Heritage Quest Research Library Quest Connections September 2026

QUEST CONNECTIONS September 2026 Volume 32 – Issue 3 Here’s to a Happy and Safe Labor Day Weekend!
In this Issue Behind the Scenes Directly Speaking Put HQRL on the Map Upcoming Events Welcome New Members Discover Your Next Adventure Labor Day Quiz Added to our Library Collection Quiz Answers
Behind the Scenes
A New Look Our newsletter, Quest Connections and the monthly Happenings will have a less flashy look and fewer graphics going forward. No contend will be added during the last week before publication. Late submissions will go out in the next publication.

Website Redesign
The website redesign is ongoing with no set completion date. The webmaster is actively fixing bugs, though no user manual or direct technical support is available yet. The librarians can help you log in the first time, if you are having difficulty. They will forward any problem they cannot resolve to the appropriate person.

Please be patient while we work through this together. Thank you. Sara McGlothlen, Interim Editor

Directory Speaking Carolyn Pasquier HQRL Director and Collections Manager
As Director, I am incredibly proud of how our library serves as a welcoming, active, and valuable hub for our entire community. However, we cannot do it alone. The true heart of our library is its people, and today I am inviting you to share your unique time, talents, and knowledge with us.

Whether you have a few hours to spare each week, possess a special skill you would love to share, or simply enjoy helping your neighbors, your experience can make a profound difference. If you have ever walked through our doors and thought, “I could help with that,” this is your opportunity to jump in.

We would love to welcome you to the team. If you are interested in volunteering, or if you simply have questions about how you might fit in, please reach out: Meet us in person:

Stop by the library on any Thursday to chat with our Volunteer Coordinator, Susan Nolan.

Give us a call: Reach Susan directly at 253-455-2758 to discuss how you can get involved.

Thank you for your continued support, and for helping our library thrive!
Put HQRL on the Map  Tired of telling people how hard our library is to find? We are raising $1,600 by October 31 to install clear new street and highway signs! We’ve already raised $300 of our $1,900 total. Every dollar helps guide new guests right to our doors.
How to give: Donate safely at the online HQRL store, by mail, or at the front desk today!   Thank you so much for your support and for being a vital part of our library!
Below are samples of how these signs may appear.
Guide signs installed by WASDOT on Hiway 512 East and West exits

Guide sign on East Pioneer, just before the American Legion building and Guide sign on 15th St. SE, by the se service station. 

Upcoming Events

HQRL Class

September 3

Heritage Quest Research Library

Classroom and Zoom

11:00 am – 12:00 pm

Introduction to Genealogy: Cemetery Resources

Join Carol Ansel, Director of the Godfrey Memorial Library, who will show you resources other then Find-A-Grave and share the imagery and symbolism that was common in early New England cemeteries.

Visit or call the library to register. $20+tax for members, $25+tax for non-members. Classroom attendance is limited to eight. Zoom participants will receive a link via email 1-2 days before the class along with any handouts.


Washington State Fair

September 4 – 27

Puyallup Washington

FamilySearch is asking us to help man their booth at the Fair. Free admission and a parking pass will be provided for anyone who volunteers to take one or more shifts during the Fair.

They especially need volunteers to cover the morning shift on Sundays.

Click on the link below to view available shifts and enter your name and contact information. The form will automatically save your information.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1quDcLXBDPQqMLJDhFakj6M9YFkqeKDpOvmPN4-1ZVSg/edit?usp=sharing


“Fun-Raising”

Annual Holiday Bazaar Meeting

HQRL Classroom

Tuesday September 15

10:30 am – 12 noon

Angi Burslem, Volunteer and HQRL Board member, shared her thoughts about the upcoming Holiday Bazaar: “It seems this year is flying by! Last year we jumped right into our fundraiser with a short planning window. This year we’ll have a little more time. We had lots of fun last year getting to know each other and finding inspirational and creative new “tricks” for holiday crafting and decoration. All are welcome!”

