Friday Serendipity

by Charles Hansen

Need a fundraising idea for your society? The Clallam County Genealogical society in Port Angeles, Washington, has a dandy idea to share.

The roof of this little blue plastic “piggy” bank reads: “Help Pay Off the Mortgage”  “When I’m full, bring me to the Clallam Co Genealogical Society, 360-417-5000.”

According to Virginia “Ginny” Majewski, past president of CCGS, this little idea is really working well. “The funds are coming in,” she told me with a smile. “These can be purchased very cheaply, even with a printed slogan or logo,” she added.

Ask “Grandma” Google for help with these. Perhaps it’s an idea that will fit your society’s needs??

GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s Thursday Evening E-News

by Charles Hansen
GFO Logo Halo 2 Large

THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s

Thursday Evening

E-News Edition

October 25, 2018

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 call our library at 503-963-1932.

Be sure to check the complete GFO CALENDAR.
Also, don’t miss the current issue of The Forum Insider
***

Multnomah Library Shares African American Genealogy Resources at GFO
African American SIG

Join us this Saturday, October 27th, at 12:30 p.m. at GFO’s Library

GFO’s African American Ancestry Special Interest Group (SIG) this month will feature guest Emily-Jane Dawson, a reference librarian with the Multnomah County Library system.

Dawson will speak about genealogical resources available within the library system for African American genealogy. She will highlight the three-volume index “Blacks in Selected Newspapers, Censuses and Other Sources” by James de T. Abajian. The index covers publications from the 1880s to about the 1950s.

Please join us! All our SIGs are free and open to the public.

Our African American Ancestry SIG meets the 4th Saturday of each month.
***

Are You Ready for GFO’s Fall Seminar, Book Sale, and Raffle?
raffle tickets

The raffle prizes this year are out of this world!

Raffle tickets can be purchased at the Fall Seminar for $1 each or six for $5.

Please remember to bring cash to buy both raffle tickets and books at the seminar.

Here are a few of the great items being raffled:

▪ Southern California Jamboree 2019 admission – Approx $195 value
▪ FTDNA kit – $89
▪ Newspapers.com subscription – $90
▪ Fold3 subscription – $79.95
▪ History Geo 3 month subscription – $20
▪ Diahann Southard Tutorial Series 1 year subscription – $50
***

Did You Know the GFO Runs a Bookstore too?
BookSales 6853

Buy yourself some history!

The GFO has hundreds of surplus books for sale. Some of the historic volumes are extremely valuable and date back to the 1880s.

We also have a bevy of affordable $10 books in the front of the library and bargain books for $2 outside our front door. Many of our bargain books will be available at the Fall Seminar.

See what’s available here.
***

Open House Presenters Needed
Open House Ford Building

GFO’s 2019 Open House is right around the corner. Mark you calendar now for March 23rd through 31st.

We are looking for presenters to give 50-minute sessions on any topic that may be of interest to beginning genealogists.

Opening weekend: Saturday will be devoted to Irish research and is being planned by the Irish Special Interest Group. Sunday will be a Beginner’s Boot Camp.

The closing Saturday and Sunday will be DNA Days planned by Emily Aulicino and team and will feature a very special guest. Stay tuned for more information.

There is an “adoption” theme on Wednesday and additional participants are being sought. There will be panel discussions and presentations relating to questions about whether to search for biological family. There will also be resources available on topics such as how to make first contact.
If you are an adoptee, a biological parent, or someone seeking a biological relation and would like to share your views or provide a presentation, please contact laurel.smith@gfo.org.

There are lots of presentation spots open on Monday and Tuesday, as well as some on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.

Again, if you can participate by leading a session at GFO’s 2019 Open House, please send a message to laurel.smith@gfo.org.

Presenters will be compensated with profuse gratitude! GFO will print and provide any handouts for attendees.

We don’t know of any other genealogical organization that provides a 9-day event, packed with content, absolutely FREE to all attendees. But we need your help to make it happen!
***

GFO was featured on Legacy Family Tree News!
Yelp GFO

Click the image for the full “how-to” story about using Yelp, posted on Legacy Family Tree’s News page earlier this week.

Thanks for the wonderful shout-out, Legacy!
***

This week at GFO …
desk-calendar-12992149

SATURDAY, October 27th

DNA Advanced 9 a.m. – noon

Tim Janzen will give a presentation on DNA Painter and creating network diagrams.
Anyone interested in using DNA for genealogy is welcomed. Time will be provided for questions. Download the handout here.

Meetings are held at the GFO Library on the 4th Saturday of January, April, July, and October unless there is a GFO seminar or other scheduling conflict. Remember to ALWAYS check the calendar. Please download, print and bring to class the evaluation form which can be found here.

African American Ancestry Group 12:30 – 2:30 p.m.

Emily-Jane Dawson, a reference librarian with the Multnomah County Library system, will speak about general genealogical resources available within the library system. One item she will discuss is the three-volume index “Blacks in Selected Newspapers, Censuses and Other Sources” by James de T. Abajian. The index covers publications from the 1880s to about the 1950s.

Also, come meet the group’s new leader, Janice Sellers: “I’ve been researching my family for more than 40 years. I started doing black genealogy research about 15 years ago for extended family members. I have traced three of those family lines back to 1870 censuses and some individuals to 1867 in tax lists, but I have not yet been able to break through the 1865 Emancipation barrier. Since then, I have discovered my own African roots through DNA testing. I haven’t found my own black ancestors yet, but I never give up. I’m in this for the long haul, and I hope to help you advance your research too.”

SUNDAY, October 28th

Library Work Party 9:30 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.

WEDNESDAY, October 31st

Early Library Closure!

GFO’s research library will close at 5 p.m. in honor of All Hallows’ Eve. We wish you a very happy and safe Halloween!

Eastern Washington Genealogical Society November Canadian Seminar

by Charles Hansen

Saturday, November 3 through Saturday, November 3
Canadian Research  (Seminar)
8:30 am to 4:00 pm
Country Homes Christian Church, 8415 N Wall, Spokane, WA
Genealogical research in the Pacific Northwest often leads to cross-border connections, because our relatives seemed to think that the grass was greener on the other side. Or maybe it was love, or economic opportunities.
Presenter Dave Obee  —  a Canadian journalist and genealogical researcher, will give five presentations on researching your Canadian connections.
Syllabuses: (click on the link to download the pdf syllabus)
Dave has written a dozen books and given more than 600 presentations at conferences and seminars in Canada, the United States and Australia since 1997. He is Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of the Times Colonist in Victoria, British Columbia.

In 2012 Dave was awarded an honorary doctorate of laws by the University of Victoria for his work as a historian, genealogist and journalist. In 2017 Dave was awarded the annual Bill Good award, which recognizes a B.C. journalist, leader or educator who has made a significant impact in journalism and in the community at large.

He is a member of the board of Canada’s History Society, and is a member of the services consultation committee at Library and Archives Canada in Ottawa.

Dave is a columnist for two magazines, Internet Genealogy and Your Genealogy Today. He is the author of Counting Canada: A Genealogical Guide to the Canadian Census, and Destination Canada: A Genealogical Guide to Immigration Records. Dave is also the co-author (with Sherry Irvine) of Finding Your Canadian Ancestors: A Beginner’s Guide, published by Ancestry in 2007.

Dave’s talk in Spokane will deal with immigration, the census, war records, Internet resources and more. While in Spokane Dave plans to do more research into his family connections here – connections that he will include in his talks.

ADMISSION: $20 Members  $25  for non members
NO Lunch will be provided for REGISTRATION after October 15th.  Sorry, NO REFUNDS!
 
For mail-in registration form Click here
Free lunch is no longer included but registration fee is still required.
You can register NOW online.  Time is past for the free lunch menu but the registration fee is still required.

Wednesday Nostalgia

by Charles Hansen

Know what this is? U.S. census takers, as well as Lewis & Clark in their journals, used one of these.

This is a replica of a quill pen, a writing instrument from long ago. I spotted these in the gift shop of the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center in Great Falls, Montana. Maybe they were “true” and maybe just “for tourists,” but they looked very difficult to use ….. and what a broad line they would make.

A quill pen is a writing implement made from a moulted flight feather (preferably a primary wing-feather) of a large bird. Quills were used for writing with ink before the invention of the dip pen, the metal-nibbed pen, the fountain pen, and, eventually, the ballpoint pen. The hand-cut goose quill is rarely used as a calligraphy tool, because many papers are now derived from wood pulpand wear down the quill very quickly. However, it is still the tool of choice for a few scribes who noted that quills provide an unmatched sharp stroke as well as greater flexibility than a steel pen.  (Thank you, Wikipedia.)

 

Tuesday Trivia

by Charles Hansen

Catching up today………….

First, thank you all who take the time to enter comments on these blog posts. I really do appreciate knowing you read my posts and care enough to make comments.

Second, yesterday’s Mystery post was of Ginny and me at the Makah Cultural & Tribal Center in Neah Bay, Washington. I ask you what was your most vivid memory of that museum. Here’s mine:

The Makah people would take very thin cedar planks (top of left pix) and cut “Vs” into them so they would bend into a box shape. They would then join the edges with wooden pegs driven through on an angle. Amazing! To think of all that work to make ONE box…..and in the museum there were the remains of several. In “those times” they must have had boxes of all sizes, each laboriously made this way. Just amazing.

