THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s Thursday Evening E-News Edition July 25, 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

September Half-Day Seminar Registration Now Open!

Newspapers can provide information about births, deaths, marriages, moves, business, naturalizations, court cases, and more. The GFO provides access to several newspaper subscription sites, plus additional databases. Join GFO’s Janice Selllers for a half-day workshop for an overview of what is available and techniques to help improve your chances of finding information about your relatives. Janice is a professional genealogist who specializes in forensic, Jewish, Black, and newspaper research. The session will be held in the GFO Library, Sunday, Sept. 8, from 9:30 a.m. – Noon. For more detailed information, download the flyer. Registration is $25.00 for GFO members, $30.00 for non-members. Register before Aug. 12 and save $5.00!

Register Here

Mark your Calendar for the GFO Fall Seminar!

The 2019 GFO Fall Seminar, featuring Fritz Jeungling, Ph.D., AG, will be an exceptional educational opportunity that we are exited to be bringing to our membership and the community at large. Dr. Juengling is an Accredited Genealogist® (through the International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists) for Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Sweden, and he is certified by the Verband deutschsprachiger Berufsgenealogen. He is also a German, Dutch, and Scandinavian Research Consultant at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. The full-day session on Saturday, October 5th, will be held at the Center for Self Enhancement (3920 N. Kerby Ave., Portland) and will focus on German Research, while the half-day presentation at the GFO Library on Sunday, October 6th, will provide an introduction to Dutch research. Download the flyer for full details. Mark your calendar, spread the word, and register early!

Register Here

Beginners’ Boot Camp Returns

On Tuesday, August 20, join Laurel Smith for a full day of beginning genealogy from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. in the GFO Library. 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 Here

Summer DNA eConference

Join the GFO’s own DNA group leader, Emily Aulicino, one of the featured speakers at Family History Fanatics’ second annual Summer of DNA eConference coming up on Friday, August 9th.

Featured this year: Daniel Horowitz – Theory of Family Relativity and Other MyHeritage Tools Donna Rutherford – Testing Family Members: Why and Who to Choose Emily Aulicino – atDNA: Verify, Correct, Expand Leah Larkin – When Your Tree Is a Banyan: Working with Endogamy and DNA The live online sessions will begin at 7:00 a.m. Pacific Time on Friday, August 9th. Live Chat will permit questions during the presentations as well as participation in a fifth-hour panel discussion where questions about any of the topics or anything else related to DNA and genetic genealogy may be asked. Sessions will be recorded and available to all registered attendees for 30 days after the eConference. Early bird registration is only $19.99 until July 31st. Regular registration price is $24.99 after July 31st. Learn more at the website and register today.

Online Registration Deadline approaching for 2019 FGS Conference

The Federation of Genealogical Societies 2019 FGS National Family History Conference is coming up soon at the historic Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, DC, August 21-24. In cooperation with sponsoring local societies, corporate sponsors, and partner organizations, the FGS 2019 conference program offers a new full four-day format jam-packed with topics of interest to every genealogist from beginner to expert. If you are making last minute plans to attend, note that Online Conference Registration for this event closes on August 2, 2019. Mailed in registrations must be postmarked by July 29, 2019. Registrations will be accepted on-site at the Omni Shoreham Hotel starting Tuesday, August 20, 2019, at 3:00 p.m.

Surplus Book: Let Portland History Rub You the Right Way

Here’s a fun piece of Portland History that most people walk right over. In 1983, C.A. Gossett traveled Portland, knelt on corner after corner and made rubbings of the builders names and construction dates stamped into Portland’s sidewalks between 1900 and 1930. He writes, “These “sidewalk signatures” are part of the historic character of many neighborhoods and business districts in Portland.”

Portland’s Historic Sidewalk Signatures” is a 79 page paperback book. Our surplus copy is in excellent condition, with a previous owner’s book plate on a front page. There are no other markings in the book. Our price: $10 if you pickup at the GFO. $14 if we mail it to you. Contact booksales@gfo.org if you’d like to buy it. (Please don’t just come to the library first to get it.)

Survey Results: Genealogy Myths

Wrapping up our series on genealogical myths, 62.5% of respondents reported believing, at one time or another, that the courthouse burned, and all the records are gone. “All” is where this belief turns to myth. The internet has many sites that refute common myths. We even have a page on the GFO website, courtesy of Dick Eastman. Genealogy Myths: Real, Fool’s Gold, or Both?

In our survey, more than one answer could be selected. 62.5% The courthouse burned (or flooded, was destroyed) and all the records are gone. 18.8% Hey look, it’s our family crest! 14.6% Our ancestors came over on the Mayflower. 10.4% Our family always spelled the name as … 10.4% Source citations are just for professionals. 10.4% Three brothers came to America. One went north, one went south and the third went west … 6.3% A town in England, (or Norway, Germany, etc.) is named for our family. 6.3% All the records you need to do your family history are online. 4.2% It’s in print. It must be true! 4.2% Our ancestor was a stowaway on a ship. 4.2% Our ancestor was burned at the stake as a witch in Salem, Massachusetts. 4.2% We have the same surname—so we have to be related.

New Survey: The Impact of Storms

This week, we’re asking about a specific type of natural disaster. Were your ancestors ever affected by a tornado, cyclone, or hurricane? Take the survey now.

Take the Survey Now

This week at GFO …

Saturday, July 27th DNA Advanced Group 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Tim Janzen’s topic: “Auto-clustering Autosomal DNA Tools used for Genealogical Research”. The handout can be downloaded here. Emily Aulicino’s topic: a discussion among attendees on various aspects of law enforcement using DNA. This will include the views of various people affected by major crimes, the ethics, the law, what your choices are regarding your test, etc. We welcome your opinion in an orderly discussion. Hopefully, for those of you who are on the fence about the topic or are concerned regarding your DNA test, this will help you realize what is happening and what you can and cannot do about your DNA. If you would like more information about this group or have questions, please contact the facilitators at dna@gfo.org. Sunday, July 28th 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. Wednesday, July 31st Open Late to 8:00 p.m.

THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s Thursday Evening E-News Edition July 18, 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

GFO Fall Seminar Registration Now Open!

GFO is pleased to announce that registration is now open for the 2019 GFO Fall Seminar, featuring Fritz Jeungling, Ph.D., AG. He is an Accredited Genealogist® (through the International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists) for Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Sweden, and he is certified by the Verband deutschsprachiger Berufsgenealogen. The full-day session on Saturday, October 5th, will be held at the Center for Self Enhancement (3920 N. Kerby Ave., Portland) and will focus on German Research, while the half-day presentation at the GFO Library on Sunday, October 6th, will provide an introduction to Dutch research. Download the flyer for full details. Dr. Juengling is also a German, Dutch, and Scandinavian Research Consultant at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, and GFO is excited to bring this exceptional educational opportunity to our members and the community at large. Mark your calendar, spread the word, and register early!

