Jefferson County Genealogical Seminar 40th Anniversary Celebration

by Charles Hansen
JCGS 40th Anniversary Celebration Saturday, May 11, 2024 @ 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Hybrid Meeting: Attend online via Zoom or in-person at the Tri-Area Community Center, 10 West Valley Road, Chimacum, WA
Join us in marking our 40th Anniversary with a full-day event that includes live vendors, awards for long-term contributors, and – of course – cake! Guest speaker and internationally known genealogist Michelle Leonard will also be joining us live from Scotland for two presentations.
Registration is required. Please CLICK HERE TO REGISTER.
Registration deadline: May 5, 2024. $25 for Non-Members (includes an individual one-year membership) Free for Members but you must register
To register and you are not a member, complete the registration form and submit payment via the following options: PayPal via JCGS website (https://wajcgs.org/jcgs-40th-anniversary/) Mail a check to: JCGS Class, PO Box 627, Port Townsend, WA 98368 (please allow five business days for mail delivery)
If you are a JCGS member, attendance is free, but you MUST register by completing the registration form.
A Zoom link will be sent to registrants on May 8, 2024. For those planning to attend in person, the doors to the Tri-Area will open at 9:30 a.m. to allow you to sign in, get a name tag, grab some coffee or tea, and find a seat. You will have an opportunity to meet and mingle with old friends (and perhaps make some new ones!) and fellow genealogists in the large meeting room until the first presentation begins at 10 a.m. We will have a short break between the two presentations.
First Presentation: Begins at 10 a.m.
Tools for Researching Your English and Scottish Ancestors
Second Presentation: Begins at 11:30 a.m.
Case Studies: Solving Ancestor Mysteries with Help from DNA
Michelle Leonard is a Scottish professional genealogist and expert DNA detective. She runs her own genealogy and DNA consultancy business, Genes & Genealogy, and specializes in DNA Detective work, particularly the solving of adoption, unknown parentage, and all manner of ancestor mysteries. She is a regular speaker at major genealogy events such as RootsTech, The Genealogy Show, Family Tree Live, Back to Our Past, and Who Do You Think You Are? She co-authored Tracing Your Ancestors Using DNA: A Guide for Family Historians, published in 2019.


Olympia Genealogical Society Celebrates 50 Years

by Charles Hansen

PO Box 1313

Olympia WA 98507-1313

https://olygensoc.org

OLYMPIA GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY CELEBRATES 50TH YEAR PROVIDING SERVICES TO SOUTH SOUND AREA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FROM

THE OLYMPIA GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY

Contact

Anthony Carter, OGS President

PH 360-561-2727 or president@olygensoc.org

The Olympia Genealogical Society, formed in 1974, is celebrating its 50th Anniversary with a kick-off party on Saturday, May 18, 2024

OLYMPIA – The Olympia Genealogical Society (OGS) is announcing the start of a year-long celebration of its 50th Anniversary promoting the study of family and local histories, and assisting members, friends, and the South Puget Sound community on their genealogical journey.

The kick-off party for the celebration will be held at the Capital Vision Christian Church, 1775 Yew Avenue NE, Olympia on Saturday, May 18, 2024, from 1:00 to 3:30 p.m. Two of our founding members, Alma Greenwood and Ann Olson, will give a short presentation about OGS’s origins followed by an open Q & A period.

Scrapbooks documenting the OGS history will be available for review, and a video diary of OGS pictures and documents will be shown before and after the oral presentation. The event is free and open to the public; refreshments will be served.

Digging Up Ancestors for 50 Years!

Anyone interested in becoming a member of OGS can get information at Olympia Genealogical Society – Membership (olygensoc.org)

Annual dues are just $30 per individual, $35 for a family, and $15 for students.

For new members joining between April 16 and August 31, 2024,

the remainder of the current membership year is included

with the next full year’s membership!

