Wednesday Nostalgia

by Charles Hansen

Raise your hand if you know what a “plank road” was? 

“In days past, heavy rain could literally stop traffic in its tracks. The plank road was a tremendous improvement over unreliable, rutted and muddy dirt roads. Wooden planks were laid wide enough to accommodate a large wagon or rig but when two met going in opposite directions, it was up to them to resolve the problem of who had to make way for whom. Meaning, who had to go off into the mud! A plank road was usually a toll road. The cost for a 1-horse cart was 25 cents; a two horse cart was 40 cents. A horse and rider were 13 cents.” 

Monday Mystery

by Charles Hansen

According to a report recently on the front page of our newspaper (The Spokesman Review), “Washington drivers logged more than  60 billion miles on public roadways in 2016. If that sounds like a lot, that’s because it is.” Reporter Nicholas Deshais continued that “Washington drivers drove more than 4 1/2 times the total distance that the Voyager 1 spacecraft has traveled since 1977… which is only 13 billion miles.”

How many of those miles did YOU contribute?? And where were we all going and so often?? Ah, that’s the mystery.

Genealogy 101 workshop in Shelton

by Roxanne Lowe

Looking to begin your genealogical journey and live near Shelton? Sue Sheldon, president of the Mason County Genealogical Society, will be leading a workshop to help you get started tracing your family history. Wednesday, Feb. 7, 5:00 – 7:00 at the Shelton Library. Experienced researchers are also invited! For more information, visit the Shelton Timberland Library page.

Cathy Cook 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.

Catherine “Cathy” Cook

Today we’re introducing Catherine Crabtree Cook of Hoquiam, Washington, who was nominated by the Grays Harbor Genealogical Society (GHGS). She was recognized for her dedication and commitment to preserving records related to Grays Harbor County.

Cathy has worked diligently for many years to preserve obituaries and death notices for individuals with Grays Harbor County ties. When she began this project, she organized small work parties at her home to tape obituaries to index cards that she had carefully trimmed and dated from the local newspaper. Today, Cathy oversees an obituary collection that is scanned, indexed, archived and available on the Grays Harbor Genealogical Society’s website. To date, the index includes more than 80,000 individuals.

Cathy’s efforts to make the collection as complete and accurate as possible have allowed researchers from all over the world the ability to request a copy of their ancestor’s obituary. For her commitment and dedication to this project and the Grays Harbor Genealogical Society, she 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.

Lower Columbia Genealogical Society Preservation of Documents

by Charles Hansen

PRESERVATION OF DOCUMENTS

To learn the proper way to preserve records you have located during genealogy research, you will want to join us for the February meeting. The presentation will be by TRACY REBSTOCK, Southwest Regional Archivist from the Washington State Archives.

LOWER COLUMBIA GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~walcolgs/

SOMERSET RETIREMENT APARTMENTS

2025 TIBBETTS DRIVE, LONGVIEW

DINING ROOM 7:00 PM

Feb 8, 2018

VISITORS ARE WELCOME AND ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND.

Whatcom Genealogical Society February Meeting

by Charles Hansen

Whatcom Genealogical Society Meeting Monday, February 12, 2018, 2 p.m. at the Bellingham Elks Lodge, 710 Samish Way.  Guest Speaker:  Cyndi Ingle. Cyndi is a Certified Genealogist, and owner of the “Cyndi’s List” Web site.  She will speak on “Back to Basics:  Research Planning and Execution Online.”  Visitors are welcome!  Contact:  WGS President Galen Biery – 360-733-8300

Friday Serendipity

by Charles Hansen

Ever heard of the Heritage Network here in Washington? Think it’s something you, and your genealogical society, might ought to look into?? Any organization dedicated to preserving and promoting historical resources is an organization you might want to support.

Click to TheHeritageNetwork  for more information.

GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s Wednesday Evening E-News

by Charles Hansen

THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s

Wednesday Evening

E-News, Edition

17 January 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 January 2018, you’re in luck because we saved you a copy HERE. NOTE: The Insider issues are now located under the “Learn” > “Our Publications” menu at www.gfo.org.

Curious about the status of your GFO Membership?? We’d love to have you as a GFO Member!
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piggy bank thinker

A big Thank You to everyone who donated to GFO’s Annual Appeal!

Each and every donation matters, and we are very grateful for your support. If you haven’t contributed yet and want to, it’s not too late!

Simply send us a check, or go to our website at http://gfo.org/support-us/annual-appeal.html to give safely and securely.

Thank you again!
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GFO’s German Group Field Trip – Save the Date!
hamburg-germany

Guten Tag!

Instead of meeting at GFO on Saturday, February 3rd, the German Special Interest Group (SIG) will be at Concordia University to spend the day researching in the German from Volga library section, which is upstairs.

WHERE? NE Liberty St., behind the campus which is at 2811 NE Holman St., Portland.

If you send Mike Fernandez and Tia Cobb general questions, e.g. book on a location/city, time period, map, the volunteers at the library might be able to pull documents, books, etc. beforehand. Contact: tjuana52@yahoo.com.

Mike and Tia are trying to have the library open earlier than our regular 1:00 meeting. We’ll keep you posted!
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Freedmen’s Bureau and Civil War Workshop – Feb 25th
357px-Black soldier in Union Army Sergeant uniform 1864

Don’t miss out on this wonderful opportunity!

Come here Kate Eakman as she gives tips on researching African Americans in the Civil War as well as information about the Freedmen’s Bureau!

Did you know the Freedmen’s Bureau was created to provide assistance to both former slaves and impoverished whites in the South?

This half-day workshop is not only for African American researchers, but for all those with family history or interest in the Civil War.

Register HERE today!

WHEN? Sunday, February 25th, 9:30am – noon
WHERE? GFO Library (map)
WHO? Speaker, professional genealogists, and former college history professor, Kate Eakman
HOW? Registration can be accessed HERE!

 

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