Seattle Genealogical Society Tip of the Week

by Charles Hansen

TIP OF THE WEEK –
FAMILY HISTORY LIBRARY CLASSES/WEBINARS

The Family History Library is a genealogical research facility in downtown Salt Lake City. It is open to the public, free of charge, and is operated by FamilySearch.org, associated with the LDS.

Each month they present a couple dozen classes/webinars. You can attend online or in person, and as always it’s free of charge. All you need to do is check the schedule, and then register for the class or classes that interest you. Some of the classes/webinars are available in Spanish or Chinese.

If you would like to start receiving the monthly class/webinar schedule via email, sent a email message to FHLClasses at FamilySearch.org

The webinars use AdobeConnect which can be accessed from your computer, tablet, or mobile device. The links in the monthly schedule are active and you can connect simply by clicking on the blue webinar link. If you are going to attend one of their webinars, they recommend that you connect about 30 minutes before the class starts to check your audio and visual. A further tip, connect your audio and test with YouTube before connecting to AdobeConnect. This will ensure that your sound is working before you join the webinar. The audio device you wish to use must be on before you enter AdobeConnect.

Here’s a sample of the classes/webinars that will be presented next week. The link at the very end of this article will take you to the online site where you can view the full schedules for August and September.
• Using the FamilySearch Catalog Effectively
• Researching in Prussian Poland
• FamilySearch Wiki
• Kissing Cousins or Not?
• Finding Records of Chinese Americans
• Using Metasuche or Metasearch

Click Here

https://familysearch.org/wiki/en/Family_History_Library_Classes_and_Webinars

Seattle Genealogical Society News

by Charles Hansen

COME MEET PBS GENEALOGY ROADSHOW HOST,
KENYATTA BERRY

 

Kenyatta D Berry, genealogist, lawyer, writer and host of the PBS Genealogy Roadshow, will be at the Northwest African American Museum for a brief talk and reception, Sunday, August 20, 3:00pm-6:00 pm. Admission is free. You’re invited to come hear her speak, as well as meet and mingle with other fans of the show.

Kenyatta will also be a featured keynote speaker at the upcoming Northwest Genealogy Conference, August 16-19, 2017 in Arlington. See our Save the Dates section for more info on this popular conference.

The Northwest African American Museum is at 2300 S Massachusetts St, Seattle, WA 98144 – phone 206 518-6000.

For more information on this event or the museum, visit the website :

www.naamnw.org

GLAD WE COULD HELP

 

After last issue’s Tip of the Week about Oklahoma’s online vital records index called OK2Explore, we received a message from a subscriber that this tip helped her break through one of her brick walls. It’s always nice to hear we have helped a fellow genealogist since that is our mission.

 

A few years ago, she had requested a death certificate from the state of Oklahoma. She had a full name and date of death from an obituary. The state couldn’t locate a record from the information she provided.

When she read our tip in the last issue, she immediately went to try to locate this record for herself.

She first tried entering the full name; that returned no record. Next she tried surname plus death year; that also returned no record. Next she tried surname plus a 5 year range; that returned too many records.

In a last ditch effort, she tried leaving surname blank, but entering a first name, middle initial, and death year; bingo! That returned an entry showing the surname had been grossly misspelled and the death date was one day different from what was reported in the obituary.

Needless to say she’s happy, and it’s satisfying to know we’ve been of help.

SAVE THE DATES

 

NW Genealogy Conference 2017,
Arlington, WA
August 16 – 19

The Stillaguamish Valley Genealogical Society is putting on their annual four day conference. Remember the first day is geared toward beginners and is free. Among those presenting is current SGS president, Jill Morelli, past SGS vice president, Janice Lovelace, active SGS member, Mary Kircher Roddy, and don’t miss PBS Genealogy Roadshow host, Kenyatta Berry. Visit their website for more information, to register for the conference, or to register for the free day: www.nwgc.org

Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS),
2017 Conference – “Building Bridges to the Past”,
Pittsburgh, PA
August 30 – September 2, 2017

Ready for a road trip? This conference is open to anyone with an interest in family history. FGS is teaming up with the Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society to put on this four day events. There will be various tracks to suit the individual researcher; beginner to experienced.

For more info visit : fgs.org

SGS 2017 Fall Seminar
Speaker: Dick Eastman
Fairview Christian School,
Seattle, WA
October 21, 2017

SGS is excited to have Dick Eastman for the Fall Seminar. Registration will open in early September. Mark your calendar.

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 Family Tree Interest Group with Lou Daly will not meet in August or September. The Irish, German, and Canadian Interest Groups are not meeting in August; they will return to their regular schedule in the fall. The Scandinavian Interest Group will not meet in September. The SGS Library will closed September 2 – 4 for Labor Day weekend.

