How to Post on the Blog

by Roxanne Lowe

Do you want to broadcast information about your local society, workshop, genealogical tip, or a research query? Just post to the WSGS Blog! You can reach hundreds of genealogists from around the state. Just email a Word document, text file, PDF or graphic to WSGSBlog@wasgs.org and the blog masters will do the rest.

We’re always looking to publicize local events and workshops, feature stories, updates from your society, and other genealogical information that might be of interest to our many subscribers.

We hope to hear from you soon! And don’t forget to encourage your Society members to subscribe to the Blog for the most up-to-date information from around the state.

You may manage your subscription options from your profile.

Bainbridge Island Genealogical Society November Meeting

by Charles Hansen

The Bainbridge Island Genealogical Society (BIGS) will meet Friday, Nov. 17, 2017, at the LDS church on Bainbridge Island, 8677 Madison Ave, from 10:00a.m. – 12 noon. Noted NW genealogist and presenter Steven W. Morrison will be speaking on “NOW WHAT? Options for YOUR Genealogy Education”. 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

Tri-City Genealogical Society Annual Dinner Meeting

by Charles Hansen

This is a reminder about the annual dinner.
Please note that the TCGS Annual Dinner Meeting (no-host dinner) will be held at the Isla Bonita Restaurant in Richland on November 8th.  The banquet room will be open at 5:30 p.m. and you may order dinner by 6:00 p.m.
A $2.00 coupon is offered by Isla Bonita via the following website, so you may want to take advantage of this offer. Also, this website will show you the address, telephone number and a map for directions.
Thanks for your continued support of TCGS and we hope to see you on November 8th.
Sincerely,
Art Kelly
Tri-City Genealogical Society V.P./Program/Publicity Chair

— 

Clark County Genealogical Society November Meetings

by Charles Hansen

NAVIGATING THROUGH NEW YORK CITY’S BOROUGHS FOR GENEALOGICAL RESEARCH

Wed 08 Nov 2017: 5-6:30 pm

CCGS Education Center

Many people can trace their origins to the Empire State. Between the American Revolution and the Civil War, several key urban cities along the eastern seaboard grew in population, the most populous of which was New York City. This Legacy Family Tree webinar offers a unique perspective into the countless genealogical sources and historical records that can be found in New York City.

 

SCANDINAVIAN ROOTS FOCUS GROUP

Thu, Nov 9, 2017: 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. Meet with other like-minded individuals who have discovered their ancestors going back many generations in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and the Faroe Islands. The November meeting topic will be “What is new in Swedish Genealogy Research.” The presentation will include extensive material from a Swedish workshop sponsored by the Swenson Center of Augustana College in Salt Lake City. This focus group meets regularly on the second Thursday of the month, September-May. Members and non-members are welcome.

 

USING NON-POPULATION SCHEDULES FOR CONTEXT AND EVIDENCE

Fri 10 Nov 2017: 11 am-12:30 pm

CCGS Education Center

We are familiar with the decennial censuses, but the non-population schedules can also provide evidence and context for your family history. Using basic analytical skills and correlating tools, we will investigate five different records sets which shed light on many aspects of our ancestors lives and enrich our stories of them.

 

SECRETS OF THE CENSUS

Tue, Nov 14, 10am-12 noon

Instructor Barbara Schrag

CCGS Education Center

Whether you are a beginner or a more advanced researcher, you can always learn more about what the census has to tell you. This class will focus on details of the United States Federal Census. Instructor Barbara Schrag will also touch on census research in Canada, Ireland and Great Britain.Class is $12 for CCGS members and $15 for non-members. Pre-registration is requested as classes may be canceled with insufficient advance registration.

 

BRITISH AND IRISH RESEARCH: THE DIFFERENCES

Wed 15 Nov 2017: 11 am – 12:30 pm

CCGS Education Center

Ireland was England’s oldest colony, but the records are not always the same in each country as their history and relationship to each other are different. We all know about the terrible loss of Irish records, but there are great treasure troves of surviving records which don’t exist in England – records about war, rebellion, security and land control. This Legacy Family Tree webinar will examine the differences in records and research techniques between Britain and Ireland, why Irish records were created, or destroyed, and how they can be used to unlock your past.

 

RESEARCH IN FEDERAL RECORDS: SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED

Tues 21 November 2017: 5-6:30 pm

CCGS Education Center

Federal records offer genealogical gold with direct references to our ancestors and rich contextual background information. But it can be daunting to explore record groups that are not readily available online. The wide array of tools includes paper finding aids, preliminary inventories, online indexes, web guides, and published articles, as well as the National Archives Catalog. This Legacy Family Tree webinar will offer a framework and several case studies that highlight the integration of multiple research tools.

 

General Membership Meeting: RESOURCES FOR RESEARCHING GERMAN ROOTS

Tues 28 Nov 2017: 10 am – 12 noon

CCGS Education Center

Tom O’Brien, a frequent speaker at Portland area genealogy groups, will give tips and resources for researching German ancestors. After looking at reasons why our ancestors may have chosen to leave their homeland, we’ll look at the constant boundary changes and other events that influenced the lives of our ancestors. Tips for locating the records created by our ancestors will also be given.