 

International German Genealogy Conference

by Charles Hansen

 

View this email in your browser
Get ready! Registration opens on 1 Nov 2018
Preview the preliminary schedule & presenter videos

Click here to see Video

Video: Co-chair Bill Cole predicts a fantastic German genealogy experience

8 months to go … 83 meters to heaven

If you’re coming to Sacramento for the 2019 International German Genealogy Partnership conference in June, you may be thinking about visiting northern California’s famous redwood forests.

After all, the giant sequoia is among the largest life forms on Earth. It grows as tall as 83 meters (272 feet), and its lifespan is measured in thousands of years.
But did you know that the tree was first described by a German-speaking botanist born in the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1804?

Stephan Endlicher reportedly named the genus Sequoia but never explained why. The speculation offered by later writers was that Endlicher was inspired by the achievements of the American Cherokee Indian linguist Sequoyah.

The trees that grow on northern California’s foggy coast are commonly known as redwoods, while those in the Sierra Nevada mountains are called Sequoias. Those coming to Sacramento will be strategically located to visit state or national parks that preserve these majestic trees.

While you’re pondering your tourism options, view our Sacramento hospitality page for a selection of tours for conference down time.
Registration for the 2019 IGGP conference in Sacramento, Calif., opens Nov. 1, 2018. Interest is high, and it’s possible that the conference will sell out early in 2019. Mark your calendar!

Looking for a hotel room? The conference is being held at The Hyatt Regency, which has limited availability. You also now can get a conference rate for rooms at the Residence Inn/Marriott hotel, just two blocks away.
Hotel details
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.

Friday Serendipity

by Charles Hansen

Patty Olsen is the Regional Representative for Region 4, Washington State Genealogical Society. She does a bang-up job and shares wonderful little snips from time to time. Here is a poem she spotted recently and shared:

Lord, help me dig into the past and sift the sands of time

That I might find the roots that made this family tree of mine.

Lord, help me trace the ancient roads on which my fathers trod

And led them through so many lands to find our present sod.

Lord, help me find an ancient book or dusty manuscript

That’s safely hidden now away in some forgotten crypt;

Lord, let it bridge the gap that haunts my soul when I can’t find

The missing link between some name that ends the same as mine.

— Curtis Woods

 

Tri-City Genealogical Society Civil War Books

by Charles Hansen

Please be advised that the Richland Family History Center now has a 130 volume set of  “The War of the Rebellion Official Record of the Union and Confederate Armies”.
This set of books is in the basement of the Richland Family History Center and will only be there for a limited time. So, please take the opportunity to research these books as soon as you can.
Hours of operation:
:
Monday, Friday, Saturday: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday: 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Telephone: 946-6637
Art

GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s Thursday Evening E-News

by Charles Hansen
GFO Logo Halo 2 Large

THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s

Thursday Evening

E-News Edition

October 18, 2018

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 call our library at 503-963-1932.

Be sure to check the complete GFO CALENDAR.
Also, don’t miss the current issue of The Forum Insider
***

Historic Columbian Cemetery’s Fall Harvest Festival this Saturday
Fall Festival 2018

Come on out and show your support. Visit GFO’s table at Historic Columbian Cemetery’s Fall Harvest Festival!

The GFO will join community groups attending along with local vendors. The cemetery will also have presentations starting at 11 a.m., including a historical cemetery tour, local authors, a presentation about the mural wall project, as well as a mock natural burial to introduce the community to this new burial option in the urban Portland area.
***

GFO will be at the Oregon Archives Crawl this Saturday too!
Archives Crawl 2018

Oregon’s Archives Crawl theme this year is about how archives are “Changing Attitudes” within societies.

Archival representatives from various repositories around Oregon will be at the following locations in downtown Portland, Saturday, October 20th, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

▪ City of Portland Archives & Records Center
▪ Oregon Historical Society
▪ Multnomah County Central Library

GFO’s very own Manuscripts Committee will be showing off treasures from our collection at the Multnomah County Central Library.

It’s free, open to the public, & all ages are welcome.
***

Raffle Table Volunteers Needed!
Fall Seminar 2018 v2

GFO needs volunteers to help staff the Fall Seminar Raffle Table

HOW? Email Sharyle Kingston at vicepresident@gfo.org

WHEN? Saturday, November 3rd,
10 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

WHY? Because we need you!

BONUS: Sneak snippets of Cyndi Ingle’s presentations between breaks!

Thanks for all you do to support the GFO.
***

Great Lakes Region Meeting November 10th
Great Lakes Region SIG

The next Great Lakes Region Special Interest Group (SIG) meeting is coming up.

Saturday, November 10th,
9:30 a.m. at the GFO, hear Duane Funk speak about the War of 1812 and, in particular, its effects on the Great Lakes region and our research focused there.

Also, we will check in with our database (find it here).

After that, we’ll make time for sharing research and developing some solutions to your genealogy conundrums.

Questions about the meeting or the group? Email Lynn at greatlakes@gfo.org. We hope to see YOU on November 10th at GFO.

