AI Workshop Registration Opens September 15, 2026

by Roxanne Lowe

The Washington State Genealogical Society is sponsoring a FREE AI workshop with nationally respected presenter and podcaster Lisa Louise Cooke. The workshop “Make AI Your Personal Genealogy Assistant” will be Thursday, October 22, 2026, from 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. via Zoom.

The FREE workshop is open to all WSGS members, Blog subscribers and local society members. Registration will open on September 15. Space is limited to 100. The registration link will be posted on the Blog, emailed to WSGS members and through local societies.

Tacoma Pierce County Genealogical Society Chat September 2026

by Charles Hansen

Tacoma-Pierce County Genealogical Society Genealogy Chat

Tuesday, September 15, 2026, starting at 7:00 PM via Zoom

Please join us and let’s chat!

This is a monthly opportunity to connect with others and talk about anything and everything genealogical. The value of this meeting increases with the participation of each person that attends and contributes to the conversations. This is your chance to celebrate the breaking down of a brick wall in your research or ask questions of others that can help you find records or relatives. Everyone, members, and guests are welcome and encouraged to attend and participate.

Date & Time: Every month on the Third Tue, from 7:00 PM until 8:30 PM Pacific Time

Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system.

Monthly: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/tZMldOCprTsqGtSoVglOBTElUaBRgTq5IEgI/ics?icsToken=98tyKuGvpjgjG9eVsBmHRpwEGojCXevztmJfjbdukyniDw9xVib6A-NgALVLAY35

Join Zoom Meeting:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87839130000?pwd=dGdHY2wrZ0d1bDNRTEQ4Uk15OVk0Zz09

Meeting ID: 878 3913 0000

Passcode: 836216

One tap mobile:

+12532050468,,87839130000#,,,,*836216# US

+12532158782,,87839130000#,,,,*836216# US (Tacoma)

Dial by your location:

        +1 253 205 0468 US

        +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)

Meeting ID: 878 3913 0000

Passcode: 836216

Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kdesX0el3t

Fiske Genealogical Library Fall 2026 Free Virtual Classes

by Charles Hansen

Here is the list of Fall 2026 Free Virtual Classes at Fiske Genealogical Library

Kenneth V. Peterson

Education Coordinator

Fiske Genealogical Library

https://fiskelibrary.org

Wednesday, September 16

10:00 am to 11:15 am Pacific Time – Fiske Genealogical Library, Seattle (Free Virtual Class)

Presented by Sara Cochran

For links to join the meeting and get class notes, select https://fiskelibrary.org

How much does spelling matter when we’re dealing with historical records? Why are there so many variations, anyway? Have you ever wondered if that record for Abraham Miller is really for your Abram Meuller, or why you can’t find an ancestor in the Springfield marriage records? This presentation takes a deeper look at how relying too much on spelling has the potential to trip up our research.

Sara Cochran is a full-time professional genealogist with over thirty years of research experience. She especially enjoys breaking down brick walls, discovering the stories of black sheep ancestors, and helping individuals preserve their photographic legacy. Sara holds a Boston University Genealogical Research Certificate, a Bachelor’s Degree in Library Science, and is an alum of the ProGen Study Group. She is a member of DAR and other lineage societies, the Association of Professional Genealogists, and the Genealogical Speakers Guild. You can find her online at TheSkeletonWhisperer.com.

Wednesday, September 23

10:00 am to 11:15 am Pacific Time – Fiske Genealogical Library, Seattle (Free Virtual Class)

19th Century America: Cultural Changes and Their Effect on Records

Presented by Sylvia Tracy Doolos

For links to join the meeting and get class notes, select https://fiskelibrary.org

America in the 19th century underwent geographic, cultural, and historical shifts that influenced recordkeeping, especially for women, African Americans, and immigrants. We will explore the century broadly to understand these changes.

Sylvia Tracy Doolos, owner of New Leaf Genealogy, is the President of the Wales, Ireland, Scotland, England Family History Society (WISE-FHS), and Past-President of the Colorado Chapter of the Association of Professional Genealogists, and the International Society for British Genealogy and Family History (ISBGFH).

Wednesday, September 30

10:00 am to 11:15 am Pacific Time – Fiske Genealogical Library, Seattle (Free Virtual Class)

Grandma Nellie’s Scrapbook: Identifying and Interpreting Historic Photographs Presented by Tina Beaird

For links to join the meeting and get class notes, select https://fiskelibrary.org

Many people become heirs to a box of unidentified family photos and have no clue what to do with them. Tina Beaird will offer solutions for identifying these ‘lost’ family members by demonstrating how to use genealogy sources in conjunction with observational techniques.

