GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s Thursday Evening E-News

THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s

Thursday Evening

E-News Edition

October 18, 2018

Curious about the status of your GFO Membership?

We’d love to have you as a GFO Member!

For more information visit www.gfo.org, contact us at info@gfo.org, or call our library at 503-963-1932.

Be sure to check the complete GFO CALENDAR.
Also, don’t miss the current issue of The Forum Insider

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Historic Columbian Cemetery’s Fall Harvest Festival this Saturday

Fall Festival 2018

Come on out and show your support. Visit GFO’s table at Historic Columbian Cemetery’s Fall Harvest Festival!

The GFO will join community groups attending along with local vendors. The cemetery will also have presentations starting at 11 a.m., including a historical cemetery tour, local authors, a presentation about the mural wall project, as well as a mock natural burial to introduce the community to this new burial option in the urban Portland area.

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Archives Crawl 2018

Oregon’s Archives Crawl theme this year is about how archives are “Changing Attitudes” within societies.

Archival representatives from various repositories around Oregon will be at the following locations in downtown Portland, Saturday, October 20th, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

City of Portland Archives & Records Center
Oregon Historical Society
Multnomah County Central Library

GFO’s very own Manuscripts Committee will be showing off treasures from our collection at the Multnomah County Central Library.

It’s free, open to the public, & all ages are welcome.

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Raffle Table Volunteers Needed!

Fall Seminar 2018 v2

GFO needs volunteers to help staff the Fall Seminar Raffle Table

HOW? Email Sharyle Kingston at vicepresident@gfo.org

WHEN? Saturday, November 3rd,
10 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

WHY? Because we need you!

BONUS: Sneak snippets of Cyndi Ingle’s presentations between breaks!

Thanks for all you do to support the GFO.

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Great Lakes Region Meeting November 10th

The next Great Lakes Region Special Interest Group (SIG) meeting is coming up.

Saturday, November 10th,
9:30 a.m. at the GFO,
hear Duane Funk speak about the War of 1812 and, in particular, its effects on the Great Lakes region and our research focused there.

Also, we will check in with our database (find it here).

After that, we’ll make time for sharing research and developing some solutions to your genealogy conundrums.

Questions about the meeting or the group? Email Lynn at greatlakes@gfo.org. We hope to see YOU on November 10th at GFO.

All GFO’s SIG meetings are FREE & open to the public.

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GFO Needs You!

Please Run for a Board Position to Help Keep Us Going Strong!

The GFO is an ALL-volunteer organization. No paid staff. No paid director.

Yet we keep our library open every day of the week, publish weekly news updates, monthly newsletters, quarterly magazines and continue growing our fabulous collection.

GFO’s Board of Directors guides how we get all this done. We’re asking you to join our board!

Terms run for two years and won’t begin until July 1, 2019, but now is when we need to know if you are willing to help.

Three positions are opening up:
* Vice President
* Director at Large
* Treasurer

Sharing your skills could be a real benefit to the organization. Please consider serving on GFO’s board!

Please reply to president@gfo.org if you are interested or would like to know more.

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The Lost & Found Corner …

Flash Drive 1

Flash Drive #1

Do you recognize this furry little fella? If you do, we’ve got your flash drive. It’s got a lot of great images we’re sure you’re missing. If this is yours, please ask for Flash Drive #1 at GFO’s reception desk.

Flash Drive 2

Flash Drive #2

Are you searching for JANET DUFFY or ELMER CUMMINGS? If these names sound familiar, we’ve got your flash drive. If this is yours, please ask for Flash Drive #2 at GFO’s reception desk the next time you’re in the library.

Ring

Claddagh Ring

The Claddagh ring (Irish: fáinne Chladaigh) is a traditional Irish ring which represents love, loyalty, and friendship (the hands represent friendship, the heart represents love, and the crown represents loyalty). Are you missing your ring? We have one at the reception desk, but just like Cinderella, if you want to claim it, it’s got to fit.

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Visit the Oregon Historical Society on Us

Oregon Historical Society Logo

GFO Members … We’re pleased to offer you another NEW benefit.

You can now check out Cultural Passes from the GFO to visit the Oregon Historical Society (OHS).

As an affiliate of OHS, the GFO receives two annual membership cards. We’d like to share this benefit with you.

We’ve turned the cards into Cultural Passes which you can check out one day and return the next.

Just ask at our reception desk if you’d like to visit the Oregon Historical Society.

And please remember, if you want to join OHS, as a GFO member, you are entitled to $10 off OHS annual membership dues.

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SATURDAY, October 20th

Genealogy Problem Solvers 9:30 – 11:30 a.m.

This month, the Genealogy Problem Solvers (GPS) will attempt to unravel a complicated series of relationships and dramas in order to learn the parents of Harry E. Mitchell. The GPS team will review records from 1880 to 1930 in locations across the United States, including West Virginia, Kentucky, Iowa, Minnesota, and Washington, in an effort to solve a brick wall that has puzzled a GFO member, searching for any information about her grandfather, for over five years!

GPS is a monthly support group where we help each other find information about a family line. We will learn to do a reasonably exhaustive search and develop research plans. The focus will shift depending on the needs of the group. Several experienced researchers have volunteered to help. Beginners and intermediate researchers are encouraged to submit their problems for consideration. For more information contact Katie Daly at GPS@gfo.org.

Italian Group noon – 2 p.m.

The Italian Special Interest Group is dedicated to promoting Italian family history and genealogy through education of attendees in methodologies of sound genealogical research and by providing the necessary tools and expertise to be successful. Facilitated by Keith Pyeatt.

GenTalk – Digging for Ancestral Gold 2 – 3 p.m.

Presenter: Laurence Overmire, author

Digging for Ancestral Gold: The Fun and Easy Way to Get Started on Your Genealogy Quest

Discovering your family’s unique story is like solving a puzzle. You’ll fit together bits and pieces from relatives’ memories, old records, and photographs to create a picture of the past. When you’re a beginning researcher, the prospect of diving into your roots can seem overwhelming. Laurence will walk you through the basics of genealogy research: what records to look for, how to organize, and more. Before you know it, you’ll be well on your way on the fun and rewarding journey of discovering your roots.

SUNDAY, October 21st

Library Work Party 9:30 a.m. – noon

Hey there volunteers – we need you this Sunday!

We’ve fallen behind on labels again, and need YOUR help to catch up.

There’s another work party at the GFO library for those who can come.

Doors open at 9 and work usually wraps up around noon. Some people come for just an hour or so; others work the full time. You are welcome to do either. Any time you can share is valuable. Hope to see you there. Come and pitch in, then stay for one of the afternoon presentations.

P.S. There will be donuts!

Family Tree Maker for Beginners 1 – 3 p.m.

This is a beginning class for Family Tree Maker users and for those considering a purchase. It will be repeated quarterly.

French Canada Group 3:30 – 5 p.m.

The topic will be research and social media tools we are all using. Feel free to bring in the names of resources you use – websites, social media groups, books, etc.

Sharing stories of our history. Come and join this new group to learn more about French Canadian ancestry and Acadia. The group leader is Bob LaMarche.