Outstanding Volunteers and Teams Honored at State Conference

Jul8 by Roxanne Lowe

Forty-six local genealogical society members were honored for their outstanding volunteerism at the WSGS Annual Conference in Ellensburg, Washington, on 27 June 2015. Nominated by their local societies, these individuals and teams spent countless hours supporting their local organizations, researching, cataloging, inventorying, teaching, and inspiring others. We are proud to announce the 2015 Outstanding Volunteer Awards:

Wanda Burke Alderman, Whitman County Genealogical Society, Region 6
Veronica Anguiano, Tri-City Genealogical Society, Region 6
Erik Bakke, Kittitas County Library Team, Kittitas Co. Genealogical Society, Region 5
Beverly Bakos, Genealogical Society of South Whidbey Island, Region 1
Margie Beldin, Tri-City Genealogical Society, Region 6
Janette and Tony Birch, Eastern WA Genealogical Society, Region 7
Susan Breshears Boatright, Yakima Co. Genealogical Society, Region 5
Marilyn Brown, Kittitas County Library Team, Kittitas Co. Genealogical Society, Region 5
Dona Bubelis, Seattle GS Library Team, Seattle Genealogical Society, Region 2
Jim Bull, Columbia Gorge Genealogical Society, Region 5
Betty Carrick, Wenatchee Area GS Website Team, Wenatchee Area Genealogical Society, Region 8
Mary Christensen, Kittitas County Library Team, Kittitas Co. Genealogical Society, Region 5
Judy Clayton, Kittitas County Library Team, Kittitas Co. Genealogical Society, Region 5
Linda Colton, Columbia Gorge Genealogical Society, Region 5
Christine Janet Kenck Courtright, Chelan Valley Genealogical Society, Region 8
Robert Edwards, Grays Harbor Genealogical Society, Region 3
Warren Fisk, Tacoma Pierce Co. Genealogical Society, Region 2
Tuck Forsythe, Kittitas County Library Team, Kittitas Co. Genealogical Society, Region 5
Daniel P. Harmon, Seattle GS Library Team, Seattle Genealogical Society, Region 2
Susan Hassemiller, Bainbridge Island Genealogical Society, Region 3
Mary Malone Holcomb, Eastern WA Genealogical Society, Region 7
J.C.Howard, Kittitas County Library Team, Kittitas Co. Genealogical Society, Region 5
Fae Douglas Jacobs, Grays Harbor Genealogical Society, Region 3
Rose Anderson Janke, Lower Columbia Genealogical Society, Region 4
Kathy Kelly, Kittitas County Library Team, Kittitas Co. Genealogical Society, Region 5
Julie Large, Kittitas County Library Team, Kittitas Co. Genealogical Society, Region 5
Kathi McGinnes, Seattle GS Library Team, Seattle Genealogical Society, Region 2
Delma Roloff McLean, Yakima Co. Genealogical Society, Region 5
Muriel S.Neely, Skagit Valley Genealogical Society, Region 1
Sylvia Nelson, Bainbridge Island Genealogical Society, Region 3
Diane Ulrich Partington, Skagit Valley Genealogical Society, Region 1
Elinor Perlich, Clark Co. Genealogical Society, Region 4
Brian Runyan, Clark Co. Genealogical Society, Region 4
Dave Sachi, Jefferson County Genealogical Society, Region 3
Karen Spellman, Kittitas County Library Team, Kittitas Co. Genealogical Society, Region 5
Stillaguamish Conference Planning Team, Stillaguamish Valley Genealogical Society, Region 1
Mary Stolaas, Jefferson County Genealogical Society, Region 3
Mary Swartz, Wenatchee Area GS Website Team, Wenatchee Area Genealogical Society, Region 8
Larry Taylor, Stillaguamish Valley Genealogical Society, Region 1
Janice Weihs, Tacoma Pierce Co. Genealogical Society, Region 2
Bob Wieking, Kittitas County Library Team, Kittitas Co. Genealogical Society, Region 5
Charlotte Wixon, Seattle GS Library Team, Seattle Genealogical Society, Region 2
Ann Wright, Seattle GS Library Team, Seattle Genealogical Society, Region 2
Mel and Marilyn Wright, Genealogical Society of South Whidbey Island, Region 1

To read each individual’s accomplishments and why they were nominated, visit the Outstanding Volunteer Awards Program page.

