Bainbridge Island Genealogical Society (BIGS) Meeting Friday, March 17

by Charles Hansen

 

For Immediate Release:

 

The Bainbridge Island Genealogical Society (BIGS) will meet Friday, March 17, 2017, at the LDS church on Bainbridge Island, 8677 Madison Avenue, from 10:00 a.m. – 12 noon.  Janet O’Conor Camarata, Association of Professional Genealogists, will be speaking on “Ask, Listen and Record.”  Free to members, a $5.00 donation is suggested for nonmembers.  For more information go to http://www.bigenealogy.org, or call 206-842-4978.  BIGS is a 501c(3) non-profit organization.

 

Sylvia H. Nelson

Director of Publicity and Public Relations

Bainbridge Island Genealogical Society

 

Serendipity Day

by Charles Hansen

 

*** Governor’s Mansion Offers Tours in March

*** Museums in Washington–A Follow Up

*** George Eastman Museum Releases over 250,000 Photos

*** Costa Rica ROOTS Tours??

*** Washington State’s Favorite Comfort Food?

 

Wish I lived closer to Olympia! Visitors to the state Governor’s Mansion during Women’s History Month in March will have the option of choosing a special “Women in the Mansion” tour. During special tours on March 15th and 22nd at 1:00pm, volunteer docents will talk about women who have influenced Washington’s history from inside the mansion. The standard mansion tours will also be available. For more information, click to www.tours.des.wa.gov or call the tour office at 360-902-8880. What a neat opportunity; I sure with I lived closer to Olympia.

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Remember a while back I asked for folks to send to me a list of museums in their area/city/town? Two wonderful people responded, Bonnie Moore from Yakima and Jim Bull from the Columbia Gorge Gen Society. Jim sent the list he uses in their society; Bonnie sent me the copied page from the Yellow Pages.

Here is the point I’m making and working to resolve….. with your help. If you Google “museums in Washington state” a nice list will be shown courtesy of Wikipedia. Comparing the Wikipedia list to the phone book page that Bonnie sent, there were three museums listed for the Yakima area in those Yellow Pages that were NOT on the Wikipedia list. 

The Wikipedia list can be amended and updated and I will learn how and be happy to do that. But I need input from YOU all. I need your society lists or Yellow Pages lists to compare with what’s already included in that Wikipedia listing. 

So once again I’m asking for the lists (and contact info like website, address and phone) of the museums and perhaps historical societies in your town or area. Scan and send the Yellow Book pages would be dandy fine. I shall keep you posted on the progress.

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Family Search Free March Webinars

by Charles Hansen

 

Free Family History Library Classes and Webinars in March 2017

Salt Lake City, Utah (20 August 2017), Take advantage of 36 free family history classes and webinars in March 2017 through the world reknowned Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. Attend in person or online. Check out the Denmark, England, Scotland, Sweden, Wales historic record classes, sessions on how to read records in Dutch and Portuguese, as well as sessions in Spanish.
Classes offered online are noted as “Webinars”. Webinar attendees need to click on the link next to the class title to attend the online class on the scheduled date and time. Those attending the Library in-person need to simply go to the room noted. Invite family and friends. All times are in Mountain Standard Time (MST). No registration is required. Mark your calendars for events you want to join so you don’t forget.
Not able to attend a webinar live or in-person? Most sessions are taped and can be viewed later online at your convenience in the archive for Family History Library Classes and Webinars.
Find and share this schedule of classes online in the FamilySearch Media Room.

Olympia Genealogical Society Meeting March 9

by Charles Hansen

The Olympia Genealogical Society meeting on Thursday, March 9, will feature Judy Artley on “Finding Records in USA using GenealogyInc.com.  Join us at the Thurston County Courthouse, Building 1, Room 152 at 7 pm.

Thank-you   JOYCE OGDEN, Publicity
=======================================================================                                                                  Joyce T. Ogden             jtogden@comcast.net

Innovative Grant Applications Due March 1

by Roxanne Lowe

Local Societies:

WSGS wants to help your society! Get your Innovative Grant applications in by Wednesday, March 1, 2017!