Tina Beaird, owner of Tamarack Genealogy, is the genealogy & local history librarian at a mid-sized Chicagoland public library. She holds a Masters of Library and Information Science degree with a specialization in Archives/Preservation, and is the First Vice-President of the Illinois State Genealogical Society, and board director for the Oswegoland Heritage Association.

Wednesday, October 7     

10:00 am to 11:15 am Pacific Time – Fiske Genealogical Library, Seattle (Free Virtual Class)

The Art of Self-Editing for Genealogists

Presented by Pam Anderson

For links to join the meeting and get class notes, select https://fiskelibrary.org

This presentation focuses on editing genealogical manuscripts. Elizabeth Shown Mills first wrote in Evidence! Citation and Analysis for the Family Historian, 1997, “Effective source citation is an art, not a science. No formula can cover all situations.” The same applies to the skill of self-editing, which must be honed. This presentation begins with assessing our genealogical writing as a whole, progressing to paragraph development and organization, then to sentence structure, and finally to word choice, using Evidence Explained and The Chicago Manual of Style as our guides.

Pam Anderson owns Anderson CoGen in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. She began studying her family history in 2010, went professional in 2014, and obtained her Certification in 2018. Pam mentored ProGen 47 and GenProof 95; and taught self-editing classes for the Applied Genealogy Institute (2023, 2024) and the Association of Professional Genealogists (2024, 2025, 2026). She is a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists, National Genealogical Society (NGS), and genealogical societies of New England, New York, Maryland, New Jersey, and Utah. Pam has written articles for and presented to these and many other local organizations. She received the NGS “2025 Family History Writing Competition” award and “2024 Award of Merit.”

Wednesday, October 14

10:00 am to 11:15 am Pacific Time – Fiske Genealogical Library, Seattle (Free Virtual Class)

Google for Genealogists

Presented by Tina Beaird

For links to join the meeting and get class notes, select https://fiskelibrary.org

Google can be a useful tool for genealogical research. Utilizing services like google maps, google news and google books can make you feel like Indiana Jones. But be wary, google has some traps and pitfalls as well! Tina will discuss ways to get the most out of google so you can find your holy grail. This webinar will not cover specific uses of Google’s AI tool, Gemini.

Tina Beaird, owner of Tamarack Genealogy, is the genealogy & local history librarian at a mid-sized Chicagoland public library. She holds a Masters of Library and Information Science degree with a specialization in Archives/Preservation, and is the First Vice-President of the Illinois State Genealogical Society, and board director for the Oswegoland Heritage Association.

Wednesday, October 21

10:00 am to 11:15 am Pacific Time – Fiske Genealogical Library, Seattle (Free Virtual Class)

Prior to Departure: Uncovering Overseas Emigration Information

Presented by Lisa Vogele

For links to join the meeting and get class notes, select https://fiskelibrary.org

Most genealogists focus on arrival records, but valuable clues often exist before an immigrant boarded a ship. Explore passports, emigration permissions, military clearances, police registrations, health certificates, parish records, censuses, departure lists, and other pre-departure sources that document the decision to leave. Through examples from Germany, Italy, Scandinavia, Ireland, and beyond, learn effective strategies for locating and interpreting these records to uncover ancestral origins, migration stories, and clues that may help solve genealogical brick walls.

Lisa Vogele is a professional genealogist and certified travel advisor (CTA). She is the Chief Tree Climber at Travel Your Tree: Where Ancestry Meets Adventure, a full-service family history research, travel planning and tour operator. In 2016, Lisa authored Food & Folklore: A Year of Italian Festivals, a guide book to assist travelers with incorporating festivals into their itineraries and experience local culture through food and historic events. Her travel tips have been featured in the Huffington Post, 1000traveltips.com and her travel blog, LisaLovesToTravel.com.

Wednesday, October 28   

10:00 am to 11:15 am Pacific Time – Fiske Genealogical Library, Seattle (Free Virtual Class)

Faith and Founding Fathers: Religion’s Role in America’s Story

Presented by Sylvia Tracy Doolos

For links to join the meeting and get class notes, select https://fiskelibrary.org

Beginning with the American Revolution, religion has shaped our ancestors’ lives. Discover faith-driven events that can help unlock your family’s story.

