Tip of the Week

by Charles Hansen

At the recent WSGS conference David Rencher said that Family Search was adding about a million new names, and I can not remember if that was a day or a week, but still it is a lot of new names to research, and to come back often to see if the name you are researching is there now. He also said he gets reports telling him what new data is being added, but how does the average genealogist find out what is being added? The answer is blogs! I know several of the blogs I read using Feedly list the updated list almost weekly. I will just list three here, the first one is a Washington resident Leland Meitzler in his GenaelogyBlog . The second is Randy Seaver with his GeneaMusings Blog. Randy also lists the new or updated lists on Ancestry. The last one is Renee Zamora, and she lists a lot of happenings at Family Search, like the call for 100,000 volunteers to index records  or to beta test the new Family Search Home Page

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fred Pflugrath Receives President’s Award for Outstanding Achievement

by Roxanne Lowe
Lynda Pheasant accepts Fred's President's Award from Roxanne Lowe and Mike McKinnon

WAGS President Lynda Pheasant accepts Fred Pflugrath’s President’s Award from Roxanne Lowe and Mike McKinnon

Fred Pflugrath was named the first recipient of the WSGS President’ Award for Outstanding Achievement at the WSGS Conference in Ellensburg last month. He was nominated by the Wenatchee Area Genealogical Society (WAGS).

Over the last dozen years, Fred has single-handedly identified, researched, and documented information about almost 2,500 Civil War veterans from all over Eastern Washington. Much of his research is available in 35 notebooks in the WAGS library with an index available online. Additionally, he has taken the extra step to submit the information to the National Grave Registration Project (part of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, SUVCW).

Fred has connected families with their Civil War ancestors, arranged for headstones and markers, and orchestrated dedication and memorial ceremonies. He has willingly shared information, resources and expertise with anyone wanting information, including those outside Chelan and Douglas counties.

As if that isn’t enough, Fred also gives tours of local cemeteries and has been the WAGS newsletter editor.

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Tip of the Week Seattle Genealogical Society

by Charles Hansen

TIP OF THE WEEK – ALL CATHOLIC PARISH REGISTER MICROFILMS OF IRELAND AVAILABLE ON-LINE FOR FREE!

The entire collection of Catholic parish register microfilms held by the National Library of Ireland is now available online, and for free.  With this database, people with Irish Catholic ancestors will be to trace their roots back to the 1740’s on a dedicated website free of charge.  Over 370,000 digital images of the microfilm reels will be available for download.
These parish register records are considered the single most important source of information on Irish family history prior to the 1901 Census.
The documents, primarily baptismal and marriage records, date from the 1740s to the 1880s and encompass 1,086 parishes throughout Ireland.
For more information, visit www.nli.ie. For more on the launch follow the hashtag #ancestorsonline or follow @NLIreland on Twitter.
To use this site, one must know the parish or diocese where their ancestor lived.  It is not possible to search the site for a particular individual or surname.
The site includes a great, interactive map of the counties and dioceses of Ireland.

BONUS TIP OF THE WEEK – KING COUNTY PROBATE COURT RECORDS COMING ON-LINE AT FAMILYSEARCH.ORG

One of the many new databases coming online at Familysearch.org is “Washington, King County Probate Records, 1851-1927.”  This database consists of images of probate records, arranged and filmed in chronological order; currently it contains nearly 34,000 images of probate records from 1861-1893, with the expectation of more records being added as they are digitized and uploaded.
The URL for this database is: https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1878788

Seattle Genealogical Society Announcements and Meetings

by Charles Hansen

PARKING CHANGES AT SGS

Street parking in front of the SGS Library is often difficult, due to the limited spaces there and the use of those spaces by residents who live in the apartments above the library.
In an effort to improve parking for our patrons, particularly those with limited mobility, in April the Board authorized (and the landlord supported) our application to the City for installation of two two-hour time-limited parking places in front of our entrance.  The signs have now been placed.
Anyone with a handicapped placard or license plate can park in these spaces as long as they wish, without receiving a parking ticket.  Our hope is that the restricted places will make using the library easier for our members who need to park close to the building.  And others can use these spaces, when they are available, particularly for short visits or for dropping things off at the Library.
CONGRATULATIONS TO KAREN PORTZER!

Seattle Metro’s RapidRide buses and stations have a new poem every day of the year through November 2015 as part of the Poetry on Buses public art program.  The poem to be highlighted on July 30, 2015, is entitled “Irish Morn” by SGS member Karen Portzer.  This is the second year that one of Karen’s poems was selected.
If you’d like to read her poem, or any of the other poems in this series, visit http://poetryonbuses.org/collection/.

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Skagit Valley GS Earns First Outstanding Project Award

by Roxanne Lowe

Kris and Chris, proud Skagit Valley GS members, accepting the Outstanding Project Award

The inaugural WSGS Outstanding Project award was awarded at the WSGS Conference in Ellensburg last month to the Skagit Valley Genealogical Society (SVGS) for their “Making Connections Through Roots (Researching Our Origins Teens With Seniors)” project. This deserving effort was a community collaboration between SVGS, the Burlington Public Library and the Burlington-Edison Alternative High School. The purpose of the project was to teach 12th grade students who were at risk of dropping out of school basic researching methods by researching their own unique family histories. In addition to the dedication of many committed individuals, this innovative project received a $23,000 grant from the Paul G. Allen Foundation. The SVGS received a certificate and one-year membership to WSGS for their accomplishment.