 

AUGUST

Wednesday, August 16, 11:00 am – 3:00 pm, Beginning Genealogy Class with SGS past president, Linda Fitzgerald. Feel free to bring your brown bag lunch.

SEPTEMBER

 

Saturday, September 9, 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm, new “Second Saturday Speaker Series”, with guest, Cyndi Ingle

Sunday, September 10, 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.

Saturday, September 23, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm, SGS Fall Membership Meeting

 

 

 

Wednesday Nostalgia

by Charles Hansen

“The corn is as high as an elephants eye….” So sang the fellow in the musical Oklahoma. 

And what about the old adage that corn was wanted to be “knee high by the 4th of July.”

Folks in days of yore counted on their crop of corn to provide their food and their animals’ food during the winter. And seed for next year. And more…… like corn cob pipes? And maybe popcorn?

Think of all the WORK….. to plant a ginormous field of corn, to keep it watered and weeded, to harvest it, to shuck it and on and on and on. We buy a few ears at a farmer’s market in the summer but mostly we buy nice, clean frozen bags of yellow kernels at the store.

What if you had to raise enough corn to sustain your family?????

TriCity Genealogical Society Tip of the Week

by Charles Hansen

Finding Family History Magazines Locally

Did you know that Barnes and Noble in the Columbia Center Mall carries the following family history magazines:

Who Do You Think You Are?
Associated with the TV show of the same name, based in United Kingdom, 13 issues/year

Your Family History
Based in United Kingdom, 13 issues/year

Family Tree Magazine
Based in United States, 7 issues/year

 Irish Roots
Based in Ireland, 4 issues/year

Thanks to Art Kelly for sharing that information.

Also, you can find the last two years of Family Tree Magazine at the Kennewick (Union) library.  If you are a member of Mid-Columbia Libraries you can use their e-magazine service, Zinio, to download digital issues of Family Tree Magazine.  You can borrow issues indefinitely and can receive a notice when the next issue is available for download.

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, September 1, 2017, 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:  What I Wish I Had Known . . .  before I started researching my ancestors.  Members of the interest group will share their experiences and lessons learned in researching in Germany – the importance of understanding law, the importance of location, the importance of siblings, understanding time period differences, dealing with data differences and brick walls.  Come learn from experienced genealogists who are willing to share their research adventures.

 

Facilitated by Janet O’Conor Camarata, a genealogist with over 25 years experience and member of the Association of Professional Genealogists.  She is a seminar presenter and trainer in genealogy societies across Washington and supported genealogy by volunteering in a variety of ways – newsletter editor, program coordinator and as past-president of South King County Genealogical Society (SKCGS).

 

For more information, kindly visit our website at https://egsgermangroup.wordpress.com/  .

Eastside Genealogical Society Meeting

by Charles Hansen

The Eastside Genealogical Society will meet on Thursday, September 14, 2017 in the Bellevue Regional Library (Room 1), 1111 – 110th Ave NE, Bellevue, WA 98004 at 7 pm, with doors opening at 6:30 pm for networking.

 

Topic: “How Did You Know That?!” Using the Research Wiki in FamilySearch.org presented by Celia McNay.  Explore this wonderful tool with tips and guidelines at your fingertips.  Whatever the genealogical topic, it’s covered in the Wiki!  It’s like the Red Book but so much more!

 

Also see our website for FREE genealogical help and other Special Interest Group meetings. Visitors are always welcome at all meetings. https://eastsidegenealogicalsociety.com/

 

Tuesday Trivia

by Charles Hansen

Dinosaur bones found in Washington? Of course! All over the place?

In 1876, two brothers, Alonzo and Benjamin Coplen, had a hunch and with long rods, probed a “muckky creek bottom” on their farm along Hangman Creek south of Spokane. Their efforts ultimately yielded a huge vertebra and then a shoulder blade of a huge animal. They they took the bones on the road to show to the folks in neighboring towns. They kept digging and found more as time passed, as did other neighbors on their swamp-creek areas. The original Coplen find, dubbed the Latah mammoth, has been on display in Chicago’s Field Museum of Natural History since the 1950s and occupies a central place in the Hall of Time.

Cool, eh?

Monday Mystery

by Charles Hansen

Today’s mystery question is: What city is this, as photo’d on 5 August??

In August, raging forest fires smoked the air all across our state. Folks with asthma and breathing problems were advised to stay indoors. It was not pretty and pretty awful. More so for those who lost property, of course.

