THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s Thursday Evening E-News Edition January 16, 2020

Curious about the status of your GFO Membership? We’d love to have you as a GFO Member!

gfo.org | 503-963-1932 | info@gfo.org Be sure to check the complete GFO CALENDAR. Also, don’t miss the current issue of The Forum Insider

Spring Seminar with Karen Stanbary: Solve Puzzles with DNA

Join us for our 2020 Spring Seminar, “Solve Puzzles with DNA,” on April 4 & 5, to be presented by nationally-recognized genetic genealogy author and educator Karen Stanbary, CG®, MA, LCSW. The Saturday, April 4 classes will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.at Portland’s Center for Self Enhancement (SEI). Karen will guide experienced beginners and above in learning how to manage and interpret DNA evidence, then how to incorporate it into existing documentary research. As a retired Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Karen will also provide guidance on managing conversations about unexpected DNA results. If you register now, the cost for GFO members for this full day is just $45 and for non-members, $50. The Sunday half-day classes on April 5 will be held at the GFO from 9:30 a.m. – noon. Deepen and expand your intermediate- to advanced-level skills as Karen presents more complex genealogy puzzles requiring more complex DNA evidence analysis. Early registration price for this half-day is just $25 for GFO members and $30 for non-members. Download the Seminar Flyer for more details. Take advantage of those Early-Bird Registration prices! On March 1, all prices will increase by $5. This is a great opportunity to learn more about solving those genealogy puzzles with the use of DNA.

Register Now

February Workshop: Advanced Excel for Genealogy

Spreadsheets can be a powerful tool to help you analyze your genealogical data and keep track of your research; and they are essential in managing your DNA information. From 9:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, February 23, join BCG Certified Genealogist, Mary Kircher Roddy, as she presents a hands-on guide for the experienced spreadsheet user using Excel to gain perspective on and to further your genealogy research. For a more complete description, download the seminar flyer. Seating is limited to 30 people! Everyone gets a spot at a table. Participants should bring their (fully charged) laptops pre-loaded with Excel. A frequent lecturer in the Seattle area, as well occasionally farther afield, Mary is an active member of Seattle Genealogical Society, the Genealogical Speakers Guild, the Association of Professional Genealogists, and the National Genealogical Society. She has published articles in Family Chronicle, Internet Genealogy, and the National Genealogical Society Quarterly. For Early-Bird Registration on or before Jan. 31, the fee is $30.00 for GFO Members and $35.00 for non-members. The price increases $5 on Feb. 1.

Register Now

GenTalk: A Few Seats Still Available!

Come hear our panel of experts this Saturday, Jan. 18 from 2:15 – 3:45 p.m. as they present GFO’s January GenTalk, DNA and Genealogy for Crime Solving. Portland Police Bureau Detective Brendan McGuire, genetic genealogists Dr. Tim Janzen and Emily Aulicino, and crime victim advocate Laurel Smith will all be on hand to discuss various issues including the ethics of using DNA for law enforcement, the viewpoint of the victim and their family, the suspect’s privacy, what crimes should be allowed to use DNA, your choices and rights regarding your DNA, and the future of using DNA for law enforcement. We expect a lively discussion, so bring your questions! This event is free and open to the public, but online pre-registration is required. 4 seats have opened up, so register quickly to claim yours: gfo.org/DNApanel. The handout was updated yesterday, so if you downloaded it on Tuesday, please download the revised handout here.

People who are registered MUST arrive before 2:10 p.m. to claim your seat, because at 2:10 p.m. we will start giving away open seats to those on the wait list. Late arrivals will not be seated if there are no open chairs.

Register Now

Family Tree Maker (FTM) Questions: Yes or No?

___ I have FTM but haven’t installed it. ___ I’ve installed FTM but haven’t used it. ___ I have a tree on Ancestry I want to get into FTM. ___ I’ve got my tree in FTM but I need help. If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, then plan to attend the FTM Beginners Meeting on Sunday, January 19th from 1-3 p.m. at the GFO. Laurel Smith will show you how to get off to a great start with this amazing family tree software program.

Look What’s Coming Soon

Webinar viewings are coming to the GFO on Monday mornings. Kristin Parks, education chair and Monday morning RA, has volunteered to set this up so anyone can come in to watch some of the latest free webinars from Legacy Family Tree Webinars. They’ll likely start about 11 am. More details to follow!

News from the Library

Here’s what’s new this week: New Digital Records: ▪ Ashley Addenda Annual ▪ Ashleys of America ▪ Ball Beginnings ▪ Barner Family Newsletter ▪ Bell Family Newsletter ▪ Bensonian ▪ Berry Bulletin ▪ Bishop Families in America ▪ Blauvelt News ▪ Blois Voice ▪ Johnson County [Kansas] Genealogist New Books: ▪ Deeds of Franklin County, Georgia, 1784-1826 ▪ Dictionary of German names ▪ German dialects: phonology and morphology, with selected texts ▪ The German language ▪ Irish famine immigrants in the state of Vermont: gravestone inscriptions ▪ One hundred fifty years in Pike County, Alabama, 1821-1971 ▪ The promise of the New South: life after Reconstruction ▪ The slaves’ war: the Civil War in the words of former slaves ▪ Trans-Appalachian frontier: people, societies, and institutions, 1775-1850 ▪ The way we lived in North Carolina

Do You Have Professional Genealogy Skills to Offer?

Sometimes finding ancestors is just too daunting to do ourselves. Professional genealogists can help break down brick walls. Or perhaps you need help organizing your research or using your database program. The GFO lists the names and contact information of those who can help on our Professional Resources page. Some of the professionals have formal certification, some do not. All have experience in various facets of genealogy. Are you a professional and wish to be included? You must be an active member of the GFO in good standing to be included. We invite you to submit your name, contact information and credentials to: info@gfo.org.

Surplus Book: Glassell Family of Scotland and Virginia

Here is a truly rare book you can own. 129 years ago, the Reverend Horace Edwin Hayden published a positively enormous volume called The Genealogy of the Glassell Family of Scotland and Virginia; also of the families of Ball, Brown, Bryan, Conway, Daniel, Ewell, Holladay, Lewis, Littlepage, Moncure, Peyton, Robinson, Scott, Taylor, Wallace, and others, of Virginia and Maryland.

This book runs 758 pages including the index and appendix. Rev. Hayden writes that it took “eight years of careful preparation.” This is a work of its era where the author glorifies the soldiers of the Confederacy in the U.S. Civil War. Ours is a rare book from 1891 which is in acceptable condition.

It is a retired library copy with crumbling paper edges, library marks, and some handwriting in the front and back. The binding is taped to hold the cover, while the pages inside are sound. Someone years ago pasted a newspaper article inside the front cover about the first settlers. 322 years before. Our price to pickup: $70 Our price to ship: $80 If you’d like to buy this piece of history, email booksales@gfo.org.

Survey Results: On the Road Again?

It looks like most of our respondents will be taking one or more trips this year, with most going to U.S. locations, followed by Europe, and then Canada.

And it’s good to know that many of you are going to dig into regional archives and advancing your education. We’d love to hear about the archives after your trip.

Here are just a few of the many comments we received: ▪ Genealogy Pre-conference at the American Library Association Sponsored by ProQuest. ▪ In September we will be attending the 400th Celebration of the Mayflower arrival in Plymouth MA. ▪ Have traveled to Northern England a few times over the last 10 years and passed through Leeds via train. Well, as luck would have it–3 yrs ago I found ancestors of my Grandmother Webster’s line! So this time I will be staying and visiting the addresses his documents have noted and hopefully finding more info. Very excited! ▪ Travel to RootsTech, IAJGS, and a teacher institute in Mobile, Alabama. ▪ It’s time to finally go to Ireland to see where my great-great-grandparents came from and find records available only there. ▪ Going to the Association for Gravestone Studies annual conference, June 23-28, 2020, this year in Austin, Texas. ▪ RootsTech and National Genealogy Society Conferences, both in Salt Lake City, so in addition to learning more, a chance to do some research too! ▪ I plan a return trip to central Wisconsin after a successful trip last September. ▪ Hoping to crash through a wall!

New Survey: Family History Library in Salt Lake City This week’s survey, that asks you about use of the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, was one of the suggestions we received from our readers.

