Author Archives: Donna Phillips

Let’s Talk About….. Clallam Co Gen Soc & Cattle Brands

by Donna Phillips

The Clallam County (Washington) courthouse, built in 1914, in Port Angeles, is surely one of the most picturesque courthouses in America. I remember being in that building years ago and the women’s restroom stalls had pink marble walls!

The Clallam County Genealogical Society (CCGS) was founded in 1981. In 2020, the group purchased a newer and larger building ……… which they desperately needed to house their library of 3000 books, periodicals and microfilms. If you’re thinking of a trip to Port Angeles, and want to visit their library, know that their entire catalog is accessible online:  www.clallamcogs.org.  

CCGS also maintains  offers an index to the 500 Pioneer Family files…… pioneers who were in Clallam County prior to Washington statehood in 1889. 

The Fall 1988 issue of their society’s periodical (no longer published), there was a great article originally found in a 1945 issue of The Genealogy Magazine of New Jersey. The title was “The Use of Livestock Brands and Earmarks in Genealogy.”

The article states: “The system of marking the ears of cattle and hogs was used in the early days just as cattle brands are employed in the West today. In colonial times, livestock were often allowed to roam freely on the village green. When evening came, the marks were necessary to separate which animals belonged to which owner. The registration of marks was kept by the village clerk and later by the county auditor.

“Such registrations were continued well into the 20th century when vast herds of cattle and sheep roamed the vast acreage of public lands in the West.”

I know that the Eastern Washington Branch of our Washington State Archives has brand books for our state. I’ve looked up the registered brand for hubby’s uncle and VIOLA, there it was. If your Pacific Northwest ancestor had roaming livestock, it’s quite likely that he had a brand and that that brand (or ear mark) was legally registered.

Let’s Talk About…. Women Who Married Aliens Lost Citizenship??

by Donna Phillips

Bet you didn’t know this American history tidbit!

In 1907, Congress passed the Expatriation Act, which decreed, among other things, that U.S. women who married non-citizens were no longer Americans. If their husband later became a naturalized citizen, they could go through the naturalization process to regain their citizenship. 

But none of these rules applied to American men who they chose a spouse. And he wasn’t eligible for citizenship, she could be denied!

WHAT? You’re saying? And rightfully so. Sounds terrible, doesn’t it? 

Once American women got the right to vote in 1920, they started lobbying lawmakers, pushing them to recognize that their citizenship should not be tethered to that of a husband.

To shorten the sad story, laws did evolve and by the 1940s women born in the U.S. no longer had to limit their marriage prospects to native-born men or naturalized citizens.

Consider your family tree….. did this “trouble” affect any of your grandmothers??

(Thanks to a 2017 post by Tanya Ballard Brown on the NPR website, Code Switch.)

Let’s Talk About…. Trivia & Jokes

by Donna Phillips


What’s at the end of a rainbow?  (The letter W.)

Did you gift a Slinky for Christmas? This toy was the brainchild of Richard James, a mechanical engineer, who invented it in the 1940s.

What do you get when you cross a cat with a lemon? (A sour puss.)

People who scuba are a divers group of people.

Pet shop customer: “Do any of your dogs go cheap?”  Owner: “Sorry, all our dogs go woof.”

Proper listening is the foundation of proper living. (Plutarch)

Dalmatian puppies are born without spots? T or F?  (T)

Why are income taxes due on April 15th…the same day the Titanic went down?

If swimming if so good for your figure, why do whales look the way they do?

Why is it called baby-sitting when all you do is run after them?

Let’s Talk About: Don’t Get “Antsy!”

by Donna Phillips

Well, it’s the final blog post for 2023 and what better to share than a word puzzle. You’ll find all kinds of “ants” in the dictionary. Here are 14 words that end with “ant”….. like elephant. Have fun! (Answers at the bottom.)

  • What ant helps to put out fires?
  • What ant is found in car engines?
  • What ant reminds you of puff pastries?
  • What ant smells nice?
  • What ant pours wine?
  • What ant buys and sells?
  • What ant is worn on a chain?
  • What ant makes the air dirty?
  • What ant provides all kinds of food?
  • What ant is dull and never goes anywhere?
  • What ant hates school?
  • What ant is good with numbers?
  • What ant is the smartest?
  • What ant never changes?

