Everybody loves chocolate! Well, almost everybody. Chocolate seems to be the universally favorite candy flavor, doesn’t it?
On our recent trip in the West Indies, I learned something about where chocolate comes from. First off, it’s cacao and cacao trees only grow along the equator.
The cacao pods grow right on the branches of fairly good sized trees:
See the green vines and long brown pods? Did you know that vanilla comes from pods produced by the Vanilla Orchid flower and vines? Nice growing partnership, don’t you think?
At 3:30 today was the public hearing in the Senate Ways and Means committee. TVW Archive here: Bill number 5332 starts at 1:20. Only one person testifying in favor of the bill, a coroner that wants the increased fee for certified certificates. The Health department issues 500,000 certificates a year so local governments will get about $1,000,000 more in income from their $2 increase in fees. The other $3 goes to the state for their state crime lab. They still say genealogist have agreed to the informational death certificates without a cause of death.
I don’t really care about the increase in the fee for a certified copy, nor the removal of the social security number if the certificate has that, I want a true copy of the record I am looking for.
Does your city have an official tree? Does any city where your ancestors lived have such? Is Spokane really unique in that arena?
It was explorer David Douglas who, in 1826, identified and named the pinus ponderosa or Ponderosa Pine. Now it’s The Official Tree of the city of Spokane.
Using Wikipedia, I found this factoid:
During Operation Upshot–Knothole in 1953, a nuclear test was performed in which 145 ponderosa pines were cut down by the United States Forest Service and transported to Area 5 of the Nevada Test Site, where they were planted into the ground and exposed to a nuclear blast to see what the blast wave would do to a forest. The trees were partially burned and blown over.
WE
ALL NEED HELP WITH OUR RESEARCH, AND THEREFORE LOOK FORWARD TO OUR
MARCH MEETING
WITH
ADVICE BEING PROVIDED BY TRACY
REBSTOCK FROM
THE WASHINGTON
STATE ARCHIVES.
COME AND SEE HOW MAPS AND LAND RESEARCH CAN HELP WITH YOUR GENEALOGY
AND FAMILY HISTORY. SHE WILL BE SHARING DIFFERENT RESOURCES AND
WHERE THEY CAN BE LOCATED.
If
you’re coming to Sacramento in June for the International German
Genealogy Partnership conference, have you left some free time to
explore the California wine-growing regions?
In 2016, the state grew 4 million tons of wine grapes, including more
than 110 varieties. And it’s all for the visiting with a short road trip
from Sacramento, or by signing up for the pre-arranged day-long adventure tour to the wine country.
You could even combine your German heritage research with a visit to San Benito County, where German and French immigrants planted the first grapes in the mid-1800s.
Some wine and cheese would help everyone relax at the end of a busy
conference day. We’re planning Connections 2 Discoveries sessions to
link you with others interested in similar topics. Keep checking the
website for updates.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t make it up as you go. If you connect
with others during the day, invite them to gather in a quiet spot.
Sorry, wine and cheese are not included in your conference registration.
<smile>
Review the program for the weekend, decide which programs are of interest and then register.
Contact the hotels for your reservation. All conference sessions are in the Hyatt Regency – the Marriott is only a couple blocks away.
Have questions? Email the conference team. Need to update your registration? Contact the help desk for assistance.
We look forward to seeing you in 4 short months!
Your
hosts, the Sacramento German Genealogy Society and the International
German Genealogy Partnership, encourage you to learn more about the products and services offered by conference sponsors.
We thank them for their support.
Between the years 1820 and 1920, thirty five million immigrants arrived at US ports and 82% of them came through the port of New York. Before Ellis Island was opened in 1892, Castle Garden was the official immigrant reception area. Combined, the three collections cited below have over 66 million searchable passenger records that cover the port from 1820-1957. Access is available to you through your account on the free genealogy website, FamilySearch.org
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR IRISH WEEK! Volunteers are needed to staff the SGS Booth, pass out brochures, and answer questions at the Irish Week Festival at Seattle Center Armory on Saturday, March 16 & Sunday, March 17. Each volunteer will be scheduled for a 2 hour stint in the booth. If you can help on either day, please contact Jean Roth at 206 782-2629. A NOTE FROM HONEST ABE With Lincoln’s birthday just last week and President’s Day coming up on Monday, now is the perfect time for an anecdote about my ancestor, Wait Talcott, Abe Lincoln, and Abe’s friend, Elihu Washburne. When visiting the Talcott Free Library in Rockton, IL, the librarian showed our group some pieces of our family memorabilia they held in their collection. Here was this short, amusing note from Abe to Wait. A photo of the note will follow, but for ease of reading, I’ll transcribe it for you. It shows even Honest Abe was not above a little nepotism.
“Executive Mansion, Washington Aug 27, 1862
Hon. Wait Talcott, My dear Sir,
I have determined to appoint you collector. I now have a very special request to make of you, which is that you will make no war upon Mr. Washburne, who is also my friend of longer standing than yourself. I shall even be obliged if you can do something for him if occasion presents.