Take the Survey

This week at GFO … Saturday, January 18th Genealogy Problem Solvers No meeting this month. African American Group 12:00 – 2:00 p.m. This will be one of our quarterly “Bring Your Own Brick Wall” help sessions. Bring your problems, questions, and documents (copies, please, no originals if at all possible), and we will brainstorm to come up with information and suggestions that can direct your next steps and may help you solve some of your family mysteries. We will keep each person to one question until everyone has had an opportunity. Questions: african_american@gfo.org. GenTalk: DNA and Genealogy for Crime Solving 2:15 – 3:45 p.m. Act Quickly! Only Four Seats Available. Come hear firsthand about this trend from a panel of experts, including Portland Police Detective Brendan McGuire, genetic genealogists Dr. Tim Janzen and Emily Aulicino, and crime victim advocate Laurel Smith. See detailed description above for information on topics, downloading revised handouts, and registration. This event is free and open to the public, but online pre-registration is required. Sunday, January 19th Library Work Party 9:00 a.m. – noon We’ll be prepping periodicals for scanning and doing some scanning too. 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 for Beginners 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. Held quarterly, this is a beginning class for Family Tree Maker users and for those considering a purchase. Questions? Or if you have Family Tree Maker topics you’d like covered, email Joyce and Laurel at FTM@gfo.org. French Canada Group 3:30 – 5:00 p.m. Share stories of our history. Come and join this group to learn more about French Canadian ancestry and Acadia. The group leader is Bob LaMarche. FrCan@gfo.org. Wednesday, January 22nd PMUG College: Mac Basics 6:00 – 7:55 p.m. Come learn the 10 Basic things you need to know about a Mac and the latest operating system. To register: Call 503-228-1779; Email: college@pmug.org. Bring your Mac/iPad to participate with instruction. If you would like additional info for attending this class, please email us. Free to GFO and PMUG memberrs. GFO Library Open Late to 8:00 p.m.

THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s Thursday Evening E-News Edition January 9, 2020

Curious about the status of your GFO Membership? We’d love to have you as a GFO Member!

gfo.org | 503-963-1932 | info@gfo.org Be sure to check the complete GFO CALENDAR. Also, don’t miss the current issue of The Forum Insider

You Did It! Thank You!

We can’t thank you enough! We made our fundraising goal! Our volunteer who processes donations found another $989 in checks in the mail this week. That is just enough to put us $173 over our $28,500 goal.

This helps tremendously to handle some unexpected cost increases that came in late last year. We are so grateful to all of you!

Spring Seminar with Karen Stanbary: Solve Puzzles with DNA

Registration is now underway for our 2020 Spring Seminar, “Solve Puzzles with DNA,” on April 4 & 5, to be presented by national genetic genealogy author and educator Karen Stanbary, CG®, MA, LCSW. The Saturday, April 4 classes, will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.at Portland’s Center for Self Enhancement (SEI). Karen will guide experienced beginners and above in learning how to manage and interpret DNA evidence, then how to incorporate it into existing documentary research. As a retired Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Karen will also provide guidance on managing conversations about unexpected DNA results. If you register now, the cost for GFO members for this full day is just $45 and for non-members, $50. The Sunday half-day classes on April 5 will be held at the GFO from 9:30 a.m. – Noon. Deepen and expand your intermediate- to advanced-level skills as Karen presents more complex genealogy puzzles requiring more complex DNA evidence analysis. Early registration price for this half-day is just $25 for GFO members and $30 for non-members. Download the Seminar Flyer for more details. Take advantage of those Early-Bird Registration prices! On March 1, all prices will increase by $5. This is a great opportunity to learn more about solving those genealogy puzzles with the use of DNA.

Register Now

February Workshop: Advanced Excel for Genealogy

Spreadsheets can be a powerful tool to help you in analyzing your genealogical data and keeping track of your research; and they are essential in managing your DNA information. From 9:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, February 23, join BCG Certified Genealogist, Mary Kircher Roddy, as she presents a hands-on guide for the experienced spreadsheet user using Excel to gain perspective on and to further your genealogy research. For a more complete description, download the seminar flyer. Seating is limited to 30 people! Everyone gets a spot at a table. Participants should bring their (fully charged) laptops pre-loaded with Excel. A frequent lecturer in the Seattle area, as well occasionally farther afield, Mary is an active member of Seattle Genealogical Society, the Genealogical Speakers Guild, the Association of Professional Genealogists, and the National Genealogical Society. She has published articles in Family Chronicle, Internet Genealogy, and the National Genealogical Society Quarterly. For Early-Bird Registration on or before Jan. 31, the fee is $30.00 for GFO Members and $35.00 for non-members. The price increases $5 on Feb. 1.

Register Now

A Project in Need of Help

We are looking for an extremely detail-oriented person to create a complete archive copy of GFO’s Bulletin. We currently have shelf copies of our journal, going back to the 1950s, and we have an archive file of “original” unbound material. The problem: There are pages in the bound copies that are not in the archive file, and we’ve discovered that there are pages that are missing from both. What’s needed: One master copy that includes all pages we have and a list of missing pages. The deadline for competing that list: May 15, 2020. We have a volunteer going to Salt Lake City in May who will look at copies of the Bulletin held by the Family History Library to see if the missing pages can be found and copied. This would be a perfect job for two people to do together because it is challenging to turn and compare the pages in both without an extra pair of hands. The job must be done at the GFO but can be done on your schedule. If this sounds like a project you’d be willing to tackle, please contact Laurel at library@gfo.org.

News from the Library:What’s New in Digital Files

Family history periodicals: • Arthur Family Newsletter • Ballew Family Journal • Beatty Clearinghouse • Bell-A-Peal • Bilyeu Blood Lines • Bilyeu By You

Society Periodicals: • Root Cellar Preserves, Sacramento Genealogical Society • Cariboo Notes, Quesnel Branch, British Columbia Genealogical Society • The Arkansas Family Historian, Arkansas Genealogical Society • The Pioneer, Douglas County (Kansas) Genealogical Society • Digital Digest, Eastern Washington Genealogical Society • Skagit Valley Genealogical Society Summer Journal • The Berkshire Family Historian, (replaces Berkshire Genealogist) Berkshire Family History Association

New books (each followed by its call number: Glozier, Matthew. The Huguenot soldiers of William of Orange and the “Glorious Revolution” of 1688: the lions of Judah . Brighton [England] Portland, Or, Sussex Academic Press, 2002. 941 .Ethnic Hug Mil-Yr 1685-1688 Childs, John. The British army of William III, 1689-1702. Manchester, Manchester University Press, 1987. 941 .Mil-Yr 1698-1702 Army Chil O’Laughlin , Michael C. Families of Co. Clare, Ireland: from the earlist times to the 20th century : family surnames with locations & origins, including Old Irish, English and Anglo-norman settlers and settlements. Kansas City, MO, Irish Genealogical Society, 1996. 942.6 Clare .Biog Surn OLau An historical, environmental and cultural atlas of County Donegal. Cork, Ireland, Cork University Press, 2013. 942.6 Done .Hist-Au MacL Rosenthal, Caitlin. Accounting for slavery: masters and management. Cambridge, Massachusetts, Harvard University Press, 2018. 970 .Ethnic Black Slav Econ Rose Jarvis, Michael. In the eye of all trade: Bermuda, Bermudians, and the maritime Atlantic world, 1680-1783. Chapel Hill, Published for the Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture, Williamsburg, Virginia, by the University of North Carolina Press, 2010. 972.99 .Bus Marine 16 80-1783 Jarv Bolster, W. Jeffrey. Black jacks: African American seamen in the age of sail. Cambridge, Mass, Harvard University Press, 1997. 973 .Ethnic Black Marine Bols Hitt, Michael D. Charged with treason: ordeal of 400 mill workers during military operations in Roswell, Georgia, 1864-1865. Monroe, N.Y, Library Research Associates, 1992. 975.85 Fult Rosw .Mil-Yr 1864-1865 Hitt Wise, Erma (Clement). Pioneering days in Oregon. New York, Vantage Press, 1955. 979.55 .Biog Clem Wise Speidel, Bill. Sons of the profits, or, There’s no business like grow business: the Seattle story, 1851-1901. 979.75 King Seat .Hist-Yr 1851-1901

Surplus Book: 1918 Jefferson High School Yearbook

Step back in Portland, Oregon history with the Jefferson High School Spectrum from 1918. This is a yearbook to commemorate what was called then as the June Class. This edition, coming as it did at the end of World War I, includes a list of Jefferson students serving in the military and their branch. These old yearbooks are filled with advertisements from that era, as well as photos of class members and several pages of “prophecies” for many class members.

The cover of this 103 page yearbook is ratty on the edges, but the spine is sound and all pages inside are clean and in good condition. Our price to pickup: $20 Price to ship to you: $25 If you’d like this book, please contact booksales@gfo.org.

Survey Results:

Of those who responded (only 35) most report that they like the survey. And we got some great ideas for future surveys.

Here are a few responses to the question and some feedback about the survey: If you were doing the survey, what question(s) would you ask?

• Not about volunteer events but bona fide genealogical or research topics. • To keep it interesting, I would suggest doing it quarterly instead of more often. • Honestly, I really love the survey because it reflects the connections we have to our ancestors and each other. I think you do a great job coming up with the questions. Thank you for the time and work you put into it. • Of course my mind just went blank.

New Survey: Hitting the Road? Do your genealogy plans this year include travel? Might you be going to a conference or traveling to an archive? Tell us more in this week’s survey.