 

UNDERSTANDING ALABAMA

Wed 29 Nov 2017:11 am-12 Noon

CCGS Education Center

Alabama presents the budding genealogist with both unique challenges and unique opportunities. Explore the records and repositories you’ll need to consider. Learn Alabama’s place in classic southern migratory patterns, and the reasons for it. In this Legacy Family Tree webinar, discover opportunities for African American research not found in other southern states.

 

Jefferson County Genealogy Society November Meeting

by Charles Hansen

JEFFERSON COUNTY GENEALOGY SOCIETY

PO Box 627

Port Townsend, WA 98368

Contact for this media release: Judy Tough 360- 385-3065 or tough@olympus.net

FOR RELEASE: NOVEMBER 10 – 17, 2017

FAMILY TREES HAVE ‘KNOTS’ IN THEM

Jefferson County Genealogical Society (JCGS) members have submitted “family tree knots” (aka “brick walls”) to Jesse Stewart and friends, JCGS’s researchers extraordinaire. This annual popular presentation finds Jesse presenting a variety of research techniques and records to consider some ”knotty” problems such as finding the maiden name of the women in your tree. Jesse asks the audience for suggestions of research options and tips, giving each of us ideas for our own research challenges. This opportunity is free and open to the public. Join us on Saturday November 18th at the Tri-Area Community Center, 10 W. Valley Rd., Chimacum, 9:30 to 1l:30 am. Donations gratefully accepted and used to bring professional genealogists to speak at our monthly meetings to which the public is always invited. Visit JCGS at www.wajcgs.org for more information.

Tuesday Trivia

by Charles Hansen

For those of you who might have early Spokane connections, The Spokesman-Reivew has published a pictorial history of early Spokane…..as shown in the images of past issues of the newspaper.

While I have no Spokane connections, hubby’s family does. John Peter Oswald married Mary Ethel Leverich in 1911 at her home in Illinois and then came to Hillyard where he worked on the locomotives. When expecting their first child, John’s mother Esther, they bought land west of town and raised their five children there, born 1913-1925. So I’m ordering this book for his Christmas!

 

For ordering information, click to www.Spokane.PictorialBook.com. Cost before Dec 8th is $29.95 (plus tax/shipping) and will be $15 more later on.

Has the newspaper in your ancestral home towns published such a history? Have you checked????

Seattle Genealogical Society News

by Charles Hansen

SPOOKIER THAN HALLOWEEN

Everyone has heard of the infamous Salem Witch Trials of 1692, but did you realize the first witch trials and executions actually began in colonial Connecticut decades earlier?

 

In 1642, the law was enacted and in 1647, the first hanging took place. The law simply stated “If any man or woman be a witch (that is) hath or consulted with a familiar spirit, they shall be put to death”, and only one eyewitness was required for a conviction.

Of course, you were entitled to a trial and a jury of your “peers”. Of eleven documented executions, nine were poor women. Reading the court records, you can see the jurors, “peers”, so to speak, were likely a Mr Phelps, Mr Wadsworth, Mr Talcott, Mr Bacon, Mr Grisswold, Mr Dickson, Mr Whiting, Mr Deming, Mr Clark, Mr Allyn, Mr Steele, and Mr Moore. The only two men ever convicted in Connecticut, were convicted along with their wives.

In 1662, Governor Winthrop established that each act of alleged witchcraft must have two eyewitnesses for a conviction and no witches were executed in Connecticut after that time. In total 35 residents were accused. Some were acquitted, but some fled, fearing for their lives.

Were your colonial ancestors part of this witchcraft frenzy, as one of the persecuted, as an accuser, or on a jury? Be sure to check out the Tip-of-the-Week in this edition for links to some great resources on published court records for the early Colony of Connecticut.

A CALL FOR ARTICLES

Since most genealogists love sharing their research and family story, and SGS is always looking for interesting articles for the semi-annual Journal of the Seattle Genealogical Society, why not consider writing something for publication?

 

Suitable subjects would be original compositions detailing your research experiences, maybe an unusual research problem and how you solved it, hints and tips for fellow researchers, or even reviewing a genealogically based tour. No one is probably better able than yourself to convey the family history story you have compiled from letters, diaries, scrapbooks, family Bibles, community and public records. Would your story interest others?

The Journal of the Seattle Genealogical Society editorial staff would certainly welcome your submission. Help is available for inexperienced writers. All submissions will be reviewed and edited for style and length as needed. Submissions should include citations on how and where you found the information. Please check the SGS website for writing guidelines. Original manuscripts cannot be returned, so keep a copy for your records. Previously published material will be considered if the sources, date of publication, and the publication’s address are noted.

