Cascade Centennial Chapter of the SAR Veterans Day Ceremony

by Charles Hansen

Cascade Centennial Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution

 

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On behalf of the Cascade Centennial Chapter of the Sons of the American
Revolution, it is my pleasure to invite you, and the Washington State
Genealogical Society to attend the Veterans Day Ceremony on Friday, November
11, 2016, at 10:00 a.m.  The ceremony will be conducted in the main chapel
at Sunset Hills Memorial Park Cemetery in Bellevue, Washington.

As a partner in the Department of Defense 50th Anniversary Commemoration of
the Vietnam War, we will be honoring all veterans, but granting particular
honors to those who served during the Vietnam War.  They will receive the
DoD Vietnam War lapel pin, and a letter from President Obama.

It would be an honor to have you join us.

Very truly yours,

Gregory D. Lucas, President

Cascade Centennial Chapter, SAR

Serendipity Day

by Charles Hansen

** Banks Lake & the Rainbow

** Digital Public Library of America

** Going to Salt Lake City and the Family History Library?

** Norwegian Ten Commandments

** Check Out HistoryGeo.com (thanks Jeanine Barndt)

 

 DSCN3784

Last August, hubby and I spent a few sunshiny happy days on Banks Lake. One morning a thunderstorm came up and created a double rainbow! We live in such a beautiful state!

Do you know the history of this man-made lake? According to Wikipedia:

Banks Lake is a 27-mile long reservoir in central Washington in the United States. Created at the time of the Grand Coulee Dam, the reservoir was planned to irrigate the entire central basin of Washington. This eventually did happen, and is on-going, but electricity produced by the dam is also of vital importance.

Due to the nature of the lake, lying as it does within the walls of a basaltic coulee, there are few access points. To me this makes it a boater’s paradise where you can nearly have the entire lake to yourself. And the water gets delightfully warm enough for swimming!  If you’d like to visit, check out Steamboat Rock State Park.

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Ever used the DPLA? The Digital Public Library of America? The DPLA is one of the most useful online libraries available today. It is new, having been formed less than two years ago. It is not a genealogy library. Rather, it is a general purpose library that just happens to have a lot of genealogy material in addition to other topics. The DPLA’s mission is to make cultural and scientific works more accessible to the public.

Dick Eastman, in his weekly online newsletter, wrote about the DPLA back in February 2015. At the time of his newsletter, he wrote that the DPLA listed over 8,000,000 items in its catalog from libraries, archives and museums. (Just checked; now it’s over 13,000,000.) Doing a search on the word genealogy returned a list of 65,707 items available via the library’s online portal.

The DPLA serves as a portal to provide new ways to search and scan through the united collection of millions of items that may be stored on any of thousands of other library websites. This alone gives me reason to want to know more. Of course there is a YouTube video about the DPLA for your viewing educational pleasure.

Check it out:  www.dp.la  (Yes, a pretty simple web address.)

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How to prepare to visit the Family History Library in Salt Lake City….. are you planning a visit anytime soon? Especially if it’s your first time, please do take advantage of the tips listed below in the FamilySearch Wiki article:  Go toFamilySearch Wiki

  1. Click on Family History Library
  2. Click Visit to the Library.

Another Suggested method found on the updated FamilySearch site

  1. Click onwiki.familysearch.org/en/Main_Page
  2. Click onFamilySearch Centers.
  3. Click onTheFamily History Library Salt Lake City, Utah.

4 Click for Additional Library Information

 

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Barbara Zanzig, a friend with whom I rendezvous every year at the Salt Lake Christmas Tour, shared with me the Ten Commandments with a distinctive Norwegian flavor and twist. I share them with you. You’ll love ‘em!

Da Ten Commandments
1. Der’s only one God, ya know.
2. Don’t be idolizing dat fish on yer mantle.
3. Cussin’ ain’t Minnesota nice.
4. Go to church even when yer up nort.
5. Honor yer folks.
6. Don’t kill; Catch an’ release.
7. Der’s only one Lena fer ever Ole.  No cheatin’.
8. If it ain’t yer lutefisk, don’t take it.
9. Don’t be braggin’ ’bout how much snow ya shoveled.
10. Keep yer mind off yer neighbor’s hotdish.