Take The Survey

This week at GFO … Saturday, January 11th Great Lakes Region Group 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. We welcome guest speaker Duane Funk who will discuss European Ports, Shipping Lines and Ships. A common question genealogists ask is: Exactly how did my ancestor get from Britain or Europe to North America? We will go beyond researching passenger lists and look at the ports themselves, the ships they served, and what the crossing was like. We look forward to gaining a new and richer understanding of the experiences of our immigrant ancestors. Questions? Contact us at greatlakes@gfo.org. Writer’s Forum 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. Join this peer group of genealogists, who meet to learn about writing and to share our writing with each other. Peggy Baldwin facilitates this group and can be reached at writers@gfo.org. Sunday, January 12th Library Work Party 9:00 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. Tuesday, January 14th GFO Board Meeting 6:10 – 8:10 p.m. Anyone is welcome to attend. Wednesday, January 15th Learn & Chat 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. The “Chat” portion of Learn & Chat has always been a lively unplanned discussion where we share successes, frustrations, challenges, tech tips, report on research trips, seminars, conferences and so on. The “Learn” portion goes back to the basics of genealogy. In the next several sessions we will be looking at the 3 aspects of the Genealogy Proof Standards as set forth by the Board for Certification of Genealogists in the “BCG Genealogical Standards Manual”. Join us to talk about your genealogy, support others and hopefully learn something new. Facilitated by Sandy Alto and Jeanne Quan. Send questions to: learnandchat@gfo.org. GFO Library Open Late to 8:00 p.m.

THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s Thursday Evening E-News Edition January 2, 2020

Curious about the status of your GFO Membership? We’d love to have you as a GFO Member!

gfo.org | 503-963-1932 | info@gfo.org Be sure to check the complete GFO CALENDAR. Also, don’t miss the current issue of The Forum Insider

2020: The Year of DNA

What’s the number one topic in genealogy circles? It’s got to be DNA. We’re learning so much more than many of us ever expected. If you want to know more than just a ballpark estimate of where your ancestors came from, it can get a bit complicated. On April 4 and 5, GFO is bringing the accomplished genetic genealogy educator Karen Stanbary in for our two-day Spring Seminar. To get the most out of her lectures, we’re offering you a chance to bone up on DNA basics and relevant tools between now and then! Jan. 25: DNA Advanced Group with Tim Janzen – 9 a.m. to Noon Feb. 5 & Mar. 4: DNA Beyond the Basics with Lisa McCullough – 1 to 3 p.m. Feb. 19: DNA The Basics with Lisa McCullough – 1 to 3 p.m. Feb. 22: DNA Beginners with Emily Aulicino – 9 a.m. to Noon Feb. 23: Workshop: Excel for Genealogy with Mary Kircher Roddy – 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (Paid registration required.) March 14: DNA Day at GFO Open House – Five classes to choose from. March 18: Jumpstart Your DNA Discoveries with Lisa McCullough – 1 to 3 p.m. March 22: Excel Spreadsheet Basics with Kendra Blumberg – 9:30 to 10:30 a.m Except for the Feb. 23 workshop, all classes are free and open to the public. Drop in and join us!

Honored Collections Get Recognition

The GFO Library depends on far more than financial donations. We owe a great debt of gratitude for the library’s 52,000 holdings to donors too. Two people in particular gave us absolutely enormous donations of books focused on specific geographic areas. Now, we are giving them the recognition they deserve in the stacks themselves. Merrill Mosher donated a vast portion of our Virginia holdings, and we would not have such an extensive collection of French Canada resources without George T. Brown. Look for signs on our shelves paying tribute to these distinguished donors.

Free Monday Reminder

Don’t forget, the GFO Library is free to everyone on the First Monday of each month. Our first Free Monday of the new year is Monday, January 6th.

Save the Dates for GFO’s Genealogy Open House

Mark your calendars! The GFO brings back its biggest event of the year March 13 through 22. The library is free every day, and we’re offering 42 free classes during this 10-day run! It’s like having a genealogy conference in your own backyard. And it doesn’t cost a dime! There are too many classes to list here, but they’re all on our website. Here are some highlights: • An Evening with Guest Speaker John Schmal on Mexican Ancestry • Beginners Day • DNA Day • Software Day • Irish Day • Full Library Access Save time to come learn about your favorite topics. And do us a favor, please tell a friend!

GFO Open House 2020

News from the Library: Digitized Society Periodicals

The library team has been working for the last few months to make our periodicals more user friendly. We’ve created digital files so that you can search every word in the publications when you visit the library. Each digitized periodical will have an icon to indicate it is an ePublication. Here are society journals we’ve done so far:

• Boulder Genealogical Society Quarterly (Colorado) • Circuit Rider (Sangamon County, Illinois) • Diggers Digest (Sutter & Yuba Counties, California) • Ohio Cross Road of Our Nation • Petticoat Gazette 1957-1959 (Seward, Alaska newspaper) • Redwood Researcher(Northern California) • Roots and Leaves (Eastern Nebraska) • Santa Maria Valley Genealogical Society Quarterly • The Genie (Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas)

Want to help? Send a message to library@gfo.org or come to the Sunday work parties on January 12, 19, and/or 26. As a team, we’ll be prepping more items for scanning and doing some scanning too.

CGGS January Meeting

The Columbia Gorge Genealogical Society will meet from 10:30 a.m. – Noon on January 11, 2020 in the downstairs classroom at the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center. This months program will be the “Individual Research Assistance” project, where members collaborate with other members to solve their research dead ends or brick walls. The project will run both January and February. Members are encouraged to bring their laptops and their research data. A short business meeting will begin at 10:30 followed by the beginning of our research assistance project. There is no admission charge to the Discovery Center for attending our meetings. A $1.00 donation is appreciated to cover room rental. In case of inclement weather please call the Discovery Center at 541.296.8600 after 9:00 a.m. for cancellation information.

From Petticoats to Poodle Skirts: A Historical Fashion Tea

The West Linn Historical Society and the Friends of McLean House Park and House are again presenting this historical fashion show and tea event, “From Petticoats to Poodle Skirts: A Historical Fashion Tea,” on Saturday, February 22, 2020 at the McLean House; West Linn, Oregon. Tea begins at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Tickets will be on sale SOON. We are letting you know early since both seatings sold out quickly last year. If you are interested, check the WLHS website frequently to ensure your ticket.

Surplus Chart: Kings & Queens of Great Britain

We have an unusual bit of surplus historical fun to offer this week. “The Kings and Queens of Great Britain” is a large genealogical chart showing royal descent and relationships. It is a reprint of a chart that was published in 1776 by Crown

Publishers and is arranged to read through the centuries from left to right. Our copy of this chart is nearly perfect and quite framable! It’s dimensions after unfolding measure roughly 34“ by 48”.

Our price to pickup: $35 Price to ship to you: $40 If you’re interested, contact booksales@gfo.org.

Survey Results: New Year’s Resolutions

Last week, we asked you about New Year’s resolutions. Of those who responded, 49.1% said they were making a resolution, 27.3% were not, and 13.6% were undecided. Writing and sharing family history research were mentioned most often, as well as the desire to get organized.

Here are a few of the responses: • Learn the genealogy program on my computer. • Start writing the history for relatives! • Saving spare nickels to apply for a passport and use it to research “over there.” • Try to get my DNA data organized and my genealogy papers too. • Complete 3 more books relating to early Oregon ancestors, with one including such people as the first mail express rider, the first ferry owner in Oregon City, and the couple who donated the first cemetery for Hillsboro.

• Finish and submit all the projects required for BCG certification portfolio. • I’d love to build my grandmother’s tree to 5 generations and make her a poster by her birthday in May! • Send old photos and letters to “closer” descendants – from 50 to 125 year old items. My grandmother saved it all!

New Survey: We’re Curious!

Of course we are—we wouldn’t be asking all these questions if we weren’t. But seriously, we want to know if you like our weekly survey or not. And we’re giving you a chance to tell us what questions you’d ask if you were writing the survey each week.

