Natalie Stien Awarded 2017 Outstanding Volunteer Honor

by Roxanne Lowe

Since 2003, the Washington State Genealogical Society has recognized over 500 outstanding volunteers and teams, nominated by their local society or genealogical organization for their service and dedication. These volunteers are the backbone of their local society, giving their time and expertise, to the organization and the field of genealogy. In the coming months, you will be introduced to each of the 2017 award recipients and learn why they received the 2017 WSGS Outstanding Volunteer and Team Award.

Natalie Stien

Today we’re introducing Natalie Stien of Redmond, Washington, who was nominated by the Jewish Genealogical Society of Washington State (JGSWS). She was recognized for her dedication to excellence during the 2016 International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies annual (IAJGS) conference in Seattle.

Ms. Stien joined JGSWS in 2004, volunteering right away for various positions. However, her commitment to getting the job done right was exemplified when JGSWS co-hosted the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies Annual (IAJGS) Conference in Seattle in August 2016. Ms. Stien served as a volunteer co-chair, a monumental job coordinating dozens of volunteers for the six-day conference. She was the first to arrive and the last to leave every day of the conference, often working 15-hour days. Her responsibilities included determining where volunteers would be needed, finding and adopting a software program that volunteers could use to sign themselves up for specific tasks and time slots, and dealing with last-minute schedule changes.

According to fellow JGSWS board members, Ms. Stien was often the first to volunteer for any extra tasks needed to support the organization. This display of dedication illustrates that Ms. Stien richly deserved being a recipient of a 2017 WSGS Outstanding Volunteer Award.

For more information on the WSGS Outstanding Volunteer Award program, visit the Recognition page of the WSGS website or contact Roxanne Lowe, Interim Recognition Chair, at Roxanne@thekeeffes.com.

Wednesday Nostalgia

by Charles Hansen

I have something I want to give away and have a place to give it to……but nobody seems to want it.

Well, it’s upside down but you get the idea. When my father was a young 18-year-old in Ashley, Illinois, he worked as a cook in the local Greyhound Bus Station. Apparently they gave him this gold pin in 1939. Yes, I could keep it, but I thought “is there a Greyhound Museum? They might like this artifact for their museum.”  And yes, there is, in Hibbing, Minnesota. They don’t have an email and they don’t answer their phone.

What would YOU do with a tangible little piece of family history??? That was such a teeny-tiny part of my father’s life.

Tri-City Genealogical Society April Meeting

by Charles Hansen

Dear Guests:
Please don’t forget to attend our April 11th program at the Kennewick PUD Auditorium.
We will be having another genealogy books sale, so bring your checkbook or your dollar bills as we will not be in a position to provide change.
Note that our Beginning Genealogy Class starts at 6:15 p.m. and the main program will begin at 7:00 p.m.  (See the enclosed attachment for more detailed information).
We hope that you will be able to volunteer for any TCGS (Tri-City Genealogical Society) projects in the future and we certainly want to have you consider becoming part of our society by your annual membership. For more information, please visit our website at:

Tri-City Genealogical Society – serving Benton & Franklin Counties …

tricitygenealogicalsociety.org/q/

Join Our Local Activities changes. Find out about upcoming classes. Join us at our Monthly Meetings. Or use the Calendar as your guide to all TCGS events. Already a Member? Explore our Member Resources. Not a member yet? Learn more About Us and the Benefits of Membership in our society

We hope to see you this coming Wednesday night.  Thank you and don’t hesitate to call us at 943-9322 for any questions that you may have.
Sincerely,
Art Kelly (V.P./Program/Publicity Chair)

Bainbridge Island Genealogical Society (BIGS) April Meeting

by Charles Hansen

  The Bainbridge Island Genealogical Society (BIGS) will meet Friday, April 20, 2018, at the Bainbridge Island Public Library on Bainbridge Island, 1270 Madison Ave, from 10:00a.m. – 12 noon. BIGS member Jolene Aitchison will be speaking on “The Many Facets of FamilySearch.”  The Annual Business Meeting will also be held. 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

Tuesday Trivia

by Charles Hansen

 

According to Wikipedia, the Shrimp Louie Salad originated in California….BUT if you were to come to Spokane and order that salad at the Davenport Restaurant you’d learn a different story! Here’s the scoop:

Chill out with some of Spokane’s best salads | The Spokesman-Review

Shrimp Louie is a traditional salad from California made with shrimp, lettuce, egg and tomato. The dressing is similar to Thousand Island dressing and is made with mayonnaise, ketchup, chili sauce, Worcestershire sauce, onion, salt, and pepper. Shrimp Louie originated in San Francisco in the early 1900s.

Monday Mystery

by Charles Hansen

Big thanks to all of you who submitted answers to the question of how many mountain passes there are across Washington……. the correct list is: Stevens, White, Cayuse, Blewitt and Snoqualmie. (According to the booklet, Do You Know Washington? published in 1989.) Sorry.

