South King County Genealogical Society May 2025

Officer Election Update

We want to provide an update on the officer election process. While no candidate was nominated for the position of President, your board is fully committed to identifying a qualified individual who can serve in this role. In the meantime, we are implementing an interim leadership plan.

Our current Treasurer, Michele Mattoon, was nominated to serve as Treasurer for the 2025–2027 term. Michele will continue in her role without the need for a ballot vote, as there are no competing nominees. She will be elected by acclamation at the next board meeting. Thank you, Michele!

May 17, 2025 10:00am Pacific Time is our Annual Membership Meeting held online via Zoom. During the business portion of the meeting, the proposed 2025-2026 budget will be recommended for approval. The link to register for the annual meeting can be found in the event schedule below. After the short membership meeting, we will enjoy our featured speaker.

Volunteers Needed
Immediate opening à Can you lend a hand to help get the word out about our events? If you find this monthly schedule helpful, we’d love for you to contribute by volunteering to help create it. Contact publicity@skcgs.org for more info.

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PROGRAM UPDATES

All meetings are online except Genealogy Help at KCLS Auburn, Federal Way, and Renton Highland library branches
The monthly in-person Research Group is canceled for May, June, July, and August
The monthly online SKCGS Genealogy Chat is canceled for May, June, July, and August
Live transcription (captioning) is available during our Zoom meetings by request
Online meeting participants need to register for SKCGS Zoom meetings. Upon registration, Zoom will send a confirmation email with instructions on joining the meeting.

MAY – EARLY JUNE 2025 MEETINGS & EVENTS
All meetings are Pacific Time (PT) zone
Register at https://www.skcgs.org for all meetings unless stated otherwise

Saturday, May 3, 2025, 10:00am – 12:00pm PT
Family Tree Maker Users Group (online)
Question & Answer. Each month, we will learn about using the features of FTM.
Subscribe to the free SKCGS FTM email list for announcements and discussion: https://skcgs.groups.io/g/FTMUG

Tuesday, May 6, 2025, 6:30pm PT
SKCGS Board of Directors Meeting (online)
All SKCGS members are invited to attend; only Officers and Directors may vote. Write to Board@skcgs.org for the meeting link.

Thursday, May 8, 2025 ⋅ 11:00am – 1:00pm PT
Genealogy Help with SKCGS at Renton Highlands Library (in-person)
Genealogy questions? SKCGS offers one-on-one help with a volunteer
2801 NE 10th Street
Renton WA 98056
Registration not required. In-person event.

Monday, May 12, 2025 ⋅ 1:00pm – 3:00pm PT
Genetic Genealogy/DNA Interest Group (online)
Topic: Another Look at your Ancestry.com Match List

Subscribe to the free SKCGS Genetic-Genealogy email list for announcements and discussion: https://skcgs.groups.io/g/Genetic-Genealogy

Thursday, May 15, 2025 ⋅ 11:00am – 1:00pm PT
Genealogy Help with SKCGS at the Auburn Library (in-person)
Genealogy questions? SKCGS offers one-on-one help with a volunteer
1102 Auburn Way S
Auburn, WA 98002
Registration not required. In-person event.

Thursday, May 15, 2025 ⋅ 2:00pm – 4:00pm PT
Genealogy Help with SKCGS at the Federal Way Library (in-person)
Genealogy questions? SKCGS offers one-on-one help with a volunteer
34200 1^st Way S
Federal Way, WA 98003
Registration not required. In-person event.

Saturday, May 17, 2025, 9:30am PT social time; 10am – 11:30am PT program
SKCGS Annual Membership Meeting and SKCGS Speaker Series (online)
“The WPA Era: Free Records Boon from the Government” by Paula Stuart-Warren, Certified Genealogist®, FMGS, FUGA

During tough economic times in the 1930s and 1940s, government programs put many people to work. The Works Progress/Work Projects Administration and the Historical Records Survey created a goldmine of material useful for today’s genealogists all across the U.S. WPA record transcriptions, courthouse and manuscript inventories, vital records indexes, city/county histories, and histories of businesses and families may exist for your ancestral locale. We will discuss many of those WPA creations, some of which you already use regularly, and where others may be found today. We will also discuss the online explosion of WPA materials.