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Did your ancestors settle in western states and were first landowners? If so, you can find the information about their land at www.historygeo.com. Arizona, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Washington, and Wyoming land records were recently added to the database. I don’t have ancestors in those states but I did find great-great-grandfather in Kansas. Doing a search on some surnames of those I know settled in these areas produced a lot of results. Check this database for your ancestors. Read the article about these 3.3 million original landowners added to historygeo.com.

Blog.historygeo.com/2015/06/08/western-states-added-to-first-landowners-project/  

(Jeanine Barndt is the Head Librarian for the Heritage Quest Research Library in beautiful downtown Sumner, Washington; this bit is from the HQRL Newsletter for Fall 2015.)

 

Seattle Genealogical Society Tip of the Week

by Charles Hansen

Seattle

TIP OF THE WEEK

FindMyPast Special Introductory Rate!

The FindMyPast website has announced a starter rate of $34.95 for a one year subscription, which they report will give access to more than 2.9 billion records.  This represents a 70% discount from the ordinary 12-month option of $114.50.  Among the records that come with this subscription are UK and Irish censuses, the free collections of US census and Irish Roman Catholic church registers. The Starter Package also has a collection of US birth, marriage and death records, including a range of California births and marriages, New York marriages and South Carolina deaths.  There are, as well, records of folks leaving the UK  (1890-1960), passenger lists from various states, and a collection of historic US newspapers which often contain valuable information for genealogical research.  The FindMyPast 360-year marriage record collection cannot be accessed with this Starter Package but is available with the more costly premium subscription. This website is of special interest to those involved in English and Irish research but increasingly includes much American information. For information consult findmypast.com.

Seattle Genealogical Society News

by Charles Hansen

Seattle

SGS FALL SEMINAR

Genetic Genealogy:

Understanding and Furthering

Your DNA Research

October 15, 2016

featuring Emily Aulicino

Learn how you can break through your genealogical brick walls, how you can prove or disprove your paper trail, and why thousands are turning to genetic genealogy to supplement their family history research. There will be two tracks of presentation. Advanced and beginner classes will be taught by our speaker with the assistance of the SGS DNA Special Interest Group. The speaker, Emily Aulicino, is author of Genetic Genealogy: The Basics and Beyond (2014) and is also the Regional Coordinator for the International Society of Genetic Genealogists.  She teaches genetic genealogy classes at the Genealogical Forum of Oregon (Portland) as well as weekly classes on writing childhood memories and family stories. The Fall Seminar will be held at the Fairview Christian School, 844 NE 78th Street, Seattle, WA 98115.  There is plenty of free parking! Doors will open at 8:00 a.m. with Welcome at 9:00 a.m. Closing time 4:30.

Brochures, with registration forms, will be mailed to SGS members.  You can also register online at:

http://seattlegenealogicalsociety.org/2016-fall-seminar-information

For further information, go to the SGS website: seattlegenealogicalsociety.org, or call us at (206)522-8658.

FALL MEMBERSHIP MEETING  

The SGS Fall Membership Meeting will be held Saturday, October 1st, from 1:00 – 2:30 pm. in the Seattle Genealogical Society Library.  Cyndi Ingle, whose indispensable website, Cyndi’s List is well known to family historians, will speak.  Ann Wright, Director of the Library, will present an update on major advances in our Library’s development.

Come early and join us for a social hour, with coffee, tea and light snacks beginning at noon, before the meeting begins. This is an opportunity to meet fellow SGS members,  the current Board members and fellow researchers, and perhaps find a clue or two for your own family history!  Or linger after the meeting concludes.

SGS Technological Tuesdays – New Schedule!

The inaugural introduction of Tech Tuesdays has been a success, and Lisa Chan, outgoing Director of Technology and ongoing Technology Committee Chair, now has a feel for membership interest.
The schedule will shift to bi-monthly meetings to be held on the 1st and 3rd weeks starting October 4th, 2016.  For more information contact technology@seattlegenealogicalsociety.org.

SGS CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Unless otherwise indicated all programs will be at the SGS Library, 6200 Sand Point Way NE.  Please check the SGS Web Site for additions, changes, and corrections.  Programs may be canceled or postponed because of inclement weather.