Register Here

Beginners’ Boot Camp Returns

On Tuesday, August 20, join Laurel Smith for a full day of beginning genealogy from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. in the GFO Library. 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 Here

GFO Star: Joann Taylor

Hi there, President Vince Patton here. I’m hijacking this section of the E-News from regular editor Joann Taylor so we can shine the spotlight on her. The Board of Directors has selected Joann as our GFO Star of the Month! You may have seen her at our reception desk or in the research area helping patrons with their searches. Recently she came to the rescue when all our computers ground to a halt. She rebooted our network and the computers, getting the library back in action. Joann wears many hats for the GFO. She compiles this weekly E-News you receive. She has dived in to help with research for our Genealogy Problem Solvers group, particularly with her deep knowledge of Irish genealogy. Joann also volunteers on our Research Team, finding answers to questions sent in from people around the world. Plus, she co-taught a recent Gen-Talk on getting the most from Google Searching. A fellow research assistant nominated her saying, “Joann is amazing!” We agree!

Fall Seminar Needs Raffle Donations

We’re getting ready for the Fall Seminar on German and Dutch research. Can you help? We need items for our raffle. Do you have anything to donate? If your item is not new, it must be in exceptionally good condition for us to be able to offer it. Suggestions include genealogically related books, household decorations, carry bags, certificates toward GFO membership or research costs, and computer items. Leave the item(s) at the library reception desk with a donation form noting that it’s a donation for the seminar treasures raffle. At the seminar, tickets are sold for $1 each or 6 for $5, and they are placed in separate paper sacks for each prize, so you win only something you want. Thanks so much!

The GFO’s own DNA group leader Emily Aulicino is one of the featured speakers at Family History Fanatics’ second annual A Summer of DNA eConference coming up on Friday, August 9th. Last year’s eConference was very successful and had great attendance. This year’s speakers will be talking about the following: Daniel Horowitz – Theory of Family Relativity and Other MyHeritage Tools Donna Rutherford – Testing Family Members: Why and Who to Choose Emily Aulicino – atDNA: Verify, Correct, Expand Leah Larkin – When Your Tree Is a Banyan: Working with Endogamy and DNA The live online sessions will begin at 7:00 a.m. Pacific Time on Friday, August 9th. This event is sponsored by MyHeritage who will be giving away 4 DNA kits during the presentations. It will be possible to ask questions during the presentations using live chat. For those who can’t watch the live sessions, they will be recorded and available to all registered attendees for 30 days after the eConference. As with past events there will be a fifth-hour panel discussion where you can ask questions about any of the topics or anything else related to DNA and genetic genealogy. Early bird registration is only $19.99 until July 31st. Regular registration price is $24.99 after July 31st. Learn more at the website and register today.

Get Some Beaver History: OSU Yearbooks From ’20s to ’50s

The GFO has an extensive collection of Pacific Northwest yearbooks. Did you know we sometimes have more than one copy? That’s why we have nine copies of the The Beaver from Oregon State University available on our surplus book shelves. We have yearbooks from the following years: 1920, 1922, 1923, 1926, 1927, 1949, 1953, 1954 and 1958. Each yearbook costs only $10. If you’re interested in buying one or more, come in to the GFO and check out our $10 shelves at the front of the library.

GFO Supports Moving Trains

What’s the second worst part of coming to the GFO? (We know parking is number one.) The trains! Those freight trains can inch back and forth or even just park on the tracks for an hour. This blocks traffic and traps anyone who’s parked in the lot behind the Ford Building where our library sits. The Albina Rail Relocation Project is picking up steam in its efforts to fund a study on how to get Union Pacific to move rail yards out of Portland’s Albina and Brooklyn neighborhoods. Studies are expensive: $25,000. The effort has received endorsements for its efforts from Metro and the mayor of Portland. To pay for the needed study, nearly $8,000 has been raised so far, and neighborhood associations nearby have chipped in. The tracks or the roads need to be raised or lowered, or the rail yards need to be moved out of the area entirely. The GFO Board shares your frustration about the impact of the trains near our library, so we’re going to lend our support too. We have donated $200 to the study and sent a letter expressing our emphatic support.

Survey Results: Ellis Island Name Change Myth

One of the most prevalent myths in genealogy is the tale of names being changed by immigration agents at Ellis Island. Last week our survey asked if your family had a story of a name change at Ellis Island. 87% of you said No. 13% said Yes.

A few replies: “Not only do I not have that myth in my family (thank goodness!), my maternal grandmother actually knew and told me her father’s original name from when he immigrated.” “Spelling of names changed but due to phonics and ancestors unable to write.” “Actually, it is true. Mr & Mrs Kjemphol of Sykkelven in Norway became Mr & Mrs Pederson early in the 20th century.” If you want to learn more about the myth, here’s a terrific article, Debunking the Ellis Island Myth. But wait! Here’s a story about a name that was changed (but it really wasn’t!) Why Your Family Name Was Not Changed at Ellis Island (and One That Was).

New Survey: Genealogy Myths

Our surveys have examined two of the most widespread genealogy myths in the last two weeks. This week’s survey lists some additional genealogy myths. We’d like you know if you were ever a believer.

Take the Survey Now

This week at GFO …

Saturday, July 20th African American Group 12:00 – 2:30 p.m. “Bring Your Own Brick Wall.” Bring your problems, questions, and documents (copies, please, no originals), 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. For more information, contact us at african_american@gfo.org. Sunday, July 21st 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 for Beginners 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. This is a beginning class for Family Tree Maker users and for those considering a purchase. It will be repeated quarterly. Questions? Or if you have Family Tree Maker topics you’d like covered, email Joyce and Laurel at FTM@gfo.org. Wednesday, July 24th Open Late to 8:00 p.m.

THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s Thursday Evening E-News Edition July 11, 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

Meet Your Board for 2019-2020

The new members of the GFO Board of Directors took office this month and held their first meeting this week. Our board functions differently from most non-profits. Since we don’t have a single paid employee, many of these board members chair the departments that keep the library open and operating. They coordinate volunteers, process memberships, schedule classes and seminars and get the physical work done of collecting, numbering and labeling books. If you see them, please give them a thank you!