(1-hydrant;  2-coolant;  3-croissant;  4-deodorant;  5-decant;  6-merchant;  7-pendant;  8-pullutant;  9-restaurant;  10-stagnant;  11-truant;  12-accountant;  13-brilliant;  14-constant.)

Let’s Talk About: Washington’s Wildlife Refuges

by Donna Phillips

We Washingtonians are so lucky…… we have 23 National Wildlife Refuges in our state! These are places dedicated to preserving, conserving and enhancing the flora and fauna of an area by means of managing the land and water for fish, wildlife and plants. And for we human visitors too!

The list below the image is probably too small for you to read, but just ask Google for “National Wildlife Refuges in Washington.” Then any time of year, put on your walking shoes, put a granola bar in your backpack along with your water bottle and camera and go out and explore your world.

Keep in mind that on these refuges you can better imagine what your ancestors first saw when they arrived into XXX place. 

What are the benefits of a national wildlife refuge?Beyond their primary mission of conserving and enhancing land and water for fish, wildlife and plants, national wildlife refuges are important in other ways. They offer healthy, world-class outdoor recreation. They improve air and water quality across the nation.

Let’s Talk About: Fun Facts & Trivia

by Donna Phillips

Bet you didn’t know that Washington State has its own tartan. The symbolic colors are: GREEN for our Evergreen State; BLUE for our rivers, lakes and the ocean; WHITE for snow capped mountains; RED for all the fruit; YELOW for all the grains; and BLACK for Mt.St.Helens.  This tartan was adopted by the Washington State legislature in 1991. Now you know.

Here’s one for you geography buffs:  How many state capitols are located west of Los Angeles?? (tiny answer at the bottom)

Ever watch the TV or YouTube show with Mike Rowe where he visits interesting places? In one video, Mike visited the Hair Museum in Independence, Missouri (near Kansas City). Museum owner and director, Leila, made Mark incredulously laugh many times. “Hair can be black, brown, red, blonde or white….there is no gray!” she quipped.  The museum features hair pictures…. tableaus made from hair, often of a deceased loved one. “This custom dates back to the 12th century,” Leila said. One question on Mark’s mind was this: “Does human hair keep growing after death?” The answer? “No way!”

Tampa Bay Times, October 2022: “Florida lawyer who fought helmet laws died in motorcycle crash not wearing one.” Humm. Serves him right?

How do you feel about this? An original copy of the U.S. Constitution, one of only two known to be in private hands, will be auctioned off in December with bidding estimated to go as high as $30 million, Sotheby’s announced (in November 2022). 500 first printings were made of this historic document and were provided to participants at the 1787 Constitutional Convention. Nearly all have been lost to history; of the 13 known to have survived, 11 are owned by governments and institutions.

((Answer to above question:  SIX!!  Carson City, Nevada;  Honolulu, Hawaii; Juneau, Alaska; Olympia, Washington; Sacramento, California; and Salem, Oregon.  HOW MANY DID YOU GUESS?)

Let’s Talk About: Envelopes!

by Donna Phillips

Rummaging through the wheeled racks of books at the Goodwill Outlet Store, I happened upon a slim little volume titled The History of Envelopes, by Robert H. Ramage, published by the Envelope Manufacturers Association of America in 1952. 

Only a genealogist would think to grab up a book on the history of envelopes!

Author Ramage begins his book with this bit:  “The little paper enclosure which we term “envelope” sustains such an important relation to our social, commercial, political, and moral world as to render it eminently worthy of notice a our hands. It has now become the vade mecum of thought transportation—-crossing seas, threading rivers, chasing up railways, exploring the solitary paths of the forest and plains, pursing expresses and telegraphic messengers; it is almost everywhere doing, for rich and poor alike, its good offices and trusty services.”  Quote in Cosmopolitan Art Journal, 1860. 

Remember that in 1860 there was no telephone and certainly no interest/email. Writing on paper and sent in envelopes was The Only way to communicate over distance. 

Ramage continues:  “No one will ever know who it was that first conceived the idea of cutting paper for envelopes …… but it was no doubt a stationer who sold paper and realized there was a need to be filled. ” 

In 1635, King Charles I issued a proclamation establishing the first State Postal Service.   One of the earliest envelopes on record is attached to a letter written on 16 May 1696 in England. 

The early mail service (in England) was inadequate and expensive. Mail was sent collect with postage paid by the receiver which system was easy to defraud. This ultimately let to the better system of pre-paid postage, or postage stamps.