Take the Survey Now

This week at GFO …

Saturday, January 4th Virginia Group 10:00 a.m – Noon Colonial Migration Roots: For many of us, our genealogy story includes at least one tale of traveling a well-trodden path to make a better life. From the Wilderness Road to the Oregon Trail, numerous waves of migration have swept across the continent. To understand our ancestors, we need to understand the reasons that fueled their migration. This month we will look at various early migration routes and some of the reasons they were traveled. For more information see our blog: Virginia Roots and Vines. Contact Judi Scott and Carol Currency, at virginia@gfo.org with questions. German Group 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. To lead off our meeting, Christina Rainer will talk about the genealogy courses she is taking online. For our second topic, we ask you to bring a New Year’s genealogy resolution and let’s see if we can help each other “solve it.” If you would like more information about this group or have questions, please contact Mike Fernandez and Tia Cobb at german@gfo.org. Sunday, January 5th Library Work Party 9:00 a.m. – noon Come on in and lend a hand. First Sunday is dedicated to the work of the Manuscripts Committee. Explore our manuscript, personal papers and Bible collection while we organize, scan, and create finding aids. Drop by at the time that works for you. Questions? Send a note to manuscripts@gfo.org. Monday, January 6th First Monday 9:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. GFO Library open to non-members for free. Tuesday, January 7th Italian Ancestry Group 10:00-11:30 a.m. The Italian group is dedicated to promoting Italian family history and genealogy through education using nationally-recognized genealogical standards and practices. If you have any questions, feel free to contact facilitator Stephanie Silenti at italian@gfo.org. Wednesday, January 8th GFO Library Open Late to 8:00 p.m. Thursday, January 9th Beginner’s Boot Camp 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. -This Event is now SOLD OUT–

THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s Thursday Evening E-News Edition December 26, 2019

Curious about the status of your GFO Membership? We’d love to have you as a GFO Member!

gfo.org | 503-963-1932 | info@gfo.org Be sure to check the complete GFO CALENDAR. Also, don’t miss the current issue of The Forum Insider

Genealogy Boot Camp for Beginners — only 1 seat left!

This popular class is nearly sold out! The next Boot Camp won’t be until Saturday, May 30. Class is geared for beginners and computer skills are a prerequisite.

All communications are done via email, and you must be able to download and print the class notes. GFO members may attend for free, non-members $20.

Register for Boot Camp

News from the Library: We’re Digitizing Periodicals

Look for this logo in our catalog for searchable digital periodicals. We’ve got a big improvement to announce! Until now, you’ve had to go through periodicals issue by issue and page by page in hope of finding something relevant. Now, you’ll be able to use a computer to search for any word or name in a decade’s worth of periodicals! We’re creating digital files that you can access when you visit the library. Each digitized periodical will have an icon in the catalog to indicate it is an ePublication. Here are the family history newsletters we’ve done so far:

▪ Adams Addenda ▪ A Day to Remember (Aday) ▪ Agnewsletter ▪ The Alden Letter ▪ Alee’s All Around ▪ Alexander Agenda ▪ Alton-Allton-Aulton Family Association Newsletter ▪ The Anderson Album ▪ Babb Family Association News and Notes ▪ Backenstoss Family Association of America ▪ Baker Family Newsletter ▪ Baldwin By-Lines ▪ Francis Ball Bulletin ▪ Barnard Lines ▪ Barnett Banner ▪ Barrett Branches ▪ Canfield Family Association Newsletter

Want to help? Send a message to library@gfo.org or come to the work party on Sunday January 29. As a team, we’ll be prepping more items for scanning–and the work will probably go on all day. So, if afternoon is better for you–here’s your chance to help.

Is a Train Blocking 11th? New Website Can Tell You

We’ve all long been frustrated with Union Pacific trains blocking SE 11th Ave. near the GFO for up to an hour. There’s nothing to be done about the trains, but now you can get a heads up if the trains are there. Save this website: https://isatrainblocking11th.com

Screenshot from website of isatrainblocking11th.com It’ll tell you if a train is currently blocking the tracks and for how long the blockage has lasted. A team from DevelopmentNow “used AI/machine learning, vision processing, predictive heuristics, and off-the-shelf hardware to build a cloud-based prototype of this application. After a bit of tweaking and testing, the application tells us with reasonable accuracy whether a train is blocking the intersection outside our window.“

Shhhhhhh, We’re Researching

Have you noticed what’s not in the GFO Library any more? Screeching chairs! We found some better chair glides that don’t make such a racket on the concrete floors. They may wear down faster and have to be replaced, but we think it’s worth it. Several members have already commented they like how quiet the chairs are.

Surplus Book: Willamette Valley History

Here’s a fun book for the Oregon history aficionado in your family. Robert Carlton Clark published History of the Willamette Valley Oregon in 1927. He covers geography, boundary disputes, early settlement, pioneer life, the Pony Express and railroads, politics, and more.

It’s a large volume filling 888 pages, complete with a thorough index and pages of photos. This book is in sound shape with a great binding. However, as a former library book, it contains marks on some pages. Elsewhere we’ve seen this book for sale for $70.

Our price for pick up at the GFO: $40 Our price to ship to you: $48 Please contact booksales@gfo.org if you’re interested.

Survey Results: Giving the Gift of Genealogy

Seventy percent of the people who responded are giving genealogy-related gifts this year. Here are some of the replies:

A y-DNA test for one brother, and an autosomal for the other . Trying to find their grandfather thru dna. A 23andMe test kit destined for a friend interested in knowing more about his paternal and maternal lines (the y-DNA and mtDNA haplogroup designations are included in the 23andMe ancestry test). And for another friend searching for an unknown grandparent: a Family Tree DNA “Family Finder” (autosomal) test kit.

Photographs and family trees I have already gifted an electronic copy of over 300 pictures from my deceased husband’s family to cousins of his that most have never seen.

I have given of my time to help others break down brick walls and learn how to use resources new to them. Then I helped someone who had forty years of pedigree charts and family group sheets in paper form only create a database. Hoping to convince that person of the usefulness of having a personal database. We also scanned a book of family photographs to be able to share copies with other family members.

A Civil War publication Our Cards – playing cards with pictures, vital statistics and other facts of 52 ancestors. I am gifting family and some genealogy research groups (including GFO) a copy of the 1841 Missouri to Oregon book once the copyright office approves the copyright.

New Survey: New Year’s Resolutions

Many of us make New Year’s resolutions about our genealogy. “This year I’ll get organized,” or “This year I’ll break through my brick wall.” What about you? Are you making any resolutions?

Take the Survey Now

This week at GFO …

Sunday, December 29th Library Work Party 9:00 a.m. – 5 p.m Come on by, any time this Sunday. We’ll be prepping periodicals for scanning and doing some scanning too! Tuesday, December 31st Library Closed: New Year’s Eve Wednesday, January 1st Library Closed: New Years Day

THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s Thursday Evening E-News Edition December 19, 2019

Curious about the status of your GFO Membership? We’d love to have you as a GFO Member!

gfo.org | 503-963-1932 | info@gfo.org Be sure to check the complete GFO CALENDAR. Also, don’t miss the current issue of The Forum Insider

Your Tax-Deductible Dollars Help Support the GFO

Thank you! We are a bit more than halfway to our fundraising goal! There is still time to make your tax-deductible, end-of-year donation to support the GFO’s mission and to give a gift that helps us preserve heritage to share with future generations.

Give Now to Our Annual Appeal

We have a Gold Star rating with GuideStar. Plus, there are ways to help maximize your chartiable giving. The GFO belongs to the Oregon Cultural Trust. Also, your employer may provide matching donations, especially through Benevity. The GFO opens it’s doors to all. We offer so many benefits to those who visit the library, search our website, or preserve their family history with us. Your support is crucial and so very appreciated.

Spring Seminar Update: New DNA Speaker

You may remember that, in October, we announced that Blaine Bettinger would be our speaker at our next Spring Seminar. Last month, Blaine contacted us apologizing profusely. He’d double-booked himself and could not come to Portland after all. Naturally, we were disappointed. But, we know how important DNA has become in genealogy, and wanted to keep this important topic. We were thrilled to learn that an exceptionally accomplished DNA expert is available. We’re proud to announce that Certified Genealogist® Karen Stanbary is coming to speak April 4 and 5 to help you Solve Your Puzzles with DNA.

Karen is an author and national lecturer focusing on using genetic evidence correlated with documentary evidence to solve genealogical brick walls. Her genealogical practice specializes in Midwestern U.S., Chicago, and Mexican research as well as complex problem-solving, unknown parentage, and DNA analysis. She is a coordinator and faculty member at GRIP, IGHR, and SLIG. She received the NGSQ Award for Excellence for her complex evidence case study incorporating traditional documentary research and autosomal DNA analysis in the June 2016 issue of the National Genealogical Society Quarterly. Registration for our GFO Spring Seminar opens on December 21. Be sure to get your seat early!

Genealogy Boot Camp for Beginners is Filling Up

Start 2020 off with a bang! If your goal is to start researching, get back to your research, organize what you’ve found, or just pick up a few good tips, then plan to join Laurel Smith on Thursday, January 9 from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm at the GFO for a day of beginning genealogy.

Basic computer skills are a prerequisite. All communications are done via email, and you must be able to download and print the class notes. Bring a sack lunch, snacks, and a beverage so you can keep going as the class does. GFO members may attend for free, non-members $20.

Register for Boot Camp

December Star: Kendra Blumberg

Kendra Blumberg is an organizational marvel. In her first year at the GFO, she helped us land a record number of donations for our spring raffle. This fall, she stepped in again to schedule speakers for the next Open House. In a whirl of efficiency, she filled most of the slots in just two weeks. Watch for her to teach some computer classes here soon too! Thank you, Kendra!