Paula is an internationally recognized genealogical educator, researcher, and consultant focusing on unusual resources, manuscripts, methodology, and analyzing records. She also specializes in railroad records, the WPA, and Native American research. She has spent extensive research time at libraries, courthouses, libraries, state archives, historical societies, and at various locations of the U.S. National Archives. She is currently a coordinator and instructor for the GRIP Genealogy Institute. She has presented courses for Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (GRIP), Texas Institute of Genealogical Research (TIGR), Research Write Connect Academy, Ancestry Academy, Family Tree University, and continues to present virtual seminars and webinars across the U.S. and in Canada. She is a former member of the Board of Directors of the Federation of Genealogical Societies, of the Minnesota Genealogical Society, a former officer of the Association of Professional Genealogists, and has been a Board-Certified Genealogist since 1988. She is descended from eight ancestral countries and has researched family connections across the U.S. and Canada, including many connections to Washington State. She currently has her own educational website and blog at http://genealogybypaula.com and is enthusiastic about sharing knowledge and continuing education.
The program will be recorded for playback by SKCGS Members. Guests welcome!

Monday, May 19, 2025 ⋅ 1:00pm – 3:00pm PT
Tech User Group (online)
Topic: The Value of a Research Report, and How to Make One
Subscribe to the free SKCGS Technical User Group email list for announcements and discussion: https://skcgs.groups.io/g/TUG

Tuesday, June 3, 2025, 6:30pm PT
SKCGS Board of Directors Meeting (online)
All SKCGS members are invited to attend; only Officers and Directors may vote. Write to Board@skcgs.org for the meeting link.

Friday, June 6, 2025 ⋅ 12:30pm PT
EGS German Interest Group (online)
Topic: “Using Ortsfamilienbücher to Research German Ancestors” by Robin McDonough
Ortsfamilienbücher contain genealogical information about families within a specific town, village, or parish, sometimes going back to the beginning of written records. Learn about the Emerson History & Genealogy Center’s large collection of these books and how to use them.For meeting registration, visit https://egsgermangroup.wordpress.com/

Saturday, June 7, 2025, 10:00am – 12:00pm PT
Family Tree Maker Users Group (online)
Question & Answer. Each month, we will learn about using the features of FTM.
Subscribe to the free SKCGS FTM email list for announcements and discussion: https://skcgs.groups.io/g/FTMUG

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MEMBERSHIP: We welcome guests to our meetings and special interest groups, which are free. Naturally we hope that visitors will want to become members. Support like yours helps us to educate and engage with our community to foster interest in family and local history. You can find more information about membership at our website at https://www.skcgs.org/support-skcgs/membership.

You are receiving this email because you have attended a SKCGS meeting and indicated you would like to receive periodic notice of events. If you would like to be removed from our list and stop receiving emails from us, send an email to skcgsfriends+unsubscribe@skcgs.org.

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SOUTH KING COUNTY GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY

Let’s Talk About: Census Taking & Evolution of Names

May2 by Donna Phillips

Bet we’ve all seen this wonderful Norman Rockwell painting, The Census Taker, which he did in 1940 for a Saturday Evening Post cover. Look carefully at the red-headed mom counting on her fingers….

We genealogists both love and hate the censuses. And we each could cite examples of our feelings for both reactions. May I share an example of “scratching our heads” regarding census information?

Way, way back in 1998, Barbara Johnson shared with me her research example of names:

1820 – DE-Kent Co – Garrettson Jarrell
1830 – IN-Franklin Co – Garrett Fitzgerald
1840 – IN-Franklin Co – Garret F. Jarrell
1850 – IN-Marshall Co – Garrett Jerrell
1860 – IN-Marshall Co Mortality Schedule – Garrett Fitzgerald
1870 – IN-Marshall Co – Permelia Gerrall
1880 – IN-Marshall Co – Olphelia Jerrolds
Then Permelia Jarrell until her death in 1903.

