Jewish Genealogical Society of Washington Free Event

by Charles Hansen

Jewish Genealogical Society of Washington

Dear Genealogy Friends,

You are invited to attend our upcoming free genealogy event, on
Monday evening, September 9, 2019.

We would also appreciate it if you could help us publicize this event using this email or our flyer, attached above, by emailing it out, posting it on your bulletin board or calendar, and/or website, or handing out flyers to or sharing this email with individuals and groups you think might be interested.

The Jewish Genealogical Society of Washington State is pleased to present our September meeting program

“Jewish Genealogy: How Is This Research
Different from All Other Research?”
presented by Janice M. Sellers, Professional Genealogist

DATE:  Monday, September 9, 2018

LDS Factoria Building
4200 124th Ave SE, Bellevue, WA  98006

·         Doors open at 6:30 p.m., for all to enjoy the extensive JGSWS Library’s genealogical resources, including FREE access to the FHC computers and genealogical websites!

·         Free Wi-Fi available. Come early to network with other attendees!

·         Presentation starts promptly at 7:15 p.m.

·         Free admission and refreshments

ABOUT OUR PROGRAM

This presentation provides an overview of the unique aspects of Jewish culture and history that affect family history research. Topics include history, geography, naming patterns, languages and alphabets, rabbinical genealogies, kehillah records, Yizkor books, cemeteries, and other resources. The information presented will be of great help to those new to Jewish genealogical research as well as providing important information to more experienced researchers.

ABOUT OUR SPEAKER

Janice M. Sellers is a professional genealogist specializing in Black, Jewish, dual citizenship, forensic, and newspaper research. She is the editor of ZichronNote, the quarterly journal of the San Francisco Bay Area Jewish Genealogical Society (SFBAJGS) and has previously edited four other genealogy publications. Currently, Janice is the publicity director, programming director, and a board member of SFBAJGS and a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists, Council for the Advancement of Forensic Genealogy, Genealogical Speakers Guild, and Genealogical Forum of Oregon. She has volunteered at Family History Centers since 2000 and gives presentations on many genealogical topics at the local, regional, state, and national/international levels, most recently returning from the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies’ annual conference, held earlier this August in Cleveland, OH. She has researched her own family history for more than 40 years. Before becoming a professional genealogist, Janice worked in publishing for many years as an editor, indexer, translator, and compositor. Her translation services primarily include French, Spanish, and Russian.

Please    by clicking on
https://www.facebook.com/Jewish-Genealogical-Society-of-Washington-State-548090815567964/

Please visit our website at http://www.jgsws.org to join or to donate to JGSWS to help support the incredible speakers and workshops we bring to you, to view library listings, download handouts, or for more information.  JGSWS is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt non-profit organization. Membership dues and donations are tax deductible.

Thank you very much and we look forward to seeing you, your friends and family members!

Karen vanHaagen Campbell
President/Publicity/Programs, Jewish Genealogical Society of Washington State
president@jgsws.org
www.jgsws.org

Whitman County Genealogical Society Free Mini-Seminar

by Charles Hansen

Whitman County Genealogical Society

is hosting a FREE Fall mini-seminar

Bishop Place Independent Living Social Room, 811 SE Klemgard, Pullman, WA

Saturday, September 14, 2019

featuring: DAN OWENS and DULCE KERSTING-LARK

“Using the Public Library for Genealogy and Local History”

9:00 am: The doors open.

9:30 am-10:30 am: Dan Owens will discuss the resources in the Palouse Heritage Collection at Neill Public Library in Pullman as well as working with public libraries, in general, when doing genealogical research or learning more about local history. This can be applied to researching in any area, not just our own local area. In addition he will cover the ins and outs of interlibrary loan.

10:30 am-10:45 am: Break and refreshments.

“Archival Power: Demonstrating the Importance of Primary Sources to Stakeholders and the Public”

10:45 am-11:45 am: Dulce Kersting-Lark will discuss how working with original source materials is a privilege, but it is also a complex challenge. The nature of archives makes them both authoritative and flawed. Creating a community repository in a border town is just one of many challenges that we must make our users aware of from the get-go. How we promote the value of primary source material to the broader public is another. She will also speak to the interesting and rewarding work she does at Latah County Historical Society, as well as share information about the History Relevance Campaign.

If you have any questions or need more information contact WCGS President, Sue Kreikemeier at:

aerocraft@completebbs.com or 509-635-1303. Please RSVP to Sue or whitmancgs@gmail.com

by September 7 to accommodate handouts & refreshments.

