Tuesday Trivia

by Charles Hansen

Was enjoying a browse through an 1876 Monitor Guide to Post Offices & Railroad Stations in the United States and Canada. It was fun to search and find four Washington cities listed: Seattle, Tacoma, Olympia and Spokane Bridge in Stevens County. That raised my eyebrows because I remembered that Spokane County was formed from Stevens County in 1858. Humm. And that was the only listing for Spokane. How come the inaccuracy, I wonder?

 

Walla Walla onions. Everybody knows and admires Walla Walla Sweet Onions. My sister-in-law in Missouri once hauled home a #30 bag of them! Did you know they were developed by an Italian family? Immigrants from the Lombardian village of Lonate Pozzolo in Italy (now a suburb of Milan), came to the Walla Walla area in 1857. By 1900 there were two thriving colonies of Italians living near Walla Walla. The iconic Walla Walla Sweet Onion emerged in the 1920s but the name wasn’t coined until 1960. They are unique because they have the highest moisture content and they are now a gourmet export onion. (Thanks to Columbia magazine for this.)

 

How to Post on the Blog

by Roxanne Lowe

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 masters 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.

Ulster Historical Foundation March 5th Tacoma, Washington

by Charles Hansen

 

Ulster Historical Foundation
Telling the story of the people of Ulster since 1956

Join Fintan Mullan and Gillian Hunt from the Foundation during their annual North American lecture tour to learn how to get the most out of Irish resources and records, gain strategies for breaking down brick walls, and grasp important historical context that may help fill in gaps in your research.

Whether you are just beginning your Irish research or have been at it for years, you won’t want to miss these workshops! Fuller contact details with additional information can be found at: www.ancestryireland.com/northamericantour2017

Sunday, 05 March – Tacoma, WA (1:00pm–5:00pm)

Host: Lakewood and South Hill Libraries, Pierce County Library System

Web: www.piercecountylibrary.org/calendar.aspx?id=281

Poster  scots-irish-ancestry

With sixty years’ experience of serving Irish people everywhere, let the Ulster Historical Foundation help you discover your family’s story.

Please share this information about our lecture tour with your genealogical or historical society and friends on social media.

Monday’s Mystery…….. Brand New on the Blog!

by Charles Hansen

As a result of our January 2017 two-day Board meeting, some wonderful new ideas were proposed and will be implemented………… first one is Monday’s Mystery.

This will be a Washington history question and the first one with the correct answer will see their name in print (with a kudo) next week. 

Since we want to keep you guessing, please use the “Leave a Comment” box below the post to tell us your answer. The answers won’t be posted (but we are getting them!) until we announce the correct answer and first correct responder next week. 

Here is the Monday Mystery for today:

What did Seattle (1962) and Spokane (1974) share????

THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s Wednesday Evening E-News

by Charles Hansen

THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s Wednesday Evening E-News 25 January 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 January 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 our new website (still gfo.org).

Continue reading →

Sue Rogers Kreikemeier 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 coming months, you will be introduced to each of the 2016 award recipients and learn why they received the 2016 WSGS Outstanding Volunteer and Team Award.

Sue Rogers Kreikemeier

Today we’re introducing Sue Rogers Kreikemeier of Garfield, Washington, who was nominated by the Whitman County Genealogical Society (WCGS). She was recognized for her many years of dedicated service to the society.

Ms. Kreikemeier first became interested in genealogy while still small enough to perch on her Grandma Rogers’ knee, listening intently as her grandma told wonderful stories about their large extended family. While a relative newcomer to Whitman County, having arrived in 1977, Ms. Kreikemeier delights in learning about local families and their histories on the Palouse. Since joining WCGS in 2008, she has served as president (since 2011), program chair and become involved in planning programs and seminars.

Ms. Kreikemeier finds delight in connecting with anyone interested in genealogy and engaging them in the activities of WCGS. Her humor, laughter, and can-do attitude bring joy to all around her and illustrate that she richly deserved 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.

Lower Columbia Gen Society News

by Charles Hansen

LOCOL

History for Genealogists

How to use historical societies

Please join us for this great presentation by

    HANNAH ALLAN, A byu FAMILY HISTORY AND GENEALOGY GRADUATE, AND CURRENTLY ON SITE GENEALOGIST FOR THE OREGON HISTORICAL SOCIETY IN PORTLAND, AMONG MANY OTHER PAST AND CURRENT GENEALOGY RELATED ACTIVITIES.

LOWER COLUMBIA GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~walcolgs/

SOMERSET RETIREMENT APARTMENTS

2025 TIBBETTS DRIVE, LONGVIEW

DINING ROOM      7:00 PM   Feb 9, 2017

VISITORS ARE WELCOME AND ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND.