GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s Wednesday Evening E-News

THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s

Wednesday Evening

E-News

15 November 2017

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 click here.

Also, if you missed your free copy of our monthly Insider for November 2017, you’re in luck because we saved you a copy HERE. NOTE: The Insider issues are now located under the “Learn” > “Our Publications” menu at www.gfo.org.

Curious about the status of your GFO Membership?? We’d love to have you as a GFO Member!

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GPS Logo

GFO’s GPS Group Has A Treat For You This Saturday!! Nov 18th, 9:30 – 11:30am

GFO’s Genealogy Problem Solvers

FINDING VITAL STATISTIC DATA

At this meeting, come learn about research tools that can help you locate obscure documentation of life’s major events.

While many vital statistic records are open to the public, others have restricted access under state law. Share in the GPS’s research tips about searching for one particularly elusive divorce document.

Genealogy Problem Solvers is led by Harold Hinds Jr., Duane Funk, and Tom O’Brien.

All of our special interest groups are free and open to the public. Bring a friend, or seven of them!

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Unravel the mysteries of DNA research with presenter and author Don Anderson.

Come out to the GFO Library this Saturday, Nov 18th, at 2pm, to hear author Don Anderson discuss his new book, Paper and Spit.

Don, like many adoptees, wanted to know where he came from. His presentation at this month’s GenTalk will help you figure out what to say when making first contact with newly discovered relatives.

Remember! GFO’s Monthly GenTalks are Always Free and Open to the Public!!

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“So, why forty-four dollars?” – GFO Membership

Ever wonder at GFO’s membership fee? $44 per year seems like it may be more than other similar societies ask, but here’s how GFO stands out:

We maintain a large genealogical library with over 45,000 holdings.
We offer new computers.
We offer high-speed Wi-Fi.
We offer access in the library to Ancestry.com, Fold3, Newspapers.com, GenealogyBank, FindMyPast, American Ancestors, and HistoryGeo.
Each of our calendar months is jam packed with a variety of FREE educational programming opportunities.
Our library is open seven days a week including one evening until 8 o’clock (Wednesdays! Wednesdays!).
We support a variety of special interest groups that meet in our library.

Maybe you’d like to learn more? Give our new promotional video a spin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80c8hIMQtuA.

We hope you’ll consider becoming a member if you aren’t already or if you’ve been on the fence about it. It’s our membership support that has kept us going strong for 71 years!

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Thank you, as always, for all you do for the GFO!

We’re very excited about this event every year!

No need to sign up! No requirement to stay the whole day. Come when you can, eat some delicious food, learn some new skills, and chat with some truly amazing people!

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MSS Features Aunt Jane House Jesuale 2014-12 Box 3 File 6 Page 38

Click the image for a preview of the Jesuale Collection!

We’re putting ’em online for you to research from home!

Did you know the GFO has a digital manuscripts collection? Do you know what type of material it contains? It contains some very exciting genealogical gems, my darlings!

Jesuale Collection (2014-12)

This week we found that this collection’s creator was connected to the author of Aunt Jane of Kentucky, a book written in 1907. The documentation in this manuscript collection shows that Aunt Jane’s author, Lydia/Lida/Liza Obenchain, pen name Elizabeth Calvert Hall (also Liza Calvert Hall), was the wife of William Obenchain.

The first chapter of Ms. Obenchain’s book, titled “Sally Ann’s Experience,” was recommended by Theodore Roosevelt during his speech “Industrial Training and National Development,” delivered on May 31, 1907 at the semi-centennial celebration of the founding of agricultural colleges in the U.S. in Lansing, Michigan.

This collection is currently being indexed, but click HERE for a preview or email manuscripts@gfo.org to order a copy of the complete manuscript.

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Ford Building Parking Updates

We recently learned about the following changes and wanted to give you all a heads-up:

The parking lot on SE 11th Ave, across from the Ford Building, no longer offers pay-to-park, but is still available for permit holders.
The parking lot directly behind the Ford Building is now offering up to 3 hours parking instead of just 2 hours.
The parking lot on SE 10th Ave, across Division St from the Ford Building, is still offering pay-to-park options.

Please note, these changes have been implemented by the Ford Building Management.

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This Week at the GFO…

desk-calendar-12992149

Go on! Click the calendar. I dare ya!!

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 18th

Genealogical Problem Solvers Group 9:30 – 11:30am

FINDING VITAL STATISTIC DATA – Join us as Harold, Duane, and Tom share research tips about their search for an elusive divorce document.

GenTalk 2 – 3pm

This GenTalk will focus on using Don’s story to illustrate “What to say when making contact with new matches.” This can be one of the most delicate and challenging aspects of finding close relatives, or wanting to create a positive experience with new cousins. Discovering a new match is much like finding a fish at the end of your pole, and now you need to reel in the fish. There is a method – what you say and how you say it is important.

BOTH THESE EVENTS ARE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 19th

Library Work Party 9am – noon

There’€™s another work party at the GFO library today for those of you who can come. There’€™s lots to do and we’d love to have your help. Doors open at 9 and work usually wraps up around noon. Some people come for just an hour or so and you’€™re welcome to do the same. Any time you can share is valuable. Hope to see you there.

Beginner DNA 1 – 3pm

Topic: Triangulation!
Have you not located your common ancestor for the Y and autosomal DNA? Have you proven your Y-lineage through DNA back to your oldest known ancestor? Emily will cover how to triangulate for Y-DNA (basically works for mitochondrial DNA as well) and autosomal DNA testing. Learn why it is important to do so.

While waiting for this class, research your genealogy deep and wide (as far back as you can, bringing down all the ancestors you can to the 1900s, and download your matches’ segments into a spreadsheet. Also, test any 2-4th cousins you can. Do as much as you can, but know that all of these help you determine your common ancestor(s) more easily.

There are two handouts. Click here to download. Please bring a copy of the evaluation form which can be found here. Questions? Ask Emily at aulicino@hevanet.com.

HOLIDAY SCHEDULE

Wednesday, November 23nd GFO’s library will close at 1pm. Researcher early this day!

Thursday, November 24th GFO’s library will be closed for the Thanksgiving holiday. See you again at 9:30am on Friday, November 25th!