SEPTEMBER

Saturday, September 17, 10:15 am – 12:15 pm, Irish Interest Group, an open session on Irish research using old and new resources   Leader: Jean A. Roth

Saturday, September 17, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm, German Interest Group, an open session on German research using old and new resources   Leader: Jean A. Roth

Monday, September 19, 1:00 pm – 6:00 pm, Volunteer Appreciation Day.   All SGS Members are invited.

Tuesday, September 20, 10:30 am – 12:30 pm, Writers Group (closed).  By invitation.  Chair: Sue Haas.  For more information about writers groups, contact: education@seattlegenealogicalsociety.org

Tuesday, September 20, 12:30 pm – 3:00 pm, Technology Tuesday, Bring your laptop or mobile device, and enjoy discussions centered around technology and genealogy – software, genetic genealogy, internet research and more.  Hosted by Lisa Chan, SGS Director of Technology

Friday, September 23, 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm, Webinar Video Presentation “Taming Your Inner Packrat,” a video introduced by Julia Marconi and presented by Lisa Chan

Tuesday, September 27, 12:30 pm – 3:00 pm, Technology Tuesday, Bring your laptop or mobile device, and enjoy discussions centered around technology and genealogy – software, genetic genealogy, internet research and more.  Hosted by Lisa Chan, SGS Director of Technology

OCTOBER

Saturday, October 1, 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm, Fall Membership Meeting with speakers Cyndi Ingle and Ann Wright.  Social hour begins at 12:00.  See the article above in this eNews!.

Tuesday, October 4, 12:30 pm – 3:00 pm, Technology Tuesday, Bring your laptop or mobile device, and enjoy discussions centered around technology and genealogy – software, genetic genealogy, internet research and more.  Hosted by Lisa Chan.

Sunday, October 9,  1:30 pm – 3:30 pm, Scandinavian SIG, Leader: Karen Knudson

Saturday, October 15, SGS Fall Seminar.  See lead article of this eNews!.
Note: the SGS Library will be closed on this Saturday because of the seminar.

Tuesday, October 18, 10:30 am – 12:30 pm, Writers Group (closed).  By invitation.  Chair: Sue Haas.  For more information about writers groups, contact: education@seattlegenealogicalsociety.org

Tuesday, October 18, 12:30 pm – 3:00 pm, Technology Tuesday, Bring your laptop or mobile device, and enjoy discussions centered around technology and genealogy – software, genetic genealogy, internet research and more.  Hosted by Lisa Chan.

Wednesday, October 19, 7:00 – 9:00 pm.  Mac Computer Interest Group, Sponsored jointly by SGS, Fiske, and dBug.  Quarterly meetings at the Fiske Genealogical Library in Madison Park, 1644 43rd Ave E, Seattle 98112 are open and address topics helpful for users of MacIntosh (Apple) computers and the Reunion genealogy program. Email Lou Daly at loudaly@nwlink.com or Diane Hettrick at dhettrick@earthlink.net for questions.

Saturday, October 22, 10:15 am – 12:15 pm, Irish Interest Group, an open session on Irish research using old and new resources   Leader: Jean A. Roth

Saturday, October 22, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm, German Interest Group, an open session on German research using old and new resources   Leader: Jean A. Roth

Saturday, October 29, 10:00 am – 12:30 pm, DNA Interest Group, at Wedgwood Presbyterian Church, 8805 35th Avenue N.E., Seattle. For information contact SGSDNASIG@gmail.com. Co-chaired by Cary Bright and Herb McDaniel.

FROM SGS PUBLICATIONS

The Publications Committee invites submissions of article manuscripts to be considered for inclusion in our Bulletin. We are also eager to find volunteers who are interested in layout or in proofing texts.  And we would very much like to learn of members who enjoy writing book reviews, a feature that we plan to reintroduce in our biannual publication.  Please contact: publications@seattlegenealogicalsociety.org.

GREEK-AMERICAN RESEARCH

Members interested in Greek family history should consult Greeks in Washington, an online “museum without walls,” established in 2009.  The site collects, preserves and offers to the public the history and culture of the Greek-American community in Washington State. It provides over 200 video interviews and many other exhibits.  Visit Greeks in Washington at: http://greeksinwashington.org.