Sylvia Tracy Doolos, owner of New Leaf Genealogy, is the President of the Wales, Ireland, Scotland, England Family History Society (WISE-FHS), and Past-President of the Colorado Chapter of the Association of Professional Genealogists, and the International Society for British Genealogy and Family History (ISBGFH). 

Wednesday, November 4  

10:00 am to 11:15 am Pacific Time – Fiske Genealogical Library, Seattle (Free Virtual Class)

FREE LAND: Homesteading on the Frontier

Presented by Tina Beaird

For links to join the meeting and get class notes, select https://fiskelibrary.org

The Homestead Act of 1862 allowed any qualified individual to claim up to 160 acres of free land. Over 1.6 million people rose to the challenge and claimed 270 million acres of land of which an estimated 17 million Americans are descendants. Original homestead claims are a fantastic collection of documents, including applications, land descriptions, citizenship affidavits and more. Learn how to access these great records and how they can fill in the gaps to your research.

Tina Beaird, owner of Tamarack Genealogy, is the genealogy & local history librarian at a mid-sized Chicagoland public library. She holds a Masters of Library and Information Science degree with a specialization in Archives/Preservation, and is the First Vice-President of the Illinois State Genealogical Society, and board director for the Oswegoland Heritage Association.

Wednesday, November 11

10:00 am to 11:15 am Pacific Time – Fiske Genealogical Library, Seattle (Free Virtual Class)

Navigating Ancestral Arrivals: A Genealogist’s Treasure Map to Immigration Records

Presented by Lisa Vogele

For links to join the meeting and get class notes, select https://fiskelibrary.org

Your ancestors’ arrival in the U.S. is a key chapter in your family’s story—are you searching in the right places? This session will guide you through the intricacies of immigration records, helping you decode passenger manifests, interpret cryptic notations, and uncover the stories of those “Held for Inquiry.” With research tools, proven strategies, and real-life case studies, you’ll gain skills to track down elusive ancestors and bring their immigration journey to life.

Lisa Vogele is a professional genealogist and certified travel advisor (CTA). She is the Chief Tree Climber at Travel Your Tree: Where Ancestry Meets Adventure, a full-service family history research, travel planning and tour operator. In 2016, Lisa authored Food & Folklore: A Year of Italian Festivals, a guide book to assist travelers with incorporating festivals into their itineraries and experience local culture through food and historic events. Her travel tips have been featured in the Huffington Post, 1000traveltips.com and her travel blog, LisaLovesToTravel.com.

Wednesday, November 18

10:00 am to 11:15 am Pacific Time – Fiske Genealogical Library, Seattle (Free Virtual Class)

Shaky Leaf Syndrome: Using Website Generated Hints More Effectively

Presented by Sara Cochran

For links to join the meeting and get class notes, select https://fiskelibrary.org

Indexing, optical character recognition, and computer algorithms make finding obscure records about our families easier than ever! Unfortunately, computers can’t distinguish between people of the same name who lived in different places or at different times. Using real examples, we’ll practice evaluating hints and attaching the keepers to our trees.

Sara Cochran is a full-time professional genealogist with over thirty years of research experience. She especially enjoys breaking down brick walls, discovering the stories of black sheep ancestors, and helping individuals preserve their photographic legacy. Sara holds a Boston University Genealogical Research Certificate, a Bachelor’s Degree in Library Science, and is an alum of the ProGen Study Group. She is a member of DAR and other lineage societies, the Association of Professional Genealogists, and the Genealogical Speakers Guild. You can find her online at TheSkeletonWhisperer.com.

Tacoma Pierce County Genealogical Society Mystery Book Club

by Charles Hansen

Tacoma-Pierce County Genealogical Society Mystery Book Club Meeting

Saturday, September 19, 3:30 pm

Please join us as we discuss a fictional genealogical book, A Quiet Inheritiance, the first book in the Marblehead Genealogy Mystery series, by Matthew Schmidt. 

More information at: 

Amazon: A Quiet Inheritiance

This book may also be available in print from various book stores or libraries.

Every month on the Third Sat beginning at 3:30 PM Pacific

Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system.