Agenda: Planning the event and letting potential

participants know it’s time to get their crafts started.


Management Team Meeting

HQRL Classroom (in person or zoom)

Wednesday September 16

12 noon – 2 pm

Zoom participants will receive a link via email 1-2 days before the class along with any handouts.


HQRL Class

Thursday September 17

Heritage Quest Research Library

Classroom and Zoom

11:00 am – 12:00 pm

The Scoop on Digitized Historic Newspaper

Databases for Genealogy

Discover your ancestors’ daily lives, milestones, and legal stories. Join Eleanor Brinsko to uncover the online databases that hold your family history. Visit or call the library to register.

$20+tax for members, $25+tax for non-members. Classroom attendance is limited to eight. Zoom participants will receive a link via email 1-2 days before the class along with any handouts.


Beginning Genealogy Class

Presented by HQRL

September 19

2:30- 4 pm

Puyallup Public Library

324 S Meridian, Puyallup, WA 98371

Seating is limited.

Register on the Puyallup Public Library website.


Annual Cider Squeeze and Oregon Trail Event

Saturday, September 19

10 am – 3 pm

Meeker Mansion

312 Spring Street, Puyallup, WA 98372

Hands-on history activities leave a lasting impression, and distributing HQRL flyers can guide interested attendees directly to the library to start their family research.


2027 Dinner Auction Planning Meeting

Tuesday September 22

10:30 am – 12:30 pm

HQRL Classroom


Beyond Treaties: Native Stories of Survival and Strength

John Halliday, Presenter

Muckleshoot Tribal Member

Saturday October 3

10:30 am

Puyallup Nazarene Church

1026 7th Ave SW Puyallup, WA

Courtesy of Eliza Jane Meeker Chapter DAR

Welcome New Members

July-August

Lavonne Emler

Alice Farrar

Norman and Andrea Hamlow

Clayton Henry

Jeff Jennings

Brian Johnson

Discover Your Next Adventure:

Volunteer at HQRL!

Management Team positions

Secretary: Monthly Management Team Meetings

Technology Manager: Maintain and update computers and electronics

Editor: Quarterly Newsletter

Volunteer Opportunities

Education Coordinator Assistant

Membership Coordinator Assistant

Holiday Bazaar and 2027 Dinner Auction

Librarians

Labor Day Quiz

Why and when did the first Labor Day take place?
What day was the first labor rally held?
What was the Haymarket Affair?
When was Labor Day officially changed to Monday?
What American food is most popular between Memorial Day and Labor Day?
What was the first state to declare Labor Day a legal holiday?
What is the most popular way Americans celebrate Labor Day today?

New Books in the Library

Discover our ‘New Book Shelf’

It’s the first shelf to the left of the classroom door.

These new books are from these generous donors: Tacoma Family Search Center, Elena Gonser, Sara McGlothlen.

Thank you for keeping our collection new and fresh.

AR Howard 005 More of the unfinished story of North Howard County Zelpha Hunter Allison, Myrl Faulkner Dyer

CA San Francisco 007 San Francisco Earthquake Gordon Thomas, Max Morgan Witts

FL Hillsborough 002 Plant City, its origin and history 1885-1985 Quintilla Geer Bruton, David E. Bailey, Jr.

IL DeWitt 002 History of DeWitt County, Illinois. With Illustrations, Descriptive of the Scenery, and Biographical Sketches of some of the Prominent Men and Pioneers W.R.Brink

IA Taylor 001 History of Taylor County Iowa from the earliest historic times to 1910, illustrated with portraits and views. Also biographical sketches of some prominent citizens of the county [Published 1910]

IA Winnashiek 004 Bloomfield Township family histories a supplement to “And so they came…..to Bloomfield Township” Bloomfield Township Historical Society

IL Jo Daviess 004 Index to Council Hill Township cemeteries tombstones: cemeteries Birkbeck Cemetery, Council Hill Cemetery Robert Hansen, Margaret Buehler, Alfred Mueller