CHICAGO ANCESTORS RELAUNCH

The Newberry Library has announced the relaunch of ChicagoAncestors.org, a searchable map for historical and genealogical research. The website is free and accessible to the public.  It features a map linked to numerous data points for historical events, places, images, and stories which can be searched by keyword, address, collection, or neighborhood. The revamped site now has a more legible and larger map, articles on history and genealogy, as well as an advanced search function. Additional resources include historical maps, city directories, street number conversion guides, and links to further research materials.

SAVE THE DATES

September 23rd-25th
The Kelowna & District Genealogical Society’s  (KDGS)
“Harvest Your Family Tree”  Conference 2016
Kelowna, BC, Canada. More info and registration is available at: kdgsconference2016.blogspot.ca  SGS member Mary Kircher Roddy is speaking at this conference.

September 23rd-24th
Ancestry Days in Washington State
As we reported in the last SGS eNews! Ancestry Day in Washington will be celebrated in Tacoma on Saturday. Activities on September 23 will be held at the Washington State History Museum in Tacoma, including museum access and presentations on Washington genealogical resources.  On Saturday, September 24, Ancestry will present a program at the Greater Tacoma Convention & Trade Center (1500 Broadway, Tacoma), bringing their expertise, speakers, door prizes, and Ancestry DNA kits to purchase. For more details:
wasgs.org/blog/2016/07/07/ancestry-day-coming-soon/

September 24th, 10am – 12pm
 Save Your Photos Day
 Mercer Island Community Center,
 8236 SE 24th Street
 Mercer Island, WA

“Save Your Photos Day” is a free annual event that offers resources for what you can do to safeguard your memories before disasters or accidents occur. Local photo organizers and scan/print experts will join offer their expertise about preserving your photo memories. The event will be held at the Mercer Island Community Center, 8236 SE 24th Street,
Mercer Island, WA  For more information visit saveyourphotos.org or contact molly@seattlephotoorganizing.com.

November 12th, 9:00 – 5:00
LDS Family History Fair

This annual event offers a full day of free classes on a variety of subjects by qualified instructors. There are no charges for classes or registration.  Lunch and a syllabus are available for a modest fee. The venue will be the Bellevue South Stake Center, behind the temple at 15205 SE 28th Street, Bellevue 98007. For information: www.wafamilyhistory.com

THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s Wednesday Evening E-News

by Charles Hansen

GFO1

 

THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s Wednesday Evening E-News 14 September 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 for August 2016, you’re in luck because we saved you a copy at http://www.gfo.org/insider/16-Aug.pdf.

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Don’t forget to take advantage of GFO’s 70th Birthday Bash this Saturday, Sept 17th!!

Birthday

GFO’s 70th Birthday Celebration Schedule BOOK BONANZA!! 10am – 4pm
All GFO’s clearance books are $1 each, or purchase a GFO tote bag for $5 and fill it with as many books as you dare at no extra charge!! Wow! Wadda deal!! On the main floor of the Ford Building.
HUNTING AND GATHERING, 9:30am – 11:30am
How much is enough? That is our question this month. We will look at the sources found for a father-son relationship and ask ourselves if there is enough evidence to build a solid case. We will touch on the genealogical proof standard and discuss what is meant by a “reasonably exhaustive search”. Beginners and intermediate researchers are encouraged to bring family research problems to work on. For more information contact Nanci Remington at nancicr@outlook.com.
MEMBERSHIP SPECIAL, 9:30am – 4pm
Get 2 or 4 extra months of GFO membership when you pay for only 12 or 25 months respectively. If you would like to take advantage of the deal but are in the middle of your current membership, well that’s no problem!! Just sign up at the GFO on Saturday, Sept 17th, and we’ll tack the same deal on to your membership when it next comes up for renewal.
GEN Talks, 2pm – 4pm
The GFO proudly presents Keith and Darlene Pyeatt as they will be imparting their wealth of knowledge about the German Parish Map Guides. If you remember, the GFO was recently able to purchase this entire collection with the support of people like you! Or maybe that was you who helped us reach our purchasing goal last month!! We’d like to say “Thanks Very Much” by sponsoring this free talk all about how to utilize these map guides as they are making their way to our library shelves now!
IRISH GROUP CANCELLED
Please contact volunteer@gfo.org to inquire about what you can do to get this group back!! (Looking for leaders!!! Please help.)

