Tuesday Trivia

by Charles Hansen

I have a whole stadium full of New England ancestors  and I’d bet that many of you do too. Reading a book titled, Sightseeking: Clues to the Landscape History of New England, by Christopher J. Lenney, 2003, I learned about  what he called The China Syndrome.

Between about 1787 and 1849, in New England, there were many  towns with exotic names such as China, Poland, Denmark, Palermo, Belgrade, Rome, Corinth, Alexandria and Brunswick (“to flatter the House of Hanover”). Lenney quotes Wilbur Zelinsky as stating that he believed that these exotic names for towns showed “the extroverted buoyancy and expansiveness of spirit that many observers identify today as American.”

Lenney states that “the general flowering of exotic names in the early republic” shows that “the United States was a new nation that had lately assumed its station among the powers of the earth; perhaps in token of this, the names of its towns began to scintillate with the brilliance of the firmament in which it was the newest star.”

Thinking about this, it wasn’t only a New England phenomena ….. think Frankfort, Cairo, London, etc. Interesting trivia, don’t you think?

Monday Mystery

by Charles Hansen

Congrats to Patty Olsen for knowing that that porcelain “thing” last week was something “to hold silverware at buffet teas.” Lovely heirloom but kinda useless these days.

Today’s mystery is a real mystery to me too. Found this among my grandfather’s thing but haven’t been able to learn what kind of tool it was and what it was used for. It’s about the length of a hand, a steel “hook” in a leather case with strap. Any guesses?

Tri-City Genealogical Society Tip of the Week

by Charles Hansen

With the end of the year comes opportunities to gather together generations of family.  Why not take advantage of that to share with your living family the people who came before them?  Remember to keep your ideas simple and brief to not overwhelm family members with too much information.  Pick out little pieces of interesting information to share and don’t explain distant relationships in detail because most won’t be able to follow you…

Sunday Special: Free Books

by Charles Hansen

I have two books-of-interest-to-Washington-research that I’d be happy to give away (for postage) to whomever wants them.

First is Railroads, Reclamation and the River, A History of Pasco, by Walter A. Oberst, 1978. If you have ancestors who lived in the early days in the Pasco area, you’ll enjoy reading this book and viewing the many photos.

Other is There Were Giants, by Maurice Helland, 1980. This is the biography of James Harvey Wilbur, who was born in 1811 in New York, married in 1831 to Lucretia Ann Stevens, had a daughter who married but left no descendants.  James came to the Northwest and did Methodist missionary work until the end of his days. Very interesting read.

Be happy to send these books to you for $5 postage each (or for both if you want both). Let me know. Donna243@gmail.com

FLASH! Ancestry for half price! Offer only for 2 days!

by Charles Hansen

This came to me via Lisa Louise Cooke’s blog…………
SAVE 50% on Ancestry.com Subscriptions*
FLASH SALE! This Veteran’s Day, new subscribers can get 50% off Ancestry.com subscriptions! You can choose 1 month or 6 months, and pick from their three different levels so you get the package that’s right for you.
HURRY! This sale is only good for 2 DAYS!
November 10 – 11, 2017

Friday Serendipity

by Charles Hansen

**** Reading a fantastic book: FamilyTrees: A History of Genealogy in America, by Francois Weil, 2013. Weil starts at the very beginning of America and explains why folks were interested in knowing their backgrounds and family history. (I’ll give more bits from this book in the future.) Page 204:  “Market growth (of the genealogy industry) since the 1970s has taken place in two phases. Before the growth of the Internet came the commercial effects of the new interest in genealogy, symbolized by the success of Roots, and of technological change in the preservation, reproductions and transfer of information.”  At a conference in Hartford, Connecticut, in 1982, a session on using computers in genealogy was included. “Computers are becoming quite common in genealogical research,” it was declared.   Did you realize that Ancestry.com (1983) predates FamilySearch.org (1999)??? When did you begin using a computer for your genealogy???  My first computer, in about 1991, was a Kaypro 10 and I was so excited to have it! With it’s green letters on a black screen!

