Wednesday Nostalgia

by Charles Hansen

Are you of Finnish descent? Danish? Norwegian? Or Swedish? All of these ethnic groups have a center or museum here in the U.S.

The Finnish American Heritage Center is located at 435 Quincy Street, Hancock, MI  49930. “Established in 1932, the archive’s mission is to preserve and promote Finnish-American identity and history across North America.” Here is their website:  https://www.finlandia.edu/fahc   You might also “LIKE” their Facebook page.


The Museum of Danish America is headquartered in Elk Horn, Iowa. Established in 1983, their mission is to preserve the stories of Danish immigrants, their descendants, and the Danes in the U.S. today. Their website is: www.danishmuseum.org Bet they also have a Facebook page to LIKE.


Norwegians have two centers for information and study. The Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum is in Decorah, Iowa, and is a center with 12 historic buildings and a heritage center, library and archives. It was founded in 1877; the nameVesterheim comes from the Norwegian for “western home.” Their webiste ishttp://vesterheim.org


Coming in 2020 to Minneapolis is the National Norwegian Center in America. The Norway House was already there and this new research library open “to all those interested in Norwegian genealogy research.” Visit their website at www.norwayhouse.org. 


The Swenson Swedish Immigration Research Center is located in Rock Island, Illinois. Augustana College was founded in 1860 by Swedish immigrants and therefore became a natural location for the Swenson Center. This is not a walk-in library; appointments are required. Their website is www.augustana.edu/swenson and they, too, have a Facebook page to LIKE. They will do your Swedish research for you; they offer a magazine, theSwedish American Genealogist; and they will translate old letters and documents for you. 


Did you remember that for every one of these ethnic-geographical research areas, there is free information on the FamilySearch WIKI??? Click to www.familysearch.org/wiki and then SEARCH. 

Tuesday Trivia

by Charles Hansen

Good question: When did your ancestor arrive in the colonies? Referring to pre-Revolutionary War arrivals. Here’s a guide with time period, geographic area and resource;

1620 Plymouth Colony Mayflower Families/Five Generations

1607-1657 13 Original Colonies Founders of Early Am. Families

1620-1635 Plymouth/MA Bay Colony Great Migration Begins

1620-1640 New England Great Migration

1620-1650 Massachusetts Pioneers of Massachusetts

1641-1700 New England Early New England Families

by 1699 Maine/New Hampshire Gen. Dictionary of ME/NH

to 1700 (marriage) New England Torrey’s New E. Marriages

These are all pretty much basic New England reference books; you’ll find them in most genealogical libraries and perhaps online.

This list of references/resources is thanks to American Ancestors.

Monday Mystery

by Charles Hansen

Is it a mystery to you what your grandmother’s kitchen might have looked like? Some of us are lucky enough to be able to still visit that ancestral home but many are not so lucky.

This is supposed to be a typical 1928 kitchen….. note the icebox, woodstove, two faucets for water (at least there was running water!) and the stool by the sink. And I read that pink and light green were “the” colors of choice.

Your public library has back issues of many womens’ magazines of the period. You can request them via your library and then page through all the “funny pictures.” How about Better Homes & Gardens of the 1930s? Good Housekeeping published from 1910? Sunset magazine which has been around since 1898?

Is yours today a retro kitchen? Do you have an icebox???????

GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s Thursday E-News

by Charles Hansen
THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s Thursday Evening E-News Edition April 4, 2019
Curious about the status of your GFO Membership? We’d love to have you as a GFO Member!
For more information visit www.gfo.org.
Contact us at info@gfo.org or 503-963-1932. Be sure to check the complete GFO CALENDAR.
Also, don’t miss the current issue of The Forum Insider
GFO’s Spring Seminar is Around the Corner – April 27th & 28th
You’ve seen him on TV tracking the ancestors of Oprah and Smokey Robinson. Now come learn from Tony Burroughs in person! He’s a master of research methods anyone can employ, and the founder of the founder and CEO of the Center for Black Genealogy. The Skanner interviewed Tony this week and has just published a story. This is a two-day event. Register for one or both days. We have cut our usual seminar price in half for this event, thanks to generous support from The Skanner Foundation. Saturday, April 27th, 10 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Center for Self Enhancement (SEI)
3920 N. Kerby Avenue
Portland, Oregon
Venue Location
Topics:
* The Six Phases of African American Genealogy
* Black Biographies, Autobiographies and Family Histories
* From Census to Slavery
* Mixing Online & Offline Resources Sunday, April 28th, 9:30 a.m. – noon
Genealogical Forum of Oregon
2505 SE 11th Avenue #B-18
Portland, Oregon
Venue Location
Topics:
* Farmers, Tenant Farmers, and Share Croppers
* Forty Acres and A Mule: Hidden Land Records in the National Archives
Register Now
Tell Us What Helped You the Most at GFO’s Open House!
We were completely blown away by how many of you were able to join us for the Genealogical Forum of Oregon’s annual Open House. We met a lot of new faces, and we’re glad more people are learning we’re here. This year’s Open House set records for us. We’ve never had so many people visit in one week. Attendance was double last year! Please let us know what was your favorite classes were and what topics you’d like to see in the future.
Click Here to Take the Survey
GFO’s Book of the Week: Bloody Breathitt
The Hatfields and the McCoys may be remembered as America’s most famous feud, “but it was relatively brief and subdued compared to the violence in Breathitt County, Kentucky.” T.R.C. Hutton explores the politically motivated murders from the Civil War though the Progressive Era in “Bloody Breathitt – Politics and Violence in the Appalachian South.” We have a surplus copy of this book available in our bookstore. It’s brand new, superb condition and hard cover. Price: $36. Contact booksales@gfo.org if you’d like to buy it.
French Canada Special Interest Group Schedule Change for April
The French Canada group will meet a week early this month! Please join us on Sunday, April 14th at 3:30 p.m. since Easter is on the third Sunday of April this year (which is our usual meeting time). The topic is “Our Gateway Ancestors to New France and Acadia.” We will discuss ancestors who came into Montreal, Quebec, Acadia (now greater Nova Scotia) and if known elsewhere: how and why they came, their stories, our common ancestors, and more. Thanks,
Bob LaMarche
FrCan@gfo.org
Lost and Found: Left Behind at the Open House
Did you leave a bright pink Columbia jacket with a purple interior behind during the Open House last Tuesday, March 26th? We had classes that day about Evernote, Religious Radicals, Ancestry.com and Online Family Trees that day. Call in, name the size, and we’ll set it aside for you. 503-963-1932.
Where Should I Park for the GFO?
We know parking can be a hassle. (Welcome to Portland.) Here are your best options when coming to the GFO: A new lot has opened so we have three paid lots very close. Two are on 10th Avenue: At Division and ¼ block north of Division. These are all-day lots. These may be best for you. Park. Relax. Learn without worrying about expiring parking. The third is right behind our building off 11th ave. This allows 3-hour Maximum parking. You cannot return and feed the meter and stay longer. City Center Parking does not disclose how long you can park until you see the digital entry screen on the payment machine. They patrol and tow from those lots at all hours. Be careful to read the instructions. If you find a spot on the street, read signs carefully about maximum times allowed. WARNING: A number of spots on Division right next to the Ford Building become instant tow-away zones at 4pm during rush hour. If you have a disabled permit, you may park for an unlimited amount of time in any legal parking space marked 1 hour or more. (But towing restrictions apply at rush hour.) On Sunday only any legal street spot is not subject to any time limits.
This week at GFO …