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Parking

Are you coming out to play?? GFO’s ANNUAL MEMBERS REUNION PICNIC! Sept 18th
We would love to see you at the membership picnic this year!! Just think of it: Old friends, new friends, possible wild animal sightings, food, ice cold lemonade in the shade of grand Pacific NW trees, and all the genealogical gossip you could ever wish for!

WHEN Sunday, Sept 18th, from noon until whenever you’re sick of it all!

WHERE Mt. Scott Park, Picnic Area B at SE 72nd Ave & Harold St in Portland.

HOW RSVP to picnic@gfo.org, then just put one foot in front of the other on Sept 18th, and come on out! YOU CAN ALSO PUSH THE SUPER-FUN BLUE BUTTON ABOVE OR BELOW!!

WHAT Iced tea, lemonade, and all the necessary paper and plastic products (plates, utensils, napkins, etc.) will be provided by the GFO. Please bring dishes to share, preferably filled with additional, more food-like items!!

NOTE No alcohol or smoking of any kind is permitted on the park grounds…city rules say so regarding all public parks.

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Free to a good home…those aren’t puppies, silly!

filecabs

The GFO recently did some house cleaning
(a.k.a. deaccessioning, reorganizing, and digitization…you know, just stuff librarians like to do in their spare time)
and found some items that may interest you:

▪ 3 file cabinets. FREE to the first taker. Take 1, 2, or all 3. Call the reception desk to see if they are still here. (503-963-1932)

▪ We also have a spare HP Laserjet ink cartridge that needs a good home. Again, please call the reception desk to see if it is still available. (503-963-1932)

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Have you registered? Are you ready for the fall Seminar? Saturday, Oct 15th, 10am – 4:30pm

Joshua

Don’t forget that the location of the Saturday, October 15th, Seminar with D. Joshua Taylor has changed. If you’d like to catch a glimpse of Mr. Taylor, you’ll need to register and come out to the:

The Milwaukie Center

5440 SE Kellogg Creek Drive

Milwaukie, OR 97222
REGISTRATION is available HERE!
See you at the Milwaukie Center (not the TaborSpace, dear friends and fellow researchers) on a temperate Saturday in October 2016!!

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What’s Happening this Week at the GFO?

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17TH
GFO’s 70th Birthday Bash! 9:30am – 4pm

See above for all the details on events, book sales, membership offers and more. Hope to see you there!
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18th
Annual Members Reunion Picnic 11am – 3pm

Be sure to RSVP by emailing a quick note to picnic@gfo.org, and bring along your favorite dish to share. Cutlery, napkins and plates, along with ice cold lemonade and tea will be provided.

THE LIBRARY WILL BE CLOSED THIS SUNDAY
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21st
Learn & Chat

Join us to talk about your genealogy questions and help provide support to others. Facilitated by Connie Lenzen.

DNA Q&A 1pm – 3pm

Lisa McCullough leads a discussion on various DNA related subjects, with each meeting focused on a particular subject. General questions are welcome at the end of each planned discussion.

Whitman County Genealogical Society Gleanings from Selected Newspapers

by Charles Hansen

WCGS

Whitman County Genealogical Society

is pleased to announce the publication of a new book

Whitman County, Washington Territory:
Gleanings from Selected Newspapers
with Every Name Index
(1877-1886)

The 243 page spiral bound book with laminated covers compiled by Mary Bybee Simonsen in cooperation with WCGS, contains 194 pages of gleanings, plus an index of over 5,000 different names.  There were many newspapers in Whitman County from 1877-1886, but most gleanings were extracted from the Palouse Gazette, the Washington Democrat (both Colfax, W.T. newspapers), and the Palouse News (a Palouse City, W.T. newspaper), plus a few other area newspapers.  The extractions were done from microfilm at Washington State University Holland Library in Pullman, WA.  Every readable issue of these newspapers during this time period was reviewed for possible gleanings.  Most gleanings are from records, such as births, marriages, divorces, deaths, and land records, plus other interesting items related to the area.   Some articles, especially land records, were too faint to read, so the gleaning was edited.  Full articles may be read at a facility having these microfilmed newspapers.  A sample page from the book is printed with this flyer.