While the seminar is free, donations are welcome at the door.

Directions: Turn off Bishop Boulevard onto Klemgard Ave., follow Klemgard Ave. up the hill and turn left at the top. Do not go into the front entrance, but turn right, continuing up the hill and turn left at the white car ports. Find an appropriate parking place, enter the building through the main doors and go straight ahead to the Social Room.

GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s Thursday E-News

by Charles Hansen
THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s Thursday Evening E-News Edition August 8, 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
Free August GenTalk: Women in your Family Tree
“Why don’t I recognize all those names on my DNA match list?”
Half of your ancestry comes from women, yet we tend to focus our
genealogical searches on men. No wonder those matches are
mysterious!
Join Barb Schrag here at the GFO Library on Saturday, August 17, at 2:00 p.m. for a fascinating talk focused on the comprehensive genealogy, of all of the descendants of your third great grandparents. Not only will you
begin seeing the relationships, but you’ll be creating the genealogy
that future generations can refer to and build on. Barb is a member of the GFO as well as the Clark County Genealogical Society and has given numerous presentations for both organizations.
As always, GenTalks are free and open to the public, so, member or not, check out our Calendar page and come spend an hour or so with us!
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
Beginners’ Boot Camp is almost here!!
On Tuesday, August 20, join Laurel Smith for a full day of beginning genealogy from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. in the GFO Library. There will be sessions about the census, vital records, discussions about genealogy software and database use, organizing your research, using Ancestry.com, and more — 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. Registration closes on August 16.
GFO members may attend for free, non-members $20.
Register Here
Big Donation Will Help All GFO Members
The LDS Stake in Boring, Oregon, donated 15 boxes of books to the GFO this week. We’d like to thank the Mount Hood Family History Center for a sizable donation this week. The LDS Stake brought us 15 boxes of books. Apparently they’re scanning as much as they can and discarding the physical copies. The GFO welcomes donations like these. Our collections committee reviews the genealogical value of all donations. Those that meet our criteria will join the shelves. This is a good time to remind you how we differ from historical societies. We don’t park donations in a back room. Museums often have more than they can display at once. The GFO operates an active research library. Our goal is to get all our holdings out in the library so you’ll have access to everything. Of course, since we’re all-volunteer, it takes time to process all our donations.
But once they’re sorted, cataloged and labeled, you will find them!
Don’t Forget, We’re Cool!
How do I love thee, GFO?

Let me count the ways. Air conditioning, air conditioning, air conditioning.

Another great reason to visit our research library this summer!
Does Your Family Have a Story About Women Fighting to Vote?
Photo: Library of Congress Next year marks the 100th anniversary of a watershed year in women’s rights in the U.S. On August 18, 1920, Congress ratified the 19th amendment to the U.S. constitution, finally giving women a right to vote. Did your ancestors play a role in the suffrage movement? Did any of your ancestors fight against giving women a voice? We’d like to hear from you. The Bulletin would like to publish stories next year about suffrage and we’d welcome your submissions. Please contact bulletin@gfo.org.
Family Pictures USA Explores Our Shared History
HOST THOMAS ALLEN HARRIS IN DETROIT WITH PAUL WASSERMAN Digital Diaspora Family Reunion LLC
There’s a good chance you have saved family photos. Do you know the stories behind the relatives pictured? Here’s a program on PBS you might find interesting. Family Pictures, USA is a new PBS series exploring American cities, towns and rural communities through the lens of the family photo album. “Family photos of everyday milestones — marriage, childhood, a new car, a growing business — provide a visual portal through which to examine the roots, surprising connections and provocative parallels that shed light on our collective past and our shared future.” It airs on OPB Tuesday, August 13 at 8 p.m. Watch the trailer here.
Rare Books Reminder: Oregon Masonic Lodge to 1851
Did you know that the GFO holds 170 original Oregon Masonic Lodge books? They contain the Mason’s proceedings of their annual conventions from 1851 to 1998. If one of your ancestors served in this fraternal organization, their names may well appear in one of these many compilations.
The Masons diligently tracked and published the names of people who joined, left, and died. Sometimes elaborate memorial tributes appeared for certain members. These Masonic books are in the rare books section of the GFO Library. Ask an RA to show you. We have indexed the following information contained in the proceedings: a biography, a portrait/phototype, the death of a member since the last convention, and memorial plates. A member’s name may have variations within the same book and have been noted.
Survey Results: Extreme Cold and Winter Weather
The survey results are in. Blizzards won out as the most reported cold weather disaster with 48%. Here are a few of the comments.
▪ Two little girls, Eda and Mathilda Westphalen, died on 12 January 1888 on their way home from school during an unexpected snowstorm in Dodge County, Nebraska. They have a large cemetery monument erected after children collected money to remember the sisters. Thirteen-year-old Eda had wrapped her own coat around her eight-year-old sister to no avail. The local paper published a poem. ▪ My grandfather went bankrupt when he lost an entire herd of cattle in a blizzard. ▪ My 4G-grandmother, Marie Dorion, escaped the war party of Indians who killed her husband and some other members of the Hunt expedition on the Snake River in 1813. She took her two young boys into the Blue Mts., built a snow cave and smoked horse meat to survive. They crawled down the mountains and were taken in by friendly Walla Wallas two months later. ▪ My great-great-grandfather died of complications from pneumonia in 1884. He was called to jury duty in Marion County in February when it was very cold and there was deep snow. He developed a severe cold in the first week. Rather than seeking an excuse, he continued to serve and developed severe pneumonia which led to his death in March. He was only 59 years old.
New Survey: Hot as Blue Blazes
We continue our theme of disastrous events and how they affected our ancestors. This week, we’re inquiring about hot weather and drought.
Take the Survey Now
This week at GFO …
Sunday, August 11th
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.
Tuesday, August 13th
GFO Board Meeting 6:10 – 8:10 p.m.
Wednesday, August 14th
Open Late to 8:00 p.m.