Let’s Talk About… Ulster Settlers Database

by Donna Phillips

 Likely you cannot read the faint print of this snip, so I  copied it for you. The important-est statement is this, to my mind: “historical data relating to the English and Scottish men and women who settled in Ulster in the period 1609-1641…”   Those are/were what we’ve come to understand as the Scots-Irish! Those hard-to-find-hard-to-trace rascals who came to the colonies and happily settled on the frontier away from anything of “officialdom.” 

My hubby’s Phillips line is Scots-Irish and I’ve had minimal success with it. Bet you’re in that rowboat with me, eh? I’m going to have a great time clicking around on this website/database……… and, if you Google “Ulster Settlers” several parallel websites pop up, offering more insight, knowledge and information to you! Hooray!

The Ulster Settlers Database, an exciting biographical and historical resource, is now available to researchers. Making innovative use of historical data relating to the English and Scottish men and women who settled in Ulster in the period c.1609-1641, the database is a searchable account of a community in flux.

The initial phase of the project was funded by the Royal Irish Academy through the Hunter Digital Fellowship. Beginning in early 2022, the project was co-hosted by the Institute of Irish Studies at Queens University Belfast and Maynooth University’s Arts and Humanities Institute. 

Taking on the challenges involved in working with incomplete biographical data, this project models existing data into life events and then digitally links all these related events to reconstruct a searchable prosopography or biographical map of the entire settler cohort. 

The Ulster Settlers database is available to search here: https://ulster-settlers.clericus.ie/

By the by, never say “Scotch-Irish.” David Rencher, CEO of the FamilySearch Library reminds us “that Scotch is a drink.”

Fiske Genealogical Library May Classes

by Charles Hansen

Wednesday, April 24

10:00 am to 11:15 am Pacific Time – Fiske Genealogical Library, Seattle (Virtual Class)

From a Box in the Closet to a Treasured Family Heirloom

Presented by Sara Cochran

For links to join the meeting and get class notes, select https://fiskelibrary.org

If you’re overwhelmed by the collection of photos your family has accumulated, you’re not alone! After a brief history of photography, we look at organizing techniques, digitization basics and options/ideas on what to do with your photos so they can be enjoyed by generations to come, instead of collecting dust in the box.

Wednesday, May 1

10:00 am to 11:15 am Pacific Time – Fiske Genealogical Library, Seattle (Virtual Class)

Bagging a Live One: Reverse Genealogy in Action

Presented by Mary Roddy

For links to join the meeting and get class notes, select https://fiskelibrary.org

Mary will show you how to find distant relatives, perhaps ones you never knew existed. You will come away with the skills to target specific people and to find their contact details. Great for finding missing friends and cousins or for locating family members to fill out your DNA “dance card.”

Wednesday, May 8   

10:00 am to 11:15 am Pacific Time – Fiske Genealogical Library, Seattle (Virtual Class)

Becoming the Ancestor

Presented by Beth Swartz

For links to join the meeting and get class notes, select https://fiskelibrary.org

“Becoming the Ancestor” is about planning for your genealogy when you’re gone. Deciding what to do with it and who’s getting which items or documents. I also discuss identifying items, papers, etc that you want passed on to younger generations, friends or donated to a society. Genealogy wills and getting your wishes down on paper so your family knows your intentions. This is not legal advice, seek advice from an attorney or estate planner in your local jurisdiction.

Wednesday, May 15 

10:00 am to 11:15 am Pacific Time – Fiske Genealogical Library, Seattle (Virtual Class)

Across the Pond to Scotland

Presented by Winona Laird

For links to join the meeting and get class notes, select https://fiskelibrary.org

The church, government and the wars all play a part in tracking Scottish genealogy and Scottish migration to other countries. Included is the search for baptismal, marriage and death registers plus the census records of Scotland. In addition, the clans of Scotland, the structure  of family and kinship, are important in discovering Scottish genealogy.

