McCleary Historical Society Genealogy Conference Tickets Still Available

by Roxanne Lowe

The McCleary Historical Society Genealogy Conference is right around the corner on Saturday, October 10th at 10:00 AM, and we would love to have you with us. To ensure we have enough attendees to put on this awesome event—and to make sure we have enough lunch for everyone—we kindly ask that you reserve your spot as soon as possible!

Advance purchase is required, so please secure your tickets early to help us finalize our headcount.

Event Details

Featured Presenters

We are thrilled to welcome two outstanding experts who will bring a wealth of knowledge, practical strategies, and inspiration to our conference:

Cyndi Ingle

Genealogist, Creator & Innovator behind CyndisList.com

  • Presentation: Be Your Own Digital Archivist: Preserve Your ResearchAre you doing everything you can to safeguard your genealogical research, physical documents, digital data, and scanned images? Cyndi will guide us through taking charge of our personal collections so that generations of hard work and family history aren’t lost to time.
  • About Cyndi: With over 45 years of experience, Cyndi Ingle is a nationally and globally recognized leader in the genealogy community. As the creator of the award-winning Cyndi’s List, Executive Director for the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research (IGHR), and an internationally renowned author and lecturer, Cyndi is a true expert at blending traditional research methods with modern technology, software, and online tools.

Joy Iversen

Director of the Elma LDS FamilySearch Center

  • Presentation: Genealogy: Where Do I Begin?Whether you’re just starting your journey or looking to sharpen your advanced research skills, Joy will walk us through FamilySearch, Ancestry.com, and Ancestral Quest—helping you confidently navigate these powerful tools at every stage of your search.
  • About Joy: Joy’s passion for history began at age twelve, collecting family heirlooms at her homestead. For nearly 40 years, she has shared that passion as Director of the Elma LDS FamilySearch Center. As Board Secretary for the McCleary Historical Society, Joy brings warmth, wisdom, and deep dedication to local historical preservation.

Whether you’re curious about your family roots or looking to safeguard decades of research, this gathering promises engaging insights and great conversation over lunch with fellow history lovers.

Let’s Talk About: Mesa & Parker, Little WA Towns

by Donna Phillips

Originally called Bluff Wells, then Judson and now Mesa, this little town in Franklin County was a stop on the Ainsworth (now Pasco) to Spokane branch of the Northern Pacific Railroad. The station house was established in 1883. Mesa is situated in Esquatzel Coulee which means it sits in a depression relative to the surrounding terrain. Apparently, Mesa does not have its own cemetery; the nearest one is City View Cemetery in Pasco.

Parker is a census-designated place in Yakima County, located on the Yakama Indian Reservation between Union Gap and Wapato. The first plat for the town was filed in 1909; it was originally settled by William Parker in 1864 and was named for him by the Northern Pacific Railway in 1890. The only cemetery I found for Parker was the Parker Dam Cemetery (on FindAGrave).

This cemetery is located on a hill behind a Yakama Nation fruit orchard; the cemetery contains a stone monument inscribed with the names of some of the Yakama Nation’s notable Chiefs. There was once a thriving Yakama Indian community at Parker Dam which is the basis for the community that uses the Wapato Longhouse. 

Is there really a Parker Dam? YES! According to Google:

  • Parker Reservoir Dam: This is a small 24-foot-high earth-fill dam located in Yakima County. It is in Dakota Draw, about 11 miles west of Yakima, Washington. 
  • Parker Dam (Yakima River): A historical, low-head diversion dam located on the Yakama Indian Reservation along US Route 97 between Union Gap and Wapato. It was historically tied to a thriving Yakama Nation community. 

Let’s Talk About: Roots, Records & Relatives

by Donna Phillips

 Do hope you are planning to attend our EWGS Fall workshop on Saturday, October 3rd. Hasn’t it been long enough since you’ve come across our beautiful state, west to east? This workshop, featuring Cyndi Ingle and Josh Taylor will be well worth the effort, I guarantee.

