Tacoma-Pierce County Genealogical Society 2024 Virtual Spring Seminar April 27, 2024
Our speakers will be Cyndi Ingle and Cari Taplin.
Cyndi’s Topics: • Smarter Searching: Refining Search Parameters for Genealogists • Off the Shelf: The Unexplored Potential for eBooks in Genealogy Cari’s Topics: • Using Timelines to Analyze Your Research • The Heart of it All: A New Hampshire to Ohio Migration Case Study
Registration closing soon – don’t delay!
Members: $30.00 Non-Members: $35.00
Mail-in registration must be postmarked by April 20, 2024. Online Registration closes on April 25, 2024.
At the May 2024 Annual Membership Meeting, SKCGS will hold officer elections for the positions of Vice President and Secretary. If you’re interested or know someone who might be, please contact nominating-committee@skcgs.org. The Nominating Committee is pleased to share the slate of candidates and invite additional nominations. Learn more at https://www.skcgs.org/home/nominees.
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PROGRAM UPDATES
All meetings are online except the in-person Research Group, Family Tree Maker 2024 Tour, and Genealogy Help at the Auburn and Federal Way Libraries
Live transcription (captioning) is available during our Zoom meetings by request
Online meeting participants need to register for SKCGS Zoom meetings. Register at our website skcgs.org. Upon registration, Zoom will send a confirmation email with instructions on joining the meeting.
APRIL – EARLY MAY 2024 MEETINGS & EVENTS
Saturday, April 6, 2024, 10:00am – 12:00pm PT Family Tree Maker Users Group (online) Question & Answer. Each month, we will learn about using the features of FTM. Register at https://www.skcgs.org After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Subscribe to the free SKCGS FTM email list for announcements and discussion: https://skcgs.groups.io/g/FTMUG
Monday, April 8, 2024 ⋅ 1:00pm – 3:00pm PT Genetic Genealogy/DNA Interest Group (online) Topic: Getting DNA data into DNA Painter to “paint your chromosomes” and Answer Your Research Questions Come prepared to share your screen to demonstrate both how to do these things, but also to show the questions you have about the process.
Register at https://www.skcgs.org After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Subscribe to the free SKCGS Genetic-Genealogy email list for announcements and discussion: https://skcgs.groups.io/g/Genetic-Genealogy Monday, April 15, 2024 ⋅ 1:00pm – 3:00pm PT Technical User Group (online) Topic: Full Text Search – FamilySearch
Register at https://www.skcgs.org After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Subscribe to the free SKCGS Technical User Group email list for announcements and discussion: https://skcgs.groups.io/g/TUG Wednesday, April 17, 2024 ⋅ 6:30pm – 7:30pm PT
Genealogy with SKCGS and KCLS (online) Sources to use in replacing the 1890 Census
Join professional genealogist, Winona Laird, from South King County Genealogical Society for a series of programs to help you along on your genealogical journey. King County Library will email a Zoom link no later than 24 hours before the program start time. If you do not see an email, check your Junk or Spam folder. If you need assistance, please contact Jennifer at jwooten@kcls.org. Register at KCLS: https://kcls.bibliocommons.com/events/65565bbd61803d36006d6b5d
Friday, April 19, 2024, 1:00pm – 3:00pm PT Research Workshop (in-person) For SKCGS members Kent FamilySearch Center 12817 SE 256th St., Kent, WA Seating is limited RSVP REQUIRED to Winona at w.laird@skcgs.org
Saturday, April 20, 2024, 9:30am PT social time; 10am – 11:30am PT program (online) SKCGS General Membership Meeting (Online) Lisa Gorrell “General Land Office: Get the Most Out of the BLM-GLO Website”
Did your ancestor obtain land from the Federal Government in the Public Land States? The General Land Office website has the answers but the website can be confusing to use. This presentation will dip deep into the website and offer tips for future research in other records. Even if your ancestor did not get land from the Federal Government, information from the site can be useful for your land-owning ancestors in the Public Land States.
Lisa S. Gorrell is a Certified Genealogist®. She has served on boards of several genealogical societies and is currently the recording secretary with the local historical society, where she volunteers at their archives. She is a founding member and instructor of the new online institute Applied Genealogy Institute. She enjoys giving genealogy presentations and writing about her family on two blogs: “Mam-ma’s Southern Family” (https://mam-massouthernfamily.blogspot.com/) and “My Trails into the Past” (https://mytrailsintothepast.blogspot.com/). She has written a three-generation family history about her husband’s Swedish ancestors.
