JOHN ESHELMAN,
VOLUNTEER OF WINTER QUARTER
Each quarter, the Seattle Genealogical Society recognizes one volunteer as our Volunteer of the Quarter. Our Volunteer of the Winter Quarter is John Eshelman.
John has been an SGS member for seven years and a volunteer for more than four years. Like many of our volunteers, John wears many hats. He served on our Nominations Committee for one election cycle; indexes books for eBay sales; staffs our Library Desk on most Saturdays; and is currently in his first year as a Library Trustee and a member of the Materials Review Committee. For three years, John also helped staff the SGS table at Irish Heritage Week.
If that were not enough, John contributes to our digitization projects. He alphabetizes and indexes hard copy collections of birth, death and marriage records as well as our VFW records (currently on index cards). These projects will make our extensive collections more readily accessible. John chips in wherever he sees a need and often helps set up for our Second Saturday Speaker Series, User Groups and Interest Groups. John enjoys interacting with SGS members and working with other volunteers on projects. He also enjoys the flexibility our volunteer projects provide.
John was lucky enough to inherit his own family histories from an aunt and a great aunt. Since then, he has researched other branches of his family as well as his wife’s family. His current research areas are Ireland and Finland; and in the U.S. – East Tennessee and Kentucky. SGS is full of expertise and John has expanded his knowledge of genealogy and family history over the past few years, both formally at presentations and informally in casual conversations. Genealogists love to share their tips!
John came to SGS with a strong academic and administrative background. He taught Economics at Seattle University and served as their Provost for several years. He has volunteered for other organizations including his current work with St. Francis House serving low-income and homeless families. When John is not volunteering, he enjoys spending time with his family, including three grandchildren.
Next time you visit the Seattle Genealogical Society on a Saturday and see John Eshelman, say hello.
Thank you, John for your contributions to SGS!
VOTE FOR 2018-2019
SGS BOARD NOW
SGS members, did you remember to vote? Check your email for your ballot to select the 2018-2019 officers of the Seattle Genealogical Society. It was send on 4-11. Don’t find it; check your spam folder. Voting will be closed at 8:00 pm tonight, April 30.
LYNN DE MERRITT STEPPING DOWN
SGS is looking for a new Director of Operations effective immediately. The position is one of maintenance of the facility, such as a little housekeeping (vacuuming and trash), recycling, scheduling repairs, safety in the library, picking up mail, etc. If you wish more information, please contact either Siri Nelson (siri.c.nelson@gmail.com) or Jill Morelli (president@seagensoc.org. Lynne De Merritt, who has served admirably in that position, will be moving and is stepping down from the position. We thank her for her service and congratulate her on this new phase of life.
NORDIC MUSEUM GRAND OPENING
The new Nordic Museum at 2655 NW Market St in Ballard is having its grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony this Saturday, May 5. The ceremony, 12:00-1:00pm followed by musical entertainment for the rest of the afternoon, is free and open to the public. Visiting the galleries during opening weekend will require tickets purchased in advance. For more about the Grand Opening weekend events, see the website:
https://nordicmuseum.org/grand-opening
IT’S SPRING, A TIME OF RENEWAL
SGS members, it’s time to renew your membership for 2018-19. We’ll be mailing out renewal forms later in May, but why not “go paperless” and renew your membership online right now? You can pay your dues online with a credit/debit card. Or, if paperless isn’t quite your thing, just print out your emailed invoice and mail it to SGS with a check. Here’s the link to our new online membership form:
https://goo.gl/forms/lPfxs8CVDDAYTwgi2
Are you an eNews! reader who hasn’t joined SGS yet? Our membership year runs from June 1, 2018 through May 31, 2019. Annual dues are $40.00 individual, $50.00 dual (two at the same mailing address).
As soon as you join, you’ll be eligible for free or discounted rates for our seminars, online and offline classes, and access to SGS databases. You’ll receive our bi-annual online publication “Journal of the Seattle Genealogical Society”. You’ll learn along with other members in our special interest groups and Second Saturday programs. You’ll have opportunities to volunteer, helping others as an indexer, librarian, receptionist, instructor, and family history researcher.
Most of all, you’ll be supporting a 95-year-young, all-volunteer organization, dedicated to maintaining a public research library, preserving records, and providing educational opportunities for all in our community. So click that link up above and join SGS today!
THE SGS 2018 SPRING SEMINAR – MAY 19TH
Don’t miss the SGS 2018 Spring Seminar, “Family History: What the Future Holds”. Glimpse the future of family history through changes in technology, research methods, and other community developments.