I crafted this blurb months ago and so encourage you to click to our website, www.EWGSI.org, for the latest details. 

Consider this a teaser if you’ve not yet planned to come and have registered. (You do want lunch, do you not?)

Italian Interest Group of the Eastside Genealogical Society I Did’t Know You Could Search Like That

by Charles Hansen
Italian Interest Group (IIG) OCTOBER 2026 MEETING
Request Meeting Invitation
DATE:
TIME:
TOPIC:
PRESENTER: October 17, 2026
1:30 PM (PT)
I Didn’t Know You Could Search Like That
Debbie Gurtler
Description:
FamilySearch is an essential resource for Italian genealogy.FamilySearch adds millions of records every year, are you finding everything you should? This class will highlight some different ways to search to make sure you leave no stone unturned in the search for your ancestors. Among the search options covered will be Full Text Search, Simple Search, global search, computer-aided indexed records, searching via the catalog, and browsing images.
Presenter: Debbie Gurtler, AG®, graduated with honors from Brigham Young University with a bachelor’s degree in Family History. She has made research trips to Spain, Portugal, Virginia, and North Carolina. Fluent in Spanish, she can also read genealogical documents in Portuguese, Italian, and French. Debbie holds five AG® credentials they include the U.S. Mid-South region, Spain, Mexico, Chile, and Portugal.
COUNTDOWN TO THE MEETING:
Days Hours Minutes Seconds
Italian Interest Group (IIG) of theEastside Genealogical Society P.O. Box 374
Bellevue, WA 98009-0374

Heritage Quest Research Library One Name Studies: What Are They?

by Charles Hansen

JOIN US for our next class on October 1, 2026! Don’t miss out, sign up today!





CLICK HERE to register for this class! Visit our blog for great tips & hints exploring your family story! Click Here to See All of Our 2026 Classes! HQRL.com / Classes & Events / Contact
Heritage Quest Research Library | 2102 East Main Ave Suite 105 | Puyallup, WA 98372 US

AI Workshop Registration Reopening on 9/23

by Roxanne Lowe

WOW! We reached the limit of 100 registrations for Lisa Louise Cooke’s AI Workshop in less than a week! 

We want everyone to have an opportunity to participate, SO………we’re increasing the size of the workshop, but can’t do it until Wednesday (the 23rd — 1 month before the workshop). The registration link will be the same:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/UW9tfCWsRfy2yrLuFmAHVA

Get yourself signed up!!

The Sultana Disaster

by Charles Hansen

The Sultana Disaster

Dee Cody, a descendant of Daniel Garber who survived this disaster, says for those who are not familiar with the Sultana disaster, this was a steamboat built in 1863. The Sultana traveled up and down the Mississippi River between St. Louis and New Orleans carrying passengers, supplies and news. In April 1865, at the end of the Civil War, the steamship was charged with bringing home Union POWs from Andersonville and Cahaba prisons on their way to Camp Chase in Columbus, Ohio. The soldiers boarded the Sultana at Vicksburg, Mississippi on April 21. A quick fix was made to one of the boilers which must have been having a problem.

Around 2:00 AM on April 27, 1865 the Sultana was 7 miles north of Memphis when the boiler exploded. Of the passengers, 1,164 to 1,800 individuals lost their lives including some women and children.

The Sultana Association is holding a reunion on November 13 and 14 at Marion, Arkansas to celebrate the opening of the permanent Sultana Disaster Museum. If you have a distant ancestor who survived or who was killed and would like to know more about this event and wish to attend or just want information you can contact us at:

Sultana Association: https://www.thesultanaassociation.com

Sultana Association Facebook: https://www.facebook/com/TheSultanaAssociation

Sultana Disaster Museum: https://www.sultanadisastermuseum.com

Sultana Documentary: https://www.rememberthesultana.com