Eastside Genealogical Society meeting February 9, 2017

by Charles Hansen

The Eastside Genealogical Society will meet on Thursday, February 9, 2017 in the Bellevue Regional Library (Room 1), 1111 – 110th Ave NE, Bellevue, WA 98004 at 7 pm, with doors opening at 6:30 pm for networking.

Topic: WikiTree is a free, shared social networking genealogy website that allows users individually to research and contribute to their own personal family trees, while building and collaborating on a singular worldwide family tree within the same system.  Come learn about this useful website.

 

Also see our website for FREE genealogical help and other Special Interest Group meetings. Visitors are always welcome at all meetings. www.eastsidegenealogicalsociety.com

 

Seattle Genealogical Society Tip of the Week

by Charles Hansen

Tip of the Week – DNA Help

Have you read the latest DNA book by Blaine Bettinger and Debbie Wayne Parker, “Genetic Genealogy in Practice”? This is a workbook that provides step-by-step help in working with you DNA results. Each chapter includes exercises with answer keys for hands-on practice.

Another good resource  is “Watch Geoff Live: DNA”, a Legacy Software Webinar by Diahan Southard and Geoff Rasmussen. Diahan previously spoke on DNA at SGS.

Tag along as Diahan and Geoff look for the first time at Geoff’s DNA results and use it to solve a brick wall problem. It’s elementary and very useful in (a) what to look for and (b) how much information you can actually extract from the data. While not free, you will find it for a small fee at http://familytreewebinars.com/download.php?webinar_id=447

Seattle Genealogical Society News

by Charles Hansen

BOARD CERTIFICATION DISCUSSION GROUP

Last Chance to sign up! What is the process for becoming a certified genealogist? Join a facilitated discussion group to discuss the portfolio requirements, the process, and why apply at all! SGS members given priority. Cost is free. Contact Jill Morelli at jkmorelli@gmail.com for more information.

DON’T YOU HATE IT WHEN THAT HAPPENS?
 YOU CAN CALL FIRST

It’s unfortunate, but occasionally due to inclement weather or unforeseen circumstances, and with very little notice,  the SGS Library may be closed during its normal hours of operation of Tuesday thru Saturday 10am-3pm and Sunday 1pm-5pm.

Now you can call first to check the status.  SGS has a new phone system and has established a procedure that all unforeseen closures  will be announced on an outgoing phone message. So you are invited to call the Library at 206.522.8658 before heading out.

Continue reading →

Soundex Codes and the Washington State Death Index

by Charles Hansen

Recently received a Tip Sheet from kinhunters@gmail.com about problems with finding people in the Washington State Death index on microfilm. The problem she talked about was with names that started with Mc. Was the “c” included in the soundex code or not for the name? I actually used that index so much that I don’t even go to the cheat sheet to see how the letters were coded anymore. I had read that you need to look both ways on names like Mc or Mac. Names that start with O’ or Van or Von may have been coded with or without the O’, Van or Von. So O’Connor may be soundexed  as O256 or C560! Van Dorn may have been soundexed as V536 or D650.

Ancestry bought those same microfilms and with OCR posted the Washington Death Index in Ancestry, but they missed bunches of people. Was it a problem with the soundex code? I don’t think so, as they used the actual names of people. I know they missed one whole microfilm and I guess because the 1920-1929 microfilm is very hard to read. Ancestry also missed bunches of people in the 1950s. Why? This is my theory, if you look at the microfilms the earlier years used a two column field for the death month, so 01, 02, …, 11,12. But in the 1950s they switched to a single column, so 1,2,3,…,9,O,N,D. Now any person reading that can see October, November and December, but did the OCR software looking for a number in that field see a number or did it skip those people?

Years ago the Washington State Digital archives was looking for some Washington  databases to index and I suggested that Family Search had the Washington State death certificates on microfilm from 1907 through 1960, and that would be a great database to index. Family Search sent the archives a copy of those death certificates and volunteers indexed those death certificates from the actual death certificates, not by copying the soundex index the state had done. When the death certificate index was done the death certificates went online at the digital archives. A few days later they disappeared and a note on how to get a certified copy from the state appeared on each entry in the index. That same index done by Washington State volunteers is on Family Search now and Family Search added the film  and image number for everyone in that index, so you could order the correct microfilm from Salt Lake City to get a copy of a death certificate.  That was great as Spokane and Spokane County, Yakima and Yakima county death certificates were on different microfilms, so which one to order was hard to figure out.

