Genealogical Serendipity Across the Pond – and in Lewis County

Jun8 by Roxanne Lowe

You never know when genealogical serendipity will happen. For Judy Kalich, a member of the Lewis County Genealogical Society, it happened when a cousin connected her with a “new” third cousin, sometimes removed, Barbara Hargrave of San Francisco. Judy and Barbara discovered they shared their third great grandparents, Joseph and Mary Pettett, both born in Kent in the 1780’s.

Joseph and Mary Pettett

Judy Kalich’s photo of Amy Anne Honeysett who married Albert Pettett in 1853.

Last summer, Barbara went to Scotland, Ireland and England searching for her Pettett ancestors. In Kent, England, not only did she find the family home and family graves, she helped break through a brick wall for the current resident of Joseph and Mary’s home in Stilebridge who had been researching the history of the historic tenanted home with an oast house. The fascinating twists and turns of Joseph and Mary’s son Herbert (aka Albert) were featured in a BBC issue of Who Do You Think You Are? magazine (April 2016). Hint: Always leave open the possibility that the name you’re born with isn’t the one in archival records.

Back to our Lewis County connection: Through her careful research, Judy already had Joseph and Mary Pettett in her family tree, as well as a picture of the house in Stilebridge. What she also had, that Barbara didn’t have, was a priceless picture of Amy Anne Honeysett, who married Herbert (aka Albert) in 1853. The photo was featured in the BBC article, putting a face to the story of the cousins’ ancestors.

Janice Weihs Named Outstanding Volunteer in 2015

Jun8 by Roxanne Lowe

Since 2003, the Washington State Genealogical Society has recognized more than 450 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 month, you will be introduced to each of the 2015 award recipients and learn why they received the 2015 WSGS Outstanding Volunteer and Team Award.

Today we’re introducing Janice Weihs of Tacoma, Washington, who was nominated by the Tacoma Pierce County Genealogical Society (TPCGS). She was recognized for her dedicated and committed volunteer efforts. Janice’s husband Frank was an Outstanding Volunteer from TPCGS in 2010.

Janice Weihs with husband Frank

Mrs. Weihs has been a member of TPCGS since at least 1994. She initiated the society’s newsletter in 2006, and continued to serve as editor until the fall of 2014. She also began serving on the library committee in 2010. While on the library committee, she consulted with the staff of the Tacoma Public Library to determine what resources would best augment the library’s genealogy collection. She then purchased the resources from funds donated by society members. Mrs. Weihs also helped with extracting the 1892 Pierce County Auditor’s Census and the Tacoma and Pierce County death records from 1884 to 1907.

Although their active participation has become limited in the past few years due to health issues, Mr. and Mrs. Weihs have continued to support the society. The couple was recently named lifetime members of TPCGS.

Mrs. Weihs is a valued and hard-working member of the TPCGS, and illustrates that she richly deserved being a recipient of a 2015 WSGS Outstanding

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.

Olympia Genealogical Society Genealogy Cafe

Jun4 by Charles Hansen

Genealogy Cafe is co-sponsored by Olympia Timberland Library and Olympia Genealogical Society. It’s at the library but our “experts” give the advice.

GENEALOGY CAFE Meet with Olympia Genealogical Society experts for personal help with your family history research. FREE at Olympia Timberland Library, 313 8th AV SE, on either Thursday June 16 or Saturday June 18 from 1-3 pm. 360)352-0595 or spete@trl.org

THANK YOU Joyce Ogden, Publicity jtogden@comcast.net

Register for WSGS Conference NOW

Jun3 by Roxanne Lowe

You don’t want to miss it, so register NOW — before June 11 — for the Washington State Genealogical Society Conference on June 18, 2016. The conference’s featured speaker is Paula Stuart-Warren, GG, FMGS, FUGA. Presentations include:

Paula Stuart Warren

Your Anytime Library: Success in the Virtual Stacks
Railroad Records and Railroad History: Methods for Tracking
Untrod Ground: Sources You May Not Have Encountered
Controlling Chaos: Organizing Your Genealogical Material

The conference will be at the La Quinta Inn and Suites, 1425 East 27th St. in Tacoma and is hosted by the Tacoma-Pierce County Genealogical Society. Registration is $50 if postmarked by June 11, 2016. Postmarks after June 11, add $5 late fee. Walk-in registration is also available, although lunch availability cannot be guaranteed.

For registration and more information, visit the Tacoma-Pierce County Genealogical Society website here.

Serendipity Day

Jun3 by Charles Hansen

Dutch Are Still With Us; They Gave Us Cookies!

Public Libraries: Worth Investigating

Southerners Who Went To Brazil After the Civil War

Uploading & Downloading GEDCOM Files on Ancestry

Do You Believe in Dowsing Rods?