Yours truly, A Lincoln”
While Abe requires no introduction, the backstories for Wait and Elihu are, they were all politicians in Illinois. Wait aligned himself with the anti-slavery Liberty Party and was in the Illinois Senate, representing Winnebago, Carroll, Boone, and Ogle Counties, from 1854-1858. During that time he became friends with Abe. After the passage of the Internal Revenue Act, President Lincoln appointed Wait Collector of Internal Revenue for the Illinois 2nd Congressional District, a position he held 1862-1867. Wait was also selected to represent Illinois at Lincoln’s funeral.
Elihu Washburne was in the US House of Representatives from 1853-1869. He was an early staunch supporter of Lincoln, both in his Senate and Presidential bids. Originally a Whig, Washburne evolved into a leader of the Radical Republicans, supporting African American suffrage and civil rights.
Certainly, Abe appreciated and rewarded their long standing loyalty, when in his own words “occasion presents”.
SAVE THE DATE
The Jewish Genealogical Society of Washington State proudlypresents
“Using MacKiev’s Family Tree Maker Software”
presented by Mark Olsen, Family Tree Maker Ambassador
DATE: Monday, March 4, 2019 (1st Monday)
Note Date, Time and Place Change for this one evening: Downtown Bellevue Public Library, Room 1 1111 110th Ave NE, Bellevue, WA 98004
· Come early to network with other attendees and to check out the fabulous genealogy section of the Bellevue Library on the 2nd floor!
· Free Wi-Fi available.
· Doors open at 6:15 p.m. and Presentation starts promptly at 6:30 p.m.
· Free admission and refreshments
Ulster Historical Foundation, USA Lecture Tour 2019 Lake City Center, 1916 N Lakewood Dr, Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814 Wednesday, March 20, 2019, 1:00pm-8:30pm
Enjoy this all day Irish & Scots-Irish Research Seminar with presenters Finton Mullan and Gillian Hunt from the Ulster Historical Foundation, Belfast. Register by February 20th for the early bird price of $35. It will be $50 after that.
Beyond the Basics in Irish Genealogy, Fairview Christian School, 844 NE 78th St, Seattle, WA 98115 Saturday, March 23, 9:00 am – 5:00pm
Irish genealogy workshop with regional specialists Steven W Morrison and Jean A Roth. Organized by the Irish Heritage Club of Seattle. More information and registration at the link below.
The ABCs of DNA Genealogy, With Janet O’Conor Camarata, Mercer Island Library, 4400 88th Ave SE, Mercer Island, WA Thursday, March 28, 7-8 pm
Genealogist Janet O’Conor Camarata provides tips and tools for selecting and interpreting DNA results from a variety of health and ancestry DNA providers, like Ancestry, FamilyTreeDNA, 23andMe and more. Designed for the non-technical, genealogy oriented audience. Please register. Sponsored by the Friends of the Mercer Island Library, in partnership with Mercer Island Historical Society.
Olympia Genealogical Society, Beyond the Basics: Genetic Genealogy In Practice Olympia, WA Saturday, March 30, 8:30am-3:30pm
Seminar presented by Blaine Bettinger, the Genetic Genealogist. Additional information and registration at : https://olygensoc.org/cpage.php?pt=4
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.
FEBRUARY
Saturday, February 16, 10:15 am – 12:15 pm, Irish SIG, Jean Roth, leader ** Canceled due to weather **
Saturday, February 16, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm, German SIG, Jean Roth, leader ** Canceled due to weather **
MARCH
Saturday, March 2, 10:15 am – 12:15 pm, Family Tree Interest Group, Lou Daly is leader of this special interest group exploring all the features of the tool Family Tree on FamilySearch.org
Sunday, March 3, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm, DNA Workshop, with Cary Bright. Q&A first hour, while focus second hour in on Genome Mate Pro.
Saturday, March 9, 10:15 am – 12:15 pm, (FTM) FAMILY TREE Maker Users Group, co-leaders Reiley Kidd & Jess Ramey, meets on the 2nd Saturday of every odd month (Jan 2019, Mar 2019, May 2019). Family Tree Maker is the genealogy software long associated with Ancestry.com
Saturday, March 9, 12:30 pm-1:00 pm, Seattle Genealogical Society Membership Meeting, important meeting – discuss proposed bylaw changes and board nominees
Saturday, March 9, 1:00 pm-3:00 pm, Second Saturday Speakers Series – “Finding Your Female Ancestors” with Lisa Oberg
Saturday, March 30, 10:00 am – 12:30 pm, DNA SIG , this group meets quarterly at Wedgwood Presbyterian Church, 8008 35th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98115, co-chaired by Cary Bright & Herb McDaniel. For more info contact SGSDNASIG@gmail.com
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