Your Last Minute Gifts Can Mean Cash for the GFO

Remember that when you shop for the holidays at AmazonSmile, each purchase nets a small donation for the Genealogical Forum Of Oregon, with no impact on the price you pay! It is a great way to tackle your last minute holiday shopping while helping the GFO. As of November 2019, the GFO has received over $820 from AmazonSmile! Every little bit counts.

New Tables Save Your Knees and Our Backs

We hope you like the new tables in our GFO classroom. You won’t whack your knees any more on the leg supports, because the cross bars are at the rear of each table. Also, these tables are super light weight. That makes it easier for us to move them around when we need to rearrange the table formations.

Surplus Book: Oregonian’s Handbook of 1894

We’ve got a unique piece of Oregon history available. The Oregonian’s Handbook of the Pacific Northwest was published as a hardcover book by The Oregonian newspaper in 1894. The “Handbook” describes itself as containing “a mass of interesting matter on the states of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Western Montana as well as extended mention of British Columbia and Alaska.” What follows are 631 pages of articles and

illustrations of life in this part of the country before the turn of the 20th Century. Take a step back in time by owning this piece of history. We’ve found this book for sale for $125 elsewhere. Our version is in good shape, still well bound, but has light damage on the

cover, on the title page, and has a few marks inside. Our price to pickup at the GFO: $70 Our price to ship to you: $78 Please contact booksales@gfo.org if you’re interested.

Survey Results: Holiday Genealogy Gifts

Results from last week: About 75% of last week’s respondents indicated that their wish list contained genealogy items. Here are some of the replies:

An Ancestry DNA kit for my sister (who’s not interested in genealogy). I bought it as a gift for myself. I just hope she takes it because I haven’t asked her yet! Back issues of the Virginia Genealogist by Dorman. I don’t make a list, I just gift myself what I want. My latest purchase was RootsMagic 8. I’m looking forward to it’s release.

Finding the son my aunt gave up for adoption in 1945. That the copyright office approves the book I submitted about the 1841 wagon train so it can be made available to all the people who have been asking for it.

Scholarship to GRIP. Travel to New England. The gift of memberships. Books! Time to visit where my ancestors lived.

And the survey editor thanks Juli for sending the spinach casserole recipe!

New Survey: Giving the Gift of Genealogy

This week, we’re asking if you are giving any genealogy-related gifts to others this holiday season.

Take the Survey Now

This week at GFO …

Saturday, December 21st No GenTalk this month Sunday, December 22nd Library Work Party 9:00 a.m. – Noon There’s always 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. Tuesday, December 24th GFO Closed – Christmas Eve Wednesday, December 25th GFO Closed – Christmas Day

THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s Thursday Evening E-News Edition December 12, 2019

Curious about the status of your GFO Membership? We’d love to have you as a GFO Member!

gfo.org | 503-963-1932 | info@gfo.org Be sure to check the complete GFO CALENDAR. Also, don’t miss the current issue of The Forum Insider

Thank you for Supporting the GFO and the Oregon Cultural Trust

We are so grateful for everyone who’s been donating during our annual appeal, our only fundraising drive of the year. Thank you! We’re not quite half way to our goal, but we’re confident we can raise what is needed to keep providing you the services and access to historical records you’ve come to rely on.

Your support can go even farther too. The GFO is a member of the Oregon Cultural Trust. You can match the amounts you’ve given to Cultural Trust nonprofits like the GFO and you’ll get 100% of that match back on your Oregon state tax form. (Up to $500 for individuals, $1,000 for couples filing jointly.) Be sure to click over to the Cultural Trust website to get the information you need.

Give Now to Our Annual Appeal

Genealogy Boot Camp for Beginners

Join Laurel Smith on Thursday, January 9 from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm at the GFO for a day of beginning genealogy. There will be sessions about the census, vital records, discussions about genealogy software and database use, organizing your research, using Ancestry.com, and more — all geared toward beginners — but basic computer skills are a prerequisite.

All communications are done via email, and you must be able to download and print the class notes. Bring a sack lunch, snacks, and a beverage so you can keep going as the class does. GFO members may attend for free, non-members $20.

Register for Boot Camp

Have you Moved? Please Tell Us

Please tell us if you’ve moved in the last year. Recently, we had a large number of letters returned to us that could not be delivered. The post office charges more for each returned letter than it costs to mail them out the first time. As a small non-profit we’d rather spend our limited budget on keeping the library open and bolstering resources for you. Please notify membership@gfo.org of any changes to your mailing address.

GFO Files Objection to USCIS Genealogy Fee Hike

We’ve told you in previous weeks that the U.S. Customs and Immigration Service wants to increase fees by nearly 500% for copies of genealogy records. The GFO Board has now filed formal objections to these outrageous fee hikes for access to records like naturalization certificates, alien registration forms, Visa files, registry files, and A-Files. Fees could total $240 to $385 per record! We believe the exorbitant fee increase appears to be an attempt to deny Americans access to the records at all. It will slam the door and close off public records because such fees are simply beyond the means of most of us.

USCIS Genealogy Fee Hikes as charted by Records, Not Revenue.

In addition to filing our objection during the comment period, we have also contacted all federal elected officials from Oregon to urge them to use their influence to stop this as well. We urge all of you who care about keeping public records public to file your own comment. USCIS has reportedly extended the deadline for comments to December 30. Be sure to specifically note both the Genealogy Program and DHS Docket No. USCIS-2019-0010 in your comments.

Comment on Fee Hike

Renovation to Close OHS Research Library

As many of you may know, the Oregon Historical Society is counting down to an exciting new chapter for their Research Library. To allow for extensive renovations of their downtown Portland library starting in March 2020, library staff and collections are moving offsite. The downtown library will remain open through December 28, 2019. They will reopen to researchers by appointment at a temporary offsite location in early spring, and continue to answer reference questions by email and phone during the construction phase. The OHS museum will remain open; no interruption to other OHS activities is anticipated during this time. Details and updates can be found on the OHS website. Questions may be directed to libreference@ohs.org. We at the GFO are looking forward to OHS’s new, enhanced library. We offer our resources for anyone eager to keep researching in the interim.

Friday is Deadline for Comments on Division Transit Project

TriMet has big changes planned for Division Street, starting in front of GFO’s building and extending far to the east. The agency has an “online open house” where you can learn more about the design. Public comments can be submitted through Friday, Dec. 13.

Submit Your Comments Here

If It Snows, We May Close

Here’s a reminder before any winter weather really hits Portland: if it snows, we may reduce hours or close altogether. The best place to find out is online. You can check three places: ▪ Local media website winter closure lists. If we close, we notify Flash Alert Newswire, which instantly adds us to the lists displayed by local media. ▪ The GFO Webpage. We’ll post closures on our homepage. ▪ The GFO Facebook page. Or, you can call us. If no one answers, please don’t come in.

Surplus Book: Amish and Amish Mennonite Genealogies

No pretty pictures or detailed maps in our book of the week—but what a treasure trove of genealogical information! Amish and Amish Mennonite Genealogies by Hugh F. Gingerich and Rachel W. Kreider, 1986, is chock full of names, dates, and locations gleaned from over 125 different sources. The foreword by Joseph F. Beiler states, “This volume offers actual accounts of all known Amish or Amish related immigrants, who came to America

as European peasants who were, in one way or another, denied religious freedom and civil rights—to the promised land.” It provides a preface, introduction, history of the first Amish communities in America, instructions on how to use the book, a code list for sources, and a code list for location—and then, all those names and family

groups in this 848-page tome. There are even two indexes of individuals—one for coded and one for uncoded. Thumbing through the book, one pencil notation was found. The pages are clean and tight, and the binding is secure. But there is damage to the cover which can be seen in the photo—and the pages closest to that end board have been wrinkled, but not torn. Don’t let this one get away! If interested, please contact booksales@gfo.org. Price if picked up at the GFO is $48. Shipped is $55 (it’s heavy!)

Survey Results: Sweet Traditions

We were a little surprised that more people didn’t have holiday cookie or treat recipes handed down, but we did get a few interesting replies. (However, the survey editor is sad that the prior weeks’ respondents didn’t reach out to share their Thanksgiving cranberry sorbet or decadent spinach recipes.)

Here are a few of the responses we received: My grandmother, and then my mother, used to make cookies at Christmastime called Lard Nuts. They contained (you guessed it) lard, and ammonia. I’m sure you can understand why we don’t make them any longer. As a child, I thought they were pretty nasty. Lebkuchen. I’ve often wondered about how this recipe was passed down. My grandmother made it. She was Scotch. Her husband was German–so perhaps from my paternal great-grandmother? I hear this can be a perfectly lovely treat. But not the way grandma made it–in a jelly roll pan and frosted (the only good part). But it was like the hardest, chewiest, dry fruitcake I’ve ever had. When she died, thankfully the lebkuchen recipe disappeared.

