THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM OF OREGON Wednesday Evening E-News

by Charles Hansen

GFO1

THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM OF OREGON Wednesday Evening E-News 20 April 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-Apr.pdf.

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AmazonSmile Deals for Mothers’ Day??

Mothers

Dear GFO Guests and Members,

Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 8th. By shopping at smile.amazon.com, Amazon will donate a percentage of your purchase total to the Genealogical Forum Of Oregon Inc.

Use the link HERE to go to Amazon’s website, sign in as you usually would and begin shopping as you usually would. It’s that easy!

As always, thank you for your continued support of the GFO.

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Diane Ulrich Partington Named Outstanding Volunteer in 2015

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 coming months, 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 Diane Ulrich Partington of Mount Vernon, Washington, who was nominated by the Skagit Valley Genealogical Society (SVGS). She was recognized for her ardent commitment to researching genealogical queries.

Diane Partington

Diane Partington

Ms. Partington is SVGS’s resident researcher. She spends countless hours researching information for people from all over the world. She gathers obituaries and funeral home records, as well as Skagit County birth and death records. She does courthouse genealogical research and frequently makes visits to county cemeteries to locate and photograph headstones.

In addition to local research, Ms. Partington frequently assists other communities in the preservation of cemetery records for the development of research databases. She has been instrumental in maintaining SVGS’s collection of records from local funeral homes and collecting and preserving obituaries from local newspapers.

Ms. Partington is a valued and dynamic member of the SVGS. Her qualities illustrate that she richly deserved being a recipient of a 2015 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.

Eastside Genealogical Society May Meeting

by Charles Hansen

EGS

 

The Eastside Genealogical Society will meet on Thursday, May 12, 2016 in the Bellevue Regional Library, Room 1, 1111 – 110th Ave NE, Bellevue 98004 at 7pm, with doors opening at 6:45 pm for networking.

Topic:  “Discover Yourself at the Discovery Center” – Representatives from the newest family history center will be here to tell us about this exciting multimedia Discovery Center.  Designed to interest all ages, including your grandchildren, you can learn the origin of your name, see where your family migrated from on a large touch screen map, and record stories in the state of the art recording booths.  Bring a thumb drive to take your stories home and share them with others.  This unique Discovery Center is free and open to the public by appointment.  EGS has reserved the entire Center for a May 19th field trip at 6-8 pm.  Sign up at our May 12th meeting to join this field trip.

 

Also see our website for FREE genealogical help and other Special Interest Group meetings. Visitors are always welcome at all meetings. www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~wakcegs/

 

Dorothy Pretare

EGS Publicity Chairperson

dpgen@comcast.net

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Heritage Quest Research Library Upcoming Meetings

by Charles Hansen

You asked for it……..here is another nighttime class!

April 22nd, Friday 6:00 – 8:00 $15.00

Newspaper Research with Dee Haviland Fournier

Dee Haviland Fournier talks about Newspaper Research and how it can enhance your family history. This is a class not to be missed with lots of websites to help your search. Turn your ancestor’s statistics into a once living being.

April 25th, Monday 1:00 – 3:00 $15.00

Texas “The Lone Star State” with Jim Johnson

Texas is also home to Jim Johnson. Join us as he talks about researching in Texas. Remember, Texas shares borders with Louisiana, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Mexico.

May 9th, Monday 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. $15.00

Iowa: The American Heartland with Dee Haviland Fournier

Iowa is Dee Haviland Fournier’s home state. Join us as she shares about genealogical researching in Iowa. Learn about sources and where they are available. The Midwest Center in Independence, Missouri will also be included. She will also discuss the controversy brewing at the State Historical Society of Iowa.

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Seattle genealogical Society Tip of the Week

by Charles Hansen

Seattle

Tip of the Week – Info Added to the American Ancestors Database at SGS

The following Family Search Collections are only some of the U.S. records recently added to the American Ancestors database that you can access from our computers at the SGS Library.