SPECIAL PRE-PUBLICATION PRICE
$20 PER BOOK
IF ORDERED AND PAID BY
SEPTEMBER 30, 2016

After Sept. 30, 2016 each book will sell for $25.
The book is also available in pdf format on a CD for $15 (no discount price).
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Name_________________________________________________________

Address_______________________City__________State___ Zip_______

Number of Books ordered ($20 each)____
Number of CD’s ordered ($15 each) ____
All prices include tax & shipping.
Make check payable to WCGS and mail to:
WCGS, P.O. Box 393, Pullman, WA 99163
(Orders will be mailed in October 2016).

ArkivDigital and Swedish Genealogists visit Oregon and Washington

by Charles Hansen

ArkivDigital and Swedish Genealogists visit Oregon and Washington

 

leslye

There will be three wonderful Swedish genealogy research workshops in North America this autumn that you don’t want to miss if you have the opportunity. Three genealogists from Sweden, Anna-Lena Hultman, Charlotte Börjesson, and Olof Cronberg plus Kathy Meade from ArkivDigital will be visiting Portland, Oregon on Tuesday, September 20th, Tacoma, Washington on Saturday, September 24th and Seattle, Washington in Sunday, September 25.

The genealogists from Sweden and Kathy Meade of ArkivDigital will lead  one-day workshops at each city giving lectures on records in ArkivDigital, Swedish emigration and culture, historical maps and other Swedish genealogy topics. This will be a great learning opportunity for both the beginner and the advanced researcher.

The Swedish genealogists will provide one-on-one consultations. To request an individual consultation, click here. There are a limited number of consultations and the selection will be based on order of request.  Event information is listed below:

Portland, Oregon
Date: Tuesday, September 20, 2016
Time: 2:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Place:  West Hills Unitarian Church
For more program and registration information, click here or call 503-977-0275.

Tacoma, Washington
Date: Saturday, September 24, 2016
Time: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Place: Scandinavian Cultural Center, Pacific Lutheran University
For more program and registration information, click here.

Seattle, Washington
Date: Sunday, September 25, 2016
Time: 2:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Place: Swedish Club
For more program and registration information, click here.

Advance registration is required. For program details for all events, click her

Northeast Washington Gen Society Newsflash

by Charles Hansen
newgs-logo-cropped
September is here and our next meeting is this Wednesday, the 14th. The NeWGS Computer Interest Group will meet at 10:30 a.m. in the meeting room down the hall from the Family History Center at the LDS church on Juniper. I will demonstrate using RootsMagc, another popular genealogy program. You can download a handout for this class (RootsMagic 2016) by going to our website and logging in as a Member, selecting Secure Downloads, then Computer Meeting Handouts and scrolling down towards the bottom of the list. It should be near the bottom with “New” flagging it.
After a break for lunch, we will return to the LDS church for our afternoon meeting at 1:30 p.m. After a short business meeting (including elections of officers), Norm Yost will walk us a through a Genealogy Do-Over based on a new book by Thomas MacEntee. There is also a handout for this class located under General Meeting Handouts and it too should appear near the bottom of that list.
And don’t forget our upcoming Fall Workshop this next Saturday, the 17th. If you haven’t registered already you can still do so. We are also celebrating our 35th anniversary. That’s a BIG DEAl and there will be cake! See more details under Events.
Take a break from yard work and come to enjoy and learn. … Susan

Whatcom County Gen Society Newsflash

by Charles Hansen

 

whatcom-gs

Whatcom County Genealogy Society Upcoming Meetings:

Sept. 12th — “Mapping an Ancestor” by Janet Camarata.  Using geography and maps in research provides visual clues to help answer questions about where, how far, and what is nearby.  Shirley Mickel and Kathy Wheeler have volunteered to bring snacks for the September meeting.