All GFO’s SIG meetings are FREE & open to the public.
***

GFO Needs You!

Please Run for a Board Position to Help Keep Us Going Strong!
Team

The GFO is an ALL-volunteer organization. No paid staff. No paid director.

Yet we keep our library open every day of the week, publish weekly news updates, monthly newsletters, quarterly magazines and continue growing our fabulous collection.

GFO’s Board of Directors guides how we get all this done. We’re asking you to join our board!

Terms run for two years and won’t begin until July 1, 2019, but now is when we need to know if you are willing to help.

Three positions are opening up:
* Vice President
* Director at Large
* Treasurer

Sharing your skills could be a real benefit to the organization. Please consider serving on GFO’s board!

Please reply to president@gfo.org if you are interested or would like to know more.
***

The Lost & Found Corner …
Flash Drive 1

Flash Drive #1

Do you recognize this furry little fella? If you do, we’ve got your flash drive. It’s got a lot of great images we’re sure you’re missing. If this is yours, please ask for Flash Drive #1 at GFO’s reception desk.
Flash Drive 2

Flash Drive #2

Are you searching for JANET DUFFY or ELMER CUMMINGS? If these names sound familiar, we’ve got your flash drive. If this is yours, please ask for Flash Drive #2 at GFO’s reception desk the next time you’re in the library.
Ring

Claddagh Ring

The Claddagh ring (Irish: fáinne Chladaigh) is a traditional Irish ring which represents love, loyalty, and friendship (the hands represent friendship, the heart represents love, and the crown represents loyalty). Are you missing your ring? We have one at the reception desk, but just like Cinderella, if you want to claim it, it’s got to fit.
***

Visit the Oregon Historical Society on Us
Oregon Historical Society Logo

GFO Members … We’re pleased to offer you another NEW benefit.

You can now check out Cultural Passes from the GFO to visit the Oregon Historical Society (OHS).

As an affiliate of OHS, the GFO receives two annual membership cards. We’d like to share this benefit with you.

We’ve turned the cards into Cultural Passes which you can check out one day and return the next.

Just ask at our reception desk if you’d like to visit the Oregon Historical Society.

And please remember, if you want to join OHS, as a GFO member, you are entitled to $10 off OHS annual membership dues.
***

This week at GFO …
desk-calendar-12992149

SATURDAY, October 20th

Genealogy Problem Solvers 9:30 – 11:30 a.m.

This month, the Genealogy Problem Solvers (GPS) will attempt to unravel a complicated series of relationships and dramas in order to learn the parents of Harry E. Mitchell. The GPS team will review records from 1880 to 1930 in locations across the United States, including West Virginia, Kentucky, Iowa, Minnesota, and Washington, in an effort to solve a brick wall that has puzzled a GFO member, searching for any information about her grandfather, for over five years!

GPS is a monthly support group where we help each other find information about a family line. We will learn to do a reasonably exhaustive search and develop research plans. The focus will shift depending on the needs of the group. Several experienced researchers have volunteered to help. Beginners and intermediate researchers are encouraged to submit their problems for consideration. For more information contact Katie Daly at GPS@gfo.org.

Italian Group noon – 2 p.m.

The Italian Special Interest Group is dedicated to promoting Italian family history and genealogy through education of attendees in methodologies of sound genealogical research and by providing the necessary tools and expertise to be successful. Facilitated by Keith Pyeatt.

GenTalk – Digging for Ancestral Gold 2 – 3 p.m.

Presenter: Laurence Overmire, author

Digging for Ancestral Gold: The Fun and Easy Way to Get Started on Your Genealogy Quest

Discovering your family’s unique story is like solving a puzzle. You’ll fit together bits and pieces from relatives’ memories, old records, and photographs to create a picture of the past. When you’re a beginning researcher, the prospect of diving into your roots can seem overwhelming. Laurence will walk you through the basics of genealogy research: what records to look for, how to organize, and more. Before you know it, you’ll be well on your way on the fun and rewarding journey of discovering your roots.

SUNDAY, October 21st

Library Work Party 9:30 a.m. – noon

Hey there volunteers – we need you this Sunday!

We’ve fallen behind on labels again, and need YOUR help to catch up.

There’s another work party at the GFO library for those who can come.

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. Come and pitch in, then stay for one of the afternoon presentations.

P.S. There will be donuts!

Family Tree Maker for Beginners 1 – 3 p.m.

This is a beginning class for Family Tree Maker users and for those considering a purchase. It will be repeated quarterly.

French Canada Group 3:30 – 5 p.m.

The topic will be research and social media tools we are all using. Feel free to bring in the names of resources you use – websites, social media groups, books, etc.

Sharing stories of our history. Come and join this new group to learn more about French Canadian ancestry and Acadia. The group leader is Bob LaMarche.