But checking on www.FindAGrave.org, her obituary posted there calls her Parmela Jarrell.

Think how these surnames morphed over 100 years. Think about your ancestral surnames. Is your mind open to the many possible, potential changes??????

When Barbara shared this story with me so long ago, she added: “There was a common practice among what appear to be related families in these areas to use a middle initial “F” to stand for a dropped “Fitz” and eventually the “Fitz” was just dropped.”

There are surely a million words written explaining and or describing the evolution of surnames but OUR surname is what matters to US, right?

Bainbridge Island Genealogical Society Landing the Ancestors

May1 by Charles Hansen

National Genealogical Society Conference Deadlines

Apr30 by Charles Hansen

NGS Conference Deadlines and OrgConnects! Video to Share with Your Organization

Dear Organization Members, Administrators, and Delegates,
The National Genealogical Society (NGS) 2025 Family History Conference is less than a month away. I’m excited to see you or others from your organization in Louisville, Kentucky, or online through the new virtual access option.
A few conference-related deadlines are coming up that your organization will want to share with anyone planning to attend in person:
This Friday, 2 May, is the last day for NGS member organizations to request the conference registration discount benefit for people who are not individual members of NGS. Please read through the information and use the form linked on the Organization Registration page.
Friday, 2 May, is also the hotel deadline to make reservations in the discounted room block with NGS at the Galt House. Visit the Hotel Information page to get the code and booking link.
Monday, 12 May, is the final day to RSVP for the 23 May Delegate Council meeting. Organization member delegates are invited to RSVP for a light breakfast and meeting. If the delegate can’t attend and someone else from your organization can be there as a substitute, please have them RSVP instead. For those coming to Louisville, join us for FOCUS 2025: A Pathway to the Future for Genealogy and Family History Organizations, a special pre-conference event with the Filson Historical Society on 23 May, and the SLAM! Idea Showcase Dinner on 25 May. Also, I would love to meet in person and discuss any needs or feedback from your organization. Email me to set up a time to chat.

OrgConnects! Video on Taxes and Finances

The recording of the 10 April 2025 OrgConnects! event on Finance and Taxes for Organizations: Challenges and Solutions is available on YouTube. NGS Treasurer Doug Klein, CPA, provided an overview of tax exemption, sales tax issues, budgets, financial statements, avoiding scams, finding help, and more. Check out the OrgConnects! playlist for previous videos and share these event recordings with your organization.

Time to Meet or Ask Questions

Do not hesitate to reach out with any questions about the conference and organization events, and please email me to set up a time to meet if you will be in Louisville (and if you won’t be at the conference, you can always meet with me via Zoom). Thank You,

Kate Smith
Organizations and Communities Manager

Heritage Quest Research Library Using Real Estate Deeds

Apr30 by Charles Hansen

Heritage Quest Research Library Upcoming May Events

Apr30 by Charles Hansen

Lynne Oliver Named One of WSGS’s Outstanding Volunteers in 2024

Apr30 by Roxanne Lowe

Since 2003, the Washington State Genealogical Society has recognized over 600 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 2024 award recipients and learn why they received they received a WSGS Outstanding Volunteer and Team Award.

Today we’re introducing Lynne Oliver of Bellingham, Washington who was selected by the Whatcom Genealogical Society as its recipient of a WSGS Outstanding Volunteer Award.

With her experience serving on other boards, Lynne has brought relevant experience to her role as treasurer that directly benefits WGS. She does a fantastic job of keeping the society running in a fiscally sound manner and is always willing to jump in and volunteer with other society projects.

In addition to her role as treasurer, Lynne has spent a great deal of time revising the society’s bylaws and presenting the suggested changes to the board for their input.

For more information on the WSGS Outstanding Volunteer Award program, visit the Recognition page of the WSGS website or contact Info@wasgs.org. Please type “Volunteer Award” in the subject line.