 

Last week’s mystery was all about apples! There are some 175,00 acres of apple orchards in Washington, yielding 2.5 tons of that juicy fruit. According to the Washington Apple Growers website, the most popular are Red Delicious, Golden Delicous, Gala, Fuji, Granny Smith, Braeburn, Honeycrisp, Cripps Pink and Cameo. Personally, my favorite is Pink Lady.

Not naming winners today, sorry, because I’m writing this a week early and today I’m off to the Northwest Regional Genealogy Conference in Arlington. See you there!

WSGS Membership Opportunity at the NWGC

by Charles Hansen

Have YOU been meaning to become a member of the Washington State Genealogical Society? Maybe for a long time? You’ve enjoyed our blog, perhaps your society has benefited from our awards program or maybe you’ve enjoyed presentations from our speakers? Well, dear folks, the time to join is upon you!

Next week WSGS will have a membership table at the Northwest Genealogical Conference in Arlington. Perhaps you’ve read on our blog where WSGS President Ginny Majewski, and WSGS Vice-president Donna Potter Phillips are both slated for presentations (read about their classes here). It’s a really big deal conference. And I hope to see you there………. but this is a post about joining WSGS.

This is an amazing Amazon DOT…….. Google it to learn for yourself how marvelous a gadget it is. WSGS is giving one away at the conference! And we’ve got a great deal for everyone:

  • If you’re already a WSGS member, stop by our membership table and renew your membership for 2018 (only $12!), you’ll get a raffle ticket!
  • If you join WSGS (new memberships only) at the NWGC, take advantage of our amazing conference special: only $5.00 for the rest of 2017 and you’ll get a raffle ticket. If you extend your membership until the end of 2018 (only another $12), you’ll get a second ticket!

Come see us at the WSGS table and claim your ticket(s)! We’ll be waiting!!

Jewish Genealogical Society September Event

by Charles Hansen

You are invited to attend our upcoming free genealogy event, on
Monday evening, September 11, 2017.

 

We would also appreciate it if you could help us publicize these event using this email or our flyer, attached above, by emailing out, posting at your location or on your website, or handing out flyers to or sharing this email with those you think might be interested.

 

The Jewish Genealogical Society of Washington State is pleased to present our September meeting program

 

“The Hidden Ones: A Veil of Memories”
presented by Marcia Fine, Author and Researcher

 

DATE:  Monday, September 11 2017

LDS Factoria Building
4200 124th Ave SE
Bellevue, WA  98006

·         Doors open at 6:30 p.m., for all to enjoy the extensive JGSWS Library’s genealogical resources!

·         Free Wi-Fi available. Come early to network with other attendees!

  • Presentation starts promptly at 7:15 p.m.
  • Free Admission and refreshments

 

 

ABOUT OUR PROGRAM

The Jewish Book Council describes Marcia Fine’s latest book, Hidden Ones: A Veil of Memories, as: A grandmother in an Inquisition prison. Officials who search and burn every soul not devoted to the Church. Celendaria, a young girl in 1650, is on the verge of becoming a woman in a place that has turned hostile to those who follow their one true faith. She witnesses her grandmother being arrested by Inquisition officers for Judaizing. As conversos, the family experiences dread as they keep rituals and traditions alive. This tale shines a bright light on the hidden Crespin family in their attempt to survive in 17th century Mexico when most of the Americas are ruled by Spain. Sephardim were cast out of many places since 1492.  Celendaria and her grandmother, Clara, carry the story. It concludes in the 1800s when the Palace of the Inquisition opens its doors to set people free. The persecution and fear creates a veil of memories that promises to affect the perception of future generations. This perilous adventure story from another era is a story of strength, bravery and survival.

 

Marcia Fine will speak to us about the history of conversos and Sephardim, how trauma is passed down to descendants, and the research that has gone into her books. If you’d like to bring any of her books with you, Ms. Fine will be pleased to autograph your book!

ABOUT OUR SPEAKER

Award-winning author and speaker, Marcia Fine, began to pursue her dream of writing in 2000. Since then, she has written seven novels, including The Blind Eye-A Sephardic Journey and Paper Children-An Immigrant’s Legacy. Her most recent novel, Hidden Ones: A Veil of Memories, published in 2017, examines Sephardic Jews in Mexico during the Inquisition. With an interest in epigenetics, she examines how trauma is passed on in families. Marcia has a BA from Florida State University and a Masters from Arizona State University.

 

 

Please visit our website at http://www.jgsws.org to join or to donate to JGSWS to help support the incredible speakers and workshops we bring to you, to view library listings, download handouts, or for more information.  JGSWS is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt non-profit organization. Membership dues and donations are tax deductible.

 

Thank you very much and we look forward to seeing you, your friends and family!

Karen vanHaagen Campbell
1st VP & Publicity, Jewish Genealogical Society of Washington State
www.jgsws.org