The program will be recorded for playback by SKCGS Members. Guests welcome! Register at https://www.skcgs.org
Monday, April 22, 2024 ⋅ 1:00pm – 3:00pm PT Genealogy Chat (online) Meet up and chat about genealogy subjects and topics. We have no agenda; we just like one another! Register at https://www.skcgs.org After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Subscribe to the free SKCGS email list for announcements and discussion: https://skcgs.groups.io/g/Society
Thursday, April 25, 2024 ⋅ 11:00am – 1:00pm PT or 5:30pm – 8:30pm PT Family Tree Maker 2024 Tour (in-person) Mark Olson, Family Tree Maker Ambassador, will be presenting an in-depth look at the upcoming new edition FTM 2024. Meeting location: Good Shepherd Center, Rm 202 4649 Sunnyside Ave N
Thursday, April 25, 2024 ⋅ 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. Safety guidelines and current protocols followed. More information at King County Library, email kcls-auburn@kcls.org
Thursday, April 25, 2024 ⋅ 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 1st Way S Federal Way, WA 98003 Registration not required. In-person event. Safety guidelines and current protocols followed. More information at King County Library, https://kcls.org/locations/federal-way, or phone: (253) 838-3668
Friday, May 3, 2024 ⋅ 12:30pm PT EGS German Interest Group (online) Topic: “National-Socialism – ‘Euthanasia’ and family research” by Inga Guttzeit. For meeting registration, visit https://egsgermangroup.wordpress.com/
Saturday, May 4, 2024, 10:00am – 12:00pm PT Family Tree Maker Users Group (online) Question & Answer. Each month, we will learn about using the features of FTM. Register at https://www.skcgs.org After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Subscribe to the free SKCGS FTM email list for announcements and discussion: https://skcgs.groups.io/g/FTMUG
Tuesday, May 7, 2024, 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.
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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 2023 award recipients and learn why they received the 2023 WSGS Outstanding Volunteer and Team Award.
Today we’re introducing Kerry McHugh Upton of Olympia, Washington, who were nominated by the Olympia Genealogical Society (OGS).
For 20 years, Kerry has been a strong leader and encouraging member of OGS. She has served as president and secretary, and assisted on committees and teams planning the annual seminars, retreats and other special events. In 2019, she organized a number of special interest groups, which are still going strong.
Kerry established OGS’s first Facebook page. She initiated recording of monthly programs, posting them for member viewing on the website. Then, in 2020, when OGS learned that their seminar had to be cancelled because of the pandemic and social isolation, Kerry worked tirelessly to choreograph their first virtual seminar, in just one month’s time, cementing her place as a member of the newly formed tech team. Today, she is helping plan how to hybridize future meetings to be both physical and virtual.
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.
In genealogy, the term “brick wall” is often used to refer to tough research problems, apparent dead-ends that after many hours of searching still yield no answers.
We all think we know about brick walls because most of us have them….. or have had them in our family history research. Am I right? Ever considered that you might be your own brickwall??
A handout from FamilySearch identifies some common genealogical mistakes and offers strategies for overcoming them:
GETTING STARTED
Talk to family!! Do not skip this step.
Realize that there is information beyond the Internet.
Realize that while online family trees are great CLUES, unless they are well documented, they are not to be taken as gospel.
Get over the “if it’s not free, I don’t/can’t/want it.” (There is a cost associated with creating and maintaining websites, obtaining and organizing records, etc)
THE RESEARCH PROCESS
Plan your research; don’t succumb to SOS (Shiny Object Syndrome)
Don’t start at the wrong end…. meaning start with today, document your ancestry from today on back …. and you’ll likely find clues to that end-of-line ancestor.
Focus on one family at a time… NOT an individual. Not one man or woman was totally alone but was surrounded by family, friends and neighbors. (In those olden times of the 1800s, where did an ailing old widow go? To live with her children or grandchildren! There was no Social Security.)
Be aware of spelling variations: Phillips, Philips, Phillipss, Filips, Flips, etc. are all the same surname (most likely, spoken by one who could not spell).
WORKING WITH RECORDS
Aim to access the “real” or bottom-line source, not a derivative source. Ask: where did she get that information as shown on her online tree????? SHE is not a source for you!
Do you collect names and bits and pieces of likely-looking information in hopes of fitting the puzzle pieces together? Doesn’t work well, does it, and soon you have desk overflowing with papers! Take the time….. make the time… to analyze your findings. Take time to spread it out on a table and think how it might or does fit.
It is most worthwhile to write up your idea, your analyzing, your thoughts. Just because you’ve gathered a bunch of facts about an individual or a family, do you have the right family and/or all the information? A school notebook is great; you’re not writing a novel but just jotting ideas. 😐
There are dozens of websites offering “Overcoming Brickwalls” and many YouTube videos of the same. Instead of giving up, or quitting when all the low-hanging fruit is picked, or succumbing to SOS, give yourself a shake and learn how to NOT be your own brick wall!