Monthly: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/tZUkfuCqrzgsG9RrrhNAdU65Lz86P0s92mu1/ics?icsToken=98tyKuGppzIjGNWWthiHRpwcHYr4XerzmHZdjfpvjg3tLQFXV1WjGvgaZIIvA4GC

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81999213610?pwd=Qkk2WFZTZ2Rzdzc1Z0szN1AzdEZCUT09

Meeting ID: 819 9921 3610

Passcode: 479394

One tap mobile

+12532050468,,81999213610#,,,,*479394# US

+12532158782,,81999213610#,,,,*479394# US (Tacoma)

Dial by your location

        +1 253 205 0468 US

        +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)

Meeting ID: 819 9921 3610

Passcode: 479394

Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/keibNHDdyf

Lower Columbia Genealogical Society Finding Your Female Ancestors

by Charles Hansen

Amber Oldenberg

Genealogist and Lecturer

Her topic is

Finding your Female Ancestors

The speaker at the Lower Columbia Genealogical Society’s

Sept 10th , 2026 zoom meeting will be Amber Oldenburg. Her topic is Finding Your Female Ancestor

Virtual meeting doors will open at 9:30 am.

Speaker’s program will begin at 10:00 am

The public is invited to attend

Please consider joining our society for $20/yr.

For a link to join the meeting or to join the society contact lcgsgen@yahoo.com 24hrs prior to the event

Joe Brookshier Receives 2026 President’s Award for Outstanding Achievement

by Roxanne Lowe

WSGS President Kathleen Sizer is pleased to announce the recipient of the Outstanding Achievement Award: Joe Brookshier from the Olympia Genealogical Society. The announcement was made at the WSGS Annual Meeting on 27 Aug 2026.

Created in 2015, the 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 award is not given every year as it is based on merit and accomplishments. As you’ll see from reading about Joe’s technological assistance, he is worthy of this recognition.

Joe Brookshier

It is hard to put into words the impact that Joe has had on a number of local societies as their technology needs have increased, particularly those that were transitioning from the EasyNetSites Classic (ENS-C) platform to ENS-R (Responsive).

Back in 2025, Joe offered his time, expertise and skills to a number of societies that were changing platforms. Initially, he brought numerous society webmasters together so they could be a community and support each other under his guidance.

According to Dave Storla, Kittitas County Genealogical Society, “As I began the process of building an updated website for KCGS, I emailed several webmasters for advice. Joe was quick to respond with aid. His help with my many questions, his technical assistance and most of all his encouragement made a daunting task bearable. He has helped me at times when I ‘couldn’t see the forest for the trees’ with patience and understanding, along with the needed solutions.”

LeAnne Koliha from the Stillaguamish Valley Genealogical Society adds “To many of us who have worked with Joe, he was more than just a mentor; he was willing to step in and take on the technical tasks that we found difficult. He took the time to listen and understand what was needed in our individual website. He even suggested additional items that will make our website a better experience for society members.”

Tacoma-Pierce County Genealogical Society‘s Tim Ward and Jane Nelson Irish received emails with tips and instructions that Joe had already shared with other societies and helped them via Zoom to step through the process and show them how to solve some of the problems they had with the conversion to the responsive version.

But no society has benefitted from Joe’s talents more than WSGS. Roxanne Lowe, WSGS webmaster, was quick to add, “It wasn’t long in the process before I realized I was stymied about how to get started – especially with a looming deadline approaching. Joe walked me (as webmaster) through the entire development process – from choosing a color palette and “playing” in the sandbox to entering data and finetuning each page.”

One particular issue stands out as critical to the development of the WSGS site. Joe, a retired principal software engineer at a major aerospace and defense corporation, was critical in trouble-shooting a tricky Pioneer Pursuit database of almost 4,500 names into the UDM (Unified Data Module). His ability to communicate with the Blue Crab CEO and interpret our desires was central to the new, improved database.

And as if helping societies with their ENS-R transition wasn’t enough, Joe has stepped in to help the Seattle Genealogical Society‘s IT team by agreeing to take on the oversight of the society’s Google Workspace account. This will entail working with SGS members who have sub-accounts on the main Google account to be used in the execution of their SGS jobs by helping them with Gmail and with finding their way around the shared SGS Google Drive.  Joe has already identified things that SGS should change to improve their use of Google Workspace and is moving to make necessary changes. 

More about the award

If you want to know more about the qualities needed for this prestigious award, click here. Previous recipients are listed here.

Five Societies Awarded Supportive Grants

by Roxanne Lowe

The WSGS Board of Directors awarded 2026 Supportive Grants to five local societies. LeAnne Koliha, WSGS Vice President, announced the awards at the WSGS Annual Meeting on August 27, 2026.