For more information about the Outstanding Volunteer Awards Program, contact Roxanne Lowe at Roxanne@thekeeffes.com.

Central Branch, WA State Archives, Ellensburg Visit

Jul8 by Charles Hansen

I took some extra time before the recent state conference in Ellensburg to visit the Central Washington Branch of the Washington State Archives.

Brigid Clift is the director of the Archives Branch and a most sunshiny and helpful gal she was! I emailed her ahead of time with a short list of things I wanted to view (their catalog/holdings is online) and she had them ready for me, no problem.

One really fun thing I wanted to look at was a mimeographed newsletter titled The Goodfruit Grower. The first issue of this local publication..

Continue reading →

Serendipity Thursday

Jul2 by Charles Hansen

Last week, while visiting the Central Washington Branch of the Washington State Archives in Ellensburg, and since I have no family connections to the counties covered by this archives, I looked for interesting Washington trivia. And I found much in the books on the shelves there.

From the book: Plats & Descriptions of Operating Properties Owned by the State of Washington, a report prepared by L.D. McArdle, of the Dept of Efficiency on 30 June 1924. Found some interesting maps.

This was the original platting for the Washington Soldiers’ Home in Orting. the first deed was dated 18 Nov 1890. The facility was opened in 1891 and was located on 181 acres in the beautiful Puyallup Valley near Orting. It is still in operation today.

To be eligible for admission, applicants must meet the following criteria:

Served at any time, in any branch of the United States Armed Forces including the National Guard;
Received an honorable discharge;
Reside in Washington State;
Be the spouse or widow of an eligible veteran;
Or be a Gold Star Parent.

Was your ancestor a resident in this place??

Tip of the Week Seattle Genealogical Society

Jul2 by Charles Hansen

TIP OF THE WEEK – FREE WEBSITE FOR THOSE WITH

CZECH REPUBLIC (BOHEMIA) ROOTS

Onward To Our Past (http://onwardtoourpast.com/) is a web site hosted by genealogical historian, Scott Phillips, offering free tips, hints, help, and genealogy fun together with unique resources for Bohemia (Czech Republic), Italy, and Cornwall family history and genealogy.

One of the valuable resources available on this site is an English translation of a lengthy genealogy article from the 1878 edition of Amerikán Národní Kalendář, titled STRUČNÁ STATISTIKA: Osad, míst a okresů ve Spojených Státech Čechy obydlených (Translation: “BRIEF STATISTICS: Of settlements, towns and counties at United States, inhabited by Czechs.”)

This publication is described as “an information census of the Czechs and the communities in which they lived” in the United States in 1878. The web site is presenting these translations in installments (12 so far), covering Czech communities in Arkansas, California, Connecticut, the Dakota Territory, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Massachusetts and Michigan.
More installments will be coming to this site in the ensuing months.

BONUS TIP OF THE WEEK –FREE ACCESS TO

“THE GREAT MIGRATION DATABASES”
ON AMERICANANCESTORS.ORG

Thanks to the New England Historical and Genealogical Society (NEHGS), family historians may commemorate Independence Day by searching for their early American ancestors for FREE on AmericanAncestors.org July 1 through July 8.
A total of nine searchable databases comprise the Great Migration project on AmericanAncestors.org.
See http://www.americanancestors.org/specials/fourth-of-july for more details.

Seattle Genealogical Society Upcoming Meetings

Jul2 by Charles Hansen

SGS GAINS EXEMPTION FROM THE WA STATE
PROPERTY TAX AS A FREE LIBRARY –
WILL SAVE $4700 IN 2016

Under the terms of our lease for the our Library space, SGS has been responsible for a component of the real property tax each year. That component has been growing annually, placing an increasing strain on our budget.
Upon investigation, we determined that we could qualify for an exemption from this tax as a Free Library, if we eliminated the daily User Fee we charge non-members to use the library, and met several other criteria. The Board took the necessary steps, and our application for this exemption was granted by the WA Secretary of State on June 15. The exemption begins in 2016; in that year, we’ll save over $4,700 due to this exemption.

THANK YOU, RESPONDENTS

Marilyn Rose, President of SGS, recently sent a letter to the membership outlining the Society’s five main goals for the next 5-8 years, and asking for members to consider how they could help the Society reach those goals.
Many SGS members responded to that letter by returning their Member Interest Forms or by volunteering their help. To those members, the Society says, “Thank you very much!”

