Wednesday Nostalgia

by Charles Hansen

I never trek from Spokane to Port Angeles to visit family without a stop at the Port Gamble Cemetery (properly Buena Vista Cemetery). Established in 1856 the folks resting there arrived from many varied and distant shores.

Gustave Englebrecht was born in Germany and lies resting half way around the world here in Port Gamble. His tombstone reads “COX U.S.Navy, Indian Wars, November 23, 1856.”  His must have been one of the first burials here.  So stop by the next time you just skip on through this lovely historic old town. 

How to Post on the Blog

by Roxanne Lowe

WSGS Blog Team: Roxanne Lowe, Charles Hansen (Blog Master) and Donna Potter Phillips

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 team 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.

Society Award Deadlines Set

by Roxanne Lowe

The deadlines for WSGS awards to local societies have been set. We are encouraging you to promote your society’s activities and accomplishments by submitting a nomination.

WSGS President Ginny Majewski presenting the Outstanding Communication Award to Mary Simonsen with the Whitman County Gen Soc, 2017

Outstanding Communication – The WSGS Outstanding Communication Award is awarded to a local society that promotes its society and/or genealogy and family history to its members and/or the public. The award includes all forms of communication, including websites, social media, newsletters, lectures, videos, podcasts, etc. The nomination deadline is 01 April 2018. The application is available here.

Outstanding Project – The WSGS Outstanding Project Award is awarded to a local genealogical society or organization in recognition of exceptional genealogical or historical projects implemented during the past year. The nomination deadline is 01 April 2018. The application is available here.

President’s Award: The WSGS President’s Award for Outstanding Achievement is designed to single out that rare individual, society or organization who has demonstrated exemplary service above and beyond expectations. The nomination deadline is 15 April 2018. The nomination form and additional details are available here.

Outstanding Volunteers and Team: The Outstanding Volunteer and Team Awards Program provides recognition to those individuals
and teams who have been identified by their local genealogical organization to be honored for exceptional efforts. The deadline to submit the name of a society’s individual or team is 15 Feb 2018. More information about the Outstanding Volunteer and Team Awards is available here.

For more information, contact Roxanne Lowe, Interim Chair, Recognition Committee at roxanne@thekeeffes.com.

Tuesday Trivia

by Charles Hansen

PR-SCHOOL TEST FOR YOU
I already knew I was dumber
Than the fifth graders…
But now it’s the

Preschoolers!!

A PRE-SCHOOL TEST FOR

YOU
Which Way is the bus below traveling?

To the left or to the right? 
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Can’t make up your mind?
Look carefully at the picture

Again.
Still don’t know? 
Pre-schoolers all over the United States
Were shown this picture and asked

The same question.
92% of the pre-schooler’s gave
This answer.

“The bus is traveling to the left.” 
When asked, “Why do you think the bus is traveling to

The left?”
They answered: 
“Because you can’t see the door to get

On the bus.” 
How do you feel

Now??? 
cid:5Gc1UjbQgMuYXeUmhCHx
I know, me too.

Have a nice day

Tri-City Genealogical Society January Meeting

by Charles Hansen

Dear Members and Guests:
Don’t forget to attend our next TCGS meeting which will be this coming Wednesday, January 10th as our guest speaker, Heather Murphy will give a presentation on Tracing Female Ancestors.
 
Place: Benton County PUD Auditorium at the corner of Hwy #395 and 10th Street in Kennewick
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Beginning Genealogy Class: 6:15 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. (Why Finding the Original is so Important)
Genealogy Book Sale – bring your checkbook or a supply of one dollar bills as we will not have the means to provide change.
As with each TCGS meeting, we encourage you to invite a friend and to help spread the word about TCGS.  If you have any questions, please call 943-9322.
Art Kelly
Tri-City Genealogical Society V.P./Program & Publicity Chair

German Interest Group of The Eastside Genealogical Society Meeting

by Charles Hansen

The German Interest Group of The Eastside Genealogical Society (EGS) will meet on Friday, February 2, 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.       

Topic: Learn about a major website used by genealogists in Germany —  It has various databases and features but they were all originally written in the German language with a few English language options. There’s Historic Geo Information, some Local Heritage Books, Regional Portals, Meta search, User Contributed Family Trees, and much more. Come learn about this exciting website and the easiest ways to translate the German language on those web pages.

Speaker: Dorothy Pretare started collecting family history in 1995 and is active in 2 local genealogical societies, leader of the EGS German Interest Group and a member of 2 societies in Minnesota.  In 2008, she visited her ancestral villages in old East Germany and present day Poland.

  

For more information, kindly visit our website here.  