The grants were awarded to:

Clallam County Genealogical Society — CCGS is in the process of having a mural painted on their building. It will feature historical figures of those who lived on or came to the North Olympic Peninsula, including Native tribal images. The purpose of this mural is several fold: to honor the 250th anniversary of the Constitution; to increase the visibility of the Genealogy Society; and to increase visitor traffic. The estimated cost of the mural is about $32,000.  So far CCGS has received donations of $14,000 from members and the public. They have applied for a $10,000 grant, but it is not yet known if it will be approved. CCGS has contributed $5000 to date from their coffers.  They continue to do fundraising. 

Clark County Genealogical Society — The society plans to replace and upgrade essential office equipment. Their current equipment is outdated, and the printers are costly to operate. Specifically, they are seeking funding for a black-and-white laser printer and a new telephone system. The ink for their current color inkjet printers is expensive; a laser printer would better meet daily needs at a lower operating cost. Replacing their old phones will improve range and voicemail, making communication more dependable during the transition to a new location.

Lower Columbia Genealogical Society — LCGS hopes to provide speakers for their online meetings. They have decreased from ten speakers per year to nine, partly due to cost. With rare exception, their speakers are from outside the area. Speaker fees continue to go up. The grant will help them obtain quality speakers with an eye to increasing membership as well as educating their members. Over the last three months, LCGS has had 27 guests out of 68 attendees, and they have had two new members. 

Mason County Genealogical Society — Will use their grant to purchase two or three photo scanners and a supply of flash drives to support their two ongoing community outreach programs. The first project is a monthly family photo scanning event with their partner, Mason County Senior Center. This helps preserve old family photos and gets them out of decaying photo albums and shoeboxes. In the 18 months that MCGS has been conducting this project, they have served over 60 community members. Several MCGS volunteers have worn out their own scanners and have purchased new ones. The other community project is their Genealogy Café where they partner with the Shelton branch of Timberland Library. MCGS wants to give visitors a flash drive to preserve the genealogical discoveries and the sources used in the findings and take with them at the end of the session.

Wenatchee Area Genealogical Society — WAGS plans to upgrade their digital preservation capabilities. The total project cost is $500, and WAGS will match the grant 100% with $250 of their own funds to purchase a pre-owned Sony Alpha 6000 digital camera and macro lens. Buying this equipment used is a deliberate, practical choice that lets them get high-quality, professional imaging gear at a fraction of the cost new. It will serve as the core upgrade for their library’s Digitizing Station, replacing an eight-year-old donated camera that is at the end of its lifespan and can no longer capture the crisp clarity needed for archiving.

For more information about the Supportive Grants, click here.

2026 Outstanding Volunteers and Team Announced

by Roxanne Lowe

Congratulations to the amazing individuals and teams who contributed to Washington’s local societies. The announcement was made on Thursday, August 27, at the WSGS Annual Meeting. Fifteen local society members and four teams were recognized with Outstanding Volunteer and Team awards. The volunteers and teams were praised for their commitment and energies to promote their local societies, family history and cooperation in their local communities.

Bainbridge Island Genealogical Society

  • Holly Ardinger

Eastern Washington Genealogical Society

  • Diane Hunter Boyd
  • EWGS Program Team (Carol Anderson, Lynda Keenan, Donna Potter Phillips, Juanita McBride, Dolly Gorrod Webb, Lola McCreary, Lynn Krogh, Margie Beldin)

Eastside Genealogical Society

  • Mary Dematteo Sangalang
  • Jane Wickert

Grays Harbor Genealogical Society

  • Polly Thomas

Lower Columbia Genealogical Society

  • Lynda Jean Newman Mathers

Olympia Genealogical Society

  • OGS Technology & Website Team (Bob Monn & Joe Brookshier)

Seattle Genealogical Society

  • Sheyna Watkins

Sno-Isle Genealogical Society

  • Corey Smith

Stillaguamish Valley Genealogical Society

  • Bill Allen
  • Karen Looney

Tacoma-Pierce County Genealogical Society

  • Jean Findlay
  • Genealogy Help Desk Team (Carol Rikerd, Debbi Wigen-Noble, Gail Sanders, Judy Karns, Lisa Weaver, Naomi Ward, Patricia Gwin, Shelby Holland, Tim Ward)

Wenatchee Area Genealogical Society

  • Diane Gundersen

Yakima Valley Genealogical Society

  • Vivian Hunt
  • Gerald & Hilda Shepard
  • YVGS Librarians

For more information about the Outstanding Volunteers and Teams, visit the Washington State Genealogical Society, Local Society Support page or email Info@wasgs.org.