Ever heard of The Sea Glass Beach near Port Townsend? Among beach-glass-pick-er-up-pers, this is a pretty famous place. Here’s why:

Why is there so much sea glass on Glass Beach?

McCurdy Point is a remote bluff located several miles west of Port Townsend, Washington. In the past, trucks backed up to the edge of the bluff and dumped the town’s refuse onto the rocky shore of the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

This was an accepted practice until the late 1960’s. The city then decided to clean up it’s beaches and discontinued dumping and bulldozing debris over the bluff.

Don’t think this photo was taken at this beach but WOW…… who wouldn’t break their back bending over to fill their bucket with these bits!!

 

 

 

Register Now for Clark County Spring Seminar and WSGS Recognition Event

by Roxanne Lowe

The WSGS Annual Meeting and Awards Ceremony, which includes the announcement of the Outstanding Volunteer and Team awards, Outstanding Communication and Project awards,  WSGS President’s Award for Outstanding Achievement and Innovative Grant winners, will be Saturday, May 26, 2018 during the lunch period of Clark County Genealogical Society‘s Spring Seminar. The seminar and awards event will be held at the Fort Vancouver National Historic Site in Vancouver.

David Allen Lambert

The seminar’s featured speaker will be David Allen Lambert, New England Historic Genealogical Society‘s chief genealogist. His seminar topics include:

  • World War 1 Military
  • Great Migration Era settler research
  • Probate & Deed Records research

CCGS has planned other events during the weekend, including:

  • Hudson Bay Company Gala Reception on Friday night. David will be the honored guest and will share his genealogical gems: seemingly small finds that led to amazing stories.
  • A guided Cemetery Tour is proposed for Sunday. There will also be brochures for other local self-guided tours available at the CCGS Library.
  • For the five days before and during Memorial Weekend, The Fort Vancouver Tapestry will be displayed at the CCGS Library. Completed in 2005, this historic community project required 57 skilled stitchery workers contributing 100,000 hours over more than five years.  For more information, visit http://www.fortvancouvertapestry.com.

For out-of-towners, the Hilton Hotel is offering special rates.  The Hilton’s web access page is:  http://www.hilton.com/en/hi/groups/personalized/P/PDXVAHH-CCG-20180525/index.jhtml?WT.mc_id=POG. Be sure to  mention the CCGS group reservation code CCG.

The CCGS Spring Seminar flyer, including a registration form, can be downloaded by clicking on REGISTRATION FORM seminar 2018 or visit the CCGS website.

Clark County Genealogical Society April Meetings

by Charles Hansen

GETTING THE MOST OUT OF ANCESTRY CLASS

Tues, Apr 10, 2018: 10 am-Noon

CCGS Education Center

Are you frustrated by your search results in Ancestry? Do you feel like there are untapped record resources you aren’t able to find? Expert genealogist Elsie Deatherage will show you how to find some of the less popular databases by changing the way you search. Feel free to bring your computer device so that you can follow along. The CCGS Library provides free wireless internet! Advance registration requested as classes with insufficient attendance may be cancelled. Fee for each class $12/members, $15/Non-Members.

 

GEORGIA: GATEWAY TO WESTWARD EXPANSION

Wed, Apr 11, 2018: 5 – 6:30 pm

CCGS Education Center

Georgia holds a critical place in the history of the expansion of the United States west. Learn the common mistakes that can stall your Georgia research. In this Legacy Family Tree webinar, you’ll learn about repositories, history and collections unique to the state to get your family history adventure off on the right foot.

 

SCANDINAVIAN ROOTS FOCUS GROUP

Thu, Apr 12, 2018: 10-11:30am

CCGS Education Center

If you want to discover your Scandinavian roots, attend this monthly meeting and learn how to conduct your research. Speaker Kay Cooke will discuss how she identified her Swedish ancestors by discovering name changes, scouring the internet, searching parish records, and befriending Swedish genealogists. She connected with cousins and walked in her Nordic ancestors’ footsteps. The focus group meets regularly on the second Thursday of the month, September-May. Members and non-members are welcome.

 

RESEARCHING YOUR OREGON ANCESTORS

Fri, Apr 13, 2018: 11 am-12:30 pm

CCGS Education Center

This Legacy Family Tree webinar is perfect if your ancestors made Oregon their new home. You’ll learn at least a dozen solid research tips along with a bit of history, the best websites to find information, and the places to include if you plan a research trip across the Columbia River to the Beaver State.

 

BETTER TOGETHER: MAKING YOUR CASE WITH DOCUMENTS AND DNA

Tues, Apr 17, 2018: 5-6:30 pm

CCGS Education Center

The genealogical proof standard requires reasonably exhaustive research in solving ancestral-identity problems. DNA evidence is now often part of that research. Even the best DNA evidence must be combined with some traditional research. This Legacy Family Tree webinar will show different ways that genealogical problems have been solved by integrating DNA evidence with the paper trail.

