Seattle Archives Fair

by Charles Hansen

The Archives Fair at the Seattle City Hall, October 30 from 10 to 2pm. It is located in the Bertha Knight Landes Room on the main level of the City Hall 5th Ave entrance. I am attaching the flyer. There will be 19 Archives represented tomorrow.

List of archives attending:

Seattle Public Library Special Collections

King County Archives

UW Special Collections

UW Labor Archives

Providence Archives

Seattle Public Schools Archives

WA State Archives, Puget Sound Regional Branch

NARA Seattle

Seattle Genealogical Society

Lakeside School Archives

MOHAI

Living Computer Museum Archives

Museum of Flight Archives

Black Heritage Society

WA State Jewish Historical Society Archives

Puget Sound Navy Museum

UW Ethnomusicology / Media Archives

Seattle Municipal Archives

KRAB Archives   

Heritage Quest Research Library Classes

by Charles Hansen
It’s time to sign up for our Fall Class offerings Now that the weather has changed and we’re no longer basking in the warm days of summer, it’s time to get back to Genealogy!
Have you always wanted to get started?  Well, here is your opportunity!  
Maybe you have already started your research and have questions regarding your sources.  We have that covered too!
  Tuesday, October 29th, 3-5 p.m.
Dee Haviland Fournier presents a
FREE Beginning Genealogy Class  
  Take a tour of our unique library, which contains over 15,000 books. Then learn how to begin the search for your family. This class will concentrate on Vital Records and Censuses.     For Reservations please call 253-863-1806  or stop by HQRL and register in person.   After reserving a seat, if you are unable to attend the class, please call to cancel so that others may attend.
Join us on Monday, November 4th
6:30 p. m.
 
How Do I Know That’s Right?
Evaluating Genealogical Evidence
 
What does a genealogist do when there is so much data and some things conflict? Or what does one do if there are only a few data points and they don’t agree? How do you know which one is right? In this presentation we’ll define the various types of evidence and discuss ways of evaluating them to come to a sound conclusion. A case study will help illustrate how points of evidence can come into conflict and demonstrate methods for resolving that conflict.
 
