Serendipity “Friday”

by Charles Hansen

Yes, I do know that today is Thursday but tomorrow I’m off to tour the state: Spokane to Vancouver to Moclips to Port Angeles to Everett to Burlington to Spokane! Tiz gonna be grand and I’ll share bits with you. So today is, by default, Serendipity Day!

    *** Geneopardy? Pedigree Pie? 

*** QuirKy Genealogy: Are you signed up?

*** Bethel Cemetery, Steptoe WA

*** Memorial to Lime: Roche Harbor

 

Ready for some genealogy fun? Really, REALLY fun? Google either of the terms above. Once you’re to the website/program, sign in with your FamilySearch account, and viola! You are ready to play Geneopardy!  The categories are Dates, Places, People, Facts, Other. I picked PLACES for 100 and the question was easy: Which ancestor was born in St.Louis, MO? Four names were given as choices and I knew it was my mom. PEOPLE for 100 was harder: “Which of your ancestors was born during the Third Plague Pandemic?” Again, a choice of four names was given but I had no idea. Pedigree Pie has no questions, just pure fun. Go take a looksee..

**************************************

Evelyn Roehl, who lives in Seattle, offers a free monthly newsletter simply called Tip Sheet from her website, QuirKy Genealogy. The February 2017 issue offered some really good census-name-finding tips. I do recommend this FREE newsletter to you all.  Send her an email and request being put on her mailing list:  kinhunters@gmail.com 

*************************************

On the lovely drive north last week from Lewiston, I finally stopped at the little cemetery up on the hill in Steptoe, Whitman County. What a delight! See Steptoe Butte in the background? And have you ever seen a signature on a stone? Or a handmade one like this? (Is that a dachshund??)

****************************************

“Lime, made by heating limestone to extremely high temperatures, is an age-old chemical that has been used as an ingredient in everything from cement and steel to paper and plaster. In 1886, shortly after a huge ledge of some of the world’s purest limestone was discovered at Roche Harbor (in the San Juan Islands), John S. McMillan established the Tacoma & Roche Harbor Lime & Cement Company. Crushed limestone from a quarter-mile-long quarry was fed into a battery of brick-lined kilns, which created the necessary heat to turn the rock into 200-pound barrels of lime. By 1890, up to 1500 barrels of lime were being produced each day, making this the largest lime works west of the Mississippi and making McMillan a very rich man.”  (Page 166, Washington Curiosities, by Harriet Baskas, 2008)

Spotlight on the Twin Rivers Gen Society

by Charles Hansen

On Saturday, March 25th, I shared a great learning day with the eager members of the Twin Rivers Gen Society down in Lewiston, Idaho. (Yes, Idaho, but they identify with Washington especially as pertaining to things genealogy.) We met in a lovely church basement and the TRGS had enough food to feed 50 folks but only about half that number came (which equals their membership). We shared ideas on the Big 4 genealogy websites (Ancestry, FamilySearch, FindMyPast, MyHeritage) as well as dozens of useful research and resource websites. I stressed to them that thy major key to success in genealogical research these days is successfully using the Internet.  Here’s a shot of the group:

Please continue reading for some history of Lewiston, and the TRGS, and all about their annual July 4th Walking with Ancestors!

Continue reading →

Skagit Valley Genealogical Society O Canada Seminar

by Charles Hansen

Greetings from the Skagit Valley Genealogical Society,
It is time to register for a different kind of genealogy seminar — an entire Heritage Weekend — that includes a Friday evening celebration of Canada’s 150th Anniversary with a keynote program by Canadian genealogy expert, Dave Obee, then on Saturday for the seminar, US genealogy expert Mary Kathyrn Kozy joins Mr. Obee for more Canadian/US immigration research, and the weekend is capped off on Sunday with a living history tour of Burlington by Burlington’s first school teacher!