Wednesday, May 22 

10:00 am to 11:15 am Pacific Time – Fiske Genealogical Library, Seattle (Virtual Class)

Disaster Proofing Your Research

Presented by Sara Cochran

For links to join the meeting and get class notes, select https://fiskelibrary.org

Family historians spend years gathering and compiling records, photographs, and family heirlooms to preserve the past and guide the future. Let’s talk about ways to ensure that all this hard work isn’t lost in any number of potential disasters.

Wednesday, May 29

10:00 am to 11:15 am Pacific Time – Fiske Genealogical Library, Seattle (Virtual Class)

Pruning Your Family Tree

Presented by Jenny Hansen

For links to join the meeting and get class notes, select https://fiskelibrary.org

We grow up hearing stories of ancestors and poring over old family files. But how much of that information is really true?  Whether you are trying to crack family mysteries or just starting your own original research, this class will show you how to verify your family tree. Learn how to eliminate potential relatives and how to embrace the true stories of your past

Eastern Washington Genealogical Society Trip to the Oregon Trail!

by Charles Hansen

Please join us on this trip to the Oregon Trail!

(Be sure to read to the end of this message to discover what other treats will be offered at this event.) 

Saturday, May 4

Genealogy of the Oregon Trail  

1:00 pm to 3:00 pm

Hybrid Meeting at The Hive – 2904 E Sprague Ave, Spokane, WA 99202

Oregon Trail by Travis Boley, Manager of the Oregon and California Trails Association

“Join Travis Boley from the Oregon-California Trails Association (OCTA) as he presents on Paper Trail, OCTA’s online index to thousands of emigrant diaries from the 19th century. The diaries are indexed in a fashion to make it simple for researchers to find people, places, tribal interactions, and even numbers of wagons and animals in a train. Mr. Boley will walk us through Paper Trail and show us how to most efficiently use this valuable genealogy tool.”

  • 1:00-3pm, doors open at 12:30 Greeters will be there to open the door
  • If you will be “zooming in” the Zoom link will be available on the website EWGSi.org the day prior to the event. 
  • Please print your handouts prior to attending; handouts will be available on the website the day prior. 
  • If you are able, please arrive early to help set up/ or stay late to help clean up.

Free Table:

Bring research items that you no longer use;

take something home that may help you break down your brick wall. 

Cookies:

Eat cookies and drink coffee with friends. 

(If you haven’t brought cookies in a while, be sure to sign up.)

Raffles:

I got a sneak peek at this month’s raffles…

you will want to bring some cash to win something! 

Hint: It’s Spring, Birds Singing, Gardens Growing, Mother’s Day,

Oregon Trail…Wow!

$$$50/50$$$

Be sure to bring a couple bucks for the 50/50 jar!

Last month’s winner went home quite a bit richer! 

 Auction

The yearly EWGS auction will take place in October. 

You can bring your donation to any meeting

or contact Brusan Wells.

Here’s an item recently donated:

See you soon on the Oregon Trail!

Let’s Talk About….FamilySearch WIKI!

by Donna Phillips


Have you accessed the wonderful, fantastic, FREE resource that is the FamilySearch WIKI? When you click to www.familysearch.org/WIKI this is the page that opens up to you. From this menu, you can “order” among over 106,000 articles……… articles about places all over the world, records of all types, and what records can be found where. When my Puerto Rican friend, Leticia, wanted help with her family tree, the first thing I did was to go to the WIKI and print out all the pages of tips, helps and websites. 

Danielle Batson at the 2023 RootsTech, gave these tips in her talk:

  • “The WIKI is your online genealogy guide linking you to all known records of the entire world!”  How can you top that??
  • WIKI is constantly adding newly found links/sites.
  • WIKI offer strategy papers.
  • Search by locality, she said. “That’s where things happen!”
  • Search top-down…. ie, start with Denmark or Virginia and then work your way down through the menu.
  • Realize that some countries (“Bulgaria for instance”) hasn’t as many records.
  • Don’t over look the sidebar with links to other related records.
  • You can also join a community group for your target area and ask locality-specific questions.
  • Wiki offers Guided Research….. Wiki offers guides to where you might look next.
  • You can book your free Virtual Genealogy consultation, a 20-minute time one-on-one with a FamilySearch specialist for that area or type of record. 
  • And this, the best words she said were these:

“The FamilySearch WII is your researchers’ Golden Ticket!”