One Week to Go Before NWGC

by Roxanne Lowe

Northwest Genealogy Conference

There is only a week before the Northwest Genealogy Conference, August 14-17 in Arlington, WA.

If you’re still thinking about whether to attend or not, consider these benefits and offerings:

  • Unlimited networking with other enthusiastic genealogists.
  • More than two dozen top-notch presenters offering more than 30 classes. Keynote speakers will be Thomas MacEntee (through the magic of video), Angie Bush and Michael Strauss — all amazing presenters. What an opportunity to hear nationally renowned experts right here in Western Washington!
  • Whether you consider yourself a beginner or more advanced genealogist, attend the FREE beginning genealogy session on Wednesday, the 14th, with Janet Conor Camarata. There’s always something to learn (or relearn!) in the world of genealogy.
  • There are still openings in some of the “advanced” workshops held on Wednesday. Pre-registration and payment is required. Click here for more information.
  • If you’ve got a young person interested in attending, a complimentary youth registration (ages 13-17) is available with one paid full conference registration. (Email info@stillygen.org or call the Society at 360-435-4838 for further information.)
  • Vendors! Vendors! Vendors! Don’t miss the opportunity to see what’s new!
  • Sign up for all three days or just one — fit it into your schedule.
  • Maybe you’ll find a cousin if you post a surname message on the Cousin Board in the registration area. A great way to connect with other attendees.

Don’t miss this opportunity. Sign up today by clicking here.

Heritage Quest Research Library Classes

by Charles Hansen
Thursday, August 15th, 1-3 p.m.

Meyer’s Orts- und Verkehrs- Lexicon

Join us as we welcome our member, Sue Foster, as a new instructor.
Sue will speak on 2 subjects:
1) Meyer’s Orts- und Verkehrs- Lexicon includes all place names as they were designated during the time of the German Empire (1871-1918). She will discuss the online version, importance in locating the place where vital records were recorded and the locations of the microfilmed/digitized records of the Family History Library based on this Gazeteer.  She will also discuss
2) a FREE German website, which translates to English, and its 2 divided sections: a] information, history, links to regional family history groups and repositories, and b] family trees submitted by researchers.

$20.00 members / $25.00 non-members


 
Wednesday, August 28th, 1-3p.m. 
  Janet Camarata’s topic for this month is:   Discover County Histories and the Family Stories They Tell

The town, county, and regional histories are important sources for genealogists for 18th and 19th-century research. Discover settlement patterns of a given area, origins of the early settlers, geography, religion, economics, education, the social conditions and major events of the times, and if lucky, a biographical sketch of your ancestor. Learn what’s been written, where to find them and how to assess their value.
$20.00 members / $25.00 non-members
  All of our classes are held in the Library classroom. To reserve a spot for either class, please call: 253-863-1806 or stop by HQRL and we will add you to the list of attendees.  If you find you cannot attend the reserved spot, please let us know so that we can make room for others.
 