 
$20.00 members / $25.00 non-members
 

GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s Thursday E-News

by Charles Hansen
THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s Thursday Evening E-News Edition October 24, 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
Grab the Last Seats at Genealogy Boot Camp for Beginners
Ever been squeezed out of Boot Camp because the class was full? Hate being in large classes? Worried about finding parking? Then this may be your best opportunity to attend.
There are a few seats left. But act now, because registration closes tonight, Oct. 24, at 11:30 p.m.
Laurel Smith will cover how to get started, organization, online trees and database programs, the census, and vital records — all geared toward beginners — but basic computer skills are a prerequisite. All communications are done via email, and you must be able to download and print the class notes. Bring a sack lunch, snacks, and a beverage so you can keep going as the class does. Free for GFO members!
Just $20 for non-members. Genealogy Boot Camp for Beginners on October 27th has lots of seats still available. Please register today!
Register Now
Save the date: December 3rd is Giving Tuesday
What if all GFO’s members came together on just one day to give?
For GFO, GivingTuesday isn’t about fundraising. It’s about banding together for a volunteer blitz to accomplish one large task.
Please save the date: December 3rd Come to the GFO for all or part of the day to help. GFO will provide pastries, fruit, and coffee in the morning, pizza and pop in the afternoon. You provide the people power. All participants are eligible to receive a pass for free admission to the GFO library–for themsleves or others that can be used later. Please help.
Halloween = Shorter Hours
Just a reminder! The GFO Library will close early at 1 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 31.
The Missing Link…
Oops! We left a link out of the handout from last Saturday’s GenTalk on death records by Pam Vestal. Click this button:
Death Records Link
This is the International Classification of Diseases decoder key for the code entered in the cause of death section on death certificates, which is useful because the handwriting often is unreadable.
Seminar Tables For Sale
As we mentioned last week, the GFO recently replaced its classroom tables with ones that weigh less and will be easier to move when reconfiguring the room. Our old tables are still in great shape.
They’re great for crafts too. They’re 6 feet long but only 18 inches deep, making them great for more compact spaces.
Do you know anyone who could use them? Their strong legs are metal and the table tops are laminated wood with rubber edges. All fold-flat when not in use. We have 7 of these tables left for sale and are offering a discount on the set:
$20 a piece, or
$130 for the set of 7. Please contact library@gfo.org if you are interested. Pickup is required at the GFO library.
PCS Offers GFO Discount to New Play “Redwood”
We are delighted that Portland Center Stage is offering friends of GFO two special offers for an upcoming play that happens to revolve around genealogy!
Redwood is billed as “a beautiful, humor-filled excavation of our shared history. When Steve Durbin sets out to chart his Black family’s ancestry online, his revelations unwittingly throw his entire family into turmoil.”
On October 26, GFO President Vince Patton and Director at Large Julie Ramos, will speak before the performance, at about 6:45 p.m., about all the GFO offers and why we find building personal links to history so valuable. Redwood runs from October 26 through November 17 at Portland Center Stage at the Armory. PCS has two offers for friends of the GFO:
October 26: Use promo code “GFO” for $25 tickets.
October 27-November 17: Use promo code “COMMUNITY” for $10 off tickets. Get tickets here.
Surplus Book: Larson/Johnson Family History
Maggie Kitts poured her heart and soul into A Larson/Johnson Family of East Union, Minnesota, published in 1994. This family history runs an impressive 562 pages, tracing families of this region back to the early 1800s. Added bonus: the book begins with Grandma Nilla’s Filled Oatmeal Cookies recipe!
This comprehensive tome is in excellent shape. In fact, the GFO has five copies of this family history in mint condition. Pick up at GFO Price: $10 Ship to You Price: $16 If you’d like to buy one, help yourself to one copy on our $10 shelves up front, or contact booksales@gfo.org for the other copies in storage.
This week at GFO …
Saturday, October 26th
Advanced DNA 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Tim Janzen will give a presentation about using autosomal DNA to help trace unknown ancestors who were born in the 1700s or in the early 1800s. He will illustrate the various approaches that one can take to solving these types of genealogical challenges. Multiple case studies will be presented.
Please check the GFO Online Calendar for a link to the handout.
Sunday, October 27th
Beginner’s Boot Camp 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 pm
Join Laurel Smith for her popular full-day class aimed at helping the beginner with getting started, organization, online trees and database programs, the census, and vital records. Basic computer skills are a prerequisite. Registration is required by 11:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 24.
Wednesday, October 30th
GFO Library Open Late to 8:00 p.m.
Thursday, October 31st
Happy Halloween!
GFO Library Closes at 1:00 p.m.

GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s Thursday E-News

by Charles Hansen
THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s Thursday Evening E-News Edition October 17, 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
Genealogy Boot Camp for Beginners
Ever been squeezed out of Boot Camp because the class was full? Hate being in large classes? Worried about finding parking? Then this may be your best opportunity to attend.
Laurel Smith will cover how to get started, organization, online trees and database programs, the census, and vital records — all geared toward beginners — but basic computer skills are a prerequisite. All communications are done via email, and you must be able to download and print the class notes. Bring a sack lunch, snacks, and a beverage so you can keep going as the class does. GFO members may attend for free, non-members $20. Genealogy Boot Camp for Beginners on October 27th has lots of seats still available. Please register today!
Register Now
Free GenTalk: Life in the Records of Death
Mark your calendars. Professional genealogist Pam Vestal returns on Saturday, October 19 with a free GenTalk from 2 – 3 p.m. called Discovering Your Ancestor’s Life in Records of Death. Sometimes the best way to learn about an ancestor’s life is to dig into the mountain of paperwork created by his death. We’ll explore the surprisingly abundant information that is collected when a death occurs and glimpse just how much these records can reveal, not only about our ancestors’ deaths, but also about their lives. Pam Vestal entered the field of genealogy after a 21-year career as a professional writer. She does genealogical research for clients, has articles published in the Association of Professional Genealogists Quarterly, and lectures up and down the West Coast. All GenTalks are free and open to the public at the GFO Library.
Immediate Opening: Editor Needed for The Forum Insider
Would you be willing to help share vital information about the GFO and genealogy with our subscribers? This key position will be vacant soon. We need someone (or a team) who can compile, layout, and distribute eight Insiders per year. Helpful skills: Intermediate-level computer software skills; writing and editing skills a plus; clear communication skills, both written and verbal; ability to interact with GFO’s Board Members, patrons, committee members, and affiliate organization representatives. The editor edits and lays out articles using Microsoft Word, and ultimately, Adobe Acrobat. We will provide the software, training, and a team of editors and proofreaders to help. Work follows a strict schedule so that distribution deadlines are met. Please contact our president, Vince Patton, at president@gfo.org if you can help!
Save the date: December 3rd is Giving Tuesday
What if all GFO’s members came together on just one day to give?
For GFO, GivingTuesday isn’t about fundraising. It’s about banding together to accomplish one large task.
Please save the date: December 3rd and come to the GFO all or part of the day to help. GFO will provide pastries, fruit, and coffee in the morning, pizza and pop in the afternoon. You provide the people power. Please help.
Seminar Tables For Sale
The GFO recently replaced its classroom tables with ones that weigh less and will be easier to move when reconfiguring the room. Our old tables are still in great shape.
Do you know anyone who could use them?These “Seminar Tables” are 72 “ (6-feet) long and 18” deep. They stand 29 inches high.
Their strong legs are metal and the table tops are laminated wood with rubber edges. All fold-flat when not in use. We have 10 of these tables for sale:
$20 a piece, or
$175 for the set of 10. Please contact library@gfo.org if you are interested. Pickup is required at the GFO library.
PCS Offers GFO Discount to New Play “Redwood”
We are delighted that Portland Center Stage is offering friends of GFO two special offers for an upcoming play that happens to revolve around genealogy! Redwood is billed as “a beautiful, humor-filled excavation of our shared history. When Steve Durbin sets out to chart his Black family’s ancestry online, his revelations unwittingly throw his entire family into turmoil.” On October 26, GFO President Vince Patton and Director at Large Julie Ramos, will speak before the performance, at about 6:45 p.m., about all the GFO offers and why we find building personal links to history so valuable. Redwood runs from October 26 through November 17 at Portland Center Stage at the Armory. PCS has two offers for friends of the GFO:
October 26: Use promo code “GFO” for $25 tickets.
October 27-November 17: Use promo code “COMMUNITY” for $10 off tickets. Get tickets here.
Surplus Book: Kegley’s Virginia 1840-1785
Do you remember when Virginia was the southwest edge of the American frontier? No, we don’t either. But your ancestors might well have been part of the early colonial settlements. This 786-page book could be a treasure trove for those with Virginia roots. Kegley’s Virginia Frontier, The Beginning of the Southwest, The Roanoke of Colonial Days, 1740-1783, with Maps and Illustrations by F. B. Kegley was published in 1938 by The Southwest Virginia Historical Society.
“The arrival of each newcomer with his place of settlement is chronicled and his experiences and subsequent movements appropriately recounted,” wrote F. B. Kegley in the preface. This book is full of wonderful fold-out maps, and the pages are are as crisp and readable as the day they were printed. The binding is starting to come loose at the rear cover. Otherwise, it’s in very good shape. Pickup at GFO Price – $45
Ship to You Price – $52 If you’re interested in buying it, contact booksales@gfo.org.
Survey Results: Using the GFO Online Catalog
There were 37 responses to last week’s survey which asked about using GFO’s online library catalog. We hope those of you who haven’t checked out the catalog will do so soon.
Most of the comments indicated that respondents have used the online catalog BOTH at home and at the library. One person said, “It’s really handy to look up books at home then go to the library prepared with a list,“ and we couldn’t agree more. It’s a fabulous tool.
And for the person who said, “Have not yet used the library – live too far – so I do not use the catalog,” we’d like to encourage you to check out the catalog no matter how far away you are. We may have a resource that would help your research. Our research team (for a small fee) can copy a small portion of a book or check our resources for you. Also … some content in the catalog is available wherever you are. And that content is growing all the time. Look up Bliss or Idaho Newspaper Clippings to see a sample of what’s available from your home.
New Survey:
For those who’ve used GFO’s online library catalog, we’d like to know what features you’ve used and what you like best or find most helpful.
Take the Survey
This week at GFO …
Saturday, October 19th
Genealogy Problem Solvers 9:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Martha Ellen Adams was born in 1839 in Mississippi and had FOURTEEN brothers and sisters. But the ancestral trail back into history stops there. Who were her parents, especially the rugged woman who was mother of these fifteen children? Please join us as we plunge headlong into 1800 Tennessee, the brick wall state, to determine a GFO member’s 3rd great grandparents. Beginners and intermediate researchers are encouraged to submit problems to work on at future meetings. For questions or more information contact Katie Daly at GPS@gfo.org.
African American Ancestry Group 12:00 – 2:00 p.m.
“Bring Your Own Brick Wall.”
Bring your problems, questions, and documents (copies, please, no originals), and we will brainstorm to come up with information and suggestions that can direct your next steps and may help you solve some of your family mysteries. For more information, contact us at african_american@gfo.org.
GenTalk: Records of Death 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Join Pam Vestal as she presents Discovering Your Ancestor’s Life in Records of Death. We’ll explore the surprisingly abundant information that is collected when a death occurs and glimpse just how much these records can reveal, not only about our ancestors’ deaths, but also about their lives. GenTalks are free to the public.
Sunday, October 20th
Library Work Party 9:00 a.m. Noon
There’s another work party at the GFO library today for those of you who can come. There’s lots to do and we’d love to have your help. Doors open 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.
Family Tree Maker for Beginners 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
This is a beginning class for Family Tree Maker users and for those considering a purchase of the software. This class is offered quarterly. Questions? Or if you have Family Tree Maker topics you’d like covered, email Joyce and Laurel at FTM@gfo.org.
French Canada Group 3:30 – 5:00 p.m.
Share stories of our history. Come and join this group to learn more about French Canadian ancestry and Acadia. The group leader is Bob LaMarche and you can email him at FrCan@gfo.org.
Wednesday, October 23rd
PMUG College (Mac Users) 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Portland Mac Users Group College features:
Getting Creative with Apple’s Free Apps
• See how Pages Templates assist your creativity
• Amaze your friends with Keynote Slideshows
• …. and much more!
Bring your Mac/iPad to participate with instruction. To register: Call 503-228-1779; Email: college@pmug.org. If you would like additional info for attending this class, please email us. This is free for GFO members.
GFO Library Open Late to 8:00 p.m.