Pioneer Pursuit Contest Winner: Ralph Brown

by Roxanne Lowe

Wholehearted congratulations are extended to Ralph Brown from Bothell (Snohomish County). Ralph contributed an amazing 1,285 individuals to the Pioneer Pursuit Contest. Although the contest portion of Pioneer Pursuit ended 31 Oct 2024, Ralph is continuing to submit names, sources and associated stories of individuals, mostly in southwest Washington, who were in Washington Territory on or before statehood on 11 Nov 1889.

Although he now lives in Snohomish County, Ralph grew up in Underwood, an unincorporated community on the Columbia River in Skamania County. He went to school just up the river in White Salmon (Klickitat County).  

Ralph and his wife Ruth had three children of their own and adopted another. He was a missile technician in the Navy, then a long career with Pacific Northwest Bell. 

Trike Trips Lead to Discoveries

After he retired, Ralph spent the next ten years researching his wife’s and his families and got heavily involved in Find a Grave. In a wild and crazy decision, Ralph decided to buy a three-wheeled trike – without even knowing how to ride a motorcycle! Undaunted, Ralph and Ruth soon put more than 200,000 miles on that trike, traveling to all the local cemeteries in Klickitat and Skamania Counties taking pictures and satisfying photo requests for Find A Grave. 

Because of his ardent work on Find a Grave, Ralph decided to document all the pioneers in the Underwood Cemetery. One thing led to another and his interest soon mushroomed to document all the other small cemeteries in the area.

Pioneer Pursuit to the Rescue

Over the years, Ralph carefully documented Klickitat and Skamania Counties’ local history with a vast amount of research, documents, photographs, newspaper articles and interviews. But he needed to find a home all that research.

Fortunately for Washington State researchers, WSGS came up with the Pioneer Pursuit program – an effort to document every man, woman and child that lived in Washington Territory on or before statehood on 11 Nov 1889.

Ralph is a dedicated Facebook contributor, managing a group with over 2,000 followers. One of his followers, Bo/Casey Gleason had already submitted the Creviston pioneer family to Pioneer Pursuit. When Bo realized a connection with Ralph’s Gilmer family, they hooked up.

Continuing to Pursue Pioneers – and Quilting

Ralph still hasn’t stopped identifying territorial settlers and submitting them to Pioneer Pursuit. He’s also researching local logging, utilities and transportation histories and he hasn’t forgotten about schoolhouses and post offices.

But he’s also spending more time with his quilting longarm. Yes, Ralph is a quilter – supporting Ruth’s passion for creating intricate quilts, such as “Labyrinth Walk” shown here. “I can see me spending the rest of my life identifying people, but I have to get my passion aligned with my wife’s — which is quilting.”

According to Ralph, “There is a slogan for us motorcycle riders, “Too many roads, not enough time” and that applies to genealogy as well:  “Too many territorial settlers, not enough time” and “too much history to uncover and not enough time to document.”  

Congratulations, Ralph, for submitting 1,285 individuals to the Pioneer Pursuit. If anyone is interested in following your lead and participating in Pioneer Pursuit, visit our website here.

Genealogical Societies Support Patriot Week

by Roxanne Lowe

Volunteers from the Grays Harbor and North Beach Genealogical Societies are hosting Genealogy Cafe’s during Patriot Week from April 23 – 25, 2024, in Ocean Shores. Patriot Week is sponsored by the Washington State Society of the Sons of the American Revolution.

Volunteers will be available by appointment. The sessions will be at the libraries in Ocean Shores and Hoquiam. See the flyer for details.

More information about SAR’s Patriot Week, including a list of events, is available here.