MA Essex 016 Inscriptions from the old cemetery in Rowley, Massachusetts Geo. B. Blodgette

MA Plymouth 016 Plymouth County Massachusetts Probate Index 1686-1881 Ralph V. Wood, Jr

ME 000 Military 03 History of the Twenty Sixth Maine Regiment Elden B. Maddocks

NY 000 Military 13 Patriots of the North Shore Great Neck-Cow Neck-Hempstead Harbor-Cedar Swamp-Wolver Hollow-Norwich-Oyster Bay-Jericho during the Revolutionary War Leonard Wanger

NY 084 Marriages and Deaths from the New Yorker (Double Quarto Edition) 1836 – 1841 Kenneth Scott

NY 085 Some Early Church History of Western New York Hazel M. Shear

NY Suffolk 006 Our Hampton heritage Elaine Benson

OH Gallia 004 Cemeteries of Gallipolis Township Gallia County, Ohio Gallia County Historical Society

TN 040 v.3 Tennessee tidbits 1778-1914 Volume 3 Marjorie Hood Fischer, Ruth Blake Burns

TN Dickson 003 Heritage of Dickson County, Tennessee 1803-2006 H. Alan Ragan

TN Dickson 004 Dickson County Tennessee handbook, a handbook for research in Dickson County, Tennessee containing marriages, wills, estate settlements, deeds, military records, vital statistics, gazetteer, chronology, genealogical miscellany, a stroll through history, and other research aids Jill Knight Garrett

TN Dickson 005 History of Dickson County, Tennessee Robert Edwin Corlew

TN Dickson 007 v.1 through v.8 Dickson County, Tennessee newspaper abstracts (7Jan1910 through 16Aug1912) Laura Willis

TN Wilson 004 1793-1829 Wilson County, Tennessee deed books C-M 1793-1829 Thomas E. Partlow

TN Wilson 004 1829-1853 Wilson County, Tennessee deed books N-Z 1829-1853 Thomas E. Partlow

TN Wilson 005 Wilson County, Tennessee miscellaneous records 1800-1875 Thomas E. Partlow.

WA Pierce Sumner yrbk Sumner HS 1973 1973 Sumner High School Annual, ‘The Spartan’ Spartan Annual Staff

WA Pierce Sumner yrbk Sumner HS 1974 1974 Sumner High School Annual, ‘The Spartan’ Spartan Annual Staff

WA Pierce Sumner yrbk Sumner JrHS 1970 Sumner champs Bobcats 1970 Annual Staff

WA Pierce Sumner yrbk Sumner JrHS 1971 Sumner Junior High Bobcats 1970-1971 Annual Staff

WA Pierce Sumner yrbk Sumner JrHS 1972 Sumner junior high 1972 Annual Staff

Foreign SCOTLAND 126 Scottish voices 1745-1960 T.C. Smout, Sydney Wood

AFRICAN AMERICAN 000 Military 08 They were good soldiers, African-Americans serving in the Continental Army 1775-1783 John U. Rees

Dictionary ARMENIAN 001 English-Armenian and Armenian-English Concise Dictionary Adour H. Yacoubian

Dictionary CHINESE 003 Concise English-Chinese Dictionary with romanticized standard pronunciation Shau Wing Chan

Dictionary HEBREW 002 Ben-Yehuda’s Pocket English-Hebrew Hebrew-English Dictionary Ehud Ben-Yehuda

Dictionary HUNGARIAN 001 English-Hungarian Hungarian-English Dictionary Lajos Pal Biro, Jozsef Willer, Sandor Fest

Dictionary SERBOCROATIAN 001 English-Serbocroation and Serbocroatian-English with English Grammar Dictionary Ratimir J. Cvetanovic

Family History GRAY 04 Gray family of Hancock County, Maine Almon A. Gray, Walter A. Snow