United States Vital Records collections (#of records in parentheses):

Illinois, Cook County, Birth certificates, 1871-1940, (2,400,900)
Indiana, Births and Christenings, 1773-1933  (103,680)
Indiana Marriages, 1790-1992  (5,951,441)
Iowa, Deaths and Burials, 1850-1990  (693,974)
Iowa, Marriages, 1860-1992  (7,661,803)
Georgia, Confederate Home Records, 1901-1930  (1,282)
New Jersey, Births, 1670-1980,  ( 1,107,159)
New Jersey, Deaths, 1670-1988  (654,798)
Utah, Birth Certificates, 1903-1914  (53,183)
Missouri, Civil Marriages, 1820-1874  (5,668)
Tennessee, Church Marriages, 1810-1965  (1,533)
Oklahoma, School Records, 1895-1936  (90,841)
Montana, Chouteau County Records, 1876-2011  (8,857)
Montana, Granite County Records, 1865-2009  (4,960)
Georgia, Deaths, 1928-1940  (485,669)
New Jersey, Births and Christenings, 1660-1980  (1,148,023)
New Jersey, Marriages, 1670-1980  (581,963)
New Jersey, Marriages, 1678-1985  (324,149)
Minnesota, Marriages, 1849-1950  (438,331)
Texas, Laredo Arrival Manifests, 1903-1985  (866,687)
Montana, Mineral County Obituaries, 1870-1910  (5,266)
Massachusetts, Births, 1841-1915  (3,831,485)
United States Passport Applications, 1795-1925  (2,528,371)
United States War of 1812 Index to Service Records, 1812-1815  (1,130,851)

This is a sampling of the over 2,100 collections from all over the world that have been added to Family Search in the last six years. It may be worth your time to look at what is now available to you without having to drive to Salt Lake City!

To access the list go to FamilySearch.org, click on “Records”, on that page click on “Browse All Public Collections” which will show you “Historical Records Collections”; click on “Last Updated” which will reorganize the records, showing you the most recent additions first.

Happy Hunting!

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Seattle Genealogical Society News

by Charles Hansen

Seattle
ANNE JENNER TO BE GUEST SPEAKER AT THE SCANDINAVIAN SIG

We’re delighted to have Anne Jenner, Pacific Northwest Curator, University of Washington Special Collections, as our speaker at the May meeting of the Scandinavian Special Interest Group, on Sunday, May 15, from 1:30-3:30pm, at the Seattle Genealogical Society, 6200 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle.

Anne served as the head of the library at the Swenson Swedish Immigration Research Center, at Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois, and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Swedish-American Historical Society. Anne will discuss resources of interest to those researching their Scandinavian roots, Swedish in particular!

Anne comes to us with extensive knowledge of Swedish language and culture. She received a B.A. in Swedish, with a minor in history, from North Park College in Chicago and her MLIS from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Anne also has a M.A. in Scandinavian Languages and Literature from the University of Washington.

Check out her blog at pnwblog.wordpress.com or follow her on Twitter @pnwcurator

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Serendipity

by Roxanne Lowe

Blogger’s note: Donna’s still on vacation, but was organized enough to pass along her “valuable or pleasant things that are not looked for” (definition of serendipity). Enjoy!

In this edition of Serendipity:

  • Downloaded Books at Your Fingertips
  • Shutterfly Makes Life Easy
  • Real Photo Postcards
  • American Merchant Marines
  • Warm Fuzzy Advice from a Friend

Downloaded Books — I keep a folder on my computer desktop labeled “Downloaded Books.” This is not a folder of my Kindle books, my evening-reading books. This is a folder for books to study, for educational books. Most of these were free-to-download books; many come from Ancestry, FamilyTree, or from Thomas MacEntee. Many were from library sources. For instance, here are some of the titles in my folder:

  • All About Ancestry DNA
  • Ancestry Toolkit
  • 38 FamilySearch Tips
  • 84 Best Tips, Tricks & Tools from Lisa Louise Cooke
  • 23 Secrets to Organize Your Genealogy
  • MyHeritage Users’ Guide to Family Tree Builder
  • Free Online Educational Resources (MacEntee)
  • The Password Trick, A Foolproof System (MacEntee)

I also have the 100-page guide to hostas from Naylor Nursery, and the User’s Guide to my Canon camera. And The Battle of the Alamo, a free download book from the Texas State Historical Association.