This will be a special opportunity to meet our friends, cousins and family historian neighbors across the border and around Washington State.
We look forward to seeing you on the weekend of April 21-23 for a unique Canadian genealogy weekend!

O Canada!: CHILDREN OF A COMMON MOTHER
Heritage Weekend & Genealogy Seminar:
Fri- Sun, April 21-23
presented by the Skagit Valley Genealogical Society

Reception Celebrating Canada’s 150th Anniversary
with Keynote Program by Canadian genealogy expert Dave Obee
(Optional & included free with Seminar Registration)
Friday, April 21, 7:00-9:00pm
Burlington Community Center
1011 Greenleaf Ave., Burlington, WA
_________________________________

O Canada! Genealogy Seminar
Sat., April 22, 8am – 4pm
1st United Methodist Church
1607 E. Division, Mount Vernon, WA
___________________________________

Historic Walking Tour of Burlington
led by a costumed living history interpreter
(Optional & included free with Seminar Registration)
Sun., April 23, 10am – Noon
Burlington Chamber of Commerce
520 E. Fairhaven Avenue,. Burlington, WA

Conveniently register online with PayPal via: skagitvalleygenealogy.org
or print out and mail in with your check with the attached registration form.

Early registration discount ends April 10, 2017
Questions? genealogy0715@gmail.com
O Canada 2017 registration and bios
See you for a fun and informative Canadian heritage weekend in the beautiful Skagit Valley at tulip time!

Tuesday Trivia

by Charles Hansen

You remember how taken I am with smaller museums and historical societies. In fact, I’ve asked that you share a list with me of those that are in your area.  Here are some from near Grand Coulee Dam (for your summer vacation??):

WILBUR……. Big Bend Hx Soc Museum in Wilbur; most popular is the photo room which features a wide assortment of photos of the early town, its neighbors and its pioneer families. Museum vault contains copies of all the old Wilbur Registers dating back to 1889 (available on microfilm). Museum open Saturdays, June through August, 2:00-4:00, or by appointment.

DAVENPORT…. Lincoln Co Museum & Davenport Hx Soc; open 1 May to 30 Sep, 9:00-5:00, Mon through Sat, or by appointment. Website:  www.davenportwa.org

COULEE DAM…. Colville Tribal Museum, Founded in 1987, the CTM “provides a valuable link to the rich heritage of the peoples who make up the Colville Confederated Tribes:  the Lakes, Okanogan, Entiat, Chelan, Methow, Moses Columbia, Newpelem, Palouse, San Poil, Nez Perce, Colville and Wenatchi bands.” Open 7 days a week, 8:30-5:00; located in city of Coulee Dam. Website:  www.ctmuseum@couleedam.net

Somebody’s ancestors settled these places….were they yours????

 

*** Banks Lake is 30 miles long by about one mile wide, nearly 25,000 acres of water. Arranged in a north-to-south line across the Columbia River along Banks Lake are the towns of: Coulee Dam, Grand Coulee, Electric City, and at the far south end, Coulee City.

Western European Family History Conference May 15-19

by Charles Hansen

Salt Lake City, Utah (26 March 2017)

FamilySearch’s world-renowned Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah, will be offering its free Western European Family History Conference, May 15 to May 19, 2017. Guests can attend classes in person or online. The conference will focus exclusively on select Western European research and is intended for beginning and intermediate researchers. Classes are free, but registration is required due to class size and webinar bandwidth limitations. For more information or to register, go to FamilySearch Wiki.

Classes will be taught by the Family History Library’s staff of experts and guest genealogists. Content will focus primarily on how to research records from Germany, France, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Belgium. Topics addressed will include census, church, immigration, and vital records.

REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED.

Register to attend In Person here.

Register to attend virtually here.

