Oklahoma Territory when the Canadian River flooded in 1904. Neighbors carried their two young daughters through the waters to safety; my great aunt carried her baby; my great uncle and his son got some of the livestock to higher ground. Mar. 19 / 1905 Mrs Molly St John
Dear cousin – lost every-thing I had in the flood except a few dollars and the clothes I had on and my house, the house had no floors in it, and I cobbed it to a mesquite tree when I came out, the house floated, and the cobb was too close to the top and it turned over and every-thing I had floated off down the River or somewhere else, my house goods in the way of furniture, stove, table, dishes, and everything like that, with my trunk and all my clothing, my loss was about $300. – Your cousin Thos Knox
New Survey: Fire!
Were any of your ancestors victim of a fire?
Take our Survey
This week at GFO …
Saturday, August 24th
Beginners DNA 9:00 a.m – Noon
Using the questions our beginning members raised, this meeting will include a variety of topics:
The basic DNA tests
Suggestions for determining common ancestors
Ancestry’s Dots, Stars, Notes, Shared Matches and ThruLines
MyHeritage’s Theory of Family Relativity
Spreadsheets
Triangulation vs. In Common With
Using a spreadsheet to organize the matches for whom you have found common ancestors for all companies
A brief view of the Leeds Method and Auto Clustering
We should have time for questions and your additional suggestions on the above topics.

Please download the handout and review it before attending. Bring it with you! You are welcome to send your questions before the meeting. Email: dna@gfo.org
Sunday, August 25th
Library Work Party 9:00 a.m. – Noon
We Really Need Your Help This Sunday!
We have received several large donations of books and we need to check them against the books we already have.
This will involve looking each book up in the online library catalog. If we have the book, the call number is written on a paper inserted into the book, and the book is checked against the one on the shelf. We have several hundred books to check. And we need to do so quickly because there’s another batch in the wings to be done next week.
So we need YOUR help! The back door of the library opens at 9 and work usually wraps up around noon. Some people come for just an hour or so; others work the full time. You are welcome to do either. Any time you can share is valuable. Hope to see you there.
Wednesday, August 28th
GFO Library Open Late to 8:00 p.m. Saturday, August 24th Beginners DNA 9:00 a.m – Noon Using the questions our beginning members raised, this meeting will include a variety of topics: The basic DNA tests
Suggestions for determining common ancestors
Ancestry’s Dots, Stars, Notes, Shared Matches and ThruLines
MyHeritage’s Theory of Family Relativity
Spreadsheets
Triangulation vs. In Common With
Using a spreadsheet to organize the matches for whom you have found common ancestors for all companies
A brief view of the Leeds Method and Auto Clustering We should have time for questions and your additional suggestions on the above topics.

Please download the handout and review it before attending. Bring it with you! You are welcome to send your questions before the meeting. Email: dna@gfo.org Sunday, August 25th Library Work Party 9:00 a.m. – Noon We Really Need Your Help This Sunday! We have received several large donations of books and we need to check them against the books we already have. This will involve looking each book up in the online library catalog. If we have the book, the call number is written on a paper inserted into the book, and the book is checked against the one on the shelf. We have several hundred books to check. And we need to do so quickly because there’s another batch in the wings to be done next week. So we need YOUR help! The back door of the library opens at 9 and work usually wraps up around noon. Some people come for just an hour or so; others work the full time. You are welcome to do either. Any time you can share is valuable. Hope to see you there. Wednesday, August 28th GFO Library Open Late to 8:00 p.m.

Spokane Public Library Update

by Charles Hansen

Many people know that Eastern Washington Genealogical Society has partnered with the Spokane Public Library since 1935. Last year the Spokane Public Library passed a bond issue to remodel several libraries and build three new libraries to replace a couple of small branches. They were hoping to keep the downtown library open during construction, but have found out that would extend the construction time by quite a lot and cost more in the long run, so starting early next year the downtown library with the EWGS collection will move somewhere else. They are still looking for a place. The Spokesman Review has a great article on the construction here. When all the construction is done EWGS will have some wonderful places to meet, one with room for 200 people and free parking for 200 cars east of downtown for our monthly meetings and annual seminars.

FGS & NGS Plan to Merge

by Charles Hansen
Today is a landmark day in the history of the Federation of Genealogical Societies. We are excited to tell you that this morning, at our national conference in Washington D. C., we announced our intent to merge with the National Genealogical Society.

The Federation was formed in 1976 in order to provide support to genealogical and historical societies. Key objectives during the past four decades have been to: promote the study of genealogy, stimulate the activities of state and local organizations, provide resources that enable genealogical organizations to succeed in pursuing their missions, advocate for the preservation of records. The intended merger with NGS will enhance our ability to support societies and offer services that will help strengthen them and help them to adapt and thrive in a rapidly changing, technology-driven, volunteer-challenged environment.

You can read the full press release of the announcement on the FGS Voice blog.
  Preserve the Pensions Project You may be wondering how the merger will affect the Preserve the Pensions project. FGS launched the Preserve the Pensions project in 2010 and raised more than $3 million to digitize and make freely available the pension files from the War of 1812. Fundraising for the project was completed in 2016.

The Preserve the Pensions project will continue under its existing arrangements. FGS has an agreement with NARA for the preservation and digitization of the records and Ancestry is coordinating the digitization process. The funds for completing this project are set aside in restricted accounts.
  Conferences We also wanted to let you know that plans are still in place to hold our annual conference in Kansas City, Missouri, in 2020. Starting in 2021, the combined organization will hold one conference with four full days of genealogical lectures and a fifth day dedicated to society management topics.

I believe this merger will serve our members and the genealogical community by improving the support of both individuals and societies in the pursuit of genealogical excellence.

Sincerely,

Faye Stallings
FGS President

Puget Sound Navy Museum Workshop

by Charles Hansen

The Puget Sound Navy Museum in Bremerton is hosting an upcoming workshop that may be of interest to your group. Any help you can provide in getting the word out would be appreciated!

—

Workshop: Military Records For Genealogy Research

Uncover your Sailor’s story through military records! Join our curator to learn about researching military service records, with a focus on records available from the National Archives.

Sunday, September 15, 2019 at 1:00pm.

This program is FREE and open to the public. Please RSVP to curator.PSNM@Navy.mil or to 360-627-2452 by Friday, September 13, 2019.

EVENT LINK:

Eastern Washington Genealogical Society September Meetings

by Charles Hansen
Wednesday, August 21 GENEALOGY RE-FOCUS GROUP (GRF)  (Special Interest Groups) 12:30 pm to 3:00 pm Shadle Park Library Meeting Room – 2111 W Wellesley, Spokane, WA The group will hold a general discussion of past topics and where you stand with them. Meeting location is subject to change in case the library meeting room is not available. Any changes will be posted here.
Saturday, September 7 – Anna Harbine talks about the Joel E Ferris Library   (EWGS Meetings) 12:30 pm to 3:30 pm Spokane Public Library Auditorium – Downtown Spokane – Main Floor Anna will bring us up to date on what the Joel E Ferris Library is all about.      
Thursday, September 12 The Ancestry Group (TAGX)  (EWGS Meetings) 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm Shadle Park Library Meeting Room – 2111 W Wellesley, Spokane, WA The Ancestry Group will meet today and presenter will be Dianne Bongerts.
Monday, September 16 through Monday, October 28
Basic DNA and Genetic Genealogy Course  (Classes Presented by Members)
12:30 pm to 2:00 pm
Shadle Park Library Meeting Room – 2111 W Wellesley, Spokane, WA
This course will meet on the following dates:
Monday, Sept 16
Monday, Sept 23
Monday, Sept 30
Monday, Oct 7
Monday, Oct 21
Monday, Oct 28
 
This will be a six-week course to help you understand how to break down and apply your DNA matches.
 
We will be covering what DNA tests are available; the advantages and disadvantages of the major testing companies; and how to choose the right test for your genealogy questions. This course will also help you interpret your DNA test results.
 
Participants will be responsible for obtaining Blaine T. Bettinger’s, The Family Tree Guide to DNA Testing and Genetic Genealogy. ISBN-13: 978-1-4403-4532-6.
 
Limited space available, please contact Lynda Keenan at llkeenan62@gmail.com
 
Monday, September 16 RootsMagic Users Group  (Special Interest Groups) 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm John Wilson’s Home RootsMagic users will meet again after the summer break. Topics are still to be decided. We are anticipating release of version 8 of the software. If that should happen watch for a schedule change or special gathering.
Wednesday, September 18 GENEALOGY RE-FOCUS GROUP (GRF)  (Special Interest Groups) 12:30 pm to 3:00 pm “Estate Planning for Digital Assets” wills be discussed today so you have a plan for your genealogy work.  Meeting location is subject to change in case the library meeting room is not available. Any changes will be posted here.
Saturday, October 5 EWGS Fall Workshop – Around the World in 8 Hours  (Workshop) 8:30 am to 3:00 pm Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, 8441 N Indian Trail Rd., Spokane, WA Program Details coming soon!

Seattle Genealogical Society Tip of the Week

by Charles Hansen

TIP OF THE WEEK –
FREE MILITARY GENEALOGY WORKSHOP    On Sunday, September 15, 2019, at 1:00 PM, the Puget Sound Navy Museum in Bremerton, WA is offering this free workshop that is open to the public.  

“Uncover your Sailor’s story through military records! Join our curator to learn about researching military service records, with a focus on records available from the National Archives” is how the workshop is described on their Facebook Page.  

While the workshop is free, an RSVP is requested. Please RSVP on Facebook, or to Curator.PSNM@Navy.mil or (360) 627-2452 by Friday, September 13, 2019. 
  The Puget Sound Navy Museum is dedicated to collecting, preserving, and interpreting the naval heritage of the Pacific Northwest for the benefit of the U.S. Navy and general public. 

Currently it is open daily from 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM. There are programs for children as well as adults.  Search for Puget Sound Navy Museum on Facebook, or visit their website, www.pugetsoundnavymuseum.org/