My mother always made “Mary’s Cookies” at Christmas. They are cut outs and my siblings and I decorated them. I did the same with my kids. No one seems to remember who Mary was! Actually there is no recipe…it was all in my grandmother’s head and I observed many times the making of paklava with phyllo made from scratch. I got to sprinkle the nut, sugar & clove filling, roll and cut up the pieces. It’s the dough that is in question because my grandmother made it without measuring…she just knew by the feel when the ratio of milk and butter to flour was right. It was beautiful to watch a small round of dough become a huge paper thin circle. A large table is required for this which is one of the reasons I haven’t tried to recreate the movements I watched so many times …

New Survey: Holiday Genealogy Gifts

This week we’re asking if you have any genealogical gifts on your wish list. Take the survey now.

Take the Survey Now

This week at GFO …

Saturday, December 14th Writer’s Forum 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. Join our peer group of genealogists, who meet to learn about writing and to share our writing with each other. Peggy Baldwin facilitates this group and can be reached at writers@gfo.org. Sunday, December 15th Library Work Party 9:00 a.m. – Noon 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. French Canada Group 3:30 – 5:00 p.m. Share stories of our history. Come and join this group to learn more about French Canadian ancestry and Acadia. The group leader is Bob LaMarche. FrCan@gfo.org Wednesday, December 18th Learn & Chat 10:00 a.m. – Noon Co-facilitator Sandy Alto aptly named Learn and Chat as a “genealogy self-help” group. Come attend the Learn and Chat group if you want to learn about anything genealogical. Contact facilitator Sandy Alto with your questions at learnandchat@gfo.org. DNA Q&A: The Basics 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. This meeting is for those who are just beginning to use DNA testing for genealogy. Each class begins with a presentation of general information about DNA testing. General questions regarding DNA testing are welcome at the end of each planned discussion. Lisa McCullough leads this group.. Questions? dna_qa@gfo.org GFO Library Open Late Until 8:00 p.m.

THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s Thursday Evening E-News Edition December 5, 2019

Curious about the status of your GFO Membership? We’d love to have you as a GFO Member!

gfo.org | 503-963-1932 | info@gfo.org Be sure to check the complete GFO CALENDAR. Also, don’t miss the current issue of The Forum Insider

Support the GFO: Preserve Heritage for the Future

Your support is essential to providing all the resources, records, and education that the Genealogical Forum of Oregon offers. We are striving to remain relevant in a climate where some believe “it is all online.” (In fact, we have a big announcement coming soon about more digitally searchable GFO resources.)

We’re 100% volunteer. No paid staff. No paid fundraisers. So every penny goes to support the GFO’s mission. A month ago, our website service unexpectedly jumped 22% to $1968 per year. Database subscriptions rose 10% to $5370 per year. Rent increases $1200 each year. Member dues cover only 24% of our budget. Will you please help us fill the gap? We ask this only once a year. We seek to raise $28,500 during this annual appeal. ➢ Your $75 donation could pay for two months of our website cost increase. ➢ Your $100 donation would offset one month’s rent increase. ➢ Your $448 donation would cover one month of database subscriptions. Please make your tax deductible gift now:

Give Now to Our Annual Appeal

Genealogy Boot Camp for Beginners

Will one of your 2020 New Year’s Resolutions be to start working in earnest on your family history? If so, join Laurel Smith on Saturday, January 9 from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm at the GFO for a day of beginning genealogy. There will be sessions about the census, vital records, discussions about genealogy software and database use, organizing your research, using Ancestry.com, and more — all geared toward beginners — but basic computer skills are a prerequisite.

All communications are done via email, and you must be able to download and print the class notes. Bring a sack lunch, snacks, and a beverage so you can keep going as the class does. GFO members may attend for free, non-members $20.

Register for Boot Camp

Give a GFO Gift Membership and Get Two Extra Months Yourself

Need a gift for that hard-to-buy-for person? We have a special offer! If you give a GFO membership as a gift, we’ll give you two extra months on your current membership! If you give two gifts, you’ll get four extra months. Give the meaningful gift of family history this holiday season with a membership to the GFO. It’s so easy. Just click below for more details.

Give a Gift Membership Today

All memberships will begin January 1, 2020. Orders must be received by the GFO by December 10 to be fulfilled by Christmas.

Spring Seminar 2020 “Solve Puzzles with DNA”

We are pleased to announce our Spring Seminar, “Solve Puzzles with DNA,” on April 4 & 5, to be presented by national genetic genealogy author and educator Karen Stanbary, CG®, MA, LCSW.

Karen is best known as a course coordinator at three national week-long genealogy institutes: GRIP (Chromosome Mapping), IGHR (Intermediate DNA), and SLIG (Meeting Standards Using DNA Evidence). She received the National Genealogical Society Quarterly Award for Excellence for her complex evidence case study incorporating traditional research and DNA analysis (June 2016 issue), and was a contributor to Advanced Genetic Genealogy: Techniques and Case Studies by Debbie Parker Wayne, ed. (2019). Karen holds the credential Certified Genealogist from the Board for Certification of Genealogists, where she serves as a Trustee and is chair of the standing DNA Committee. Additionally, Karen was a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in her first career, and she will share her insight and expertise with us on managing conversations about unexpected DNA results during the Saturday program. Registration for the Spring Seminar will begin Dec. 21. More information can be found here.

GivingTuesday a Great Success!

Jane McGarvin greeted new arrivals and handed out visitor passes. 48 energetic volunteers + 4 dozen donuts and a dozen bagels + 40 cups of coffee + 9 large pizzas + some miscellaneous goodies = 218.5 hours of laughter, discovery, and library organization! That’s what GivingTuesday was all about. The books in the library are now better organized and should be easier for everyone to find. Some participants stated that they didn’t realize the depth of the collection—and that they wanted to come back to research in the books they saw.

Lots of folks tackled inventory. Cathy Lauer worked diligently to fix mistakes in our catalog.

Thank you to those who came to help. But the work’s not done! Many missing books were located. More missing items were identified. Now, the library team will use the markers placed to get things in even better shape. And we’d love to have your help if you have time to give. There are lots of different jobs. Just send us a message library@gfo.org if you’d like to help.

Pizza was enjoyed by many.

Immigration Record Fees Could Increase 400%

A couple of weeks ago on our Facebook page we told you about plans by U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) to increase fees for genealogy records by over 400%.

A group of genealogists, historians and records access advocates created a website, “Records, Not Revenue,” to help people protest these hikes. “Records, Not Revenue” writes, “Many of these records should already be publicly accessible under the law. USCIS is essentially holding them hostage, demanding individuals pay exorbitant fees to access documents of our immigrant ancestors.” Comments on the fee hikes are due by December 16, 2019. Learn more about this issue and how you can make your voice heard by clicking on the button below.

Learn More Here

Ford Building Pop-Up Market

Come shop for the holidays in the shops above our heads at the GFO Library. The Ford Building is hosting a holiday pop-up market on Dec. 7. Businesses participating include: ▪ Tendue – Suite 255 ▪ Whimsy Wondering ▪ Levity CBD – Suite 113 ▪ Hannah Naomi Jewelry Design – Suite 250 ▪ Airtype – Suite 313 ▪ Artist Aretha Ryan – Suite B-05

News from the Library: Something new

You’ll soon be seeing more of these at the GFO–shelf markers to insert between books when a book is removed from the shelf. President Vince Patton saw something similar at a library in California, and Mac McGarvin has taken on the job of creating shelf markers for us. (Thanks to Vince and Mac.) They will be hanging on hooks in the aisles. Take a book off the shelf … insert a shelf marker … reshelf a book … pull the marker and return it to the hook. Hopefully, this will help with getting books back to the right spot after our inventory. They are already getting rave reviews!

Survey Results: Family Traditions

As expected, many of us honor family traditions, either in what we do or what we eat.

Here are some of the comments that were shared: Great-great-grandmother’s phenomenal cranberry sorbet! [survey editor wants the recipe!] A spinach casserole that is too decadent to qualify as a vegetable–cream cheese, sour cream, and bacon are featured! [survey editor wants this recipe too!] We always have what I have started calling “Sacred Rolls”. If you mess up when it’s your turn to make them, or, God forbid, you change the recipe, you might be excommunicated from the family! The recipe has been in the family for 4-5 generations now. My mother’s family has had a tradition that lasted over 50 years: Football! My grandfather, born and raised in Nebraska, was a great Nebraska football supporter. His brother, also born in Nebraska, moved to Oklahoma and became a great Sooner supporter. Every year the two families would get together on Thanksgiving, one year in Norman Oklahoma, the next year in Lincoln, Nebraska. When the rivalry became hottest, Thanksgiving dinner was moved from Thursday to Wednesday, because it was not clear if everyone would be talking to the other side after the game. This year we are skipping the turkey and making dishes from the countries our ancestors came from including Italy, Germany, France and England. We are thankful for our ancestors, wouldn’t be here without them.