Clark County Genealogical Society January Events

by Charles Hansen

Graphic-YOUR STORY, YOUR BOOK

Thursdays: Jan 25, Feb 1 & 8-10-noon; Feb 15-12-2 pm

Beginning Thursday, January 25, there will be a four-week workshop session at CCGS called, Your Story, Your Book. Each two-hour weekly class will focus on a different topic. By the end of the fourth session students will have learned everything from the fundamentals of gathering and writing content, editing and proofing, formatting a book for publishing, and getting your book printed for approximately $2.50/each. Cost is $48 for members and $60 for non-members. Call to register at 360-750-5688.

QUALITY, TIME AND COMPLETION: DEVELOPING A RESEARCH PLAN (PART ONE) WEBINAR

Wed, 10 Jan 2018: 5-6:30 pm

CCGS Education Center

This Legacy Family Tree webinar session will focus on the effort to balance time, quality and completion of a research project. The first segment will look at the process from research concept to logistics including the conflicting issues between the researcher and previous research. This will include the movement from basic data collection, evaluation and analysis to the development of a direction and specific actions.

Graphic-“FIND YOUR SCANDINAVIAN ROOTS” FOCUS GROUP

Thu, 11 Jan 2018: 10:30 am to 12 pm

CCGS Education Center

Clark County Genealogical Society and Focus Group member, Kay Cooke, will talk about walking in the footsteps of her Norwegian and Swedish ancestors during the summer of 2017. She will touch on the genealogy research conducted, the extensive help received via the internet and from friends and family, and the route traveled in the scenic lands of her roots.

 

FULL CIRCLE: TRACING THE DESCENDANTS OF A SLAVEHOLDING ANCESTOR WEBINAR

Fri, 12 Jan 2018: 11 am to 12:30 pm

CCGS Education Center

Descendants of former slaveholders come from all walks of life. DNA and renewed interest in family history research continue to unearth this phenomena for thousands of people every day. In this Legacy Family Tree Webinar, learn how to confirm slaveholding ancestors and the tools needed to trace and identify living descendants of their formerly enslaved.

 

FINDING THOMAS’ FATHER: AN 18TH CENTURY PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, VIRGINIA CASE STUDY WEBINAR

Tues, 16 Jan 2018: 5-6:30 pm

CCGS Education Center

Thomas Stone left few records when he died in 1791 in Prince William County, Virginia. No document or reference names his parentage. Finding Thomas’s father took thirty years. Using indirect evidence and helped by technological advances, Thomas’s father has been found. Land records make the case. This Legacy Family Tree webinar demonstrates the process of creating a proof argument to identify Thomas’s father.

 

INTRODUCING THE GENI WORLD FAMILY TREE WEBINAR

Wed, 17 Jan 2018: 11 am – 12:30 pm

CCGS Education Center

Geni is the best platform for collaborative genealogy, which makes it absolutely the best place to build your family tree. In this Legacy Family Tree Webinar, you’ll learn how to take your genealogy to the next level using Geni’s unique tools.

Graphic-GENEALOGY ENTHUSIASTS GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING

Tue, Jan 23, 2017:  10 am to noon

CCGS Education Center

If you interested in genealogy, come to the Clark County Genealogical Society’s (CCGS) monthly membership meeting. The program is “Paper and Spit,” the title of Don Anderson’s 2017 book about his journey to find his birth parents. Born in Oregon during the era of sealed adoption records, Don started his journey knowing very little. Follow along as this engaging and energetic speaker describes the process that he used to discover his first parents, utilizing a combination of traditional genealogy and DNA. Learn what to say when making first contact with newly discovered relatives.

 

FINDING JAMESTOWN ANCESTORS WEBINAR

Wed, 24 Jan 2018: 11 am – 12:30 pm

CCGS Education Center

Explore numerous sources that can further genealogical research to help individuals identify a qualifying ancestor in order to join the Jamestown Society. This Legacy Family Tree Webinar covers planning research, finding source documents, helpful websites, business records, and common research pitfalls in genealogical research and how to avoid them.

 

Bainbridge Island Genealogical Society (BIGS) January Meeting

by Charles Hansen

  The Bainbridge Island Genealogical Society (BIGS) will meet Friday, Jan 19, 2018, at the Bainbridge Island Public Library, 1270 Madison Ave N, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110, from 10:00a.m. – 12 noon. Presented by BIGS Members, the topic is  “Arriving in America: Passenger Lists and Ports of Arrival from Colonial Times to the Present”. 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.

Monday Mystery

by Charles Hansen

What’s the biggest event predicted for 2018? Now THAT’s a mystery!

According to Baba Vanga (1911-1996) a blind mystic living in the Balkans who made predictions far into the future and many of her predictions did come forth. One of her predictions for 2018 is that “a new form of energy” will be discovered on Venus. So who believes her??? Tiz a mystery!