JESS RAMEY HONORED AS VOLUNTEER OF THE QUARTER
The Board of Directors has named Jess Ramey as the honored Volunteer of the second Quarter of the year, in recognition of his extraordinary accomplishment of putting the SGS library’s collection of over 800 unidentified and uncataloged maps in order. Over many years the SGS built up this large collection, which was stashed in various places throughout the library.
Over a period of just eight months, Jess Ramey has processed this miscellany of maps, of widely varying size and date, to get them into the library catalog. Every map was unrolled and flattened, then identified by Jess and entered into an inventory. Finally, all the maps were reviewed, one by one, for inclusion in the library or for surplus. In all, 680 of the maps were designated for retention in our collection.
Jess then took the information from each map, assigned it a call number and entered it into the catalog. These maps have now all been labeled and are available to library patrons in the large map boxes. Our technology director is in the process of updating our online catalog. Once that major project is completed, the online SGS catalog will show these maps during a search.
Jess Ramey started tracing his own family history around 1995 and joined the Seattle Genealogical Society several years later. For most of his years as an SGS member, his main concern has been researching his family line, and partly to assist him with this project, he attended a number of SGS seminars. Since last summer he has been working at the SGS library once a week and volunteered to help our society at the Irish Week Festival. More recently Jess has been appointed to the Material Review Committee, which evaluates and selects acquisitions for our library’s collections. His own family research includes working with Canadian and Scots-Irish as well as United States records. And he reports that one of his primary research goals is to discover the reasons why during the nineteenth century his Ramey line moved from Virginia to Ohio to Indiana to Illinois and finally to Washington. As happens to nearly all family researchers, Jess has of course encountered a few brick walls, the most challenging being to find Ramey ancestors before his third great-grandfather and third great-grandmother, who were supposedly born in Virginia in the 1780’s.
The SGS owes Jess Ramey a heartfelt vote of thanks for his outstanding work on behalf of the library, and we wish him much success in tracing his family history.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDEDWe need at least 2 more people to work a two-hour shift on Saturday, July 30 and Sunday, July 31 at the 2016 SEATTLE SCOTTISH HIGHLAND GAMES, EXPO Fairgrounds in ENUMCLAW, WA.
It is estimated that 30,000 people will visit the Highland Games this year. This is a big event. Volunteers at the SGS booth answer simple questions and pass out SGS Membership brochures. We also refer people to the various clan booths.
No prior experience is needed; on-the-job coaching will be provided to new volunteers.
You will get a free ticket – good all day so you can enjoy the various activities at the Games before or after your shift.
Most of the people who will come to the SGS Booth don’t have any understanding of their Scottish or Irish Heritage and have not done any research. They mainly want to know three things:
1. Information about my surname
2. “What clan do I belong to?”
3. “What Tartan can I use?”
We’ll have books available to help answer these questions.
I am mailing out packets this week so please contact me as soon as possible if you can help: Jean A. Roth, jeanaroth@juno.com 206-782-2629
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON WHAT HAPPENS AT THE HIGHLAND GAMES, visit http://www.sshga.org/games/gamesIntro.htm
SEEKING DONATED SERVICE:
SGS plans to install a large ceiling-mounted pull-down screen to enhance our education programs and presentations. Our landlord has granted permission to install the screen, but has requested that the work be done by a licensed contractor/installer.
Do you know of an individual or company qualified to perform the installation? We’ll provide the screen and mounting hardware.
please email technology@seattlegenealogicalsociety.org for suggestions or additional details.
NEED HELP WITH FAMILY TREE MAKER? OR ARE YOU AN FTM EXPERT?
We’ve received a request from an SGS member for help with Family Tree Maker, and would like to know if others share this interest.
If you’d like a workshop or help session about Family Tree Maker, please email Secretary@seattlegenealogicalsociety.org. If there is sufficient interest, we’ll put one together.
AND, if you’re an intermediate or advanced FTM user, and would like to help others via such a workshop, please let us know! We’d love the help!
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Unless otherwise indicated all programs will be at the SGS Library, 6200 Sand Point Way NE. Please check the SGS Web Site for additions, changes, and corrections. Programs may be canceled or postponed due to inclement weather.
