Monday’s Mystery

by Charles Hansen

Ah, got a good one for you today. What can you tell me about the connection between Washington, specifically Clark County, and prunes?

Yes, prunes……that yummy, sticky dried fruit that begins as juicy plums. Vancouver, in Clark County, was once the Prune Capital of the world. There were prune-themed everything including a parade and a Prune Princess! And wouldn’t you guess that Prune Wine would be delicious?

(Took this image and learned all about this at the Clark County Historical Society in Vancouver.)

Tacoma Pierce County Genealogical Society June Meeting

by Charles Hansen

TPCGS will hold our monthly meeting this Tuesday, June 12, at 6.30 pm, at Bates Community College.

Our Speaker will be Midori Okazaki  from the Washington State Archives.

From  6:30 to 7:00 she will explain how to become a Scribe for the Washington State Archives. Then after a short business meeting, she will also cover the Preservation of physical records.

Hope to see everyone there!

TPCGS monthly meetings are held September through May from 6 pm to 9 pm, usually at Bates Technical College, South Campus, Building E, 2201 South 78th St., Tacoma. Guests are always welcome, so bring a friend!  For more information check our website at www.tpcgs.org.

Success Story

by Charles Hansen

Genealogy Serendipity

By Barbara Gorham Johnson

We’ve all heard of serendipity in genealogy but how many of us actually experience it? Well I did!

I had the great experience about one year ago when my husband and I were planning a trip to Ireland and Yorkshire. As a veteran genealogist, I knew to research my ancestral parish by looking for a local genealogical society. Nope. OK. Next step is to look for a local historical society. Bingo! Saddleworth (a tiny parish in West Riding of Yorkshire, England) has a very active Historical Society with lots of publications. I also made arrangements to tour the “family” church, St. Chad’s, built in 1215. Turns out I have thousands of cousins in the Parish.

I looked through the Historical Society web site and noticed that the President was a Mike Buckley. Hmm. I have Buckleys in my tree. I quickly sent him an e-mail and politely asked him how I could find out the maiden name of the Elisabeth who had married my John Buckley. A few days later, Mike responded that the bride was Elisabeth Heywood, gave me the date and the fact that they were married by licence (UK spelling) which meant one or both of them were wealthy. How did he know that? His response: our ancestors have lived here since the 1100s. Gasp!

After booking our flights, I re-contacted Mike to ask him if we could meet him. He responded affirmatively, saying he would be delighted to drive us around the parish and show us the ancestral sites! The day finally arrived. Mike picked my hubby and me up at our B&B and proceeded to drive us around for 5 hours! He was an encyclopedia of genealogy, family history, Roman history, and had tales to tell about our ancestors. We scoured the local cemetery finding grave after grave of MY ancestors! As a small thank you, we treated him to dinner.

Trivia: I learned from him and a few other locals that a Saddleworth good-by is a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

Mike and I still email and exchange information. What an example of Serendipity!

And all it took was a quick Google search and one e-mail.

 

 

Ann Olson Awarded President’s Award for Outstanding Achievement

by Roxanne Lowe

Ann Olson

In an announcement made at the WSGS Annual Meeting on 26 May 2018, Ann Olson from Olympia was awarded the WSGS President’s Award for Outstanding Achievement. The award, made by WSGS President Virginia Majewski, is designed to single out that rare individual, society or organization that has demonstrated exemplary service above and beyond expectations.

Just a few of Ann’s accomplishments:

  • Founding member of the Olympia Genealogical Society 44 years ago.
  • Has served in every board position; more than once in many cases.
  • Organizes and teaches a beginning genealogy course at the local library.
  • Affectionately called the “lead-off batter and team captain” of the society.

Ann’s involvement in her community is broader than genealogy. For example, she is a docent at the Governor’s Mansion; member of the Daughters of the Pioneers (including being president of her local chapter); and registrar of the local DAR, where she’s been a member for more than 30 years. When her children were growing up, Ann was active in the PTA, including being state president and national vice-president.

Ann exemplifies what the President’s Award stands for: long-term, consistent service in genealogy and in the community. Congratulations to her!

