THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s Thursday Evening E-News Edition February 14, 2019

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 503-963-1932. Be sure to check the complete GFO CALENDAR. Also, don’t miss the current issue of The Forum Insider During inclement weather this winter, please be sure to check our Facebook Page or website to see if we’re open! Or, call the library at 503-963-1932 to insure someone is here.

GFO’s February GenTalk: Google Searching Computer Lab

When: Saturday, February 16th, at 2 p.m. Where: GFO Research Library Presenters: Kristin Parks & Joann Taylor The best way to learn to use a computer is to use a computer. This GenTalk Computer Lab will start from the beginning with Google search engine queries for online genealogy research, by walking you through the process, click by click. Whether you have a Mac or PC, Kristin (Mac) and Joann (PC) will be there to help you. If you have a laptop of your own, please bring it! If you do not, then sign up to use one at the GFO. GenTalks are free and open to everyone, but the number of GFO computers is limited, so please register online to use one. Kristin Parks and Joann Taylor are members of the GFO, and both volunteer as Research Assistants and as researchers for the GPS SIG. Joann is a researcher for the GFO Look-Up Service, and Kristin is the Education Committee Chair. Both attend numerous educational seminars and conferences and are holders of the Certificate in Genealogical Research from Boston University’s Center for Professional Education. Click here to reserve a GFO computer for this free and public event.

February Brings Faster Internet to GFO!

This month, GFO is upgrading our internet connection to take advantage of the new fiber-optic connection that was installed at the Ford building last fall. Our bandwidth capacity will double to 100 Mbps. Even better, latency decreases–this is the delay time it takes to get a network packet from GFO across the internet to the final server. We are not close to using our current capacity, so the primary benefit is reliability. Patrons using any of the databases that we offer at the library will experience a smoother search experience with fewer hesitations.

NEW! Free First Monday Hours Extended to 8 O’clock!

We’re making it just a bit easier to see everything the GFO Library has to offer. The First Monday of each month has long been free to everyone. For the next three months, we are extending our hours until 8 p.m. that day so you can come after work or when parking space may be easier to find. So, on March 4th, April 1st, and May 6th, come stay late with us! And please, be sure to share this with friends who are not members of the GFO.

GFO’s Most Valuable Surplus Books Date Back to 1889

Featured Book of the Week: History of Pacific Northwest Oregon and Washington, Volumes One and Two are the GFO Bookstore’s most valuable surplus books. Volume One is in remarkably good condition for a book printed in 1889 with perfectly intact spine, and clean pages which have not faded. Both the front and the back covers have a blemish and worn corners. This copy was a gift to Berte Reeder “Given by his Mama,” November 8th, 1892. “Be sure to read them,” she wrote on the inscription page. See history through the eyes of your ancestors in this book described as “Embracing an account of the original discoveries on the Pacific Coast of North America.” We’ve seen comparable copies of this book for sale online from $500 to $1200. Our price is $375. Volume Two has pages which are in excellent shape but the spine and binding are severely damaged. It’s available for $50. If you buy the exceptional Volume One, we’ll include Volume Two at half off for a total of $400. BONUS: Guess what? We actually have a second full set of these books; these also have poor spines and binding but the pages are in great shape. This Set #2 is available for $100. To buy these books, contact booksales@gfo.org All book sales support the daily operations, keeping the GFO library open daily.

Our Newest Records: Newspaper Clippings of Marriages & Obituaries

Did you know the GFO is constantly adding new records to our collections and our website to help you with your research? Many volunteers work from home or at the GFO scanning obituaries from newspapers and other newspaper articles which have been donated over the years. They include marriage reports from the 1930s, Oregon obituaries from the 1950s to 1990s, and West Point obituaries from about 1944-1987. You can find indexes on our website. If you locate a person you care about, the website has a form to send us a request for a copy of the actual clipping. Or, come into the library and find it in the books and CDs we have compiled of these clippings.

These are the newest indexes we’ve put online: Newspaper Clippings Oregon Obituaries Oregon Obituaries II West Point Obituaries This is a continuing process as we receive more clipped articles and full newspapers. So, check our website regularly. We’re adding more records all the time!