Upon reviewing the ROOTS nomination, one reviewer commented,

“I can only find positive remarks to make about this marvelous project. It perfectly combines answers to various struggles that genealogical societies encounter. It embraces youth and validates them. It is an amazing tool for outreach…I applaud the mastermind that created a solution to address so many concerns. I also applaud each and every person that participated in this project. I would love to see this project duplicated by every genealogical society in every county of every state of this great country. Bravo!!”

If you would like to hear more about this outstanding project, contact John Hayes, SVGS President. In addition, the Washington State Library featured a recent First Tuesday webinar about the project. https://sas.elluminate.com/p.jnlp?sid=2008170&psid=2015-01-06.0907.M.51A1F6BD288768B43F3C46EBA9B642.vcr

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Columbia Gorge GS Earns Outstanding Communication Award

by Roxanne Lowe

The Columbia Gorge Genealogical Society’s “Tales and Trails” quarterly newsletter was awarded the 2015 Outstanding Communication Award at the WSGS Conference in Ellensburg last month. The society received a certificate and will have possession of the perpetual Outstanding Communication Plaque for the next year.

Besides news, reports and announcements that pertain to their 38-member society, the newsletter features interesting and useful information about genealogical research and family history. It’s no easy task for Editor Jim Bull to constantly be on the lookout for quality material. He has been the Editor in Chief since 2010.

Formerly “paper copy only,”  the newsletter has now transitioned to an “on-line” edition that is available to society members, other genealogical societies, family history centers and libraries. Those without computer access still receive their copy in the mail. The change to electronic publication has resulted in a higher quality newsletter, which can be published at less expense.

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Veterans Cemetery Gets Renovation Money in State Budget

by Roxanne Lowe

A veterans cemetery for soldiers who served as far back as the Civil War will get a $250,000 renovation thanks to a provision in the latest state budget.

According to an article in the Tacoma News Tribute, the money will go to the state Department of Veterans Affairs, which manages the Washington Soldiers Home in Orting and the cemetery on its grounds. Almost 2,300 veterans are buried there.

To read the entire article, click here.

A Washington Tour Every Citizen Should Do

by Charles Hansen

FReactor

In early June, 2015, husband, John, and I took the free government-run tour of the Hanford Nuclear Site, north of Richland, Washington. We both knew something of the chronology and the story but we were eager to learn more details and to see the places for ourselves. What I’ve summarized below is not meant to be a full and detailed explanation of all the history and parts of this two-fold massive project (first to build to get the plutonium and then, after the war, to clean up the mess that was made) but to share our new understanding of this episode in American history.

In the early1940s America greatly feared that the Germans would get a nuclear bomb (and use it) before we did. That fear prompted the haste to get the job done and since nobody had done a project like this before they were “flying by the seat of their pants” in many instances.  It then follows that very little care, understanding or recognition was given at the time to the nuclear waste mess that was being created.

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Whatcom Genealogical Society September Seminar

by Charles Hansen
Greetings from the Whatcom Genealogical Society!
We would like to remind everyone of our WGS Fall Seminar to be held Sept. 26th at Saint James Presbyterian Church, 1910 – 14th Street, Bellingham, WA.  Doors open 8:30, and the program is from 9 am – 4 pm.  Jill Morelli and Jim Johnson are our speakers.  Jill will speak on “The Push and the Pull:  Decision Making of the 19th Century Emigrant”, “Insanity in the 19th Century”, and “Getting the Most from Insurance Maps”.  Jim Johnson will speak on “Finding and Using Your Ancestors’ Church Records”, and he will bring his Heritage Quest Traveling Bookstore.  There will be a Raffle, and lunch will be available.  For more information and a registration form, please go to http://wagenweb.org/whatcom/WGS/wgs.htm.  Reserve your space before we are sold out!  We look forward to welcoming you.
Sharon Neem
Publicity Chair
WGS  

Blog Banner Photo Challenge

by Roxanne Lowe

Summer’s in full swing and that means many of us are on the road, in the air, or on a boat visiting people, places, and things. It also means you’re taking lots of photos. So…we’re sponsoring a Blog Banner Photo Challenge, looking for a few good photographs to highlight in our banner (replacing the Snoqualmie Falls photo above). The banner will feature a series of photos taken by you, our readers.

Rules are few:

  • Landscapes, landmarks, and scenery photos are preferred. If, however, you have a perfect photo that includes people, please obtain their permission to post the photo.
  • Photo must have been taken in Washington State (this is the Washington State Genealogical Society blog, after all!).
  • Photo will be cropped to 1100 x 250 pixels, so keep that in mind.
  • You may enter as many photos as you want.
  • Final decisions on suitable photos will be made by the awesome WSGS Blog Team.
  • There’s no prize if your photo is chosen – just the satisfaction that your photo is being showcased on a blog viewed by hundreds of enthusiastic genealogists.
  • There’s no firm deadline to submit photos, just keep ‘em coming. We want to rotate lots of photos to keep the blog fresh.
  • To submit your photo, please email the image (jpg only, please); what, where, when, and by whom the photo was taken to WSGSBlog@wasgs.org.

Got questions? Email the blog team at WSGSBlog@wasgs.org.