WSGS Awards Announced in Vancouver

by Roxanne Lowe

Many thanks are extended to the Clark County Genealogical Society for hosting the WSGS Annual Meeting and Awards Event on Saturday, 26 May 2018. The annual meeting was held in conjunction with CCGS’s Spring Seminar featuring David Allen Lambert, chief genealogist with the New England Historic Genealogical Society in Boston.

During the annual meeting and awards lunch, 30 local society members  and 4 teams were recognized with Outstanding Volunteer and Team awards. The volunteers were praised for their commitment and energies to promote genealogy and family history in their local communities. For more about the Outstanding Volunteers, read this blog article.

Other awards presented included:

  • WSGS President Virginia Majewski presenting the Outstanding Communication Award to Nancy Cordell, president of the Olympia Genealogical Society

    Outstanding Communication – Olympia Genealogical Society for their new website. Check it out!!

  • Clark County Genealogical Society members Brian Runyan and Lois Boslund receiving the Outstanding Project award from President Virginia Majewski

    Outstanding Project — Clark County Genealogical Society for their dedication to digitizing, transcribing and indexing original tax ledgers for the City of Vancouver for the years 1886 and 1891.

Five local societies were awarded Innovative Grant Awards. Congratulations to:

  • Eastside Genealogical Society – help paying for “The Photo Detective” Maureen Taylor at a workshop to celebrate the society’s 40th Ms. Taylor will present “Finding Family History in Your Picture Mysteries” on September 15 in Bellevue. Society members will get to attend for free while the public will pay a small fee.
  • Lower Columbia Genealogical Society– to purchase genealogical books to donate to the Longview Public Library for public use. Lower Columbia has generously donated books for a number of years, using money from membership dues and their coffee stops.
  • Okanogan Genealogical Society – help purchasing supplies to repair and preserve books holding the “Tonasket Times” newspaper from 1913 – 1952. They use a special archival document repair tape. Each book uses a whole roll of tape. This grant will buy a few rolls of tape to stop the destruction of the collection.
  • Stillaguamish Valley Genealogical Society – help publishing a book on “Early Stillaguamish Valley Schools” in the Arlington Area. It’s taken years to gather historical documents and photographs for this project from the 1800s to the early 1940s and now they’re ready to publish.
  • Wenatchee Area Genealogical Society – For the 4th consecutive year, WAGS has applied for an Innovative Grant to promote genealogy in their area. This year, they’re focusing on the digital preservation of family records, library holdings and archival documents. They plan to preserve family histories and archival materials of their society, its members and the community.

The President’s Award for Outstanding Achievement was presented to Ann Olson of the Olympia Genealogical Society. See separate blog feature.

For more photos of the seminar and annual meeting, visit our Facebook page.

Friday Serendipity

by Charles Hansen

It’s June! The month announcing summer, my mother’s name and, the name of a particular green beetle. Is there really such a critter?
Well yes there is:  
Cotinis nitida, commonly known as the green June beetle, June bug or June beetle, is a beetle of the family Scarabaeidae. It is found in the eastern United States, where it is most abundant in the South.  
I’ve never seen one but I know my Dad called my Mom his “June bug.”

GENEALOGICAL Forum’s Thursday Evening E-News

by Charles Hansen

THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s

Thursday Evening

E-News, Edition

7 June 2018

For more information visit www.gfo.org, contact us at info@gfo.org, or call our library at 503-963-1932. We love hearing from you!

For a complete GFO CALENDAR click here.

Also, if you missed your free copy of our monthly Insider for May 2018, you’re in luck because we saved you a copy HERE. Simply scroll down at THIS page and click on the Insider 2018 May issue.

Curious about the status of your GFO Membership? We’d love to have you as a GFO Member!
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Did you know your groceries can support GFO!?
FredMeyer-GFO

Here’s how:

You can financially support the GFO simply by linking your Fred Meyer Rewards Card to the Genealogical Forum of Oregon. You won’t pay more for groceries, but we will get a small donation every time you shop.