New Survey: Sweet Traditions

Your survey editor is still thinking about the sorbet and spinach dish mentioned in last week’s replies. I want those recipes! And so, continuing with a food theme this week, we’re asking about cookie, candy, or treat recipes that you may have that have been handed down from you ancestors.

Take the Survey Now

This week at GFO …

Saturday, December 7th Virginia Interest Group 10:00 a.m – Noon Join us as we have a short discussion about West Virginia history and research followed by a time to get together and discuss genealogy. Share your research, ask questions, and let us know what the group can do to help you. Talk about your brick walls or your successes. Generally, for our December meeting, some of us elect to bring snacks/finger food to get the holiday season going. Please do not feel obligated to do so. We want this to be a fun time of sharing with no one rolling their eyes as we talk genealogy! For more information see our blog: “Virginia Roots and Vines.” If you would like more information about this group or have questions, please contact Judi Scott or Carol Surrency at:virginia@gfo.org. German Interest Group 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. The German Interest Group is intended to be a source of information and inspiration for anyone with German speaking ancestors. One goal is to provide information on a variety of topics related to Germanic history and migration. We also will provide time for members to share their research journeys and connect with others who may be researching the same region or time period. If you have any questions, email group facilitators Mike Fernandez and Tia Cobb at: german@gfo.org. Sunday, December 8th Library Work Party 9:00 a.m. – Noon 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. Tuesday, December 10th GFO Board Meeting 6:10 – 8:10 p.m. Wednesday, December 11th PMUG Free Class: Photos on Apple iOS Devices 6:00-8:00 p.m. The Portland Macintosh Users Group will meet at the GFO for a class focused on tips for creating photos using an iPhone, iPad, or iTouch. Registration is required for this class. • Terms: iOS devices are the iPhone, iPad, and iTouch • Explore how to edit Photos on iOS devices • Explore optional photo editors on iOS devices • Watch demos of alternative photo programs • See ways of organizing and storing photos on iOS. For additional information or to register: Call 503-228-1779 or email: college@pmug.org. Bring your iPhone, iPad, or iTouch to participate with instruction. GFO Library Closes at 8:00 p.m.

THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s Thursday Evening E-News Special Edition November 28, 2019

We Give Thanks…

I hope you enjoy this Thanksgiving holiday. Please know how grateful all of us at the GFO are for all of you who support the Genealogical Forum of Oregon. Tracing family history has become one of the most popular hobbies in the country. We’re making very personal connections, not only to history, but to distant living relatives we never knew before. (Thank you, internet connections and the explosion of DNA testing.) My deepest thanks go to the more than 100 volunteers who keep the GFO alive. This is not a mere platitude. The GFO literally would not exist, nor keep the doors open daily, without volunteers. They greet you, help with research, handle membership, index records to make them searchable, number and catalog more than 50,000 holdings and provide countless classes all year long so we can share what we’re learning with each other. I’d also like to offer my gratitude to the volunteers who serve on our Board of Directors. They give even more time, monitor our modest finances, guide the organization and strive to keep us relevant in this increasingly digital (and often impersonal) world. Finding family is personal. Meaningful. Fun! Thank you for helping the GFO to preserve and share heritage since 1946.

Vince Patton President

THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s Thursday Evening E-News Edition November 21, 2019

Curious about the status of your GFO Membership? We’d love to have you as a GFO Member!

gfo.org | 503-963-1932 | info@gfo.org Be sure to check the complete GFO CALENDAR. Also, don’t miss the current issue of The Forum Insider

Remember: December 3rd is Giving Tuesday

Not many readers responded to our Survey last week asking about participation in our upcoming Giving Tuesday – which has us a little concerned. Of those that did, there was good mix of all day, morning, and afternoon participants. We need your help! Remember, volunteering for Giving Tuesday will entitle you to a free GFO pass which you can use later or pass on to someone else. And there will be food! For GFO, GivingTuesday isn’t about fundraising. It’s about banding together for a volunteer blitz to accomplish one large task. What if all GFO’s members came together on just one day to give back by lending their time and talent?

Please save the date: December 3rd and come to the GFO all or part of the day to help. GFO will provide pastries, fruit, and coffee in the morning, pizza and pop in the afternoon. You provide the people power. Please give some time.

GFO Star: Kelly Thornburg

Our GFO Star for December is Kelly Thornburg. When the GFO needed volunteers for its for its annual financial review, Kelly offered to help. She has decades of accounting experience and happens to be the mother of our incoming treasurer Erin Randall. While not a GFO member, we welcomed a set of “outside expert” eyes. She lives in Pendleton, and drove over three hours – twice! – to help pore over long columns of numbers and match up receipts in working sessions of the Financial Review Committee. A million thanks, Kelly!

Give a GFO Gift Membership and Get Two Extra Months Yourself

SPECIAL OFFER! If you give a GFO membership as a gift, we’ll give you two extra months on your current membership! If you give two gifts, you’ll get four extra months. Give the meaningful gift of family history this holiday season with a membership to the GFO. It’s so easy. Visit our gift page for information.

Give a Gift Membership Today

All memberships will begin January 1, 2020. Orders must be received by the GFO by December 10 to be fulfilled by Christmas.

Genealogy Boot Camp for Beginners is Back!

Join Laurel Smith on Saturday, January 9 from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm at the GFO for a day of beginning genealogy. There will be sessions about the census, vital records, discussions about genealogy software and database use, organizing your research, using Ancestry.com, and more — all geared toward beginners — but basic computer skills are a prerequisite.

All communications are done via email, and you must be able to download and print the class notes. Bring a sack lunch, snacks, and a beverage so you can keep going as the class does. GFO members may attend for free, non-members $20.

Register for Boot Camp

You’re Invited to a Grand Opening!

The Clark County Genealogical Society has moved. Come celebrate their grand opening at their new research library on December 7, at 5 p.m. Address: 3205 NE 52nd St., Vancouver, WA 98663 Please RSVP to ccgslibrarian@outlook.com.

Intel Workers/Retirees and Many Others Have A Great Way to Double Support to the GFO

If you work at Intel – or at any company that offers matching funds to charitable organizations – you have the chance to double your donations to the GFO!

If you’re unsure if your company provides matching funds to the GFO, inquire with your HR department.

What may qualify for matching: ▪ General monetary donations to the GFO ▪ Membership dues ▪ Volunteer hours (Intel matches hours at $10/hour) For Intel, the following people are eligible to request matching donations: ▪ Active U.S. blue badge employees ▪ Spouses of Active U.S. blue badge employees ▪ U.S. Intel Retirees *Tip: For Intel Donors who want to reduce the amount of fees taken out of your matching donation, you can make a payment directly to the GFO and then submit a match request through Intel’s Benevity Portal. If you make a payment to GFO via PayPal or credit card directly through Benevity, they will take out management fees of up to 3%. Your company may offer a similar payment alternative.

Surplus Book: Forecast Atlas of the World from 1964

This week we have a surplus book that’s just plain fun. The Forecast Atlas of the World prepared by the Kiplinger Washington Editors, who, in 1964, took a stab at forecasting the future. This 300-page, hardcover book is chock full of full-color spreads on topics ranging from space technology to population growth to climate.

But it’s not just future casting. It also holds reams of factual statistics on all 50 United States. This snapshot in time can be yours. It’s in very good condition with no marks inside, but with some wear on the edges of the cover. Pick-it-up price: $10 Mail-it-to-you price: $15 Please email booksales@gfo.org if you’re interested.

New Survey: Thanksgiving Traditions Thanksgiving is right around the corner. We’d like to know if you have family traditions or recipes you’ll be including this year.

Take the Survey Now

This week at GFO …

Saturday, November 23rd DNA Beginners 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. will have two guest speakers, Phyllis Coyne and Sheryita Mason-Cruise. Besides their presentations, Emily Aulicino will speak on two short topics: Quick Tips for Finding Common Ancestors in AncestryDNA and atDNA Tools: CAUTION . Download handouts here. Burgeoning Connections and Surprises through DNA Matches. Speaker Phyllis Coyne will share her journey as a beginner using DNA match results to expand her family tree. She has experienced the exhilaration of finding previously unknown connections, long lost cousins, and family secrets with the supportive genealogical comradery of newly discovered relatives. Finding Ancestors And Connecting Living Family With DNA Testing. Our second speaker, Sherylita Mason-Cruise, will share some examples of how she located birth family for her family members as well as finding biological family for her friends. She has united testers with their siblings, and confirmed connections to prove their parents. Every path to breaking a brick walls is different, and the more ideas you get from those who are successful, the better chance you have in eliminating your dead-ends. You are welcome to send your questions before the meeting. Email: dna@gfo.org Sunday, November 24th Library Work Party 9:00 a.m. – Noon There’s another work party at the GFO library today! We’re getting ready for GivingTuesday. 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. Wednesday, November 27th GFO Library Closes at 1:00 p.m. Thursday, November 28th GFO Library Closed for Thanksgiving.