- Joshua Taylor, MA, MLS is a nationally known and recognized genealogical author, lecturer, and researcher and a frequent speaker at family history events across the globe. He will be covering the following topics:
- Beyond Belief: The Wealth of Genealogical and Historical Societies
- Bridging the Gap: Finding Ancestors in the United States Between 1780 and 1830
- Successful Searching Online: Clustering for Genealogists
- New Tools and Ideas in Research
To register online:
https://goo.gl/forms/YpXYtA6cJH8MPSgQ2
Additional fees apply for applications made after May 12, 2018.
SAVE THE DATES
SGS 2018 Spring Seminar,
“Family History: What the Future Holds”,
with D. Joshua Taylor, MA, MLS
Fairview Christian School,
844 NE 78th St,
Seattle, WA
Saturday, May 19, 2018
Glimpse the future of family history through changes in technology, research methods, and other community developments
- Joshua Taylor, MA, MLS is a nationally known and recognized genealogical author, lecturer, and researcher and a frequent speaker at family history events across the globe.
Clark County Genealogical Society Conference and
Washington State Genealogical Society Annual Awards,
Vancouver, WA 98551
(360) 750-5688
May 25-27, 2018
Events run May 25-27th, with the Conference on the 26th. Out-of-towners, notice there is a special conference rate at the local Hilton.
2018 Northwest Genealogy Conference,
Stillaguamish Valley Genealogical Society,
Byrnes Performing Arts Center,
18821 Crown Ridge Blvd,
Arlington, WA
August 15 – 18, 2018
As usual, the first day of this four day conference is designed for beginners and is free (registration required).
Days 2-4 will be packed full of lectures and activities, such as post a surname on the “Cousin Board”; have fun connecting with other attendees you may be related to. On Friday, participate in the optional “Dress As Your Ancestor” day to honor your heritage.
Keynote speakers will be Beth Foulk, CeCe Moore, Peggy lauritzen, and Amie Bowser Tennant.
For more details and to register, visit their website:
https://stillygen.org/cpage.php?pt=50
SGS CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Unless otherwise indicated all programs will be at the SGS Library, 6200 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle. Check the SGS Web Site for additions, changes, and corrections. Programs may be canceled or postponed because of inclement weather.
The SGS Library will be closed on Mother’s Day, May 13, and the day of our Spring Seminar, May 19. On May 20th the library will be closed in general; it is reserved for the ticketed special sessions associated with the seminar only.
MAY
Saturday, May 5, 10:15 am – 12:15 pm, Canadian SIG, Come join David Robert, group leader, for help researching your Canadian ancestors.
Saturday, May 5, 10:15 am – 12:15 pm, Family Tree Interest Group, Lou Daly, leader of this special interest group exploring all the features of the tool Family Tree on FamilySearch.org
Sunday, May 6, 1:00pm – 3:00pm, DNA Workshop, with Cary Bright, First hour focuses on questions that group members bring; second hour focuses on Genome Mate Pro
Wednesday, May 9, midnight-to-midnight, GiveBig the one day online giving event to raise funds for non-profits. Please consider remembering Seattle Genealogical Society with a donation on this day. Details on how to donate will be emailed to you as the date nears.
Thursday, May 10, 12:00pm – 1:30pm, Online Intro to DNA for Genealogy – Part 1, Karin Borgerson will be the instructor of this 3 part interactive online class series. Cost for the 3 class series is $30 for SGS Members, $40 for non-members. Registration required.
Saturday, May 12, 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm, Second Saturday Speaker Series- “Profile of a Quaker – Finding a Friend in Colonial America”, by Steven Morrison
Thursday, May 17, 12:00 pm – 1:30pm, Online Intro to DNA for Genealogy – Part 2, Karin Borgerson will be the instructor of this 3 part interactive online class series. Cost for the 3 class series is $30 for SGS Members, $40 for non-members. Registration required.
Saturday, May 19 , 9:00am-4:00pm , Spring Seminar with D. Joshua Taylor, seminar will be at Fairview Christian Church, 844 NE 78th St, Seattle. See the featured article above and the SGS website for more details.
Sunday, May 20, 9:00 am, Special Session #1 “Treasures in the Archives: Using Archive Grid” with D. Joshua Taylor, separate registration and fees apply – see the seminar brochure – there is a waiting list for this session.
Sunday, May 20, 10:30 am, Special Session #2 “Building Context and Making Connections: Using JSTOR for Family History” with D. Joshua Taylor, separate registration and fees apply – see the seminar brochure – there is a waiting list for this session.
Thursday, May 24, 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm, Online Intro to DNA for Genealogy – Part 3, Karin Borgerson will be the instructor of this 3 part interactive online class series. Cost for the 3 class series is $30 for SGS Members, $40 for non-members. Registration required.