Front Row: Director-at-Large Julie Ramos, Treasurer Erin Randall, Purchasing, Research, Data Extraction, and Publishing Chair Loretta Welsh, Director at-Large Joyce Grant-Worley, Education Chair Kristin Parks, and Membership Chair Jane McGarvin. Back Row: President Vince Patton, Vice President Marti Dell, Library Chair Laurel Smith, Secretary Geoff Smith, Technology Chair Richard Crockett, and Manuscripts and Insider Co-Chair LauraDenise White.

Last Chance to Register for Half-Day Workshop This Sunday

Adding Historical Context: A Hands-On Approach “The census says my ancestor was a floor welfare worker. I guess he had some sort of welfare-related job.” “How odd – my Ukrainian family immigrated directly from Europe to Saskatchewan. I thought they arrived in New York City and eventually moved west.” Adding historical context to our genealogical research makes it richer, more interesting, and helps to explain some of the changes in our families. Join GFO’s Kate Eakman, Sunday, July 14 from 9:30 a.m. – Noon for a half-day of learning about how to add historical context to your genealogical research to make it richer and more interesting. In this workshop you will: ▪ Practice identifying items, events, and topics ripe for historical research. ▪ Once the questions have been asked, learn how to find the answers. ▪ Discuss how to add this new-found information to one’s family’s history.

Register Now

Amazon Prime Days Draw Near: Remember to Support GFO!

You can help the GFO financially every time you shop on Amazon, especially during the upcoming Prime Days sales on July 15 and 16! Simply register the Genealogical Forum of Oregon as your non-profit of choice. We’ll then get a small donation for every purchase you make! It does not raise the price you pay.

Be sure to use smile.amazon.com/ch/93-6026015 each time you start shopping. Save that bookmark!

A Summer of DNA eConference

The GFO’s own DNA group leader Emily Aulicino is one of the featured speakers at Family History Fanatics’ 2nd annual A Summer of DNA eConference coming up on Friday, August 9th. Last year’s eConference was very successful and had great attendance. This year’s speakers will be talking about the following: Daniel Horowitz – Theory of Family Relativity and Other MyHeritage Tools Donna Rutherford – Testing Family Members: Why and Who to Choose Emily Aulicino – atDNA: Verify, Correct, Expand Leah Larkin – When Your Tree Is a Banyan: Working with Endogamy and DNA The live online sessions will begin at 7:00 a.m. Pacific Time on Friday, August 9th. It will be possible to ask questions during the presentations using live chat. This event is sponsored by MyHeritage who will be giving away 4 DNA kits during the presentations. For those who can’t watch the live sessions, they will be recorded and available to all registered attendees for 30 days after the eConference. As with past events there will be a 5th hour panel discussion where you can ask questions about any of the topics or anything else related to DNA and genetic genealogy. Early bird registration is only $19.99 until July 31st. Regular registration price is $24.99 after July 31st. Learn more at the website and register today.

Local Seminar This Week: Finding Your Ancestral Gold

Author Laurence Overmire will present a 2-hour genealogy workshop, entitled, “Finding Your Ancestral Gold,” on Saturday, July 13, from 10:00 a.m. – Noon at Lake Oswego’s Lakewood Center for the Arts. This presentation is based on Laurence’s latest book, Digging for Ancestral Gold and will focus on the steps to get you started on searching for your ancestral heritage. Cost is $40 and a few seats are still available. Call ahead 503-635-3901 to register. If you miss the event this weekend, Overmire returns to give the same workshop at the same location on September 14.

SLIG Registration Time is Here!

The Utah Genealogical Association will open registration on July 13 for both of its premiere educational events for 2020 which feature high-intermediate to advanced education for genealogists. The 25th Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG) will be held January 12-17, 2020, featuring 16 in-depth, week-long classes, including courses on methodology, standards, regional or ethnic group research, and research tools like DNA. All courses assume a working knowledge at an intermediate level or above. Registration for this event opens at 8:00 a.m. PDT The SLIG Academy for Professionals, held January 20-24, 2020, will feature 7 professional-level topical classes in the areas of business, speaking, writing, forensics, and project management. All courses are designed for professionals working in the genealogical industry or those who are seeking to become professionals. Registration for this event opens at 1:00 p.m. PDT. Classes fill up fast. To learn more about how to register, consult the SLIG Registration FAQ.

Surplus Books of the Week: 12th to 16th Century Irish Pedigrees

In 1892 John O’Hart published his Fifth Edition of Irish Pedigrees; or, The Origin and Stem of The Irish Nation. In it, he compiled so many Irish genealogies, the publisher had to break it into two volumes. The first volume covers Irish family genealogies in the 12th century, including chapters on “English Invasion,” and “Cromwellian Devastation.” The second covers families in Ireland from the 12th to the end of the 16the centuries. This set was reprinted in 1989 with 896 pages in Volume I and 948 pages in Volume II.

John O’Hart is described as, “Associate in Arts, Queens’ University in Ireland; Fellow of the Royal Historical and Archaeological Association of Ireland; Member of the Harleian Society, London; Author of ‘Irish Landed Gentry When Cromwell Came to Ireland,’ etc.” The pages in both books are in fine shape, with no marks and a sturdy binding. The back cover of Volume I has water damage. Volume II is fine. Prices online for these books range from $76 to $144 a piece. Our price for this set two: $86 if you pick up at the GFO. $98 if we mail it to you. If interested, please email booksales@gfo.org. (Please contact them first; don’t just show up at the library to purchase.)

Survey Results: Majority Say Tales of Native American Ancestors Not True

One of the most enduring myths in genealogy are family stories claiming prior Native American Ancestry. 77% of last week’s respondents said their families had such a story. Nearly 53% say their research showed those tales were not true. 29% say it is true. About 18% say they still don’t know.

Responses included: “My grandmother always claimed we had a Cherokee ancestor. Family tree research and DNA tests prove it was a myth.” “I knew I had Indian ancestry on my mom’s side, but was surprised to find that I’m equally as Indian from my dad’s side!” “All the descendants of the ancestor in question had blue eyes, for one thing, and the DNA results for me and nieces show no hint of such ancestry. It’s always possible that somebody had a brother who married an Indian woman, but I’ve found no evidence. Sigh.” You can read all our respondents’ comments here.

As the myth of being descended from a Cherokee princess persists, many of us do have Native American heritage. Many do not. Here’s a video from Ancestry Academy with some sound advice. In addition, this article contains some good ideas for running down any of your family stories.

New Survey: Ellis Island

One of genealogy’s most prevalent myths is that of immigrant names being changed at Ellis Island. We’re curious if this fable is part of your family story.

Take the Survey Now

This week at GFO …

Sunday, July 14th Half-Day Workshop: Adding Historical Context 9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Kate Eakman will present her half-day seminar, “Adding Historical Context to Your Genealogy Research – A Hands-on Approach.” Registration required. Wednesday, July 17th Open Late to 8:00 p.m.

THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s Thursday Evening E-News Edition June 27, 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

Half-Day Workshop: Adding Historical Context

Adding Historical Context: A Hands-On Approach Join GFO’s Kate Eakman July 14 from 9:30 a.m. – Noon for a half-day of learning about how to add historical context to your genealogical research to make it richer and more interesting. In this workshop you will: ▪ Practice identifying items, events, and topics ripe for historical research. ▪ Once the questions have been asked, learn how to find the answers. ▪ Discuss how to add this new-found information to one’s family’s history. Take advantage of Early Bird pricing. Register by June 30 and save $5.00!

Register Now

Local Screening of Film of Genealogical Interest

Peace of the City Film series in partnership with Northwest Film Center and NW Documentary, are extending an invitation to the staff, board, and any patrons of the GFO to the season opener of their summer documentary series. The film, entitled Thank You for Coming will be screened on Tuesday, July 9th from 7:00 – 9:30 p.m. at Whitsell Auditorium in the Portland Art Museum. This film documents filmmaker Sara Lamm’s personal journey to find her biological father after learning, as an adult, that she was donor-conceived. The film prominently features the deep and rewarding genealogical work that ultimately leads Sara to her sperm donor. Sara herself will be coming from LA to Portland to present the film on the evening of July 9. If you’re interested in learning more, check out the film’s trailer here.

Surplus Book of the Week: Sons of the American Revolution Register

On this July 4th, here’s how you can own some history of American independence. A National Register of the Society Sons of the American Revolution was published 117 years ago. This 1902 volume compiles information from state SAR societies which could not afford to publish on their own. As the forward states, “While it is no wise a complete history of the Society or its aims, it does contain the entire list of the membership of the National Society to December 31, 1901, including deceased members, with their line of descent from their Revolutionary ancestors. This alone will make this work a valuable one, and it will be used as a standard book of reference for many years to come.”

This surplus book feels like history in your hands. It features a single gilt edge on the top in gold, ragged page edges and a damaged cover which has been taped back together. The pages themselves are as dark, crisp and readable as the day they were printed. Photos intersperse this 1035 page tome. A previous owner’s bookplate and a few library stamps on pages in the front and back. All other pages are free of any markings. Our price: $30 if you pick up at the GFO $40 if we mail it to you If interested, please email booksales@gfo.org. (Please contact them first; don’t just show up at the library to purchase.)

Survey Results: Family Scandals are Often True

Last week we asked if you had a family story about a scandal or black sheep. 3/4 of you say, “Yes!” And of those, nearly 83% say your research proved the scandal really did happen!

You shared stories of cattle thieves, domestic abusers, two murderers, several bigamists, and out of wedlock births (a scandal by the standards of a century ago.) One reader’s great uncle killed two people on Pikes Peak in 1892; he later died in prison. We received more replies than we can include here. Read them all here.

If you haven’t found a scandal, black sheep, or skeleton lurking in your family closet yet, you haven’t been researching long enough. We’re all descended from people and none of us are perfect. If you are having trouble embracing your less-than-perfect ancestors and worry about balancing historical truth with sensitivity, here are a couple of articles that you may find helpful: Scandal! Dealing With Skeletons In Your Family Tree and Keeping It Secret: Revealing the Secrets in Your Family History.

New Survey: Native American Heritage

One of the most common family stories is that of having Native American heritage. If this story runs in your family, please take our survey now.

Take the Survey

Support the GFO when you Shop Amazon Prime Days!

Did you know you can help the GFO financially every time you shop on Amazon, especially during the upcoming Prime Days sales on July 15 and 16?

Be sure to use smile.amazon.com/ch/93-6026015 each time you start shopping. Save that bookmark! Register the Genealogical Forum of Oregon as your non-profit of choice. We’ll then get a small donation for every purchase you make! It does not raise the price you pay.

This week at GFO …

Saturday, July 6th German Interest Group 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. The topic / das Thema: feed back from the international German Genealogy Partnership (IGGP) conference in Sacramento last month. Five members attended the week long conference. Some of them will share their experiences, what they learned at some of the lectures, and more. Questions may be sent to German@gfo.org. Sunday, July 7th Library Work Party 9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. 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. Tuesday, July 9th Board Meeting 6:10 – 8:10 p.m. Wednesday, July 10th Open Late to 8:00 p.m.

THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s Thursday Evening E-News Edition June 27, 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

Half-Day Workshop: Adding Historical Context

Adding Historical Context: A Hands-On Approach Join GFO’s Kate Eakman July 14 from 9:30 a.m. – Noon for a half-day of learning about how to add historical context to your genealogical research to make it richer and more interesting. In this workshop you will: ▪ Practice identifying items, events, and topics ripe for historical research. ▪ Once the questions have been asked, learn how to find the answers. ▪ Discuss how to add this new-found information to one’s family’s history. Take advantage of Early Bird pricing. Register by June 30 and save $5.00!

Register Now

3 Days Left to Beat Dues Increase!

You have until Sunday night to join or renew your GFO membership before the price of dues goes up. Our fiscal year begins July 1, along with a new budget which takes into account our increasing costs, especially our rent. Most dues go up only $2 to $4.

Eight people have taken the plunge this month to become life members. They’re saving $125! Our Life dues had not risen in 13 years and fell far below the board’s original goal of keeping them at 20 times an annual membership. Becoming a life membership truly invests in the future of the GFO; these dues are placed in our endowment to fund the GFO for years to come.

Renew or Join Now

Volunteer Coordinator Needed

Our Volunteer Coordinator, Cathy Lauer, has selflessly given the GFO her time for a full decade. “Now, it’s time to step down,” Cathy says. We need someone to coordinate our volunteers, mostly the Research Assistants who keep the library open. RAs act as both receptionists and as helpers to assist people in their research. The Volunteer Coordinator makes sure we have two RAs scheduled on duty for each shift. Without RAs, we cannot open the library. ▪ We’d provide the list of research assistants. ▪ Computer literacy is a must. ▪ You’d need to be comfortable with email and willing to fill in a spreadsheet and a chart on the computer each month. This might even be a perfect job for a couple of friends to share. We’d love someone willing to recruit and do training, too, but that’s not a prerequisite. A few others share those duties now. If you’re an organized type and could help us keep the library functioning, please contact president@gfo.org. Remember, we’re all-volunteer. Thank them next time you’re in, and please join our ranks!

Get in Free to the Oregon Historical Society!

Here’s an extra benefit of being a GFO member: you can get in free to the Oregon Historical Society. This includes access to the new permanent Experience Oregon exhibit, and the special Ladies and Gentlemen… The Beatles! exhibit from May 10 to November 12. The GFO is pleased to be an affiliate of OHS, which grants us two OHS Member passes. We are happy to share these with you as Cultural Passes. Just come in to the library and check them out at the reception desk. You must be an active GFO member to use these. Check out the pass one day and return it the next. One member may check out two passes, so you can take someone with you.

Upcoming SDOP Annual Picnic

Sons and Daughters of Oregon Pioneers (SDOP) will be holding their Annual Picnic at Champoeg State Park near St. Paul, Oregon, on July 13th. Members, family, and friends come together each year to celebrate the founding of Oregon Territorial government, at the very spot where the actual vote took place 176 years ago. Find us at the Champoeg Pavilion, beginning at noon, for food and activities. The event is pot luck, so bring your favorite dish to share, and SDOP provides the beverages. Reservations are not required.

Surplus Book of the Week: Atlas of Ray County, Missouri

This week’s surplus book is another oversized atlas book, focused on Ray County, Missouri. The maps of all the townships, and illustrations of citizens and buildings, were done in 1877. This book is a 1971 reprint by The Richmond News, published for the Ray County sesquicentennial. This book is in good condition physically with intact pages and spine. However, it does have marks in red pen on some pages where a previous researcher highlighted properties of interest.

If you’d like to buy this atlas, contact booksales@gfo.org. (Please don’t come to the library first.) Our Price: $18 if you pick up at the GFO. $24 if we mail it to you.

Survey Results: Famous Ancestors?

Last week we asked if your family claimed to have famous ancestors. 58% said yes. 42% said no. Do those tales prove true? No, say many of you. Even more say you just don’t know yet. ▪ “2 Signers of the Declaration of Independence: Both cases, total baloney.” ▪ “Actor Peter Sellers: Peter Sellers was from an English line of Sellerses, and our Sellers family came from a German line that was originally Söller.” ▪ “Charlemagne, Holy Roman Emperor – It’d be fun to believe, but I need to see more proof.” ▪ “George Washington – It’s true!” ▪ “Carl Christian Bruhns, 19th c German astronomer – I’ve since met the website owner and that ultimately led to a connection with CCB’s great grandson in Germany who had taken the family back four more generations. We met in 2013 in the ancestral village and I stood on the steps of the family home.” ▪ “Andrew Jackson – So untrue that his Hermitage Library has denied it many times. But some still try to say it is true.”

There are sites that will give you information about famous people, such as FamousKin.com or predict your relationship to the famous like Relative Finder, and there are many others. While these are easy and fun, the best answer is, do the research. These tools rely on the accuracy of your research and that of others—and we all know to be careful when looking at online trees. So, start with yourself to build an accurate family tree. Then, you’ll be better prepared to try some of these tools for hints to your famous relations. Get more advice from this article on Thoughtco.com.

New Survey: Scandal!

Last week we asked about your relation to the famous. This week, we ask if you have a family story about a scandal.

Take the Survey

This week at GFO …

Sunday, June 30th Library Work Party 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. There’s another work party at the GFO library today for those of you who can attend. 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. Monday, July 1st First Monday 9:30 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. GFO Library open to non-members for free, open late. Tuesday, July 2nd Italian Ancestry Group 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. This month’s topic: Italian-Americans: How to find your ancestor’s village in the Old Country! Your ancestor’s Italian village in the Old Country is the key to opening the bounty of records waiting for you, to help you trace your Italian family heritage. Come join other Italian-American genealogists and learn to begin building your family tree, define what it is that you wish to learn, excavate old documents at home, build a framework with U.S. censuses, and understand cultural clues that might tip off the name of the ancestral village. Rome wasn’t built in a day, but at this lecture you may learn some valuable pointers to launch your campaign to find la famiglia! Ci vediamo! Instructor: Nancy Bronte Matheny. If you have questions or want more information, email italian@gfo.org. Wednesday, July 3rd Open Late to 8:00 p.m. Thursday, July 4th GFO closed in observance of Independence Day.

THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s Thursday Evening E-News Edition June 20, 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

Nanci Remington Named to GFO Hall of Fame

This year, the board of directors is proud to name Nanci Remington as the GFO’s 2019 Hall of Fame honoree. We’ve almost lost track of all the hats Nanci Remington has worn during her decade of volunteering at the GFO. Nanci is more than just a Research Assistant. She has her own fan club. Patrons make a point of coming down on days they know she will be at the library.

GFO President Vince Patton presents the Hall of Fame Award to long time volunteer Nanci Remington.

Among her many other hats over the years: ▪ She goes above and behond answering emails sent to info@gfo.org. ▪ Served as Education Chair and headed the Open House for several years. ▪ Filled the gap when the Seminars Committee lost its co-chair and filled that role all on her own for several well-organized years. ▪ She founded the German Special Interest Group. ▪ She was also one of the key players in the predecessor or our current Problem Solvers Special Interest Group—the Hunting and Gathering SIG. ▪ Formed and still co-leads the Manuscripts Committee, helping to make the treasures within available to researchers worldwide. ▪ She’s been writing interesting articles for the Bulletin for ages, and most recently agreed to become its co-editor. ▪ Our good fortune seems to be that if she burns out of one role, she always pops up in another. For her true leadership, service, and accomplishments, we are proud to add the name of Nanci Remington to the GFO Hall of Fame.

Italian Ancestry Group Returns

We are pleased that the Italian Special Interest Group is returning from hiatus! It will meet on a new day, under the leadership of GFO member Nancy Matheny. Nancy has set up a series of topics to fill the rest of the year. ▪ Jul 2 – Lecture #1: Italian-Americans: Find your ancestral home in the old country ▪ Aug 6 – Lecture #2: Italian-Americans: Find your ancestor’s passenger list ▪ Sep 3 – Lecture #3: Italian-Americans: Find your ancestor’s naturalization records ▪ Oct 1 – Lecture #4: Italian-Americans: Find your ancestor’s Italian civil records ▪ Nov 5 – Lecture #5: Italian-Americans: Find your ancestor’s Italian church records ▪ Dec 3 – Lecture #6: Italian-Americans: Find your ancestor’s Italian military records The Italian group will meet on the 1st Tuesday of each month from 10 a.m. to Noon at the GFO Library. All meetings are free and open to the public. Questions? Contact Italian@gfo.org

Half-Day Workshop: Adding Historical Context

Adding Historical Context: A Hands-On Approach Join GFO’s Kate Eakman July 14 from 9:30 a.m. – Noon for a half-day of learning about how to add historical context to your genealogical research to make it richer and more interesting. In this workshop you will: ▪ Practice identifying items, events, and topics ripe for historical research. ▪ Once the questions have been asked, learn how to find the answers. ▪ Discuss how to add this new-found information to one’s family’s history. Take advantage of Early Bird pricing. Register by June 30 and save $5.00!

Register Now

PMUG Clinic Debuts at the GFO

June 26th 6:00 – 7:45 p.m. in the GFO Classroom. If you missed our meeting on June 12th, Portland Macintosh Users Group will be repeating one of our most successful events at the GFO – the PMUG Clinic. The Clinic is a friendly place where you can bring in that Mac/iPad/iPhone that is giving you problem for free diagnostics, as well as help with many other issues. Some examples of how PMUG Clinic can help you include: • If you have questions on one of the basic Apple software apps, you don’t need to take a whole class to get your questions answered. • If you are having problems with your Mac/iPhone/iPad, you can bring it in for a free diagnostic. • If you want to find the best backup system for your genealogy archives, you can get a custom recommendation based your actual needs. No need to register, just show up during clinic hours: Bring your Mac or Apple mobile device. If you would like additional information for attending PMUG Clinic, please email us at college@pmug.org.

Help Us Finish the Year with a Cushion!

In our personal lives, June doesn’t typically trigger us think to think about the money we’re spending. At the GFO, this is the last month of our fiscal year. We see how some expenses rose more than we expected. In fact, we learned recently we must replace three computers which are on death’s door. This is an unexpected expense. We’re all volunteer. No one gets paid. Every dime of your support goes directly into the GFO’s operations. The GFO preserves heritage in our 50,000 holdings, and offers more than 180 classes during the year. Please make a gift today to help us fuel the lifelong learning genealogists enjoy.

Contribute now

FGS Family History Conference Early Registration closing soon

Federation of Genealogical Societies’ FGS 2019 Family History Conference is just two months away (August 21 – 24) in Washington, DC, and now is the time to lock in the advance registration discount rate while it lasts! Five Reasons to attend FGS 2019:

▪ Four full days of inclusive topics presented by the nation’s top family history experts with sessions aimed at strengthening your research skills regardless of your level or area of expertise. ▪ Pre-conference opportunities to visit and research at the National Archives, the Library of Congress, and the DAR Library. ▪ A variety of tracks such as American’s Resources, Mid-Atlantic Region, Colonial History and Settlement, Women’s studies, and three DNA tracks to cover DNA foundations, methods, and practice. ▪ Ten luncheons to network with fellow genealogists and enjoy lighter presentations from sponsoring organizations such as Family Search, My Heritage, and the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society. ▪ An Exhibit Hall featuring the latest software, books, maps, and gadgets for genealogists as well as information about genealogical organizations. When you register by June 30th you save $30 on full conference registration, or $10 on single day registration. Attendees who provide 8 hours or more of volunteer service during the conference are eligible for partial refunds of their registration fee!

Register Here

Surplus Book of the Week: Historical Atlas of Indiana

Here’s a treat for map lovers or anyone with Indiana roots. This week’s surplus book is the Illustrated Historical Atlas of Indiana. The maps are from 1876, depicting every county in the state at that time. It includes the plat of Indianapolis and a sampling of illustrations. This handsome, oversized volume measures 14 inches by 17 1/2 inches and is in perfect condition.

Note: This is a 1968 reproduction by the Indiana Historical Society of the original 1876 publication. We have found this atlas for sale online for $50 to $100. Our price: $30 if you pickup at the GFO. $37 if we mail it to you. Contact booksales@gfo.org if you’d like to buy it. (Please don’t just come to the library first to get it.)

Survey Results: Correcting Errors on Ancestry.com

Well done! Nearly 76% of our survey respondents know that it is possible to submit corrections to errors on Ancestry and they’ve done just that. 16% didn’t know, but say they’ll send in corrections now. 8% said they did know about the feature but have never submitted a fix.

New Survey:

Davy Crockett, George Washington, Queen Victoria … Do family stories say you are related to a famous person? Take our survey this week to tell us more.

Take the Survey

This week at GFO …

Sunday, June 23rd Library Work Party 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. 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. Wednesday, June 19th PMUG Clinic 6:00 – 7:45 p.m. For the month of June, the Portland Macintosh Users Group will bring one of our most successful events to the GFO – the PMUG Clinic. The Clinic is a friendly place where you can bring in that Mac/iPad/iPhone that you are having problems with for free diagnostics, as well as many other issues.

THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s Thursday Evening E-News Edition June 13, 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

Please Attend Our Member Meeting This Saturday

We encourage all GFO Members to attend our annual membership meeting this Saturday, June 15, at 2 p.m. (Yes, that’s the correct date. We apologize for the typo last week.)

Richard Crockett will present the budget for the new fiscal year which starts on July 1. You, the members, will be asked to vote to approve the board’s plan. It’s your chance to see our new board members who join the board next month. And, we’ll reveal this year’s Hall of Fame Award winner. This is the GFO’s highest honor, which carries with it lifetime membership in the GFO. The meeting lasts 30 minutes. Then, please stay on for a free GenTalk by Kristin Parks. She’ll talk about land records and how to reach them from our library computers.

Donations Delivered to Paradise Genealogical Society

All 28 boxes fit in the car! President Vince Patton shows every nook and cranny we used to do it.

The Paradise Genealogical Society in northern California hasn’t had much to smile about since a wildfire burned their library to the ground. Smiles returned today as they received nearly 1,500 books and periodicals. We delivered donations from the GFO and the Clark County Genealogical Society a few hours ago. A team from Paradise drove north, and GFO President Vince Patton drove south. We met halfway in Medford for the transfer of 28 boxes. It’s a great way to jumpstart the rebuilding of their library in a new temporary location in Chico, California.

Joyce Higgins and Carol Sutherland of the Paradise Genealogy Society were thrilled to have a van load of books to drive back home.

Half-Day Workshop: Adding Historical Context

Adding Historical Context: A Hands-On Approach Join GFO’s Kate Eakman July 14 from 9:30 a.m. – Noon for a half-day of learning about how to add historical context to your genealogical research to make it richer and more interesting. In this workshop you will: ▪ Practice identifying items, events, and topics ripe for historical research. ▪ Once the questions have been asked, learn how to find the answers. ▪ Discuss how to add this new-found information to one’s family’s history. Take advantage of Early Bird pricing. Register by June 30 and save $5.00!