Please click HERE and then click on “Re-enroll or link your Rewards Card now” to add the Genealogical Forum of Oregon as your charity to support.

Thank you for helping us meet our rising rent and other expenses!
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books3

Saturday, June 16th, at GFO is Jam Packed!

Genealogy Problem Solvers (GPS) Takes One 9:30 – 11:30am

The Challenges: (1) Discover who were the parents and paternal grandparents of Riley Hash, the father of William M. Hash (1876–1937). (2) Is there a connection between Riley Hash and the Revolutionary War veteran William Horton Hash Sr.?

The primary geographical focus: Grayson County, Virginia, and Ashe County, North Carolina.

The resolution to Darrell Gulstrom’s questions will take a most unexpected turn. After resolving the parents and paternal grandparents of Riley Hash, one of his lines will be traced back to a surprising ancestor and the earliest days of settlement in North Carolina and Virginia.
GenTalk Photos Jun2018 graphic

GFO’s GenTalk 2:30 – 3:30pm

Presenter: Harold Hinds, Ph.D

Topic: The Family Photo Collection and Its Uses in Visualizing Your Personal Family History

Most of us hope to illustrate our personal family histories with family photographs. But what should be collected? Which deserve to be preserved and identified for posterity? What types of photos might you find in typical family albums or shoe boxes? What guidelines might you apply in selecting items from your collection for inclusion in a family memoir? This lecture tackles these important questions.

Harold Hinds, Ph.D., was Distinguished Research Professor of History at the University of Minnesota-Morris, and is the author of several books, including Crafting a Personal Family History: A Guide Plus A Case Study, and A Basic Guide to Genealogical and Family History Resources for Essex County, New York.

Be sure to download the handout for the GenTalk ahead of time right HERE.

Don’t miss GFO’s Annual Meeting at 2pm! We’ll be installing our new board members.

Also don’t miss the Italian Group meeting from Noon – 2pm. A little somethin’ for everyone! Personal research assistance will be provided on your current research problems. Keith Pyeatt facilitates this group.
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Early Bird Special Ends June 17th! Don’t miss out!
Hamburg.Domkirche.1800

GFO’s Summer Half-Day German Seminar

You can still REGISTER after June 17th, at the regular price of course, but who doesn’t like an Early Bird Special!?

WHEN? July 7th, 9:30am – noon
WHO? Presenter Fritz Juengling, PhD, AG®
WHAT? Learn the wonders of the Meyers Gazetteer, and learn how to read German Church and Civil Records
WHERE? GFO’s Library (map)

Registration starts HERE! (Sign up online or print the paper registration form and mail it in today.)
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Ford Building Freight Elevator
elevator

Next Friday, June 15th, the freight elevator will be inoperable due to scheduled repairs.

If needed, please plan ahead for freight use on Thursday June 14th. The Ford Building anticipates ability to have the freight elevator up and running again on Saturday June 16th.

Please note, this should NOT impact the regular elevator.
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The Irish Are Coming!!
Irish Ancestry Group

This group’s next meeting will be held on Wednesday, June 20th, at 6pm.

FOCUS: Although all of the island of Ireland is included, our primary focus is the genealogical research of the Republic of Ireland, also known as the Irish Free State, Éire, Ireland, and Southern Ireland. Members of the GFO as well as their guests and any interested members of the public are welcomed to attend the Irish Genealogy SIG. One hour of each two-hour meeting will be spent on presentations about Irish history, genealogy, and resources while the second hour will focus on Irish Brick Wall questions.

Also upcoming is the Celtic Connections Conference, which is co-sponsored by The Irish Ancestral Research Association (TIARA) & The Irish Genealogical Society International (IGSI). Sign up and all the details are HERE.
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Irish Famine Interactive Map
Irish Famine Online Map

Research The Great Irish Famine via UCC’s New Website

Last month at University College Cork, The Great Irish Famine Online was made accessible for online researchers.