German Interest Group of The Eastside Genealogical Society

by Charles Hansen


The German Interest Group of The Eastside Genealogical Society (EGS) meeting



When: Friday, September 6, 2019, from 12:30 to 2:30 pm

(Doors open at 12:15 pm for networking)



Where:  Primary Room of the Latter-day Saints Church

             10675 NE 20th St, Bellevue, WA 98004.


Topic: Genealogical Benefits of Facebook – Facebook can provide expertise, knowledge, and genealogical assistance on many facets to support your research. We will explore those benefits and demonstrate how to find the right pages or groups for your specific area of interest, and how to effectively access and search within groups, pages and your saved posts. Many of the examples address researching Germans from Russia.

Presenter: Marilyn Mullins Schunke – As a graduate of University of Washington’s Genealogy & Family History Certificate Program, Marilyn volunteered at Heritage Quest Research Library as a Board member, Education Coordinator and Volunteer Librarian. Technology is her forte and she presented Windows 10 and Digital Organization classes. She is a member of several local, state and national genealogy organizations. Marilyn will be presenting this same program at Concordia University’s Center for Volga German Studies in November.

Visitors are always welcome at our meetings. For more information about our Group, kindly visit our website at https://egsgermangroup.wordpress.com/  .

GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s Thursday E-News

by Charles Hansen
THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s Thursday Evening E-News Edition July 25, 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
Beginners’ Boot Camp is back!
On Tuesday, August 20, join Laurel Smith for a full day of beginning genealogy from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. in the GFO Library. There will be sessions about the census, vital records, discussions about genealogy software and database use, organizing your research, using Ancestry.com, and more — 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.
Register Here
September Half-Day Seminar Registration Now Open!
Newspapers can provide information about births, deaths, marriages, moves, business, naturalizations, court cases, and more. The GFO provides access to several newspaper subscription sites, plus additional databases. Join GFO’s Janice Sellers for a half-day workshop to get an overview of what is available and techniques to help improve your chances of finding information about your relatives. Janice is a professional genealogist who specializes in forensic, Jewish, Black, and newspaper research. The session will be held in the GFO Library, Sunday, September 8, from 9:30 a.m. – Noon. For more detailed information, download the flyer. Registration is $25.00 for GFO members, $30.00 for non-members. Register before August 12 and save $5.00!
Register Here
Where Are You? We Took a Look
To all of you E-News readers who are members of the GFO, thank you for your support! We were curious where all our members live. Google Maps made it easy see at a glance. We enjoyed seeing the results and thought you might too. The big picture: you’re all over the U.S.!
Naturally, at lot more of you live in the Portland area. We zoomed in and found a pretty even distribution around the metro area.
Freebie Reminder!
Don’t forget, the GFO Library is free to everyone on the First Monday of each month. That’s next Monday, August 5. Plus, we’re now open late until 8pm that day. Please tell your friends.
The Virtual Genealogical Association is announcing open registration for its upcoming 2019 Virtual Genealogy Conference being held online Friday, November 1 – Sunday November 3. The cost is $59 USD for VGA members and $79 USD for non-members. You also have an option to join the VGA for $20 USD/year to get member benefits along with the discounted conference registration.
▪ Registrants will have access to the recordings and handouts for all sessions until May 3, 2020. Watch any time, any place, on any device. ▪ Socialize and network with fellow attendees during the conference via a private Facebook group. ▪ Conference is held via GoToWebinar. All registrants will receive an emailed link. ▪ Closed captioning via Rev.com will be added to recordings of all sessions and will be made available to registrants within 7 days of the live broadcast. ▪ Full refund if cancellation request is received before October 18; no refund after October 18, 2019. There are a number of well-known speakers this year, including Judy G. Russell, Blaine Bettinger, Nicka Smith, and many others – refer to the conference schedule for more details. This is a great way to attend a genealogy conference without any expensive travel!
Surplus Book: Own History Printed When President Lincoln Was Still Alive
Here’s your chance to own some rare history: a first edition book that lists President Abraham Lincoln, and former presidents Millard Fillmore, Franklin Pierce and James Buchanan as still alive. The United States Register, or Blue Book for 1864, was printed one year before Lincoln’s assassination.