Friday, April 19 @ 10AM At the Bainbridge Library and on Zoom Evelyn Roehl will present Pledging Allegiance – the Paper Trail to Naturalization Records
Evelyn will first provide historical information on naturalization and citizenship including the many changes through the years. She’ll discuss the different court systems involved in the two steps of the naturalization process and give us research tips and techniques to get through the maze and find your ancestors’ information.
Evelyn Roehl was born in Minnesota and raised on a family farm, the youngest of ten children. She moved to Seattle in 1985 and in 1992 began digging into the roots of her family tree. Two years later she took a sabbatical to travel across the United States and then over to Germany and France to trace her ancestors and relatives. In 1995, she started Kin Hunters to offer her genealogical research and publishing skills to others. She has made numerous research trips to the Family History Library (FamilySearch) in Salt Lake City, Utah, as well as to other research facilities around the United States and Canada
So, please join us on April 19 at 10AM
either at the Bainbridge Library or on Zoom
Everyone Welcome! No membership necessary but registration is required.
Location: Y.V.G.S. Library with Registration at 8:30am
Speaker: Christine Cohen
Subject: A Full Day Dedicated to Finding Your Ancestors.
“Have You Signed Up Yet?” You won’t want to miss this Outstanding Nationally recognized speaker – Christine Cohen. She is most knowledgeable in a variety of genealogical topics. She will be speaking on the following topics that are most beneficial in finding your ancestors. (1) Immigration Ports of Entry. (2) Naturalization and Citizenship Records. (3) Grand Army of the Republic – Researching Union Civil War Veterans. (4) Cousin Baiting & Cousin Stalking.
The Registration form is online at www.yvgs.net Click on Society News. Spring Seminar. Advanced Registration before April 7th. $40.00. Onsite April 13th Registration 8:30am to 9:00am. $45.00. No Refunds of Registration fee after April 7th.
Presentation – Diving Deeper Into FamilySearch.org-Part Two
(This presentation and meeting will not be available via Zoom)
Tuesday, April 9, 2024
1:00 pm
SVGS Library
6111 188 PL NE, Arlington, WA
You are invited to this free presentation at the SVGS library.
Everyone is welcome!
Donna Snider will be back speaking in person at our April 9th meeting. Our business meeting will follow the presentation.
Donna’s topic:Diving Deeper Into FamilySearch.org – Part Two
This will be a continuation of the February presentation by Donna.
Time to expand your research in FamilySearch.org? You’ve processed all those handy Record Hints for your ancestor, so now what? FamilySearch has a vast amount of records that are only available with a deeper dive. Come learn some tips and tricks that will make your dive more effective and less frustrating.
Bio: Donna Snider is Director of the Camano-Stanwood FamilySearch Center on nearby Camano Island. Her life-long love of family history propelled her through many hours of recording memories for the elderly, through several college genealogy classes, and through a B.A. in gerontology at Brigham Young University. She has taught a variety of genealogical classes over the last several decades, and her specialty is teaching others how to easily steer through the extensive FamilySearch.org program.
There will be a short break with refreshments. The monthly meeting will follow.
DIG – DNA Special Interest Group
Also join us at the SVGS library from 1-3pm on Thursday, April 18th for our DNA Special Interest Group (DIG). This group works together to develop a better understanding of DNA techniques and strategies for finding relatives, discuss and review new DNA developments and tools and help members with their research problems. This group meets at the same time on the 3rd Thursday of the month.
All DNA skill levels are welcome to attend.
If you have a specific DNA topic you would like to discuss or have any other suggestions for this group, please send an email info@stillygen.org
Also, if you have not joined us yet and would like to receive emails in the future for the DIG group, please send an email to info@stillygen.org and request to be added to the DIG email list.
Tacoma-Pierce County Genealogical Society – Presents Nathan Dylan Goodwin Tuesday, April 9, 2024 from 11:00 am to 12:30 pm Live via Zoom
Nathan Dylan Goodwin For those of us hooked on Forensic Genealogist Morton Farrier’s adventures, it’s a great day to be able to hear from his creator in-person (albeit Zoom)! Of course, Nathan Dylan Goodwin has written many stories that have intrigued us for years, and on Tuesday, April 9th, at 11am via Zoom all the way from Kent, England, he will be online with us and present “Finding Henry”. Goodwin has degree in Radio, Film and Television studies, with a Masters in Creative Writing and he is a favorite mystery crime writer of many of us. So please plan to be there!
This is a special time (it will be recorded and available via zoom in the evening at 6:15pm as well) but we want as many members to be there as possible in the AM to show him that we are huge fans and make him feel welcome!
Topic: TPCGS Membership Zoom Meeting Time: Apr 9, 2024 11:00 AM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
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