 

DATE / TIME
CLASS (SKILL LEVEL)
Mon, 15-May, 9:00 AM     Finding German Places of Origin (Intermediate)
Mon, 15-May, 10:15 AM     Spelling Variations in German Given and Place Names (Intermediate)
Mon, 15-May, 11:30 AM     Meyers German Gazetteer Now Online, Indexed and Fully Searchable (Beginner)
Mon, 15-May, 2:00 PM     German Church Records and Beyond: Deepen Your Research

Using a Variety of Town Records (Intermediate)

Mon, 15-May, 3:15 PM     Elusive Immigrant: Methods of Proving Identity (Intermediate)
Tue, 16-May, 9:00 AM     Finding Your French Ancestors Online Part 1 (Intermediate)
Tue, 16-May, 10:15 AM     Finding Your French Ancestors Online Part 2 (Intermediate)
Tue, 16-May, 11:30 AM     Finding Your French Ancestors Online Part 3 (Intermediate)
Tue, 16-May, 2:00 PM     Out of the Ashes of Paris (Intermediate)
Tue, 16-May, 3:15 PM     Research in Alsace-Lorraine (Intermediate)
Wed, 17-May, 9:00 AM     Latin for Researchers (Intermediate)
Wed, 17-May, 10:15 AM     Calendar Changes in France, Germany, Switzerland, and the

Low Countries (Intermediate)

Wed, 17-May, 11:30 AM     Gazetteers and Maps for Belgium, Luxembourg, and the

Netherlands (Intermediate)

Wed, 17-May, 2:00 PM     Beginning Research in Luxembourg (Beginner)
Wed, 17-May, 3:15 PM     Beginning Research in Belgium (Beginner)
Thur, 18-May, 9:00 AM     Names in Belgium and the Netherlands (Intermediate)
Thur, 18-May, 10:15 AM     WieWasWie, Past the Index: What to do Next (Intermediate)
Thur, 18-May, 11:30 AM     Dutch Provincial and City Research (Intermediate)
Thurs, 18-May, 2:00 PM     Dutch Research Before 1811 (Intermediate)
Thu, 18-May, 3:15 PM     Finding Your Family in the Amazing Online Amsterdam City

Archives (Intermediate)

Fri, 19-May, 9:00 AM     Beginning Swiss Research Part 1 (Beginner)
Fri, 19-May, 10:15 AM     Beginning Swiss Research Part 2 (Beginner)
Fri, 19-May, 11:30 AM     Swiss Archives Online Records (Intermediate)
Fri, 19-May, 2:00 PM     Swiss Census Records (Beginner)
Fri, 19-May, 3:15 PM     Swiss Chorgericht Records (Intermediate)

###EuropeanFamily

Monday’s Mystery

by Charles Hansen

Good morning, Washington (and surroundings)!  Our mystery for today is this: TRUE or FALSE:  Water going down a drain spins one way in the Northern Hemisphere and the opposite way in the Southern Hemisphere. Is this TRUE or FALSE?

A Delicious Calorie-Free WSGS Cupcake to Elsie Deatherage for correctly answering the previous mystery…. how many feet did Mt.St.Helen’s lose in the blast in 1980? The correct answer was 1300 feet. Wowsers, eh? And, as we Eastern Washingtonians know, lots of that ash residue is still findable and/or visable yet today.

 

Bainbridge Island Genealogical Society April Meeting

by Charles Hansen

For Immediate Publication

The Bainbridge Island Genealogical Society (BIGS) will meet Friday, April 21, 2017, at the LDS church on Bainbridge Island, 8677 Madison Avenue, from 10:00 a.m. – 12 noon.  Guest speaker, Karen Sipe from the Fiske Genealogical Library in Seattle, will be speaking on “Petticoats and Dowries – Women.”   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.

Sylvia H. Nelson

Publicity and Public Relations Director

Bainbridge Island Genealogical Society

Clark County Genealogical Society Upcoming Meetings

by Charles Hansen


THIS WEEK AT CCGS
Tuesday, 10am – general meeting (see below)
Wednesday, 11am – webinar (see below)
SPRING CLASSES AT CCGS
Fee Classes – $12 for members, $15 for non-members

Researching in the Virginias, instructor Elsie Deatherage
Tuesday, April 4, 10am-12n
As one of this country’s earliest colonies, Virginia has seen many changes in laws and how vital records have been kept in its 400 year history. Learn how to locate and use order and minute books, land records, chancery court and tax records to connect family members.