October 10th — Technology help session

Nov. 14th – “Crafting History – Creating Keepsakes to Preserve Family Memories” by Mary Kirchner Roddy

 SAVE THE DATE:

Sat., Oct. 15, 2016 – Whatcom Genealogical Society’s Fall Seminar at St. James Presbyterian Church, 910 – 14th Street (lower level), Bellingham, WA.  Jill Morelli and Jim Johnson, Professional Genealogists, will be our speakers.  For more information on the Seminar and to register: http://wagenweb.org/whatcom/WGS/wgs.htm.  Please be prepared to turn off your cell phone as they are quite disruptive to our speakers.

A big incentive to attend the Seminar is that Linda Lawson and Galen Biery have obtained some terrific items for our Raffle Baskets again this year – items such as a year’s membership to Ancestry, Fold3, Genealogy Bank, and Great Courses; a FlipPal Scanner, and other things too numerous to list here.  The 5 baskets average $200 worth each.  There will also be two door prizes from Legacy Family Tree.

We encourage you to get your registrations in early to assure yourself a spot at this interesting and informative Seminar.  See you there……

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Serendipity Day

by Charles Hansen

** Creole? Cajun? Know the difference?

** Cool Idea for Baby-Picture-Gift…Find It?

** German Research; new book with editor Leland Meitzler

** Zapotec Mandible Jewelry?

 

What was a Creole? What was a Cajun?

What was a Creole?  “This initially meant a person of European parentage born in a Spanish or French colony. In Louisiana it generally came to mean the French living there prior to its acquisition by the U.S. in 1803.  Over the years the term extended to slaves owned by the Creoles, to their music, their cooking, their dialect, and so on. Nowadays it means anything derived from that unique medley of French, Spanish and African-American cultures that today makes a visit to Louisiana such a heady experience.” (Book, The Lost German Slave Girl, by John Bailey, 2003)

What was a Cajun? “A Cajun is different from a Creole. Cajuns are also of French origin. The British hounded them out of Nova Scotia in the 1750s because of their unreliable loyalty to the Crown and because they were Catholic to boot. Many eventually settled in Louisiana.” (Book, The Lost German Slave Girl, by John Bailey, 2003)

The Southern slavery laws; tidbits gleaned from the book , The Lost German Slave Girl, by John Bailey, 2003.  “A white person of unmixed blood cannot be a slave but a person apparently white may, nevertheless, have some African taint….. sufficient to doom them to slavery.”  Chief Justice Robinson of Kentucky, 1835.   “The elevation of the white race, and the happiness of the slave, vitally depend upon maintaining the ascendancy of the one and the submission of the other.”  Chief Justice Watkins, Aackomas Superior Court, 1854.” Want an eye-opening read to learn the laws governing slavery? Read the above mentioned book.  It’s the true story of a 3-year-old German immigrant girl who ends up in slavery and the years of legal wrangling to get her set free.  Betting you cannot read this with tears.

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Some dear kind reader sometime back shared this photo/idea with me. Since I’ve had two great-granddaughters born in the last year, this idea really intrigued me. And it’s something “only” a grandma would do, seems to me. It shows a pedigree chart for the new baby then with photos of the parents, grandparents, etc, with some identifying information. But the photos are the main draw. Does anybody know which company offered this project??

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How many of us subscribe to any of these magazines:  Internet Genealogy or Your Genealogy Today? Besides having superlative and informative content, this publishing company offers many specific helps in special magazine edition format. (Click to www.internet-genealogy.com and then to Online Store and then Book Bundles.) Reason I mention this today is that Washington’s own, Leland Meitzler, has had the (dubious?) privilege of being the author/compiler for the newest special edition, that on Researching in Germany.  This magazine/book is sure to be a “must have” for those of us with Germanic research to do but I mention it today because Leland has gone without sleep or going fishing with grandchildren in order to get this project done. Feedback I’m hearing is that this book is a winner.

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Ending today, as I often do, with something funny or most interesting:

painted-human-mandible

We subscribe to Archaeology magazine and in the Sept-Oct 2016 issue was a bit about how the Zapotec people’s of Mexico’s Oaxaca Valley as early as 700 B.C. wore jewelry carved from human mandibles! “The bones likely belonged to venerated ancestors and were worn as adornments during rituals that focused on the importance of hereditary power,” stated the article. If you look closely, you’ll see the hole for the necklace cord….. What is your first thought here??