SATURDAY, April 6th
Virginia Group 10 a.m. – noon
Join the Virginia Interest Group the first Saturday of each month (September-June) from 10:00 am – Noon.
For more information see our blog: “Virginia Roots and Vines.”
This month: The first of a two-part series on North Carolina. This session will focus on the history and settlement of North Carolina, beginning with the early explorers. Like Virginia, the geography of North Carolina influenced how the colony was settled. We will discuss the peoples who migrated into the colony: Moravians, Quakers, Germans, Scots, etc., why they were there and where they settled. Many of us whose ancestors were from these areas have a family story of a “Cherokee princess in our lineage so a discussion of the local Native Americans is also included. As time allows, there will be some discussion of specific records for these various groups.
You can reach this group’s leaders, Judi Scott and Carol Currency, at Virginia@gfo.org.
German Group 1 – 3 p.m.
This month: The Presenter / der Moderator : Lew Exner
The Topics / die Themen: 1) An hour airier video of the state of Bavaria (Bayern), and 2) Bring a research problem and see if we can all help.
The German Interest Group was formed in the spring of 2011. It is intended to be a source of information and inspiration for anyone with German speaking ancestors. One goal is to provide information on a variety of topics related to Germanic history and migration. We also will provide time for members to share their research journeys and connect with others who may be researching the same region or time period.
SATURDAY, April 7th
Manuscripts Work Party 9 a.m. – noon
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 if you have questions!
WEDNESDAY, April 10th
PMUG College 6 – 8 p.m.
Portland Mac Users Group College: 10 crucial questions about the Mac High Sierra and Mojave operating systems. Free for all GFO and PMUG members. For more information, visit their website.

International German Genealogy Conference

by Charles Hansen
**For Immediate Release**
FINAL PLANNING, FINAL CHANCE FOR DISCOUNT This year April 15 is not just the deadline to file U.S. taxes: It’s also the last chance to get a discounted registration price for the 2019 International German Genealogy Conference, “STRIKE IT RICH! with CONNECTIONS 2 DISCOVERIES.”
Hundreds of people with German ancestry will be coming to the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Sacramento, CA, from June 15-17. Hosted by the Sacramento German Genealogy Society, conference information and registration can be accessed through the International German Genealogy Partnership website.

Planning for the conference is nearly complete. It will include speakers from around the world and has drawn sponsorship from the major organizations in the larger genealogy world, including titans Ancestry and FamilySearch as well as MyHeritage and FamilyTreeDNA.

Reservations after April 15 will be accepted only on a space-available basis.

Likewise, special events such as a Friday night trip to a Biergarten, daily luncheons with marquee presenters, and a Sunday night banquet are also only being offered until they are sold out.



Join others from around the world who will be rushing to California in June 2019 for German genealogy gold.

REGISTER NOW! Contact: Bill Cole, 2019 IGGC Co-Chair 916-853-8562 email: conference@iggpartner.org

SGGS is a registered California 501(c)(3) Non-profit Corporation – Donations eligible for tax deductions as allowable by law. Checks payable to SGGS @ 2019 IGGC, 11230 Gold Express Dr. #310-415, Gold River, CA 95670-4484

Olympia Gen Soc Hosts Successful Spring Seminar

by Roxanne Lowe

More than 150 people attended Olympia Genealogical Society‘s sold-out Spring Seminar on Saturday, March 30, 2019. Everyone left heap full of DNA-rich information and resources after hearing renowned DNA expert and author Blaine Bettinger. His topics included:

Blaine Bettinger autographing his book, “Genetic Genealogy in Practice.”
  • Using Autosomal DNA for 18th and 19th Century Mysteries
  • Using Third Party Tools to Analyze Your Autosomal DNA
  • The Danger of Distant Matches
  • Mapping Your Chromosomes Using DNA Painter

Always a first-rate affair, Olympia’s Spring Seminar also included book sales, non-profit organizations’ information tables and fabulous raffle baskets. It was also a great opportunity to welcome and network with fellow genealogists from the area.

Societies: If you’d like to promote your workshop or seminar on the WSGS Blog, send a flyer or paragraph to WSGSBlog@wasgs.org. We’d love to share it with our readers!

Friday Serendipity

by Charles Hansen

Pamela Boyer Sayre was a speaker at the 2018 Montana State Genealogical Society conference held in Great Falls. One of her topics was “Our National Treasure: The Library of Congress.”