 

FGS November Webinar Building Bridges Between Societies

by Charles Hansen

November 2017 FGS Webinar: Building Bridges Between Societies

The November 2017 FGS Society Management webinar will feature Kim Ashford, who will present “Building Bridges Between Societies.” Learn how the German-American Genealogical Partnership was created, the lessons learned, and how working with other societies can strengthen and excite your membership.

Kim Ashford enjoys membership in multiple genealogical societies. She is one of the founders of the International German Genealogy Partnership (IGGP) which is bringing together societies from around the world that have an interest in German genealogy. She currently serves on the board of the Germanic Genealogy Society in Minnesota as Past President.
The webinar will be held on November 16, 2017, at 7:00 p.m. Central Time, and will be recorded for viewing on the FGS website shortly after its conclusion. Please register in advance.
NEXT TIME: The topic for the December webinar is “Creative Programming Options for Small Societies,” to be presented by FGS President Rorey Cathcart.
About the Webinar Series
Each month, the FGS Society Management Webinar Series will feature a new and interesting topic, ranging from recruitment and volunteer management to technology, publications, and working with your local tourism board.
Webinars are held on the 3rd Thursday of the month at 7:00 p.m. Central Time. Advance registration is required. Regular updates will be shared via the FGS Voice blog, FGS Voice Newsletter, and social media.
Speakers interested in presenting topics should contact Jen Baldwin, Education Chair, at education@fgs.org.
Are you looking for a rewarding and beneficial way to volunteer? The Education Committee at FGS could use your expertise. Please contact Jen Baldwin at education@fgs.org

NEHGS Webinar Notarial Records in Quebec

by Charles Hansen

Upcoming Webinar—Watch from Home!
Navigating Notarial Records in Quebec
Thursday, November 16, 2017, 3:00–4:00 PM EST
Presented by Sheilagh Doerfler, Senior Researcher
Free and open to the public

Notarial records are an essential—yet often overlooked—resource for family historians researching ancestors with roots in Quebec. From marriages to estate inventories to labor contracts these records can provide a wealth of genealogical information not found elsewhere. Join Senior Researcher Sheilagh Doerfler to learn about what types of notarial records exist, how to access them, and how to get the most out of these important resources.
Register
Can’t attend a live broadcast? Not a problem! You will be able to watch a recording of the presentation on our website following the broadcast.

About the Speaker

NEHGS Senior Researcher Sheilagh Doerfler received her B.A. in History and Communication from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. Her research interests include New England, Atlantic Canada, Quebec, Ontario, Ireland, Sweden, and Norway.
Questions?
Call 617-226-1226 or
email education@nehgs.org

GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s Wednesday Evening E-News

by Charles Hansen
GFO Logo Halo 2 Large

THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s

Wednesday Evening

E-News

8 November 2017

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 November 2017, 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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Don’t forget about the Helping Hands Workshop this Sunday! – November 12th, 10:30am
helping hands

Brought to you by the Jewish Genealogical Society of Oregon

“At some point, almost every genealogy researcher will hit the proverbial brick wall or dead end with one or many of their ancestors. Records appear to be missing, a maiden name seems impossible to find or you need to find ancestors in another country but don’t know where to look. The resources out there are many and varied. Sometimes all the options available can be downright overwhelming.”

JGSO’s meeting will be a helping hands workshop. You’re encouraged to bring a list of 3 or 5 of your most difficult brick-wall family history questions to the meeting on Sunday, Nov 12th at 10:30am at Congregation Ahavath Achim.

“Take advantage of this golden opportunity to get some one-on-one help, or make use of this groups’ collective knowledge to smash some of your brick walls to smithereens! Bring your research and family tree on a flash drive or on a laptop or tablet. Internet access will be available.”
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Do you like oral histories as much as we do??

Continue reading →

Stillaguamish Valley Genealogical Society November Meeting

by Charles Hansen

 

Jill Morelli, CG will be presenting part 2 of an Overview of Scandinavian Resources which will present an introduction to three major record sets of Sweden, Denmark and Norway in a two part series.  The presentation will be Tuesday, November 14th at 1pm.  The presentation will be held at the Stillaguamish Valley Genealogical Society Library, is free to the public and 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 and is coming to us from Seattle, WA.