It includes lists of federal officials, military leaders, the U.S. Census of 1860 in city populations, and many more statistics of the era.
You’ll find lists of the sitting members of Congress feature large gaps. Every southern state is shown without any representatives or senators at all. They were part of the Confederacy and this was the height of the Civil War. In the census pages, you’ll find Oregon included once, but not Portland. It lists Eugene City having a population of 2,500. This was five years after Oregon’s statehood.
This surplus book shows wear. It’s spine is damaged and frayed. Yet none of the pages are loose and all are crisp and clear. A few library stamps are found inside, but no other markings. Also, an originally enclosed map is missing. Due to its rarity, the price is higher than many of our surplus books, but not exorbitant, due to the condition of its cover. We’re selling this book on eBay with a starting price of $99. If you’re interested, click here to bid before the auction expires in one week.
Survey Results: The Impact of Storms
The survey results are in, and the results are pretty evenly split as to whether respondents’ ancestors were affected by a hurricane, cyclone, or tornado:
Yes 39.4% No 27.3% Don’t know 33.3% Here are a few of the stories we received:
▪ My great-great-grandparents married in Boston, then moved to Le Mars, Iowa, in 1882. On June 14, 1885, a tornado struck the town and their house was moved “5 feet off the foundation.” It was said to be the main reason that they moved to Los Angeles in 1889, where I was born many years later! ▪ A cyclone on 21 Sep 1894 ripped through Cylinder, Iowa, killing my great-great-grandmother’s brother Alex, plus his wife and one child. Alex had actually purchased tornado insurance two years before. Court documents show total losses at $1210. One young son, Owen, survived. My great-great-grandmother, Bridget, then took in Owen and became his guardian, 20 years after she gave birth to her last child. Bridget had to file court reports adding up everything she spent on Owen each year until he became an adult. ▪ No, but the relatives back in Wisconsin thought the whole family had died in the Galveston Hurricane.
New Survey: Surviving the Cold
Among the replies to last week’s survey were several that encouraged us to ask about other disasters—and so we will. This week, we’re asking about disasters related to the cold—snow, ice, and hail.
Take the Survey Now
This week at GFO …
Saturday, August 3rd
German Ancestry Group 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
DNA – presenter Heidi Mathis
– How is ethnicity determined from DNA
– How reliable are ethnicity results (“Recall vs Precision”)
– Brief History of Population Dynamics in “Germany”
– How well do these tests work for German-Americans
– Best Tests for German-Americans
– Case Studies
For more information or questions about this group, please contact the facilitators, Mike Fernandez and Tia Cobb at German@gfo.org.
Sunday, August 4th
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.
Monday, August 5th
Free First Monday 9:30 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
GFO Library open to non-members for free, come early–stay late.
Tuesday, August 6th
Italian Ancestry Group 10:00 a.m. – Noon
This month’s topic: How to find your immigrant ancestor’s ship!
Your immigrant ancestor’s ship and the passenger list it created usher in a new wealth of information from which to uncover more great puzzle pieces about your Italian family heritage. In this lecture, we’ll focus on the Great Migration of paesani from Italy 1880 – 1924, when 4 million Italians immigrated to the United States, leaving us the 5th largest ethnic group in America.
We’ll review a brief history of Italian migration and relevant U.S. immigration laws, dissect components of the U. S. passenger list to help you better understand the magnificent clues awaiting you, and learn valuable tools for locating and searching them.
Instructor: Nancy Bronte Matheny, MLIS, MBA.
If you have questions or want more information, email italian@gfo.org.
Wednesday, August 7th
Open Late to 8:00 p.m.

Free Class at NWGC

by Roxanne Lowe

Sign up for one of the best bargains of the summer! A FREE Beginning Genealogy day with Janet Camarata on August 14th at the Northwest Genealogy Conference in Arlington. Sign up here.

During Janet’s jam-packed workshop (1:00 – 4:30 p.m.), she’ll cover:

Janet Conor Camarata
  • Are you a Genealogist or Family Historian?
  • The Basics of the Genealogical Hunt
  • Organizing Strategies for Genealogy Success
  • Locating Genealogy Records Online and Off-line
  • Techniques and Tools to Transform your Approach to Research
  • Resources and References for Improved Research Results
  • Tips to avoid Genealogy Traps, Confusion, and Overload
  • The Next Steps as a Genealogist

Don’t consider yourself a beginner? Good for you, but I can attest that I learn (or relearn!) something in every workshop I attend. So, sign up for this great opportunity whether you’re a beginner or intermediate or advanced researcher!