Interested or have questions? You may contact the editorial staff or the Director of Publications via email at :
publications@seattlegenealogicalsociety.org

 

NEW EXHIBIT AT NAAM

Lisa Myers Bulmash, a genealogy buff, mom of two, and artist who explores African American heritage through her work, will have an exhibit of her art at the Northwest African American Museum, 2300 S Massachussetts St, Seattle, WA 98144. It will run from November 5, 2017 through April 8, 2018.

The exhibit, “You’re Not From Around Here, Are You?”, explores topics that are top-of-mind for many:
•historical images, including people of color
•gentrification
•feeling targeted or excluded for who we are
•looking for a “safe space”
•what it means to be a person of color in the Northwest

For more info on Lisa’s exhibit and to see what all NAAM has to offer, visit the website at :

www.naamnw.org

The mission of NAAM is to spread knowledge, understanding and enjoyment of the histories, arts and cultures of people of African descent for the enrichment of all. The museum presents and preserves connections between the Pacific Northwest and people of African descent. NAAM also investigates and celebrates Black experiences in America through exhibitions, programs and events.

Lisa Myers Bulmash is the winner of a 2016 Sustainable Arts Foundation grant, an award to support artists with children under age 18. Her work and commentary have been highlighted in five books as well. Myers Bulmash exhibits her work in group and solo shows throughout the Seattle metro area.

Second Saturdays at SGS

On Saturday, November 11, following a short SGS membership business meeting, our Second Saturday program will be Mary Kathryn Kozy presenting “Using Social Media for Family History: Why Bother?” With the popularity of social media, sites like Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube, as well as webinars, blogs, and podcasts, can be invaluable for meeting new cousins, sharing research ideas, records, photos, and genealogical education. Come learn how social media can help you further your genealogy research goals.

 

SAVE THE DATES

2017 Washington Family History Fair,
LDS – the Bellevue Stake Center,
14536 Main St,
Bellevue, WA
Saturday, November 4, 2017

It’s time again for the annual Washington Family History Fair. Always free, always informative, a different venue.

Early registration is encouraged so they can plan resources accordingly. The classes schedule is listed at the bottom of the online registration form. You can also pay for and order your lunch and order a printed syllabus on the registration form.

Speakers include our Jean A Roth.

Registration for the Family History Fair is at:

https://www.wafamilyhistory.com/2017/registration.html

Overview of Scandinavian Resources,
Stillaquamish Valley Genealogical Society,
6111 188th Pl NE,
Arlington, WA 98223
Tuesday, November 14, 2017

Jill Morelli, CG and president of SGS, is presenting an Overview of Scandinavian Resources which introduces three major record sets of Sweden, Denmark and Norway in a two part series. Part one was on Tuesday, October 10th. Part 2 will be Tuesday, November 14th at 1 pm. This will be held at the Stillaguamish Valley Genealogical Society Library, and is free to the public. It will be followed by the regular meeting of the SVGS. Jill lectures and writes about her research and discoveries as a family historian. She is a member of the Genealogical Speakers Guild, Association of Professional Genealogists and numerous societies.

SGS CALENDAR OF EVENTS

 

Unless otherwise indicated all programs will be at the SGS Library, 6200 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle. Check the SGS Web Site for additions, changes, and corrections. Programs may be canceled or postponed because of inclement weather. The SGS Library will be closed from November 23 through November 27 and from December 22 through January 1, 2018, for the holidays.

 

NOVEMBER

Saturday, November 4, 1:00p m – 3:00 pm, Family Tree Interest Group, Lou Daly, leader of this new special interest group exploring all the features of the tool Family Tree on FamilySearch.

Tuesday, November 7, 12:30pm-2:30pm, DNA Tech Tuesday, with Cary Bright.

Saturday, November 11, 1:00p m – 3:00 pm, Fall Membership Meeting & Second Saturday Speaker Series, a short membership business meeting will be followed by Mary Kathryn Kozy presenting “Using Social Media for Family History: Why Bother?”

Sunday, November 12, 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm, Scandinavian Interest Group, Karen Knudson, leader. A workshop for your Scandinavian genealogy.

Saturday, November 18, 10:15am – 12:15pm, Irish SIG, with Jean Roth

Saturday, November 18, 1:00pm – 2:30pm, Women in WWI, presented by Lisa Oberg

Sunday, November 19, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm, DNA Workshop, Led by Cary Bright with first hour on a specific topic, and the second hour open for sharing DNA issues with focus on GenomeMate Pro.

DECEMBER

Saturday, December 2, 10:15am – 12:15pm, Family Tree Interest Group, Lou Daly, leader of this special interest group exploring all the features of the tool Family Tree on FamilySearch.

Saturday, December 9, 10:15am – 12:15pm, Family Tree Maker (FTM) Users Group, with Reiley Kidd and Betty Ravenholt, leaders

Sunday, December 10, 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm, Scandinavian Interest Group, Karen Knudson, leader. A workshop for your Scandinavian genealogy.

Saturday, December 16, 10:15am – 12:15pm, Irish SIG, with Jean Roth

Saturday, December 16, 1:00pm – 2:30pm, German SIG, with Jean Roth