Native American Cherokee 035 v.1 Old Cherokee Families, notes of Dr. Emmet Starr Volume One: Letter Books A-F Jack D. Baker, David Keith Hampton

Native American Cherokee 035 v.2 Old Cherokee Families, notes of Dr. Emmet Starr Volume Two: Letter Books G-L Jack D. Baker, David Keith Hampton

Religion GERMAN BAPTISTS Brethren 015 Roots by the river, the history, doctrine, and practice of the old German Baptist brethren in Miami County, Ohio Marcus Miller

Society

NSWDAHAC 002 Massachusetts Heraldica An illustrated compilation of Arms with heraldic description and cited authorities comprising an alphabetical index of one hundred and three armigerous members of the ancient and honorable artillery company of Massachusetts in the colonial period 1637-1774

US History TRANSPORTATION 016 Granger Country A Pictorial Social History of the Burlington Railroad Lloyd Lewis, Stanley Pargellis

US History WOMEN 033 Pioneer women, the lives of women on the frontier Linda Peavy, Ursula Smith

Labor Day Quiz Answers

On Sept. 5, 1882, tens of thousands of union laborers marched from New York City Hall to Union Square to protest deplorable working conditions.
The very first U.S. Labor Day celebration was held on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, before shifting to the first Monday, the second on a Wednesday and in 1884 it was changed to Monday. 
In early May 1886, a labor protest rally in Chicago turned into what’s now known as the Haymarket Affair. Police fired into a crowd, killing at least two but possibly six protesters (reports at the time varied) and injured several others in a peaceful rally demanding an eight-hour workday and safe conditions.
Labor Day was officially changed to the first Monday in September on June 28, 1894, when President Grover Cleveland signed a Congressional act making it a federal legal holiday.
Labor Day is the unofficial end of Hot Dog season. The National Hot Dog and Sausage Council says that between Memorial Day and Labor Day, Americans will eat 7 billion hot dogs.
Oregon was the first state to celebrate Labor Day as a legal holiday in 1887.
The most popular way to celebrate Labor Day in the United States is by hosting backyard barbecues, cookouts, and informal outdoor gatherings with family and friends.

Heritage Quest Research Library | 2102 East Main Ave Suite 105 | Puyallup, WA 98372 US

Tacoma Pierce County Genealogical Society Writing Family History

Tacoma-Pierce County Genealogical Society Writing Family History

Wednesday, September 9, starting at 7:00 PM via Zoom

The Writing Family History Special Interest Group (WFH-SIG) supports TPCGS members in documenting, writing, and preserving their family histories—formally or informally. Monthly meetings will provide a mix of presentations, writing exercises, and peer reviews to help members make progress in their projects.

Date & Time: Every month on the Second Wednesday, starting at 7:00 PM Pacific Time

Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system.

Monthly: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/tZMoc-2qqDMjHNXnACfWJ0dop_pMeQXMRoYM/ics?icsToken=98tyKuGvqz8uGNKduR-GRpwEGY-gLOrwplxEgo1lkj7GBRd5Mgf5Jt1SH7dOKPXi

Join Zoom Meeting:

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87544268961?pwd=oNtdztP51tePuSn3bt45J3wuxnGXzl.1

Meeting ID: 875 4426 8961

Passcode: 328639

One tap mobile:

+12532158782,,87544268961#,,,,*328639# US (Tacoma)

+12532050468,,87544268961#,,,,*328639# US

Dial by your location:

• +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)

• +1 253 205 0468 US

Meeting ID: 875 4426 8961

Passcode: 328639

Find your local number: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/kclCP1SsOV

Let’s Talk About: Without A Plan All Is Lost



This is a true story. If you can’t handle a very sad truth, quit reading right now.

I was walking one day with my Tika (dachshund) a few years ago on my gravel-county road. I came upon some stuff that a yahoo had dumped along the roadside. THAT was bad enough, but this picture, all busted apart, was in that pile of dumped junk. It didn’t look recent enough to me to be a jilted girlfriend but somebody’s mother or grandmother. And there it was dumped into the weeds along a gravel road.