The German, Irish, Canadian and Scandinavian Interest Groups will not meet during the summer; regular meetings will resume in the fall.
JULY
Tuesday, July 12, 12:30 pm – 3:00 pm, Technology Tuesday, Hosted by Lisa Chan, SGS Director of Technology. Bring your laptop or mobile device, visit with other members and learn from each other while working on your family history. Discuss current projects, hardware, software, organizing data, and technology trends in genealogy.
Tuesday, July 19, 12:30 pm – 3:00 pm, Technology Tuesday, Hosted by Lisa Chan, SGS Director of Technology.
Friday July 22, 1:00pm – 3:00 pm, Brick Wall Session, Leader: Jean A Roth will be on-hand to help you solve your research problems.
Tuesday, July 26, 12:30 pm – 3:00 pm, Technology Tuesday, Hosted by Lisa Chan, SGS Director of Technology.
AUGUST
Tuesday, August 2, 12:30 pm – 3:00 pm, Technology Tuesday, Hosted by Lisa Chan, SGS Director of Technology. Bring your laptop or mobile device, visit with other members and learn from each other while working on your family history. Discuss current projects, hardware, software, organizing data, and technology trends in genealogy.
Tuesday, August 9, 12:30 pm – 3:00 pm, Technology Tuesday, Hosted by Lisa Chan, SGS Director of Technology.
Saturday, August 20, 10am -12:30pm, SGS DNA Special Interest Group
Wedgwood Presbyterian Church, 8005 35 th Ave NE, Seattle, WA, downstairs in the Fellowship Hall.
Join us to learn about new discoveries in DNA testing.
If you are interested in being added to their email list, contact sgsdnasig@gmail.com
SAVE THE DATES
“Wide Eyes”– A War Orphan Unlocks the Mystery of Her Latvian Roots
Sunday, July 24, 2016 at 12 noon
Seattle Latvian Cultural Center
11710 3rd Ave NE
Seattle, WA
SCOTTISH HIGHLAND GAMES
Saturday, July 30 & Sunday, July 31, 2016
Expo Center (formerly The King County Fairgrounds)
45224 284th Avenue SE
Enumclaw, WA
SGS will have a booth manned by our volunteers. Come see us and enjoy the games. Additional info at: http://www.sshga.org/home.htm
36th IAJGS International Conference on Jewish Genealogy
“The Wandering Jew”
Sheraton Seattle Hotel
1400 Sixth Ave
Seattle, WA
August 7th -12th
This annual conference is coming to Seattle this year. For more information and registration:
https://s4.goeshow.com/iajgs/annual/2016/registration.cfm
Stillaquamish Valley Genealogical Society
2016 Northwest Genealogy Conference
Byrnes Performing Arts Center
Arlington, WA
August 17th-20th
August 17th is The Beginner Genealogy Free Day with classes geared for those new to genealogy. For more details on this conference and registration go to:
http://stillygen.org/cpage.php?pt=50
SGS members Janice Lovelace and Mary Kircher Roddy are presenting at this conference.
The Kelowna & District Genealogical Society’s (KDGS)
“Harvest Your Family Tree” Conference 2016
Kelowna, BC, Canada
September 23rd-25th
More info and registration at: www.kdgsconference2016.blogspot.ca
SGS member Mary Kircher Roddy is also speaking at this conference.
Ancestry Days in Washington State
September 23-24, 2016
Greater Tacoma Convention Center
1500 Broadway
Tacoma, WA 98402
The Office of the Secretary of State and the Washington State Historical Society are partnering with Ancestry to bring a very special genealogical event to the Pacific Northwest. Ancestry Day in Washington will be held in Tacoma on Saturday, September 24, and is expected to attract more than 1,000 family historians. Whether you are a new subscriber to Ancestry, an experienced genealogist, or just interested in finding out what genealogy is all about, this is the event for you! Activities on September 23 will be held at the Washington State History Museum in Tacoma and will include access to the museum and special presentations on outstanding genealogical resources in Washington. On Saturday, September 24, Ancestry will take center stage at the Greater Tacoma Convention & Trade Center. They will be bringing their expertise, engaging speakers, door prizes, and Ancestry DNA kits to purchase. There also will be vendors from around the state sharing their products and ideas.
Registration opens in late July. Stay tuned for more information. For more details, see: