Sometimes the most amazing and useful family history information shows up in very unexpected places. Cari A. Taplin will be showing us how to find some of those hidden gems.
Cari’s family told her that she was related to Roy Rogers. That resulted in her search for her true heritage since the year 2000. Cari holds the Certified Genealogist® credential and has served in a wide variety of volunteer and leadership positions for state, local, and national societies. She provides speaking services through GenealogyPANTS, and lends help and shares her expertise as an administrator on the highly popular Facebook Group “The Genealogy Squad.” Cari currently works for Ancestry ProGenealogists. Her personal research focuses on the midwestern and Great Lakes states.
For your Zoom invitation, just go to our website, bigenealogy.org, on May 19, the day before the meeting and click on EVENTS.
We are thrilled to tell you that we’ve passed the half-season point in Season 1 of our podcast, Blast From My Past — available on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts.
The Blast From My Past podcast features the incredible true stories of people whose lives were changed by what they discovered through MyHeritage about their family’s pasts — whether it was a close relative they never knew existed, the key to unlocking an old family mystery, or a newfound connection to a long-forgotten legacy.
Here’s a brief recap of the season so far:
Episode 1: “The Secret of Ereikoussa“ — Yvette Corporan had to know: did the entire Greek island community where her grandmother grew up really conspire to hide a Jewish family, right under the noses of their Nazi occupiers? Follow her quest to confirm this extraordinary story… and find out what happened to the family her grandmother helped to rescue.
Episode 2: “The Missing Piece” — Abandoned at the same train station in Daegu, South Korea, just weeks apart, Kim and Christine were placed for adoption on opposite sides of the globe and grew up unaware of each other’s existence. Then came the DNA test results that changed everything.
Episode 3: “The Hero Who Fought Both Sides“ — In a 1933 photo, a Jewish shopkeeper, decorated with a German military medal from WWI, smiles wryly right next to a Nazi guard outside his shop. Who was this man, and what happened to him in the dark years? The answer tells an astonishing story of courage.
Episode 4: “The Real Uncle Sam“ — He wants YOU to join the U.S. Army. But who is this Uncle Sam in that iconic recruitment poster? It turns out that he was based on a real person — and this is his fascinating story.
Episode 5: “The Colombian Link“ — When a pair of Colombian half-brother adoptees reunited thanks to a DNA test, they couldn’t have known that their journey to find their birth families had only just begun… or exactly how far that journey would take them.
There are plenty more beautiful and mind-blowing stories on the way! Please help us reach a wider audience by sharing about the podcast and encouraging everyone you know to follow or subscribe to it, too.
Enjoy!
Daniel Horowitz Genealogy Expert
MyHeritage Ltd., P.O.Box 50, 3 Ariel Sharon Blvd., Or Yehuda, Israel 6037606, Israel, +972-3-6280000 UnsubscribeManage preferences
Tacoma Pierce County Genealogical Society Meeting Tues May 10th at 6:30 pm
The Tacoma Pierce County Genealogical Society invites you to attend our May meeting. At approximately 7pm, Jessica Jones, Reference Archivist for the Washington State Archives, Puget Sound Branch, will present an introduction to the Puget Sound Regional Archives. She will also give an overview of records frequently used by genealogical researchers and provide helpful information for those interested in the process of researching in person or submitting remote requests for records. You’re welcome to bring your questions.
Our meeting this month is virtual via Zoom and if you would like to attend we ask that you email VP-Programs@tpcgs.org to request the meeting login.
ELECTIONS – MAY 21 The SKCGS Nominations Committee is pleased to announce the following candidates for election at the May 21 Annual Membership Meeting:
For Vice President: Alexis Scholz – Alexis is currently SKCGS Vice President and has agreed to stand for election. This year, she’s involved with the Five-year Planning project and has done a presentation on wills and probate for the SKCGS General Meeting. For Secretary: Melanie Hinds – Melanie currently assists SKCGS with calendaring activities and moderating the society’s community forum on Groups.io. She regularly participates in SKCGS general meetings, SIGs and chats via Zoom from her residence in Illinois.
Nominations are still open and will remain so up to the election on May 21. To nominate someone, please contact m.strickland@skcgs.org.
MAY – EARLY JUNE 2022 MEETINGS & EVENTS
Be in the know! Receive notices for our virtual meetings, as well as the latest genealogy news and tips, by subscribing (free) to the online group at https://skcgs.groups.io
Skcgs.groups.io is the SKCGS online discussion and collaboration arena where:
we communicate and share information with each other
other than your email, you are not required to provide personal information
you can unsubscribe at any time
PROGRAM UPDATES
All meetings are virtual except the in-person Research Group
Live transcription (captioning) is available during our Zoom meetings by request
Tuesday, May 3, 2022, 6:30pm PT SKCGS Board of Directors Meeting (virtual) All SKCGS members are invited to attend; only Officers and Directors may vote. Write to Board@skcgs.org for the meeting link.
Friday, May 6, 2022, 12:30 – 2:30 pm PT EGS German Interest Group: “Separating Same Name Ancestors with German Parish Records” by Carol Whitton CG® Do parish records contain elements to help distinguish same name persons? These may include witnesses, occupations, parents’ names or a combination. Visitors welcome and can request Zoom link no later than May 4th at https://egsgermangroup.wordpress.com/contact/
Saturday, May 7, 2022, 10:00am – 12:00pm PT Family Tree Maker Users Group (virtual) Question & Answer. Each month, we will learn about using the features of FTM. Go to https://skcgs.groups.io/g/FTMUG for meeting link, meeting reminders and discussion. Monday, May 9, 2022 ⋅ 1:00pm – 3:00pm PT Genetic Genealogy/DNA Interest Group (virtual) Keeping Track of DNA Matches On a tree? In your genealogy database? Spreadsheet? Specialty software? Join for meeting invitations and discussion: https://skcgs.groups.io/g/Genetic-Genealogy
Monday, May 16, 2022 ⋅ 1:00pm – 3:00pm PT
Technical User Group (virtual) Leveraging Ancestry, FamilySearch and one more site See: The Power of One Little Detail:
Friday, May 20, 2022, 1:00pm – 3:00pm PT Research Group (in-person) For SKCGS members Kent Family History Center 12817 SE 256th St., Kent, WA Seating is limited RSVP REQUIRED to Winona at w.laird@skcgs.org
Saturday, May 21, 2022, 9:30am PT social time; 10:00am – 11:30am PT program SKCGS Annual General Membership Meeting (virtual) Election of officers followed by Julie Miller “Carriers of News and Knowledge – Using the Records of the U.S. Postal Service” Post Office records are full of genealogical riches. This lecture will discuss Post Office records, their contents, and how to access these underutilized records.
Julie Miller, holds Certified Genealogist and Certified Genealogical Speaker credentials and is a fellow of the National Genealogical Society. She is a full-time professional researcher, speaker, and writer who lives in Colorado. Her articles have appeared in the NGSQ and NGS Magazine. Julie was the NGS interim Education Manager (2018). She was a member of the NGS conference committee for fourteen years and a volunteer at NARA-Denver for twenty-one years.
REGISTER IN ADVANCE After registering, you will receive a confirmation email from Zoom Save the email – it contains your link to join the meeting Link to register for this meeting:
Monday, May 23, 2022 ⋅ 1:00pm – 3:00pm PT Genealogy Chat(virtual) Meet up and chat about genealogy subjects and topics. We have no agenda; we just like one another! For meeting invitations and discussion, join https://skcgs.groups.io/g/Society
Friday, June 3, 2022, 12:30 – 2:30 pm PT EGS German Interest Group: “Mapping: Genealogy and Data Visualization, how to “see” your research roadblock with new eyes” by Annette Adams, a reference consultant at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. Learn how to use maps and data visualization to better understand research obstacles and discover new strategies to answer those difficult questions. A case study will demonstrate how different “mapping” types can be employed to solve smaller data problems which are not readily visible. Visitors welcome and can request Zoom link no later than June 1st at: https://egsgermangroup.wordpress.com/contact/
Saturday, June 4, 2022, 10:00am – 12:00pm PT Family Tree Maker Users Group (virtual) Question & Answer. Each month, we will learn about using the features of FTM. Go to https://skcgs.groups.io/g/FTMUG for meeting link, meeting reminders and discussion.
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MEMBERSHIP: We welcome guests to our meetings and special interest groups, which are free. Naturally we hope that visitors will want to become members. Support like yours helps us to educate and engage with our community to foster interest in family and local history. Regarding our programs, even if and when we can meet again in person, we will continue with some virtual programs. You can find more information about membership at our website at http://skcgs.org/membership.
You are receiving this email because you have attended a SKCGS meeting and indicated you would like to receive periodic notice of events. If you would like to be removed from our list and stop receiving emails from us, send an email to skcgsfriends+unsubscribe@skcgs.org.
WRITING CONTEST WINNERS Congratulations to the winners of last fall’s “They Survived” writing contest!
Thank you to all who submitted pieces relating stories of challenging times, perseverance, and survival. Three submissions in particular stood out to our judges and they will be showcased in the upcoming Journal.
First place goes to Scott Kampen with his story about the Children’s Blizzard of 1888 in Dakota Territory. Scott will receive free entry to the SGS seminar of his choice as his prize.
The second place piece is by Julia Marconi, whose story includes the sinking of the SS Eastland in the Chicago River on July 24, 1915. Julia will receive a renewal membership to SGS.
And third place goes to Edward Swierczewski, Jr. who presents his family lines as seen through the lens of survivorship. Edward will receive a copy of “Walking with Your Ancestors” by Melinda Kashuba.
We hope these works will inspire and encourage you to sharpen your own pencils and get writing!
THE 1890 SEATTLE CENSUS SUBSTITUTE In the Fall of 2011, SGS formed a coordinating committee headed by member Chuck Richards to investigate the viability of producing an 1890 US Census substitute for the Seattle area. After several ups and downs, and the efforts of many SGS members, this database is now available on the SGS website. SGS is still working on a online searchable interface for this data, but for now it can be accessed via a research request; the same way you place a research request for the King County Court Cases Index (KC3I) and VFW members card databases. On the SGS website home page’s left-side menu, click on “Research and Databases”. Then you will see “Research Services” in the sub-menu that drops down; click on that “Research Services. Our plan is to have this database’s search function operational for our membership within the next few months. This census substitute is the result of many hours of work by many SGS volunteers. The initial project committee was chaired by Chuck Richards and included Chuck Richards, Jackie Lawson, Lynn Magnuson, Sue Melville, Mary Kircher Roddy, and Jan Walker. Over the many years it took to compile this dataset and prepare it for use, the following individuals helped in the effort: Dona Bubelis, Bruce Finlayson, Lyndall Foulds, Chris Hanley, Tina Hollingsworth, Kate Johnston, Kerri Keil, Michelle Khuon, JoAnne King, Donna Koerker, Marilyn McGuire, Virgil Morgan, Nancy C. Parks, Emily Phillips, Winifred Price, Ginny Sommarstrom, Judy Tomassene, Doug Whalley, Clarice Wilson, Charlotte Wixon, and Ann Wright.
We thank all of them for their efforts.
SGS MEMBERSHIP MEETING NOTICE The next SGS Membership Meeting will take place Saturday, June 11, 2022, at 12:30 PM. This will be a virtual meeting via Zoom. The results of the upcoming SGS election will be announced. The Second Saturday presentation by Elizabeth Swanay O’Neal will follow at 1:00 PM.
Preregistration is required. After registering, you will be able to join the meeting immediately from the registration window. You will also receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. One registration will work for both the membership meeting and the Second Saturday presentation.
SAVE THE DATE
Jewish Genealogical Society of Washington State, 2nd Monday meetings usually 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM PST
JGSWS meets on the second Monday of each month, from Sept-June. Doors open at 6:30 PM unless noted otherwise.
On Monday, May 9, 2022, “JRI-Poland: Exploring Your Roots in the Russian, Prussian, and Austrian Empires” will be presented by Robinn Magid & Howard Zakai. The meeting will open at 6:30 pm for networking. The presentation will start at 7:00 pm. Registration is required.
Beginning in May, our library will be open on Wednesday, too.
New Hours : Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday 10:00 am – 3:00 pm
Good Shepherd Center, Suite 302 4649 Sunnyside Ave N Seattle, WA 98103 206 522-8658Masks are recommended inside our library at the Good Shepherd Center. Due to COVID the events listed below continue to be virtual, online via Zoom.NOTICE: SGS has imposed more security on our Zoom meetings. Some meetings will begin with a waiting room. The host must take action to let people into each meeting. The host will try to open the waiting room about 10 minutes ahead of time. Please be patient. All times posted are Pacific time unless otherwise noted. Saturday, Apr 30, 2022, 10:00 am- 12:30 pm, DNA SIG with Cary Bright and Craig Gowens.To participate you must be on the DNA SIG email list. Contact Cary at sgsdnasig@gmail.com to join.
Sunday, May 1, 2022, 1:00 pm- 3:00 pm, DNA Workshop with Cary Bright and Craig Gowens.To participate you must be on the DNA SIG email list. Contact Cary at sgsdnasig@gmail.com to join.
Wednesday, May 4, 2022, 10:00 am-11:30 am, Brags & Bricks Social Interest Group (Virtual), Join us for an informal social gathering. Share your recent genealogical successes and challenges, or just come to hang out with other genealogists.
Saturday, May 7, 2022, 10:15 am-12:15 pm, FamilySearch Interest Group with Lou Daly (Virtual), Discover the many ways to use FamilySearch. At each meeting a different aspect of the website will be featured. There will be time for Q & A. Want to be included on the mail listing? Email Lou: loudaly@nwlink.com
Monday, May 9, 2022, 7:00 pm -8:30 pm, Write It Up SIG (Virtual), This new group will discuss and share writing projects, resources, and ideas. Group contact is Alaine Keisling.
Tuesday, May 10, 2022, 10:00 am-11:00 am, Tech Tuesday (Virtual), back by popular demand, the informal consultation time on DNA, genealogy software, or genealogy-related technical issues. All are welcome. No appointment necessary.
Wednesday, May 11, 2022, 10:00 am-11:30 am, Brags & Bricks Social Interest Group (Virtual), Join us for an informal social gathering. Share your recent genealogical successes and challenges, or just come to hang out with other genealogists.
Wednesday, May 11, 2022, 7:00 pm-9:00 pm, MAC Computer Interest Group (Virtual), Jointly sponsored by SGS and Fiske for users of MAC (Apple) computers and the Reunion genealogy software. Co-chairs Lisa Marker and Diane Hettrick. You must be on the MAC SIG email list to join the meeting. Email macusersig@seagensoc.org to be included on the list.
Saturday, May 14, 2022, 1:00 pm-2:30 pm. Second Saturday: Giving Our Female Ancestors a Voice, with Stephanie O’Connell. The absence of women in historical records often makes our research challenging. Using social history to create rich biographical sketches allows us to bring our female ancestors out of the shadows of the law or their husbands. This presentation offers a narrative lineage set in 19th century Ireland, England, and the U.S., which uses historical context to bring the unique stories of women to life. Please register in advance.
Sunday, May 15, 2022, 1:00 pm-2:30 pm, Virtual Sundays: Something Old, Something New, Jill Morelli is the host. Visit the SGS website Calendar for details and updates. Please register in advance. Topic will be Orphan Train Rides.
Wednesday, May 18, 2022, 10:00 am-11:30 am, Brags & Bricks Social Interest Group (Virtual), Join us for an informal social gathering. Share your recent genealogical successes and challenges, or just come to hang out with other genealogists.
Saturday, May 21, 2022, 10:00 am- 12:00 pm, Irish SIG is back! With Susan McKee and Jim Ryan. See the SGS website Calendar of Events for further information. Saturday, May 21, 2022, 1:00 pm-3:00 pm, German SIG is back! With Carolyn Schott. See the SGS website Calendar of Events for further information.
Sunday, May 22, 2022, 1:00 pm, Japanese American SIG, with Caitlin Oiye Coon. This is one of our new SIGs. Please sign up if you would like to attend; send an email to family.history@densho.org
Tuesday, May 24, 2022, 10:00 am-11:00 am, Tech Tuesday (Virtual), back by popular demand, the informal consultation time on DNA, genealogy software, or genealogy-related technical issues. All are welcome. No appointment necessary.
Wednesday, May 25, 2022, 10:00 am-11:30 am, Brags & Bricks Social Interest Group (Virtual), Join us for an informal social gathering. Share your recent genealogical successes and challenges, or just come to hang out with other genealogists.
Autosomal DNA Matches You have a beginning understanding of DNA terminology and what it all means. You have taken a look at the possible tools that you can use to do your DNA testing and what they each can do for you. Maybe you have taken the next step to actually get tested and you are beginning to see matches in your DNA.
Now what? What can you learn from the matches? What can you do to learn? Take Judy’s class and find out!
Thursday, May 5, 2022 11:00 – 12:00 PM zoom Cost: $20 members $25 non-members Come in to the library or sign up at hqrl.com or call 253-863-1806 After you have signed up, be sure to check your spam or promotions folder if you do not receive your link to the zoom meeting.
Members must log into the member page and then proceed to the hqrl store in order to obtain the member discount.
Photographing Family Heirlooms, Artifacts, Photos and Documents
Saturday, April 30, 2022 – 10 am-noon
Clark County Genealogical Society and Library
Local technology expert Steve Young’s jam-packed two-hour class will instruct you in the use of digital SLR cameras. Bring your own DSLR camera and learn how to incorporate a lightbox when photographing family heirlooms, artifacts, photos and other documents. He will touch on technical aspects of lighting and exposure for best results and will also suggest some best practices when using thumb drives, USB cards and readers to move images to your computer. Steve will also provide suggestions for using these images to connect with your relatives by creating documents or through social media. To reserve a place in the class, call the Clark County Genealogical Society and Library at 360-750-5688, sign up at the CCGS library, or send an email to education@ccgswa.org. To reserve a place in the class, call the Clark County Genealogical Society and Library at 360-750-5688, sign up at the library, or send an email to education@ccgswa.org. Fee: $15/members; $20/non-members.
Getting Started Tracing Your Family Tree
Tuesday, May 3, 2022 – 10 am-noon
Clark County Genealogical Society and Library
Local genealogist Brian Runyan will get you started researching your family tree. Topics include collecting information from the family, family group sheets, pedigree charts and genealogy database program. Start your research with the right tips and techniques. To reserve a place in the class, call the Clark County Genealogical Society and Library at 360-750-5688, sign up at the library, or send an email to education@ccgswa.org. This introductory class is free.
Quickly Organize Your DNA Matches with the Leeds Method Webinar
Wednesday, May 4, 2022: 11 am-12:30 pm
Clark County Genealogical Society and Library
When you take an autosomal DNA test, you get a list of people who share DNA with you from common ancestors. Genealogist Diane Leeds uses “Shared Matching” to create colorful groups of these matches. Each group is likely related to you through one part of your family, and many people get four groups based on their four grandparent lines. This method is based on DNA, not trees, so it is also often effective in cases of unknown parentage. This free Legacy Family Tree Webinar presentation will help you create a Leeds Method chart, understand your results, and use that chart to learn more about your family tree.
There’s Gold in Them Thar Probate Records
Tuesday, May 10, 2022 – 10 am-noon
Clark County Genealogical Society and Library
Local genealogist Dale Deatherage will teach about the types of documents found in probate files, where they can be found, and why they should be an important part of genealogy research. Dale has been working on family history for nearly 20 years. He has been especially interested in a fourth great grandfather who fought in the Black Hawk War. Dale has attended numerous national institutes and enjoys sharing knowledge learned in these learning situations. To reserve a place in the class, call the Clark County Genealogical Society and Library at 360-750-5688, sign up at the library, or send an email to education@ccgswa.org. Fee: $15/members; $20/non-members
Indirect Evidence – A Case Study Webinar
Wednesday, May 18, 2022: 11 am-12:30 pm
Clark County Genealogical Society and Library
This Connecticut-based, indirect evidence case study will highlight techniques for researching a woman whose maiden name is known, but her parents are unknown due to deficiencies in the vital records. In this free Legacy Family Tree webinar, techniques will be demonstrated that rely on forming hypotheses and gathering evidence to test those hypotheses.Thorough research of neighbors and associates (the FAN principle) will yield enough evidence to tie this woman back into her family. Records used include pre-1850 census records, deeds, probate, church, and court. Death records of family members provide the final clues that tie them all together.
Accessing Genealogically Relevant Materials In Your Bunny Slippers
Tuesday, May 24, 2022 – 10 am-noon
Clark County Genealogical Society and Library
articles and other non-vital record materials without leaving home. Genealogist Brian Runyan will provide his tips for some of the many ways of getting the right content in front of your eyes.To reserve a place in the class, call the Clark County Genealogical Society and Library at 360-750-5688, sign up at the library, or send an email to education@ccgswa.org. Fee: $15/members; $20/non-members.
Understanding the History of the U.S. Census Webinar
Wednesday, May 25, 2022: 11 am-12:30 pm
Clark County Genealogical Society and Library
Just who was it that created the documents genealogists typically turn to first? What rules did they follow? How long did they have to complete their job? How big is an enumeration district? These questions, and more, probably occur to anyone doing extensive research in the U.S. Census reports. This free Legacy Family Tree webinar reviews the staffing, training, search for accuracy, penalties for non-cooperation, and bureaucracy of the U.S. Census from 1790 through 1950.
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