In the August 2016 Seattle Genealogical Society Tip of the Week they show how to find that death certificate online in the Family Search Catalog.

( http://wp.wasgs.org/2016/08/01/seattle-genealogical-society-tip-of-the-week-28/ )

Northeast Washington Genealogical Society meeting February 8, 2017.

by Charles Hansen

The next Northeast Washington Genealogical Society meetings are on Wednesday, February 8, 2017. The morning Computer Interest Group (CIG) will meet in the basement meeting room of the LDS Church on Juniper Street in Colville at 10:30 AM. Entry is located at the back of the building. The building is located one block east of the South Main Restaurant on Hwy 395.

Sue Richart, long-time NeWGS member and frequent presenter will share information she has gleaned from “The WPA Historical Records Survey: A Guide to the Unpublished Inventories, Indexes, and Transcripts” which began in 1936.  During its existence, the HRS produced thirty-four publications for Washington State. Sue will explain the impact the Historical Records Survey had on where material ended up and why it may have genealogical significance for researchers in all states.

We will take a lunch break at noon and then meet again in the LDS Lower Meeting Room at 1:30 p.m.

For our afternoon session Don McConnell, a NeWGS favorite Civil War historian will come and speak on a unique project he has been working on. Specifically he will share about resources that have recently become available on-line regarding deserters from the US Army to Confederate forces in Texas.

All visitors are welcome. You do not need to be a member to attend the Northeast Washington Genealogical Society’s meetings.

Diane Huckabay Named to WSGS Board

by Roxanne Lowe

Diane Huckabay

Diane Huckabay of Ellensburg has been appointed the WSGS Education and Outreach Chair by President Virginia Majewski. Diane, a past president of the Kittitas County Genealogical Society, will assist and support Regional Representatives and local societies in promoting genealogy in Washington State.

Diane will be featured in a future “Meet the Board” story. Welcome to the Board, Diane!

Serendipity Day

by Charles Hansen

*** NWGC….. Save the Date! Are you going?

*** Washington Rural Heritage…. do you know about this?

*** King County Court Cases Index, 1881-1980 Available

*** “Tons of Soil Go Into Sea”

“Where does your story begin?” That is the 2017 theme for the Northwest Genealogy Conference, sponsored by the Stillaguamish Valley Gen Society next 16-19 August in Arlington. Click to www.stillygen.org for more information. This is a fabulous event and worth your time, money and effort to attend. WSGS will have a large presence at this conference. Get registered and stay tuned!

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

“Washington Rural Heritage provides access to digitized historic primary sources documenting the early culture, industry, and community life of Washington State. The collection is an ongoing project of small, rural libraries and partnering cultural institutions, guided by an initiative of the Washington State Library.” So states the introduction to their website, www.washingtonruralheriage.org. The website tells us that (as of when I printed this out a while ago) there were over 102 participating institutions and 288 privately held collections throughout the state.  This project spotlights little rural places like the Kettle Falls Public Library, Lopez Island Historical Society, Cathlament Public Library and the Battle Days Museum. Quoting again from the website, “The physical collections are housed locally by owning institutions around the state, while the digital collections are housed by the Washington State Library. Participating institutions select, scan, and describe items which tell the stories of their communities.” If your Washington ancestor lived in a small (rural) place, do check this out.

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

For a $5 fee, The Seattle Genealogical Society will search for your ancestor’s name in the index they compiled to the King County Court Cases for the years 1881-1980. SGS compiled this information from a card file of 100 boxes and contains over 1.7 million entries encompassing “virtually every case” in the following categories: Marriage disolutions and divorces; wills and other probate actions; changes of name; guardianships; community property agreements; bankruptcies and commitments. To take advantage of this opportunity, click to www.seattlegenealogicalsociety.org and follow directions to submit a query from the KC31 database. If your ancestor’s name is found in the index, for an additional fee to the King County Court Clerk will get you a copy of the entire file. 