Just finished studying (cannot say “reading” for it is a study book!) The Island at the Center of the World, the Epic Story of Dutch Manhattan and the Forgotten Colony That Shaped America, by Russell Shorto, 2005. U.S. history classes seem to gloss over the 150 years when the Dutch founded and shaped Manhattan and this history brings that period to life. Just for fun: on page 269 I learned that “the typical Dutch word for master—baas—would take on a different connotation in the New World and an Americanism came into being: the Boss.” On page 270: “In October of 1661 there was a grain shortage in the city and the municipal government issued an order to the bakers of the town to restrict themselves to baking bread and not “to bake any more koeckjes, jumbles or sweet cake.” “ This Dutch word is pronounced “cook-yehs,” which morphed into our word: cookies. Koolsla, or cabbage salad, is our modern cole slaw. There are more “Dutch-isms” in our everyday language: Dutch treat, Dutch courage, Double Dutch, Dutch bargain, Going Dutch, Dutch comfort……… which were all considered derogatory at the time (17^th century)! If you’ve ancestors living in the New York City area during the Dutch times, this is a great read for you. (You can buy a copy via Amazon.com starting at 76-cents for a used copy!)

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Northeast Washington Genealogical Society September Workshop

Jun3 by Charles Hansen

Saturday, September 17NeWGS Annual Workshop- Unlocking Our National Treasures

9:00 am to 4:00 pm

Ambulance Shack at the north end of Colville (east of the Roundabout)

Our presenter will be Carol Buswell who has been the Education Specialist for the National Archives at Seattle for the past 10 years, which holds 41,000 cubic feet of permanently valuable Federal Government documents from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Alaska. She also has worked as a sixth grade teacher, published author, public speaker, small scale publisher, and bookstore owner. She writes and speaks about the National Archives, American Indian history, genealogy, and topics in Education. She holds degrees in Elementary Education, Fine Arts, and American Indian Studies.

Her topics include general information on the records held by NARA and what’s online, immigration and naturalization records, census records and the WPA and depression era records.

2016 Fall Seminar flyer

Kittitas County Genealogical Society Events

Jun3 by Charles Hansen

KCGS_logo

Kittitas Co Genealogical Soc events:

June 25 Meeting is a field trip 8:50 AM (we depart at 9AM) Sat June 25 from parking lot on Water St in Ellensburg WA, behind our KCGS library. We’re visiting Wanapum Heritage Center, whose prime-mover, for years, has been our KCGS-member Angela Neller. Their phone is 509-766-3461, if you want to meet us there at Priest Rapids Dam & website

http://www.grantpud.org/community/the-wanapum/wanapum-heritage-center

for directions and explanations. Bring a brown bag lunch to eat there

Usual meeting time Mon June 6 at 7pm

Come see movies of construction of the Wanapum or Priest Rapids dams at

Library 413 N. Main St Suite L, Ellensburg WA

No meeting in July, as 4^th would be our meeting night.

Genealogy Annual Potluck Picnic

Sunday Aug 14 at 4 pm at home of Mary and Lew Christensen, 60 Moe Road, at corner of Moe&Tjossem Rds. Please bring something to share – a salad, fruit, meat, a side dish or dessert. Hosts will furnish beverages and table service. Come enjoy this time of fellowship with others in our society.

Guests are WELCOME!

No Sept 2016 meeting because of Labor Day and Rodeo-County Fair conflict

Our October 3, 2016 7pm meeting will have a program related to DNA-genealogy, by our member Judy Clayton.

Our November 7, 2016 7pm meeting will have a program on special censuses, such as Mortality schedules of the US federal censuses, by our member Erik Bakke.

Annual Christmas Dinner by the Methodists:

Monday Dec 6^th at 6 pm at Methodist Church 208 N. Ruby St Ellensburg, for members and guests who pay about 2 weeks ahead of time.

Kittitas County Gen Society Newsflash

Jun2 by Charles Hansen

KCGS_logo

Kittitas Co Genealogical Soc events:

http://www.grantpud.org/community/the-wanapum/wanapum-heritage-center for directions and explanations. Bring a brown bag lunch to eat there.

Usual meeting time Mon June 6 at 7pm

Come see movies of construction of the Wanapum or Priest Rapids dams at

Library 413 N. Main St Suite L, Ellensburg WA

THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM Wednesday Evening E-News

Jun2 by Charles Hansen

GFO1

THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM Wednesday Evening E-News 1 June 2016

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 go to www.gfo.org/calendar.htm.

Also, if you missed your free copy of our monthly Insider, you’re in luck because we saved you a copy at http://www.gfo.org/insider/16-May.pdf.

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TAKE ME TO YOUR LEADER! YOUR GERMAN ONE THIS TIME PLEASE…ALSO, DO YOU HAVE THOSE SPECIAL BOOKS ON GERMAN MAP PARISH GUIDES?? Firstly…
The GFO’s German Interest Group is in need of a brave new soul to lead this flock of researching fans! Won’t you help? Are you ready for the challenge? We think you definitely are!

If destiny’s calling, please give the library a call at 503-963-1932 or email volunteer@gfo.org to help out in this very vital way!

Visit the German Interest Group website for a peek at what they’ve been up to, and what we’ll all be missing with the upcoming retirement of their fearless leader, Nanci Remington, after Saturday, June 4, 2016.

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Publicize Your Society’s Upcoming Events

Jun1 by Roxanne Lowe

Want to spread the word about your society’s program, workshop, seminar or training class?

It’s easy to have your event posted on the WSGS Events Page and Blog. Just send an email to webmanager@wasgs.org (website) and WSGSBlog@wasgs.org (blog) with the details (who, what, where & when) and/or flyer. As if by magic, information about your event will be posted for all to see. The website and blog are great ways to maximize exposure to your target audience.