Picture on the right was taken in a big thrift shop near Sequim. One corner of a big room was filled with stacked picture frames……… and not just frames but PICTURES. Family pictures. Why in the world? How in the world?

Okay, dear readers. A line from an old Kingston Trio song rings in my mind: “This could happen to you!” 

If you do not have a plan for all your family genealogy and photos and memorabilia, the likelihood is 90% that it will go to the dump or Goodwill. (Where do you suppose all those shoeboxes of old photos found in thrift shops comes from??????) 

Your family has their own busy lives and collecting genealogy and family history was YOUR hobby. You must not assume that they’ll be as fanatical about it as you’ve been. 

Please, please know that I “preach” the truth here today. Please start crafting a plan for when you “cross over that Rainbow Bridge.” It takes a plan to leave a legacy and not a mess.

AI Workshop Coming Soon!

The Washington State Genealogical Society is sponsoring a FREE AI workshop with nationally respected presenter and podcaster Lisa Louise Cooke. The workshop “Make AI Your Personal Genealogy Assistant” will be Thursday, October 22, 2026, from 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. via Zoom.

The FREE workshop is open to all WSGS members, Blog subscribers and local society members. Registration will open on September 15. Space is limited to 100. The registration link will be posted on the Blog, emailed to WSGS members and through local societies.

Let’s Talk About: Porky Rides Log Pile

 I do apologize that I didn’t think to note the date but this wonderful story was found in The Spokesman Review. It’s hard to read, so here goes:

BRISTLY VISITOR RIDES LOG PILE

Johnny Porkypine Goes To Police Station but is Later Released

Gunting (sic) irritably and threatening everyone who approached, Spokane’s strangest tourist arrived in the city this morning on a load of logs from the north woods.

Motorcycle Officer Victor Hudson and employees of the Milwaukee railroad discovered the visitor, an immense porcupine, hiding beneath a load of logs on the railroad tracks near Sprague and Greene. The porcupine was rounded up and coaxed into a sack. He was taken to the police station.

“I didn’t lose him,” declared Captain R. W. Hinton. “Call up the park board.”

After some discuss, the animal was taken to the Manito zoo, where he was refused admission on the grounds that he would pine away and die. Unable to find a home for the porcupine, he was carted to the timbered flats of Hangman Creek and released.”

Gotta wonder how they coaxed him into the sack and whose job it fell to????

Reminder: WSGS Annual Meeting — August 27, 2026

You’re invited to the WSGS’s annual meeting! Thursday, August 27, 6:30 p.m. via Zoom.

In compliance with Washington’s Nonprofit Corporation Act (24.03A), we’re holding our annual meeting.

Here’s the Zoom link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84911154165?pwd=6w3P7KCgNunmb1YseVyo9NDtB98262.1

Meeting ID: 849 1115 4165
Passcode: 113167

Phone: +16694449171,,84911154165#,,,,*113167# US

The agenda will include the announcement of the 2026 Outstanding Volunteer and Team recipients, President’s Award for Outstanding Achievement and the Supportive Grant awards. We’ll also have a short presentation titled “Writing Your Family Story Using AI” with Forrest Adams, North Beach Genealogical Society and Grays Harbor Genealogical Society.

We hope you join us! If you want more information, email Info@wasgs.org.

Tacoma Pierce County Genealogical Society Legacy Family Tree SIG Meeting

Tacoma-Pierce County Genealogical Society Legacy Family Tree SIG Meeting

Tuesday, August 4, 2026, from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm virtual via Zoom

This month using notes provided by Siri Nelson we will review and discuss:

Tagging/Hashtags and things that might be useful to hashtag 

How to find unattached persons/trees

Using the Split Screen View to compare two FDB files

Source Writer – Examples of citing Newspaper articles, FamilySearch records, and Find A Grave memorials

This is our monthly meeting to share tips & tricks, problems & solutions. Sometimes we will watch videos or share our screens to aid in learning more about using Legacy Family Tree software. 