CERTIFICATE PROGRAM IN GENEALOGY
& FAMILY HISTORY AT UW

Each year the University of Washington offers a nine-month evening certificate program in Genealogy and Family History. This program prepares students to conduct their own genealogical research into family history with an understanding and appreciation of the social and historical context within which their ancestors found themselves. Over the years, several SGS members have completed this course.
The 2015-16 program begins on October 8, and meets one evening a week for three quarters, culminating in a family history writing project in the spring. Sarah Thorsen Little, SGS Life Member and Past President, is one of the program instructors for this program.
A preview class for this course will be held on Monday, July 20, 6-8 pm at the UW Seattle campus.
Full information about the program and this preview class can be found online at http://www.pce.uw.edu/certificates/genealogy-family-history.html.

HELP WANTED

NEEDED: Someone to give one or more presentations on how to use FOLD3, the web site formerly known as Footnote.com. If you have experience and expertise with this repository of military records, and would like to share that with others, please contact Jean A. Roth, SGS Director of Education at jeanaroth@juno.com.NEEDED: Several more members for the 2016 Seminar Planning Committee, to join the 4 members we presently have. This committee has its first meeting at SGS on Wednesday, July 15 at 6 p.m. Anyone interested in possibly being part of this critical committee, or who has ideas about either subjects or speakers for next year’s seminars is invited to attend and participate. Many hands make light work!
Contact Jean Roth, jeanaroth@juno.com for more information.Needed: Still need at least two more people each day to help at the SGS Booth at the Scottish Highland games, the last weekend in July. Contact Jean Roth, jeanaroth@juno.com for more information.

SGS CALENDAR OF EVENTS

All programs are at the SGS Library at 6200 Sand Point Way unless otherwise indicated. Please Check the SGS Web Site for additions, changes, and corrections. Programs may be postponed.

Friday-Sunday, July 3-5 SGS Closed for 4^th of July HolidayWednesday, July 8, 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm.
BRICK WALL PROBLEM SOLVING 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm.
DATE CHANGE – SEE JULY 22, BELOW Wednesday, July 15, 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm
PROGRAM MEETING: “ROUTES to OUR ROUTES”: EXPANSION WESTWARD FROM THE ATLANTIC
Our “Manifest Destiny” with Trails, Timelines, and Transportation. We’ll discuss North America’s major migration patterns and regional history.
Speaker: Jean A. Roth , SGS Director of EducationWednesday, July 15, 6-8 p.m. SGS SEMINAR PLANNING MEETING
Preliminary planning for 2016 and 2017 – topics and speakers for future seminars.
Anyone interested in helping the 2016 Seminar Planning Committee is welcome!

Saturday, July 18, 1:30 pm – 4:00 pm BEGINNING GENEALOGY CLASS
An overview of basic genealogy techniques and resources. Advance registration requested at SGS. Instructor: Janice Lovelace, SGS Vice President

Wednesday, July 22, 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm.
BRICK WALL PROBLEM SOLVING
Join SGS members for a problem-solving session. This is an open forum format.
Leader: Jean A. Roth

Saturday, July 25 and Sunday, July 26 SCOTTISH HIGHLAND GAMES – Enumclaw. SGS will have a booth and offer genealogical help. We need volunteers for both days and for two hour sessions. You will be provided with a ticket for the games. Please contact Jean Roth at jeanaroth@juno.com or (206) 782-2629

Sunday, July 26, 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm
PROGRAM: “INSANITY IN THE 19^th CENTURY: ONE FAMILY’S STORY”, Speaker: Jill Morelli.
We are told as children, “Shhh, don’t talk about Aunt Jane.” As genealogists, we may find that she was in an insane asylum or mental health hospital (depending on the era of the confinement). Explore the history of institutionalization and treatment of the insane from Bedlam to the 20^th century with an in-depth look at the life of one man confined in Illinois in the 19^th century. Records publically available will be compared with those accessible through the courts.