Access BRILS for Thrills!

Apr30 by Roxanne Lowe

Have you heard of Reclaim The Records? If not, you should. According to their website, Reclaim The Records (RTR) is an activist group of genealogists, historians, researchers, and journalists that works to identify important genealogical record sets that are not online anywhere and not broadly available to the public. They use state Freedom of Information (FOIA) laws to force government agencies and archives to hand over copies of these records to the public, which RTR’s digitizes and puts online for free use.

In 2018, RTR filed a FOIA suit for the Beneficiary Identification Records Locator Subsystem (BIRLS) database against the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. After numerous rejections and denials over the years, RTR finally won their lawsuit in 2020 and the records were handed over in 2022.

What is BRILS?

It’s possibly the largest public dataset of deceased U.S veterans, ever, with more than 18 million names, covering veterans who served from the late nineteenth century up through mid-2020. The Beneficiary Identification Records Locator Subsystem (BIRLS) database was originally created and maintained by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. It provides an index to basic biographical information on more than 18 million deceased American veterans who received some sort of veterans benefits in their lifetime, including health care, disability or life insurance policies, educational benefits (the GI Bill), mortgage assistance (VA loans), and more. The BIRLS database includes people who served in all branches of the U.S. military, including some branches that no longer exist, such as the Women’s Army Corps (WACs) and the Army Air Corps, as well as a few associated non-military groups and government agencies, such as NOAA. It even includes files for some non-US nationals, including veterans of the Philippine Commonwealth Army and Philippine Scouts and Guerillas, who served prior to and during the Second World War.

How Do I Request Information?

RTR built and launched a searchable database for the materials to help people to get files from the government for their relatives and research interests. The records are now online and searchable at BIRLS.org. The site even includes a free Freedom of Information (FOIA) filing system to make it easier to request the records.

Writer’s note: I filed a FOIA request on behalf of my late father (Navy & Coast Guard) on 30 Mar 2025. I’m eagerly awaiting whatever is in his file. It was easy to request and I’m hoping for results in the next few weeks.

Let’s Talk About: Honoring Memorial Day Part 2

Apr30 by Donna Phillips

In a small cemetery in the Dutch city of Roermond, one can visit this most unique set of tombstones. It comprises two almost identical pillars on either side of a wall separating the Catholic part from the Protestant part. Each pillar has a carved arm and hand that clasp the other across the wall. The monument marks the graves of Josephina Van Aefferden, a Catholic, and Jacobus Van Gorkum, a Protestant, who were happily married in life but had to be buried in separate sections of the cemetery. This Dutch listed it as a State Monument in 2002 and the “Grave with the Little Hands” proves that love is stronger than death. (And certainly stronger than mens’ rules.)Did you know that Memorial Day was originally called Decoration Day? In the spring of 1866, Henry C. Welles, a druggist in the village of Waterloo, NY, suggested that the patriots who died in the Civil War should be honored by decorating their graves. A committee was formed and the plan was implemented. Decoration Day was officially proclaimed on May 5, 1868 and was first observed officially on May 30, 1868. The South did not observe Decoration Day, preferring to honor their dead on separate days until after WWI. In 1882 the name was changed to Memorial Day and soldiers who had died in other wars were also honored. In 1971, Memorial Day was declared a national holiday to be held on the last Monday in May.

While families may use the day for welcome-to-summer-fun, the original intent was to honor those who died for our freedom.

23andMe Bankruptcy Information

Apr29 by Roxanne Lowe

By now, you’ve probably heard that 23andMe filed for bankruptcy in March 2025. As the company maneuvers through the bankruptcy process, including trying to find a buyer, customers may want to check out the following articles.

What the 23andMe Bankruptcy Means for your Data and Genealogy with Amy Johnson Crow (March 2025)

https://genealogybargains.com/turmoil-at-23andme/ with Thomas MacEntee (March 2025)

April 29, 2025 update: https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/boards-policy-regulation/23andme-will-have-court-appointed-overseer-genetic-data-bankruptcy-2025-04-29/