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

Curious about the status of your GFO Membership? We’d love to have you as a GFO Member!

gfo.org | 503-963-1932 | info@gfo.org Be sure to check the complete GFO CALENDAR. Also, don’t miss the current issue of The Forum Insider

Free GenTalk: Scan & Archive Your Photos

Come hear our speaker, Lori Washburn, this Saturday, Nov. 16 from 2 – 3 p.m. as she presents GFO’s November GenTalk, Scanning and Archiving Your Family Photos and Documents. Whether you want to scan just a few photos, have inherited a box of photos, or plan on visiting a relative who might have photos, this class is for you. We will briefly discuss scanners and then learn how to scan and archive those precious photos and documents, as well as how to file the scans. We will also touch on the basics of touching up your scans. Join us at the GFO. GenTalks are free and open to the public.

African American Interest Group Special Webinar

Join the African American Interest Group as they host a special webinar on Saturday, November 16, from 12:00 to 2:00 at the GFO. Dr. Charles Foy, Associate Professor of Early American and Atlantic History, Emeritus, at Eastern Illinois University and a scholar of 18th-century Black maritime culture will present “Black Hands, White Profits: The Critical Role Black Mariners Played in 18th-century America.”

During the 18th century, when North America lacked a network of highways, the country’s economy was maritime-centered. In his talk, Dr. Foy, will detail how Southern planters, Northern merchants, ship captains, and government officials relied upon Black maritime labor for profits and to develop the new American economy. He will also provide an overview of how this drive by whites for profits offered enslaved Blacks opportunities for freedom and economic independence. Dr. Foy is the creator of the Black Mariner Database, a data set of more than 30,000 18th-century Black Atlantic mariners and maritime fugitives. He is completing a book manuscript, Liberty’s Labyrinth: Freedom in the 18th-Century Black Atlantic, that details the nature of freedom in the 18th century through an analysis of the lives of black mariners. All GFO Interest Group meetings are free and open to the public.

Remember: December 3rd is Giving Tuesday

For GFO, GivingTuesday isn’t about fundraising. It’s about banding together for a volunteer blitz to accomplish one large task. What if all GFO’s members came together on just one day to give back by lending their time and talent?

Please save the date: December 3rd and come to the GFO all or part of the day to help. GFO will provide pastries, fruit, and coffee in the morning, pizza and pop in the afternoon. You provide the people power. Please help.

GFO Gift Memberships

Give the meaningful gift of family history this holiday season with a gift membership to the GFO. It’s so easy. Just download and complete the form and send it with a check to Membership at the GFO. You’ll receive a holiday card (in an envelope) you can use to announce the gift. All memberships will begin January 1, 2020. Orders received by December 10 will be mailed out on or before December 15. Orders received after December 10 may not be fulfilled in time for Christmas gift giving.

News from the Library: No new books?

Q: Why is the new book shelf empty? Isn’t the GFO getting any new books? A: Actually, we have a number of new books that have been donated, and some that we’ve purchased. But, for now, the library team is working to get ready for GivingTuesday–and that means getting the books that are already in the collection on the shelves where they can be inventoried on December 3. Watch for more new books the second week of December.

Last Chance – PCS Offers GFO Discount to New Play “Redwood”

This is the last weekend to take advantage of the Portland Center Stage offer to friends of GFO for a currently running play that happens to revolve around genealogy! Redwood is billed as “a beautiful, humor-filled excavation of our shared history. When Steve Durbin sets out to chart his Black family’s ancestry online, his revelations unwittingly throw his entire family into turmoil.” You can read Amy Wang’s review of the play in The Oregonian, here.

Redwood runs from now through November 17 at Portland Center Stage at the Armory. PCS has a deal for Friends of the GFO: Now through November 17: Use promo code “COMMUNITY*” for $10 off tickets. Get tickets here.

Surplus Books: Lincoln High Yearbooks – 1917, 1918

This week’s surplus books take us on a little local time travel. We have two spare copies of Portland’s Lincoln High School yearbook, The Cardinal, from 1917 and 1918. You’ll love the photos of the students, the advertisements for local businesses, and the articles from a bygone era.

These small paperbound volumes have seen better days, but they still hold together. Pick up at GFO Price: $15 for the set of two. Ship to You Price: $20 for the set of two. If you’re interested in buying these please contact booksales@gfo.org.

Survey Results: Personal Family Tree Software Usage

We received 68 responses to last week’s query about what software E-News readers use for their own family tree. We’re curious what you like best and what could be better about the software you use. One person has used (COSMI) Perfect Family Tree for over 10 years and described it as cheap, functional, but can’t print in color. Two over-10-year users of Ancestral Quest report it is easy to use but could be better handling photos in the notes.

One person reports using Brother’s Keeper for between 5 and 10 years—but doesn’t have time to use it much and finds it confusing. Family Tree Maker has the most reported users (32). Two people using it for less than a year, 5 people for 1-5 years, 8 people for 5-10 years, and 17 over 10-year users. The most repeated feature they liked was the ability to sync with Ancestry. Also mentioned were ease of use and the report functions. We heard from 7 Legacy Family Tree users—two users for 1-5 years, 4 for 5-10 years, and 1 for more than 10 years. Users like the reports and the citation template, and while there were some ideas, there was no consensus on things that could be improved. One user of MacFamily Tree (10+ years) who likes the ease of use and support. Three Master Genealogist users (10+ years) who wish the program was still supported.

PAF (Personal Ancestral File) – 3 users for 10+ years who like the ease of use but wish the program was still updated and supported. Six Reunion users (1 less than a year; 2 for 5-10 years, 3 for 10+ years) the comments in favor were varied, and the only request for improvement was the ability to sync with Ancestry. RootsMagic had twelve users respond. Seven have used it for 1-5 years, two 5-10, and one didn’t say. Users like the ability to sync with Ancestry is just one of many favored features. Several noted that source citation templates could be improved. To see all the responses click here.

New Survey: Are you attending GivingTuesday?

We hope you are planning to join us on December 3 for our GivingTuesday volunteer blitz. We need you! A large turnout will make this event a success. Please take our survey to let us know if you’re coming.

Take the Survey

This week at GFO …

Saturday, November 16th Genealogy Problem Solvers 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. If you are part of a big family tree, there is a good chance that you have some famous relatives. When doing family history research, we all get excited when we discover that a relative or ancestor is someone famous. This month’s challenge is to determine how our GFO member is related to Claire Lee Chennault, the U.S. major general who commanded the U.S. Army Air Forces in China during WWII. For more information contact Katie Daly at GPS@gfo.org. African American Group 12:00 – 2:00 p.m. Our speaker will be Dr. Charles Foy joining us remotely from the UK via Webinar. His talk will be Black Hands, White Profits: The Critical Role Black Mariners Played in 18th-century America and will detail how Southern planters, Northern merchants, ship captains, and government officials relied upon black maritime labor for profits and to develop the new American economy. He will also provide an overview of how this drive by whites for profits offered enslaved blacks opportunities for freedom and economic independence. For more information, see the feature article above or contact Janice Sellers african_american@gfo.org. GenTalk: Scanning and Archiving Your Family Photos and Documents 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. Presented by Lori Washburn Whether you want to scan just a few photos, have inherited a box of photos, or plan on visiting a relative who might have photos, this class is for you. We will briefly discuss scanners and then learn how to scan and archive those precious photos and documents, as well as how to file the scans. We will also touch on the basics of touching up your scans. GenTalks are free and open to the public. Sunday, November 17th Library Work Party 9:00 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 User’s Group 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. Join other users who want to work through the 2017 Companion Guide to Family TreeMaker. Bring your laptop with 2017 version of FTM installed – build 1-480 of FTM installed. Come 30 minutes earlier if you’ve never been or have skipped sessions. You might need an update of the “fake” practice tree we are using. For questions or info, contact Joyce Grant-Worley at FTM@gfo.org French Canada Group 3:30 – 5:00 p.m. Share stories of our history. Come and join this group to learn more about French Canadian ancestry and Acadia. The group leader is Bob LaMarche. FrCan@gfo.org Wednesday, November 20th Learn & Chat 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. In the next several sessions, we will be looking at the three aspects of the Genealogy Proof Standard as set forth by the Board for Certification of Genealogists in the BCG Genealogical Standards Manual. The goal is to learn together to integrate these standards and methods into our daily routines, to become better genealogists, maximize our efficiency, reach more accurate solutions, and breakdown more brick walls. Join us to talk about your genealogy, support others, and hopefully learn something new. Facilitated by Sandy Alto and Jeanne Quan. Questions? learnandchat@gfo.org DNA Q&A: The Basics 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. This meeting is for those who are just beginning to use DNA testing for genealogy. Each class begins with a presentation of general information about DNA testing. General questions regarding DNA testing are welcome at the end of each planned discussion. Lisa McCullough leads this group. Questions? dna_qa@gfo.org GFO Library Open Late to 8:00 p.m.