Further chapters in this 90-page book are: Envelopes in America; First Envelope Machines;  Evolution in Envelope Manufacture; Early Type of Envelopes; Papeteries; Business Envelopes Become Specialized;  Government Stamped Envelopes and the Industry Behind Envelopes. WHEW! Who knew there could be 90 pages of envelope history! 

An envelope history would not be complete without mention of V-Mail, short for Victory Mail “which was a particular postal system put into place during the war (WWII) to drastically reduce the space needed to transport mail thus freeing up room for other valuable supplies. The V-Mail system was only used between June 1942 and November 1945 with over one billion items processed through these means. 

If anybody would like to borrow and peruse this interesting history book, be happy to loan it to you. Just ask me. 

Let’s Talk About…… We’re Stronger Together!

by Donna Phillips

Remember getting rope-burned-hands playing tug-o-war with a rope? And too often neither side “won,” and sometimes one side got pulled into the mud! Remember?

If there is a job to be done, isn’t it better to work together? Nobody’s hands get rope-burned that way! And the job gets done!!

I LIVE IN SPOKANE AND AM AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF EWGS……. AS YOU READ THIS POST, SUBSTITUTE YOUR SOCIETY’S NAME!!!!

I’m aiming today to sorta follow-up on our EWGS January meeting….. dedicated to service…… service to EWGS. Are some of you still on the fence about stepping up to do something for EWGS?

WHY? WHY come/mix/join/support EWGS? Here’s why:

  • EWGS people are “your kind” of people and are your friends.
  • EWGS people will welcome…and listen to…. your discovery-stories!
  • EWGS people have years of combined research knowledge and are always willing to help you. (But you gotta ask.)
  • EWGS meetings are FUN….. prizes, contests, raffles and cookies!
  • EWGS meetings are INFORMATIVE….. the EWGS board strives most diligently to offer programs of worth and interest to us. 
  • EWGS offers multiple learning opportunities…. TAG, Refocus, RootsMagic
  • EWGS offers you a way to give back to the genealogy community through service…… through volunteering to help however you can. The definition of service is, simply put, HELPING.
  • In EWGS, sometimes you’re the helper and other times you’re the helpee. (Don’t look in the dictionary for that word; I made it up. 😌)

Please click to www.EWGSI.org, especially if you’ve not in a while, and check out all that’s offered to YOU. 
And know that EWGS needs you help, big or small.  😁

Let’s Talk About….. Letting Go In January

by Donna Phillips


To let go does not mean to stop caring.

To let go is not to cut myself off; it’s realizing I can’t control another.

To let go is not to enable but to allow learning from natural consequences.

To let go is not to try to change or blame another; it’s to make the most of myself.

To let go is not to care FOR but to care ABOUT.

To let go is not to FIX but to be SUPPORTIVE.

To let go is not to judge others but to love them anyway.

To let go is not to DENY but to ACCEPT.

To let go is not to point out others’ faults but consider my own.

To let go is not to criticize others but just be the best I can be.

To let go is not to regret the past but to thankfully live for the future. 

(Why this particular post today? It is the start of a new year and we all know there will be obstacles to over come so we must “let go” and be thankfully positive.)

Let’s Talk About: Bad Luck of the Kalakala

by Donna Phillips


The motor vessel Kalakala was a ferry that operated on Puget Sound from 1935 until her retirement in 1967. The MV Kalakala was notable for her unique streamlined superstructure, art deco styling and luxurious amenities. The vessel was a popular attraction for locals and tourists and was voted second only to the Space Needle in popularity among visitors to Seattle during the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair. 

After retiring from passenger service in 1967, the ship was beached in Kodiak, Alaska, and converted into a shrimp cannery. In 1998, the ship was refloated and towed to Puget Sound with the owner hoping to restore the ship. During this time, the ship continued to deteriorate, with the Coast Guard decaling the ship a hazard to avigation in 2011. Unable to raise the funds required for restoration, the ship was scrapped in 2015. 

The book, Weird Washington, explains the story and history of this once proud ferry boat……. that many of you might remember traveling aboard. Members of the Advanced Ghost Hunters of Seattle & Tacoma were most interested in the ship and the possibility that it might be haunted. Several members were aboard when she was towed from Alaska back to Puget Sound in 1998 and felt certain they documented “ghostly manifestations.” 
So goes another story of Washington’s history…..

(Big thanks to Wikipedia for the info and images.)