Everyone is welcome to attend and participate in the learning. If you are just thinking about trying Legacy for the first time, you’ve been using it for a year or two or you are an old pro with many years of experience using Legacy this is the group for you.

We look forward to meeting with you, every month on the First Tuesday at 7:00 PM Pacific Time

Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system.

Monthly Calendar Reminder: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/tZYpfuyuqDovHNwtBgxtQjWKOjDQ8k5Q9bPD/ics?icsToken=98tyKuGqqjIvHNKUtR-PRpwQBor4Z-7wpn5Ygo1KiD3iGzRiaDTdGehmA-p0RemJ

Join Zoom Meeting:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82495661568?pwd=dy85YmluVzF5aEU4SzFTcTUrVDlTUT09

Meeting ID: 824 9566 1568

Passcode: 715731

One tap mobile:

+12532050468,,82495661568#,,,,*715731# US

+12532158782,,82495661568#,,,,*715731# US (Tacoma)

Dial by your location:

+1 253 205 0468 US

+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)

Meeting ID: 824 9566 1568

Passcode: 715731

Find your local number:

https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kcphK19I1E

Let’s Talk About: A Mystery Picture Invites A Story

I spotted this photo in a collecting at the Cheney Historical Society Museum. There was no identification on or with the photo. I’ve kept it on my desk top to let my imagination run wild creating a story…………

* Is this a 1930s or 1940s photo?

* Is this a grandmother with a favorite grandchild? 

* Notice the ribbon on the hat…. a gift from grandma? 

* It’s obviously outdoors…were they gardening?

* Half of a big shaggy dog sit with them, of course. 

* The dog’s feet are clean….. there is water nearby???

* Grandma’s dress looks clean and pressed…no easy job with the tools of the day. 

* Was it a flour-sack dress? 

* She wears glasses…. so better to read bedtime stories to the tot.

* Her hands look like working hands, as they surely would have been. 

* They sit in a “wild place” not a manicured lawn like today. 

* I see one sandaled foot for the child…. not running barefoot today. 

My thought to share with you today is this: Don’t just glance at a photo of an ancestor. Study it and let the details spring forth into your imagination. 

Washington State Historical Museum 1889 Washington Constitution

 Invitation:Washington’s Original 1889 Constitution Viewing

This modest structure is the Territorial Capitol Building in Olympia, where the original State Constitution was drafted and signed. Image credit: Territorial Capitol Building, ca. 1899, Asahel Curtis, Susan Parish Photograph Collection, 1889-1990, Washington State Archives, Digital Archives.

Greetings!

I would like to personally invite you to a significant event at the Washington State History Museum. For one day only, we are bringing the original 1889 Constitution of the State of Washington out of the vault to be put on display for our community. This opportunity is presented in partnership with the Office of the Secretary of State and the Washington State Archives.

Event Details

· Date: Thursday, September 17, 2026

· Time: 1:00 PM – 7:00 PM (Free admission from 1:00 PM to 8:00 PM)

· Location: Washington State History Museum, 1911 Pacific Avenue, Tacoma, WA

Highlights

· Opening: At 1:00 PM, hear brief remarks from special guests, including Lt. Governor Denny Heck.

· Q&A: Guests will have an opportunity to ask archives staff questions about the document and its history.

· Special Exhibition: Explore our special exhibition, An American Experiment (*Washington’s Version), along with additional statehood artifacts from the Washington State Historical Society’s collection.

This foundational document brought forth Washington’s statehood, and we are honored to share it as part of Constitution Day, the Day of Civic Engagement and America’s 250th. We look forward to seeing you there.

Learn More

Sincerely,

Nicholas Vann

Director, Washington State Historical Society