AUGUST

Sunday, August 2, 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm
PROGRAM MEETING: “USING “FIND A GRAVE” FOR GENEALOGICAL RESEARCH.” “Find A Grave” is a resource for finding the final disposition of family, friends, and famous people as a virtual cemetery experience. “Find a Grave” memorials may contain rich content including pictures, biographies and more specific information. Speaker: Karen Sipe.Sunday, August 16, 1:30-3:30 pm
PROGRAM MEETING: “LOVE, COURTSHIP, SEX & MARRIAGE”
Until Eve – It was a man’s world. Without women, there would be no genealogy; but their status has changed throughout history, and this has had a profound effect on the records we use for research. We’ll explore the surprising customs and practices of our ancestors, and the place of women in society over time. Speaker: Jean A. RothSaturday, August 22, 1:30 pm – 4:00 pm
ETHNIC WORKSHOP: “BREAKING THROUGH THE WALL OF SLAVERY: AN INTRODUCTION to AFRICAN-AMERICAN GENEALOGY” Speaker: Janice Lovelace, SGS Vice-PresidentSunday, August 23, 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm
BRICK WALL PROBLEM SOLVING .
Join SGS members for a problem-solving session. This is an open forum format.

Sunday August 30, 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm
PROGRAM MEETING: “USING FIRE INSURANCE MAPS” These maps, including the famous Sandborn Maps, were originally created in the years following the Civil War and used for assessing fire insurance liability in urban areas in the United States. They are a highly useful resource for historical and genealogical research.
Speaker: Jill Morelli

SAVE THE DATES!

August 13-15 Northwest Genealogy Conference
Arlington, WA – details at http://www.nwgc.org/
Saturday October 17 and Sunday, October 18
Seattle Genealogical Society Fall Seminar
“The Family History Detective: Finding Solutions to Your Toughest Research Problems.” Speaker: Dr. Thomas W. Jones
Visit http://seattlegenealogicalsociety.org/content/seminars for more information.

Donna’s Take On David Rencher, WSGS Conference Speaker

Jun29 by Charles Hansen

This last weekend I attended the Washington State Genealogical Conference 180 miles west in Ellensburg, Washington. To get there, going either direction, you must descend into the Columbia Gorge and cross the Columbia River and go back up. I think it’s a beautiful ride:

Mention it because Washington is in the grip of a most unusual heatwave. It’s been really hot……. with temps that we don’t usually get until August. Maybe. It was 105 in Ellensburg; 109 down at the bridge and 104 here in Spokane. The fire season is going to be awful; they’ve already had hundreds more so far in 2015 than last year….. and it’s only June. But you have weather awfulness in your part of the world too.

The speaker at our conference was David Rencher. Lucky for us, his wife has ties to the area and so he was agreeable to coming. David has been a “bigwig” with FamilySearch for 34 years and he KNOWS his stuff.

He started us out with questions: “Have you a tough genealogy problem? Worried you won’t solve it in your lifetime? Do you keep doing the same-old-same-old things and wondering why you have no new conclusions or answers?

He then told us how to “frame the problem differently.” Simply put, how to look at the problem differently.

He showed three pictures of the Golden Gate Bridge and explained:

If you’re driving on the bridge, you see the bridge from that angle. If you’re talking to somebody down in a boat, or up in an airplane, you will not see the view of the bridge that they see………

His point with these images of the Golden Gate Bridge is that, with regard to your tough genealogy problem, you’re looking at the bridge as your drive on it. That’s all you see. But if were to see it from a boat or from the air, you’d have an entirely different perspective. You “must frame your picture differently” and then from that new angle you might see things that you did not see before. Like looking at the Golden Gate Bridge from three different angles.

Does this make sense to you? It did to me. Of course the next question begs, how to you do this??

Then David launched into the main theme of his talk to answer this question: descendant research. Some cousin, near or distant, might just have the answer, Bible, quilt, certificate, watch, tool, photo, letter or clipping that you so desperately seek.

He ended his remarks by recommending a cousin-finding-connecting website called Puzilla (www.puzilla.org). With this website you can literally find dozens of cousins. See the image? Picture you as the center dot and the lines radiate out to cousins!!

Another website that does pretty much the same thing is Kinpoint (www.kinpoint.com). I’ve mentioned that before.

WSGS Conference Ellensburg, Washington Day Two

Jun29 by Charles Hansen

My sister Jacque had set the alarm for 5 a.m. but I woke up just before the alarm went off. Our air conditioner was working good, so good we had turned it so it was not so cold. Got up checked my E-Mail and blogs and even had a few minutes to digitize a few records for Scribe at the Washington State Digital Archives. Took all my morning and noon pills and headed for breakfast. Jacque had called on Monday to confirm our reservation and to see what our complimentary breakfast included, but we had found out while waiting for our room to be ready the day before that the complimentary breakfast was no longer being offered even though the sign by the restaurant entrance said complimentary breakfast when we went in, but was turned around when we left.