“This ground-breaking project allows users to access interactive maps containing detailed information on the impact of the Famine on each of 3,000 civil parishes and 1,600 towns across the island. You can analyse statistics that chart changes in the social, political and economic landscape of Ireland pre- and post-Famine. The statistics are taken from the 1841 and 1851 census….” (read the entire article HERE)

Interact and explore UCC’s The Great Irish Famine Online HERE.
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This week at GFO…
desk-calendar-12992149

FRIDAY, June 8th

Mexican Ancestry Group 11:30am – 1:30pm

Finding your Hispanic ancestors from Mexico, Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, and California
This Special Interest Group (SIG) pertains specifically to Mexican ancestors from Mexico and the American Southwest (New Mexico, Arizona, Texas, and California).

Beginning and intermediate researchers are very welcome. Some subjects will include online parish records, Hispanic genealogy societies, Family History Library/FamilySearch.org. Ancestry.com, solving genealogical problems, methodology of organizing your research, etc. Of course this group will also be about sharing our research experiences, and having fun.

If you know of any other people interested in Hispanic genealogy tell them about the up and coming group. They don’t have to be a GFO member to participate.
For questions or comments, please email Vince at sw@gfo.org.

SATURDAY, June 9th

Great Lakes Region Group 9:30 – 11:30am

The Sizzling Summer of 1901, Google Tips, and More

We will look at the deadly heat wave that took over the Eastern half of the US in the summer of 1901 and affected almost every aspect of peoples’ lives for several weeks. Also, we’ll explore some “cool” ideas for getting more out of our Google searches. In the second hour participants are invited to share their own genealogy research, puzzlers, great finds, and more. Even if your ancestors are not from the Great Lakes Region, you may find something useful at this meeting! Contact Lynn Rossing at greatlakes@gfo.org with any questions.

SUNDAY, June 10th

Maps Work Party 9am – Noon

We are planning to continue working on this project on the second Sunday of the month from 9am until noon, or to whatever time you can spare. Come when you can. Doris Cruickshank is our fearless map project coordinator.

WEDNESDAY, June 13th

Portland Meetup: How Do I Get Started On My Family Tree 5 – 7pm

This meeting is part of the Portland Genealogy Meetup Group. It’s organized by GFO’s new secretary, Geoff Smith. Come on down for a guerrilla guide for those who are just starting — How to get started, how to organize your search. Additional information is available HERE.

Wednesday Nostalgia

by Charles Hansen

Know when the first bottle of Olympia Beer was filled? Back on 1 October 1896, and it was in Tumwater, Washington, in that shadow of Mount Rainier, so it was called Rainier Beer. Remember how the company bragged that they used artesian water?

What you and I might remember most about Olympia Beer were the Running of the Rainiers commericals……… I can still see those brown-legged beer bottles running along…….

Check out the YouTube videos and indulge yourself in a big of true Washington nostalgia.

Bainbridge Island Genealogical Society (BIGS) June Meeting

by Charles Hansen

For immediate release:
  The Bainbridge Island Genealogical Society (BIGS) will meet Friday, June 15, 2018, at the Bainbridge Island Public Library on Bainbridge Island, 1270 Madison Ave, from 10:00a.m. – 12 noon. The topic for the Monthly BIGS Meeting will be “Making Use Of Land Records” presented by Jerri Thorpe McCoy, a Washington genealogist and current historian for the Washington State Chapter of the Mayflower (Descendants) Society.  Free to members, a $5.00 donation is suggested for nonmembers. For more information go to http://www.bigenealogy.org or call 206-780-8009. BIGS is a 501c(3) non-profit organization.
                                                                  #######
Sue Elfving
Bainbridge Island Genealogical Society
Director of Publicity and Public Relations

Wednesday Nostalgia

by Charles Hansen

Last weekend I attended the Clark County Genealogical Society in Vancouver, Washington. The day before, Ginny Majewski and I visited the Clark Co Historical Society (housed in the old Carnegie Library). They had wonderful stuff on display there! Recognize this?

Now perhaps you cannot read the sign, but it’s a corn sheller! Yep, new-fangled, time-saving corn sheller. BUT you still had to harvest the corn, peel the cobs, and by hand insert the cobs one at a time into this gizmo and turn the crank.

Ah, yes, the good old days, right?