Heritage Quest Research Library Irish Seminar

by Charles Hansen
Online Irish Records with Find My Past and Ancestry
With Steven W. Morrison
October 22, 2019 @ 1:00 PM Most of us start our family history with what we’ve been able to collect at home. But how does that line up with the historical records from the Emerald Isle?   Explore and compare Irish records available on both Find My Past & Ancestry before paying for a subscription. $20.00 members / $25.00 non-members   For reservations please stop by HQRL at 1007 Main Street, Sumner WA 98390
or call HQRL at 253-863-1806.
After reserving a seat, if you are unable to attend the class, please call to cancel so that others may attend.

Unhappy News from FHL

by Charles Hansen

I have a bolt of unhappy news for you. Many of you make trips to Salt Lake City to research in the Family History Library. And many of you trek over to the Church Office Building cafeteria for lunch. It’s everybody’s favorite place and for a long list of reasons. But that privilege is now ended.

David Rencher, head of the FHL, tells us that eating in that cafeteria is an employee benefit of a non-profit corporation. We, as non-employee library patrons, do not qualify. DANG, is what you’re saying, I’m sure. 

Olympia Genealogical Society Fun with Maps

by Charles Hansen

“Fun with Maps and Land Research” is the title of Olympia Genealogical Society’s November program. Tracy Rebstock from the Washington State Archives will talk to us about maps – an underutilized tool when doing genealogy or historical research.  We will learn about the many different types of maps you can use, how to use them and what resources can be found in the State Archives in Olympia. Tracy will also provide some records tips and tricks to use when doing land research…and she’ll throw in some stories along the way. Join us on Thursday, November 14, 7 pm, at Thurston County Courthouse, Bldg 1, Room 152.

=============================
Joyce T. Ogden
jtogden@comcast.net