Registration was open just after breakfast.

People finding a seat before the conference started.

Mikal McKinnon the WSGS President Welcomed everyone.

David Rencher our Speaker

Roxanne Lowe my fellow blogger taking a lot of photos.

We were getting a box lunch, and the line was pretty long, but the tuna sandwich was good.

After Lunch was the annual WSGS meeting and then the awards for volunteers, communication, innovation, and the Presidents Award.

After the last presentation by David Rencher, we headed for the HOT car and then on to Wenatchee to see our cousin Clara Watson.

She is in a nursing home in Wenatchee and her daughter Becky was there also. That was a big surprise as she lives in Las Vegas.

She said it was 108 in Las Vegas, and so the 105 in Wenatchee was cooler.

Got home and was surprised that the pie cherry tree was about half ripe, so picked about a gallon of pie cherries.

Only 102 In Spokane when I got home.

WSGS Conference Ellensburg, Washington Day One

Jun28 by Charles Hansen

Since it was supposed to be hot on Friday June 26, 2015 we wanted to start early to get to Ellensburg before it got hot, but as usual we got going about 8:30 a.m. It was hot before we even got out of town, and by the time we got to Ritzville it was even hotter. At Vantage the wind was very calm down by the river.

But as we climbed up from the river toward RyeGrass Pass the wind generators were nearly all turning. I guess with so little water to generate electricity they are using as much wind power as they can to save the water behind the dams.

At the Ryegrass rest stop Mount Rainier came into view and it looks so cold at the top.

We got to Ellensburg and drove right past the Quality Motel, and turned around and found it this time. Since we were very early we went into the attached restaurant and had a milkshake, sure was nice on a hot day. Checked to see if we could check in and they were not ready for us yet. Frank McLean came in about then and we talked a little and looked at the rooms we were going to be in for the conference.

We got to get our registration packets while we waited for our room to be ready and finally just before 3 p.m. our room was ready, so we checked in, and carried the suitcases and everything else we had from the hot car to our room. I then went to the WSGS board meeting, all members are welcome at the board meetings, and after the board meeting the the computer lab was set up.

Roxanne Lowe, Roger Newman and Frank McLean at the computer lab.

Got hungry and found a few other board members and had dinner.

Then back to our room to check out the WIfi and get to bed since day two starts early.

One of our friends from Spokane had been told the WIfi was not working and would be fixed till Monday, but it worked fine in our room.

Want to Share Your Conference Photos?

Jun28 by Roxanne Lowe

I saw a lot of cameras and cell phones taking photos at our WSGS Conference in Ellensburg.

Would you like to share them with our Blog readers? Or do you want to broadcast information about your local society, workshop, genealogical tip, or a research query? You can reach hundreds of genealogists from around the state. Just email your photo, Word document, text file, or PDF to WSGSBlog@wasgs.org and the blog masters will do the rest.

We hope to hear from you soon!

Hot Topics Sizzle Throughout the Day

Jun27 by Roxanne Lowe

David with Stephen Baylor and Ruth Caesar from the Stillaguamish Valley GS

David played to a full house

What an opportunity to ask questions — and get some answers!

David sprinkled his talks liberally with stories and quips — very entertaining!

Conference headliner David Rencher spend the day filling us with amazing resources, insights and a vision of what the future of genealogy looks like. His talks included:

Coming Forward: Descendant Research
FamilySearch Future and Vision
Digital Projects and Programs of FamilySearch
Strategy for Irish Research, 1500 – 1800

What a great speaker — professional, humorous, and quite the storyteller. I came home (in my air-conditioned car!) with my brain swirling with new research possibilities (maybe I will be able to find my Catholic Daniel Murphy with no middle name in Ireland!), appreciation for FamilySearch’s commitment to make billions of records available for free, and how their dedicated staff and thousands of volunteers digitize, index, and quality-check those records. Also learned about the partnerships FamilySearch has developed with Ancestry.com, FindMyPast, and MyHeritage — all for the benefit of genealogists around the world. And don’t get me started on how cool the FamilySearch Wiki is and the mobile apps!

Watch this blog for more posts about the conference, including the awards that were presented. A great day!