She began with “even if you never visit Washington, DC, you should explore the holdings of the Library of Congress.” She continued saying that “the LofC is your library too, so use it!”

“The Library of Congress has diverse collections such as digital items, prints and photographs, sound recordings, manuscripts, maps, historic newspapers and much more…beyond just books.” And many of these items are available online. For free. Click to www.loc.gov and check it out for yourself.

So far, the resource from the Library of Congress that I have used most is the newspaper site, Chronicling America (www.chroniclingamerica.loc.gov). This site provides FREE access to millions of pages of America’s newspapers.

Northwest Genealogy Conference — Early Bird Discount Flying Away Soon

by Roxanne Lowe

Register by April 15 for the Northwest Genealogy Conference to receive the Early Bird Discount. Held August 14 – 17 in Arlington, WA, this is the region’s premier genealogical conference. Keynote speakers include Thomas MacEntee, Angie Bush and Michael Strauss. 

And while you’re at it, don’t forget to make your room reservations. Hotels fill up fast!

See www.nwgc.org for more information on the conference, discounted hotel rooms and to register. You don’t want to miss this great event!

Some of the happy attendees at the 2018 conference.

Tacoma Pierce County Genealogical Society Spring Seminar

by Charles Hansen

Just a reminder that our Spring seminar is just around the corner . . . have you registered yet?  If you haven’t, time is running out!

On Friday, April 26th and Saturday, April 27th the Tacoma Pierce County Genealogical Society will be holding its annual Spring Seminar.  This year we have invited the professional genealogist, Michael D. Lacopo, D.V.M. to be our speaker. 

Friday evening’s topic is:

TOP TEN THINGS I HAVE LEARNED IN OVER THREE DECADES OF GENEALOGICAL RESEARCH
Join your speaker on a trip down Memory Lane and share his tales of serendipity, woe, discovery, and frustration… with a touch of humor. Put away your notebooks and prepare to nod in agreement at things only fellow genealogists would understand!

Saturday’s topics are:

MORE THAN THE CENSUS – OUR FAMILIES DID EXIST WITHIN THOSE TEN-YEAR INTERVALS!
This lecture will show the researcher that it is important to identify our ancestors’ whereabouts in as many local records as possible. A lot can happen in ten years! If you don’t look harder, you won’t find them. 

GERMAN GENEALOGY ON THE INTERNET: BEYOND THE BASICS
The Internet age has brought genealogy to our fingertips over the last two decades, and subsequently we can find our German ancestors easier. But it still takes some digging and some know-how. This lecture will discuss some online sites that all German genealogists should be aware of. American sites will be covered, but a strong concentration on lesser used German sites will be discussed, as we are missing vital clues by not being truly “international” in our Internet research endeavors! 

INCORPORATING SOCIAL HISTORY INTO YOUR RESEARCH 
Family history should be more than names and dates. What motivated our ancestors? Why did they migrate? Who did they interact with? How do social customs of another era affect our research? Social history and its bearing on genealogical research will be covered and a “must-read” bibliography for serious researchers will be discussed. 

“SHE CAME FROM NOWHERE . . .” – A CASE STUDY APPROACH TO A DIFFICULT GENEALOGICAL PROBLEM
This lecture illustrates the joys and pitfalls of Virginia research as well as employing a problem-solving approach utilizing social history, female research and family analysis to identify the parents of Elizabeth Stith, the ancestor “from nowhere.” One need not have Virginia ancestors to see the Genealogical Proof Standard at work! 

As usual, we will be having our used book sale.  This year, we were lucky to receive a large donation of books from private libraries.  I understand there is quite the selection of books on just about any topic you can think of. And best of all, they are priced to sell!

The Spring Seminar will again be held at the La Quinta Inn and Suites in Tacoma (253-383-0146).  If you would like to stay at the La Quinta a limited number of rooms will be made available at the discounted price.  Please note, this offer is only available until April 5th and only through the above phone number.  Also be sure to identify yourself as a conference attendee when reserving a room.

Jane Irish Nelson, TPCGS Seminar Co-Chair