 

LINCOLN’S LAWS AND THE RECORDS OF WAR

Apr 18, 2018: 11 am – 12:30 pm

CCGS Education Center

President Abraham Lincoln’s General Order 100 – “Instructions for the Government of Armies … in the Field” – revolutionized the laws of war. Discover how this directive created new records for genealogists to research in this Legacy Family Tree webinar.

 

GET THE MOST FROM THE MYHERITAGE SEARCH ENGINE FOR HISTORICAL RECORDS

Tues, Apr 24, 2018: 11 am – 12:30 pm

CCGS Education Center

MyHeritage SuperSearch™ is a versatile tool for beginners and advanced genealogists alike. In this webinar, you will learn how to leverage this search engine and the more than 8.5 billion historical records it includes to expand your family history research.

 

GENEALOGY ENTHUSIASTS GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING

Tue, Apr 24, 2018:  7-9 pm

CCGS Education Center

Fur Trade at Fort Vancouver and the Village

National Park Service Pacific West Region’s historical archaeologist, Dr. Doug Wilson, will talk about the inhabitants of both the Hudson’s Bay Company’s Fort Vancouver and the adjacent Village.  Most of the villagers were involved in the Fort’s fur trapping and trading industry, but they did not leave any written records. Wilson will discuss the lives of the diverse people at both the Fort and Village based on the historical records and artifacts.

VERIFYING INFORMATION YOU FIND ONLINE

Wed, Apr 25, 2018: 11 am – 12:30 pm

When genealogists stumble into brick walls and other challenging genealogical puzzles, they look anywhere for clues that can help build their family tree. These can include online trees and other information with unknown sources. This Legacy Family Tree webinar will demonstrate how to verify the information as true or not.

 

 

“The good things you do and throw in the river of life, will be returned to you in the desert of life.” Sa’adi

Seattle Genealogical Society Optional Sunday Sessions Waiting List

by Charles Hansen

 SGS 2018 SPRING SEMINAR
* Optional Sunday Sessions *
Have a Waiting List

 

Registrations have been pouring in for the SGS 2018 Spring Seminar featuring D. Joshua Taylor to be held Saturday, May 19, 2018.  Send in your registration form soon to ensure your place at the seminar.  Or register online at this link:

https://goo.gl/forms/4zQAcwg0rpAKiUu12

Please note, the SGS 2018 Spring Seminar optional classes scheduled for Sunday, May 20, 2018:
Session I “Treasures in the Archive: Using Archive Grid” and
Session II “Building Context and Making Connections: Using JSTOR for Family History”,  are full.

Any additional registrations we receive for either of these Sunday sessions will go on a wait list, in the order received, or postmarked.

If you still care to register and be placed on the wait list, you may do so, but we request that you do not include payment at this time.

* For Mail in Registration *  If you wish to register for a Sunday Session in hopes that a space becomes available, you may send in registration for the session, but please do NOT include payment for the Sunday Session. If a seat becomes available for you, payment will be requested.

* For ONLINE registration * If you wish to register for a Sunday Session in hopes that a space becomes available, please fill out the online registration and you will be placed on the waiting list. You will not be invoiced for the Sunday Session unless a space becomes available for you.

If you have questions, feel free to email membership@seattlegenealogicalsociety.org, or call the SGS Library, (206) 522-8658.

German Interest Group of The Eastside Genealogical Society May Meeting

by Charles Hansen

The German Interest Group of The Eastside Genealogical Society (EGS) will meet on Friday, May 4, 2018, from 1 to 3 pm in the Relief Society Room of the LDS Church at 10675 NE 20thSt, Bellevue, WA 98004 with doors opening at 12:45 pm for networking. Visitors are always welcome at our meetings.       

Two Topics:

1) Reading German Handwriting:   Old German gothic handwriting (known as Sütterline or Suetterlin) and print are very different from the Roman script used in English- speaking countries.  Claire Gibben will share resources to help us read, transcribe and learn Old German Gothic.

2) A Travelogue Through Germanic Lands:   Jon and Marilyn Schunke will continue sharing pictures of their trips through Germanic lands not included in the April presentation, which focused on Jon’s German ancestral homelands. The first part will be somewhat a continuation of that presentation, including coverage of side trips from Munich – Dachau and Neuschwanstein Castle. And Nuremberg and its wonderful museum which displays rooms furnished to depict the German family home as it would be in the 1800s.

    This will be a true travelogue through Germanic lands. They will choose from among the following places. Outside of Germany – Krakow, and Prague. Their favorite old German towns – Rothenburg ab der Tauber and Bacharach – with a trip down the Rhine River, including a visit to a small museum of Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher who defeated Napolean at Waterloo … and has a very distant connection to Marilyn’s Crawford ancestry. And newer, rebuilt towns – Leipzig, Berlin, and Passau, with a small trip down the Danube.

     And hopefully, they will take that look at Marilyn’s most recent ancestor (which was advertised for April), her father, who landed on Omaha Beach 13 days after D-Day. They’ll journey through Normandy and along the Brittany coast. While retracing her dad’s footsteps, they discovered firsthand how the French have not forgotten the American servicemen.

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