The beauty of having a folder of downloaded books on your desktop is that (1) they take up no shelf space; (2) they are available at your fingertips; (3) they are FREE (for the most part).

Dick Eastman, in his Eastman’s Online Genealogy Newsletter back in March 2014, said it this way:

You can download 83,947 genealogy books free of charge. You can keep a huge genealogy library in your own home. You don’t need to purchase bookcases or build an addition onto the house. You can keep the entire collection in your computer or even in a handheld Kindle, iPad, or similar device. Actually, you don’t have to keep a local copy at all as the entire collection is available online, and you can retrieve the books of interest at any time.

My point with all this is that you could do the same thing as I have….. set up a folder on your desktop, label it “Downloaded Books” (or some such), start adding books into this folder as you discover them, and then, most important of all, READ AND STUDY THOSE BOOKS

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Time Running Out to Register for Meet & Greet

by Roxanne Lowe

If you’re thinking you’d like to attend the WSGS Pre-Conference Meet and Greet with Paula Stuart-Warren (check out her blog!)  and Cyndi Ingle (creator of Cyndi’s List), you better get registered ASAP. The Friday night (17 Jun) Meet and Greet (which includes a dessert buffet) is limited to the first 50 registrants, $10 each, and as of 12 Apr, there were only 14 spots left!!! Pre-registration is required.

 

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THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM OF OREGON Wednesday Evening E-News

by Charles Hansen

GFO1

THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM OF OREGON Wednesday Evening E-News 13 April 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-Apr.pdf.

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DNA Day is this Sunday! Join us for a full day of free classes! Or come for a few, at the very least!!

DNA

Y-chromosome DNA and mitochondrial DNA Basics, 9am – 10:20am

Learn the differences between the Y-DNA and the mtDNA test and how each helps your genealogy research. Understand how the different results are displayed and what each means. (includes 15 minutes for questions) Presented by Lisa McCullough

The Basics of Autosomal DNA, 10:30 – noon

Discover how atDNA is inherited, how to find the common ancestors and how to determine which DNA segments came from which ancestor. (includes 15 minutes for questions). Presented by Emily Aulicino

The Three DNA companies with Success Stories, 1pm – 2:20pm

Discover which company offers what features in order to make the best decision for you needs. Learn how a success story involving all three companies can be a guideline for your accomplishments. (includes 15 minutes for questions) Presented by Tim Janzen

I’ve Tested. Now What?, 2:30pm – 3:50pm

Learn what steps you can take to better insure finding a common ancestor for any of the three major tests (includes 15 minutes for questions). Presented by Emily D. Aulicino

Q & A, 4pm – 5pm

The presenters will take questions on any genetic genealogy topic.
Don’t be left out! Be sure to bring all handouts and an evaluation form for each class. Presentation notes and evaluation forms can be downloaded HERE.
NOTE: You may submit your questions/problems to Emily (aulicino@hevanet.com) prior to DNA Day so they can be organized to include more requests and to save time. Continue reading →

Sylvia Nelson Named Outstanding Volunteer in 2015

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 coming months, 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 Sylvia Nelson of Bainbridge Island, Washington, who was nominated by the Bainbridge Island Genealogical Society (BIGS). She was recognized for her outstanding efforts in supporting and promoting the society and its members.

Sylvia Nelson

Sylvia Nelson

Ms. Nelson has served for three consecutive terms as director of publicity and public relations. She is the manager of BIGS’s new member process and has authored communications welcoming new members to the society.

In addition to performing her regular public relations duties, Ms. Nelson has consistently identified opportunities for BIGS to be visible or present at special events and local seminars. She also serves as a mentor to other members and as a member of the technology committee.

Ms. Nelson has undertaken her responsibilities and others whenever a helping hand has been needed. She has been consistently willing to help whenever and wherever the society’s need has been greatest. Her selfless contributions prove that she richly deserved being a recipient of a 2015 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.