Timelines and Analysis, instructor Lethene Parks
Tuesday, April 25, 10am-12n
You’ve been hot on the trail of an illusive ancestor. You’ve gathered quite a bit of information about them. But, what does it all mean? Organizing all these disparate “facts” into a timeline and subjecting them to critical analysis will help you make sense of it.

Family Search Strategies, instructor Alice Allen
Tuesday, May 2, 10am-12n
Family Search is a major go-to site for genealogical research. In addition to continuously adding searchable records, Family Search is constantly improving how we access those records. Alice is a “power user” of Family Search and will share her insights as to how to make the site “dance” for you.

Getting Started Tracing Your Ancestors, instructor Brian Runyan   FREE
Thursday May 11, 7pm – 9pm, CCGS Annex
This class will get you started researching your family tree.  Topics include collecting information from the family, family group sheets, pedigree charts, genealogy database programs and best practices for research.

Getting Started with Your Norwegian Research, instructor Kathy Solheim
Tuesday, May 16, 10am-12n
This class will guide the researcher through the process of searching for key ancestral information in FamilySearch, then locating and interpreting the original Norwegian parish records in Digitalarkivet.

CCGS GENERAL MEETING
Tuesday, March 28, 10am
“Reflections on Researching A Personal Family History” will be presented by Harold E. Hinds, Jr, Distinguished Research Professor Emeritus of History, presently retired and living in Portland, Oregon, where he volunteers at the Genealogical Forum of Oregon. For many years, he taught an annual course on Genealogy and Family History at the University of Minnesota–Morris. He is the author or editor of 26 volumes on genealogy and family history.
–The presentation will focus on the following: –What Story Should I Tell: the Scope and Design of the Project –Finding Sufficient Information to Justify a Book-Length Personal Family History –It Takes a Village –Getting Organized, So You Can Find the Information You’ve Collected –You Can’t Wish Upon a Star –When One Should Publish

IMPORTANT NOTICE FOR CCGS MEMBERS

Due to increasing costs the CCGS Board of Directors is recommending an increase to the annual dues of $5. We recommend the membership approve this increase to take effect when individual and joint memberships are renewed. New members would pay the new rate of $35 for individual and $45 for joint memberships beginning 1 July 2017. Voting on this proposed dues increase will take place at the March 28th General Meeting.

UPCOMING WEBINARS
Wednesday, March 29, 2017, 11:00am, CCGS Annex.  Discussion to follow
Introduction to Quaker Genealogy Research by Craig Scott, MA, CG, FUGA
This lecture examines how Quakers created records at the various types of meetings, be they Yearly, Quarterly or Monthly. It examines the types of records, their value to a researcher and where they can be found.

Tuesday, April 5, 2017, 5:00pm, CCGS Annex.  Discussion to follow
Preserve, Share, and Search Your Digital Pictures with Google Photos by Geoff Rasmussen
Got digital images? Get an in-depth look into Google’s newest photo service – Google Photos. Learn best practices for managing, sharing, searching, enhancing, and preserving your digital photos. Learn how to access your collections via your computer, smart phone, or tablet.

Puget Sound Genealogical Society April Meeting

by Charles Hansen

Puget Sound Genealogical Society
Tuesday April 4, 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
at Kitsap Regional Library. 1301 Sylvan Way, Bremerton
The Scots-Irish: Settlers in the Wilderness with Janet Camarata
Learn how the Scots-Irish contributed to our country and
the sources available to genealogists researching their
Scots-Irish heritage.
Registration is required: call Genealogical Center
(360)475-9172
Thanks Jackie Horton, Publicity Chairperson