The grants, up to $100, are designed to support the inventive and creative efforts of WSGS-member societies and organizations. Up to five grants will be awarded in 2017. These are grants — not loans!

The simple application is only ONE page and is available here. Additional guidance on the program is here.

Here are previously approved Innovative Grants, but look for more ideas in the Guidance Document:

2015

Chelan Valley Genealogical Society – purchase of new magazine containers/binders for the local library’s historical magazines
Northeast Washington Genealogical Society – tree removal in a pioneer cemetery
Skagit Valley Genealogical Society – assistance with computer purchase
Tri-City Genealogical Society – advertising & prizes for writing contest
Wenatchee Area Genealogical Society – specialized software to manage society’s extensive genealogical holdings

2016
Jefferson County Genealogical Society – software upgrade for society’s library and research database
Wenatchee Area Genealogical Society – publicity for dedication and adoption of society mascot Coyote
Whitman County Genealogical Society – assistance with purchase of computer, monitor & back-up software

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

Tri-City Genealogical Society March Meeting

by Charles Hansen

U.S. Funeral Customs & Researching Funeral Records Speaker — Amy Mueller Coffman
Tri-City Genealogical Society (TCGS)
Wednesday, 8 Mar 2017 at the Benton County PUD 7:00 PM — 2721 W 10th Ave — Kennewick WA [Beginning Genealogy Class – Analyzing Birth Records – 6:15 to 6:45 PM]

Amy Mueller Coffman is a 4th-generation owner of Mueller’s Funeral Home in Kennewick and Pasco, Washington. Her B.A. degree from Brigham Young University is in Communications with an emphasis in Public Relations. She has completed her funeral director internship and is preparing to take the State funeral director’s exam to be a licensed funeral director. She will bring a display of local 100-year-old funeral home records and cemetery applications and provide information on many different past funeral customs as well as share what specific information you can find on a funeral home record to help in your own family history research.

 

Flyer  TCGS 8 Mar 2017 Flyer + Amy +weather

Marge Samuelson Awarded 2016 Outstanding Volunteer Honor

by Roxanne Lowe

Since 2003, the Washington State Genealogical Society has recognized almost 500 outstanding volunteers and teams, nominated by their local society or genealogical organization for their service and dedication. These volunteers are the backbone of their local society, giving their time and expertise, to the organization and the field of genealogy. In the next few weeks, you will be introduced to each of last year’s award recipients and learn why they received the 2016 WSGS Outstanding Volunteer and Team Award.

Marge Samuelson

Today we’re introducing Marge Samuelson of Port Townsend, Washington, who was nominated by the Jefferson County Genealogical Society (JCGS). She was recognized for her never-ending commitment to preserving the history of Jefferson County and the field of genealogy.

Ms. Samuelson has been an invaluable volunteer with the JCGS for many years. She has served as treasurer, membership chair, historian and vice president. She was also newsletter editor for more than four years, wrote many articles for the county history section of the newsletter and maintained a blog, researching and writing articles about local historical topics.

Ms. Samuelson has also worked tirelessly averaging over 75 hours a month transcribing records from the local newspaper. To date, she has extracted over 100,000 names.

Ms. Samuelson’s passion and commitment to researching and sharing the local history prove she richly deserves being a recipient of a 2016 WSGS Outstanding Volunteer Award.

For more information on the WSGS Outstanding Volunteer Award program, visit the Recognition page of the WSGS website or contact Roxanne Lowe, Recognition Chair, at Roxanne@thekeeffes.com.

Tuesday Trivia

by Charles Hansen

Did you know that way, way back in 1909 some 79 people (including famed photographer Asahel Curtis and several women in LONG SKIRTS) made the 3-week trek to the top of Mt. Rainier?? Members of the fledgling group, the Mountaineers, they spent an hour on the summit on that June day and posted a flag for the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition which was being held in Seattle at the time.

Can you imagine climbing Mt.Rainier in a LONG SKIRT? Or going camping in what today we might call “Sunday dress?” And our ancestors did!