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

From The Washington Farmer,  January 19, 1933, article by W.A. Rockie, Superintendent, Northwest Soil Erosion Station, Pullman:  “How many of you have been at Palouse Falls in Adams county, Wash, in the springtime? Once seen, one cannot forget it. In the early spring months the snow is melting from the Palouse region and the water flowing down there streams at this season is not clear, but a chocolate brown in color.” The article is a long one and I shall glean from the rest of it:  “This flood of muddy water has been gathered from thousands of Palouse farms…… by measurements a typical Palouse slope land for winter wheat lost about 30 tons of soil per acre last year….the Palouse River drains about 3600 square miles and so an estimated 35,000,000 tons of soil from highly productive land is lost every year…..These lands are one of the mos valuable assets of the Pacific Northwest but they cannot continue to produce abundantly as they do now unless they are farmed differently than is being done today.” Isn’t it good that those farming practices did change!

 

THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s Wednesday Evening E-News

by Charles Hansen

 

THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s Wednesday Evening E-News 11 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 at HERE. NOTE: The Insider issues are now located under the “Learn” –> “Our Publications” menu at our new website (still gfo.org).

Don’t forget that January’s GenTalk is around the corner!! In just a couple Saturday’s actually!

WHEN Jan 21, 2017 at 2 pm
WHERE: the GFO Library
WHAT Lone Fir Cemetery

As always this event is free and open to the public, so be sure to let your friends know soon!!

The Lone Fir Cemetery is a rich source of genealogical and historical information about our Portland-area pioneers. Their stories are inspiring, heroic, despicable, heartbreaking, and above all, interesting.

Click HERE for more information.

Continue reading →

Society Award Deadlines Soon

by Roxanne Lowe

The Washington State Genealogical Society wants to recognize your good work! We know your society has great members doing great work — and we’d like to celebrate that. Below are the deadlines (and website links) for our recognition awards and special programs.

For more information about the WSGS recognition awards, contact Roxanne Lowe at roxanne@thekeeffes.com.

Meet the Board: Virginia Majewski

by Roxanne Lowe

Do you know who’s running the show at the Washington State Genealogical Society? Did you know we have an Executive Committee, six standing committee chairs and three appointed non-elected officers? Who are all these people? In the coming months, we’ll introduce them to you, so you can say “hi” the next time you see them.

Virginia Forney Majewski

In today’s “Meet the Board” series, we’re introducing you to Virginia Majewski from Sequim. Virginia, more familiarly known to us as Ginny, is WSGS’s new President, having been elected last month. Her dedication to WSGS is longstanding as she has previously served as WSGS’s Secretary, Region 3 Representative and Vice President.

Virginia Ann was born in Yakima to Wesley Roy and Nancy Jane (Grabill) Forney. She is a proud 4th generation Washingtonian and descendant of a Washington State Pioneer family. Ginny’s name was handed down through her mother’s family – great grandmother, great aunts and aunts – even though Ginny’s dad maintains he picked out her name.

Ginny is a graduate of Quincy High School in Quincy, Washington (Grant County) and Sacred Heart School of Nursing in Spokane. She is married to her husband of 30 years, Moe. She is the mother of four grown children and, most importantly, grandmother of eight, ages 17-1. She retired from her career of 42 years as an Obstetrical Nurse in 2013.

Ginny has been involved in genealogy for more than 20 years. It all started with a couple of boxes of “junk” from her grandparent’s estate. She was bitten by the genealogy bug and it became one of her life’s passions. Her maternal and paternal lines go back to exiled Mennonites in Switzerland. In 2000, she took a three-week genealogical tour of Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium and the Netherlands – following the path of her exiled ancestors.

Proud 4th generation Washingtonian

Virginia holds a Certification in Advanced Genealogical Studies in both American Records and Methodology from the National Institute of Genealogical Studies in Toronto, Canada. Currently, she is the President of Clallam County Genealogical Society. She is also a member of the Yakima Valley Genealogical Society, Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society, Ohio Genealogical Society, New York Genealogical Society and Polish Genealogical Society.

When asked what she finds most interesting about genealogy, Ginny muses about a bigamist, unknown illegitimate cousins, a civil war hero and many more interesting characters!

A few more interesting tidbits about Ginny:

  • Her favorite color is turquoise.
  • Her favorite dessert is a Cream Puff Cake.
  • She urges anyone searching for their ancestors to use FamilySearch.org – an amazing resource available to everyone.
  • Besides genealogy, Ginny’s other life passions are quilting, reading, gardening and travel – oh, and don’t forget those grandchildren!
  • When asked what word describes her, Ginny laughs and asks if “genie-nut” is a word. We think it is when it pertains to Ginny!

Now you know a little more about one of the WSGS Board members. The next time you see Ginny, say hello and thank her for her service to the WSGS.