The Norway Project Calls for Crowdsourced Assistance

The Norway Cemetery Association Board has given its blessing for “The Norway Project.” The project is working to create an online searchable database of those buried at the Norway Cemetery, located at Norway, Coos County, Oregon. There are 5,000 grave sites at the Norway Cemetery; however, Find A Grave has only 3,300 listed. The Norway Project’s goal is to have all 5,000 grave sites listed and available for researchers. Currently, information about those buried at the Norway Cemetery is being housed in a 4×6 notebook. As part of the Norway Project’s effort to make the burial information more accessible, a new website has been made available at the project’s website. The site may be searched without registering, but please note that volunteers must register to help out on the project. Family members may also register to add information about their loved ones buried at Norway Cemetery. The Norway Project needs your help to enter data on the new website. This will be a long-term effort. GFO member Darrell Gulstrom is the project coordinator. To register as a volunteer or as a family member, email Darrell at ddgulstrom@yahoo.com. Gulstrom said he hopes for many volunteers to help in this effort. “It is long overdue,” he says.

This week at GFO …

SATURDAY, February 16th Genealogy Problem Solvers (GPS) 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. While an ancestor named John Brown may pose obvious challenges, one would think Wiley Wingo was a strictly unique name. This Saturday’s Problem Solvers presentation will demonstrate the value of establishing a Detailed Timeline to tackle the problem of multiple persons with identical names. Join us Saturday at 9:30 AM to learn how this technique can help you in organizing your research. For more information contact Katie Daly at GPS@gfo.org. GenTalk: Google Searching Computer Lab 2 – 3 p.m. Have you ever watched someone do something amazing on the computer, but when you tried it yourself it somehow just didn’t work? Or maybe you didn’t even try because it seemed like teaching calculus to a panda bear. What we’d like to do at our February GenTalk is practice doing some of those amazing things until you can do it yourself. This GenTalk Computer Lab will teach attendees how to utilize Google searches for online genealogy research. If you have a laptop of your own, please bring it! If you do not, then please sign up to use one at the GFO. GenTalks are free and open to everyone, but the number of GFO computers is limited, so please CLICK HERE to register online to use one. SUNDAY, February 17th Library Work Party 9 a.m. – noon There’s another work party at the GFO library today for those of you who can come. There’s lots to do and we’d love to have your help. 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. Family Tree Maker Users’ Group Join other users who want to work through the 2017 Companion Guide to Family TreeMaker. Please bring your laptop with 2017 version of FTM installed and an empty usb thumb drive. This group is facilitated by Joyce Grant-Worley. Please send questions to FTM@gfo.org. French Canada Group 3:30 – 5 p.m. Sharing stories of our history. Come and join this group to learn more about French Canadian ancestry and Acadia. The group leader is Bob LaMarche and can be contacted at FrCan@gfo.org. WEDNESDAY, February 20th Learn & Chat 10 a.m. – noon The group’s very own Lori Washburn will present her often requested approach to Scanning, Archiving, Photos and Documents. Lori’s work is meticulous and she’s generous to share! At Learn & Chat some of the learning comes from speakers with particular expertise but most of it comes from the sharing of experiences and knowledge of attendees who have developed methods that work for them. And if you have been doing genealogy for any length time you have likely experienced the wonderful moments of exhilaration, the successes that you then share with others and that drive you to continue researching. Unfortunately those times can be few and far between. Join us to talk about your genealogy questions and help provide support to others. Facilitators Jean Quan can be contacted at LearnandChat@gfo.org. DNA Q&A 1 – 3 p.m. Lisa McCullough leads a discussion on various DNA related subjects, with each meeting focused on a particular subject. General questions are welcome at the end of each planned discussion. Questions? Message Lisa at dna_lm@gfo.org. Irish Group 6 – 8 p.m. Mike Dalton will share information on the following topics: Tithe Applotments of 1823 to 1837 were the first rateable valuations of Ireland of arable lands that could contribute to support of a minister. Survey of all of Ireland began in 1844 under the leadership of Dublin based Sir Richard Griffith. It is officially named: General Valuation of Rateable Property in Ireland. The Griffith’s Valuations published from 1848 to 1864 for each of the 32 counties are a census substitute of householders who owned or leased homes and lands. They are not a population census count of those who lived in the household. The listed occupier may have been your ancestor or his father, his widowed mother or his father in-law. We shall also dedicate some time to assist members with research questions they may have. If you are struggling with your Irish heritage research please bring what you know and formulate a question regarding what you would like to learn or email in advance to Irish@gfo.org. The Irish group meets on the third Wednesday of the even months February,April, June, August, and October (there will be no meeting in December). Contact Irish@gfo.org for more information.