Register Now

GenTalk: Locating Land Using the GLO, HistoryGeo & GFO

The website of the Bureau of Land Management’s General Land Office (GLO) is an incredibly valuable resource for researching your Federal Land State ancestors. Even those ancestors who never left the east coast can sometimes be found if you know how to look. Using the GLO, HistoryGeo, and the GFO’s collection of Oregon Donation Land Claim materials can lead you on a rewarding journey of discovery that covers a lot more territory than you might think.

Join GFO Research Assistant and Education Committee Chair Kristin Parks this Saturday, June 15, from 2:15 – 3:15 p.m. to learn more about these helpful resources.

Member Dues Rise July 1 – Renew Early Before the Increase

Anyone may renew early, before July 1, to lock in this year’s lower rates. NOTE: If you are midway into a standard membership and would like to become a Life member, we will credit your life member dues with the unused amount of what you have already paid. Life members can pay everything in one lump sum or spread payments out over three years.

Renew or Join Now

Great Lakes Region Interest Group is looking for your help!

The Great Lakes Region Interest Group is looking for presenters for the coming year! Do you know someone who might be interested? If you send us the person’s name and email address, we’ll do the rest. Contact us at greatlakes@gfo.org. Our next meeting is Saturday, September 14 at 9:30 a.m. Until then, we wish you happy trails and a summer of productive genealogy research!

Surplus Book of the Week: First Hundred Years of Lincoln County

This week’s surplus book is a special commemorative book that beautifully captures the first 100 years of Lincoln County, Oregon, from 1893 to 1993. It was published by the News-Times of Newport in 1993 and includes 192 pages of historic photos and advertisements.

This softcover book captures the fishing, timber, rail, and cultural history of Newport. It’s in very good condition with no marks inside or out. We’ve found it for sale online for $40 plus shipping. Your price: $30 – pickup at GFO $35 – we’ll mail it to you If interested, please email booksales@gfo.org. (Please contact them first; don’t just show up at the library to purchase.)

Survey Results: Family Tree Errors

There were 46 responses with lots of “Other” answers. 23 – Try to get the tree owner to correct it 13 – Ignore it To see all the results, click here.

Have you ever looked for trees with errors about your ancestors for the purpose of correcting them? No 39 (84.8%) Yes 7 (15.2%) If you tried to correct the errors, how did you do it? (respondents could select more than one answer.) We’re glad to see some of you are working hard to get those trees corrected! 37 of you responded. 22 Sent the tree owner corrected information 19 Sent the tree owner documentation (or a link to documentation) 17 Added a comment to their tree 10 Tried to educate the tree owner about the value of reliable sources

New Survey: Correcting Errors on Ancestry.com

Have you ever looked and looked for a record on Ancestry.com, to discover when you find it that it was indexed incorrectly? It can be frustrating, for sure. And Ancestry will not correct them—but you can. It doesn’t change the incorrect information, but it adds information to help others find the record more easily. This week we ask if you already know about and/or post corrections. Please take our survey now.

Take the Survey

This week at GFO …

Friday, June 14th Mexican Ancestry Group 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Finding your Hispanic ancestors from Mexico, Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, and California This Special Interest Group (SIG) pertains specifically to Mexican ancestors from Mexico and the American Southwest (New Mexico, Arizona, Texas, and California). Beginning and intermediate researchers are welcome. Some subjects will include online parish records, Hispanic genealogy societies, Family History Library/FamilySearch.org. Ancestry.com, solving genealogical problems, methodology of organizing your research, etc. Of course this group will also be about sharing our research experiences, and having fun. For questions or comments, please email Vince Ramirez at sw@gfo.org. Saturday, June 15th Genealogy Problem Solvers 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. No meeting this month. African American Ancestry Group 12:00 – 2:00 p.m. This meeting will be our second attempt at a “transcribathon” – we will work together on transcribing Freedmen’s Bureau records for the Smithsonian’s massive undertaking of creating an every-word transcription of every document in the Freedmen’s Bureau collection. Please plan ahead: Visit The Freedman’s Bureau website before the June 15 meeting and sign up. You will need to bring a laptop to the meeting to work on. If you have an extra laptop, consider bringing it in case someone else doesn’t have one, so that more people can help. For more information, contact us at african_american@gfo.org. Annual Membership Meeting 2:00 – 2:15 p.m. Come to see new officers installed, learn who is receiving the Hall of Fame award, and vote to approve the budget for the coming fiscal year. GenTalk: Using the GLO and HistoryGeo 2:15 – 3:15 p.m. Presenter Kristin Parks will show you how using the General Land Office website, HistoryGeo.com and the GFO’s collection of Oregon Donation Land Claim material can help take you on a path of discovery to learn more about your ancestors. Sunday, June 16th Father’s Day – GFO Closed. Wednesday, June 19th Learn and Chat 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Topic: Census – Part Two. The census is often the first place we search for “instant gratification,” a place to see our people and their community (FAN Club). The 2020 Census is now front-and-center in the news. Join us for Part Two of a discussion of how this constitutionally-mandated enumeration has changed over time. We share our experiences and are working together on a list of resources useful to all. A lively discussion and a lot of fun! Facilitated by Jean Quan and Sandy Alto. Questions? learnandchat@gfo.org DNA Q&A 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. Lisa McCullough leads a discussion on various DNA related subjects, with each meeting focused on a particular subject. General questions are welcome at the end of each planned discussion. Questions? dna_qa@gfo.org Irish Group 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. In our first hour, we will interactively explore those new and improved Irish genealogy websites, or even a great general genealogy website that you have found useful. Email a couple of your favorite URLs to Irish@gfo.org by June 12th and everyone can have a copy of all the URLs at the meeting! We will be sure the laptop and projector screen are ready! Share what you liked about the site and we will all be a wee bit closer to our next ancestor discovery! Second hour we will address current challenges/brick walls/research obstacles – bring a concise outline of your challenge, and we will put our heads together to help move you forward. We’re planning now for August and October meetings. What topics/speakers would you like to hear? Please share at the meeting or email us at Irish@gfo.org with questions and suggestions.

THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s Thursday Evening E-News Edition June 6, 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

Half-Day Workshop: Adding Historical Context

Adding Historical Context: A Hands-On Approach Join GFO’s Kate Eakman July 14 from 9:30 a.m. – Noon for a half-day of learning about how to add historical context to your genealogical research to make it richer and more interesting. In this workshop you will: ▪ Practice identifying items, events, and topics ripe for historical research. ▪ Once the questions have been asked, learn how to find the answers. ▪ Discuss how to add this new-found information to one’s family’s history. Take advantage of Early Bird pricing. Register by June 30 and save $5.00!

Register Now

GFO June Star: Remi Newhouse

You could not ask for anyone more organized than Remi Newhouse. Singlehandedly, he has launched our online sales of a variety of donated items. Plus, he’s a data extraction dynamo, indexing Multnomah County Marriage Record books. These are among the GFO’s most valuable, unique resources, and indexes will open them to the wider world. We couldn’t ask for better help than Remi is giving to the GFO. Thank you, Remi!

Clark County Steps Up With Paradise Donations

The steamroller of generosity continues to roll as we help the Paradise Genealogical Society rebuilding their library that burned last year. Last Sunday, the Clark County Genealogical Society dropped off 13 boxes of books! We’ve added them to the stacks of boxes we’ve already put together with our surplus holdings. This may mean we have more boxes than we can easily carry in early June. Fortunately, another GFO member is driving to Paradise itself in the middle of the month and has offered to take the remainders then. Thank you all for your generosity to assist Paradise in getting back on its feet.

Donations for Paradise at the Clark County Genealogical Society

You’re Invited! – Annual Membership Meeting June 15

Please join us for the annual Membership Meeting on Saturday, July 15 at 2 p.m. at the GFO library. Each year we honor a stellar volunteer with our Hall of Fame Award, ask you to approve our budget by voice vote, and introduce you to the newest board members who will take office next month. The meeting lasts only 30 minutes and we’d love to see you there.

But there’s another great reason to come that afternoon. Right after the meeting, our GenTalk from 2:30-3:30 p.m. presents Using the General Land Office and History Geo. Kristin Parks will show you incredibly useful land records which you can reach from the GFO computers. Using the GLO website, HistoryGeo.com and the GFO’s collection of Oregon Donation Land Claim material can lead you on a rewarding journey of discovery that covers a lot more territory than you might think. See you June 15!

Member Dues Rise July 1 – Renew Early Before the Increase

Each year the GFO has raised its basic, individual member dues by $1, and $2 for joint members. This almost covered the increase in our rent, but nothing more. The board also learned that our Life Memberships had fallen way behind what the board several decades ago intended. Life dues were meant to reflect a cost 20 times that of a one-year membership. Over the years, that information was not passed on to later boards, and the Life Memberships have not been raised in 13 years. Life Member dues are an investment in the GFO, placed in our Endowment Fund to help finance operations in perpetuity. Given rising expenses, the GFO Board of Directors has approved increases to both of these categories. For one year, effective July 1, 2019, annual Individual and Student memberships will increase $2 while Joint Memberships increase $4. On July 1, 2019, Individual Life Member dues will increase from $750 to $875 and Joint Life Memberships from $1,000 to $1,220. In subsequent fiscal years they will rise again so that by 2022 they will equal 20 times an individual membership. Anyone may renew early, before July 1, to lock in this year’s lower rates. NOTE: If you are mid-way into a standard membership and would like to become a Life member, we will credit your life member dues with the unused amount of what you have already paid. Life members can pay everything in one lump sum, or spread payments out over three years.

Renew or Join Now

PMUG Clinic Debuts at the GFO

June 12th & 26th 6:00 – 7:45 p.m. in the GFO Classroom For the month of June, the Portland Macintosh Users Group will bring one of our most successful events to the GFO – the PMUG Clinic. The Clinic is a friendly place where you can bring in that Mac/iPad/iPhone that you are having problems with for free diagnostics, as well as many other issues. Some examples of how PMUG Clinic can help you include: • If you have questions on one of the basic Apple software apps, you don’t need to take a whole class to get your questions answered. • If you are having problems with your Mac/iPhone/iPad, you can bring it in for a free diagnostic. • If you want to find the best backup system for your genealogy archives, you can get a custom recommendation based your actual needs. No need to register, just show up during clinic hours: Bring your Mac or Apple mobile device. If you would like additional information for attending PMUG Clinic, please email us at college@pmug.org.

(Mug) Book of the Week

This week we’re offering a 1980 reprint of the 1683 History of Duchess [Dutchess] County, New York, with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Some of its Prominent Men and Pioneers by James H. Smith. This is a soft-cover version, has library stamps, and notes from a prior owner. “Mug” books, as they are often called, are great resources for learning about a community around the turn of the century.

Often when they are reprinted, the pages are significantly reduced in size—but not this one! Pages measure 8.25″ by 11″, and there are 562 of them, not counting the introductory material and an appendix naming (and giving particulars about) contributors. This material is available in digital form online, but if your family is from Dutchess County, wouldn’t it be nice to have this on your bookshelf at home?

Pick it up at the GFO for $18, or we can mail it to you for $26. Contact booksales@gfo.org to get your hands on this terrific book.

Survey Results: Has DNA helped you solve any brick wall problems?

There were 32 responses to our question, “Has DNA helped you solve any brick-wall problems?” And the answers were split right down the middle, with 16 answering, “Yes,” and 16 answering “No.” There were 19 written responses to our request for more information. You can read all the responses here. And six people gave us some suggestions for future surveys. We thank them and offer one of the suggestions this week.

New Survey: What do you do when you find family trees with errors?

Anyone who’s spent any time looking at online family trees knows they often have inaccuracies. Okay, information that is just plain wrong! An e-news reader wants to know: What do you do when you find a tree that has the wrong information about your ancestor?

Take the Survey

This week at GFO …

Saturday, June 8th Great Lakes Region SIG 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. We welcome guest speaker Duane Funk who will discuss Quaker records and what we can learn from them. The records of the Society of Friends, also known as Quakers, include births, deaths, marriages, migration certificates, and detailed monthly meeting minutes. Even if you don’t have Quaker ancestors, this promises to be a fascinating look at Quaker history and research methods in general. If your ancestors were in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, or Ontario CANADA, or if you simply want to come hear about this fascinating topic, you are most welcome to attend. Please note that the Rose Festival Grand Floral Parade is this same morning – give yourself plenty of travel time! We hope to see you there. Sunday, June 9th Library Work Party – 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Family Tree Maker Users 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 . If you haven’t been for a number of meetings or are new, please come 30 minutes early so we can provide you a newer version of our fake practice tree. We currently have 34 people in our practice tree.. Facilitated by Joyce Grant-Worley. FTM@gfo.org French Canada Group – 3:30 – 5:00 p.m. Sharing stories of our history. Come and join this group to learn more about French Canadian ancestry and Acadia. The group leader is Bob LaMarche. Monday, June 10th Beginners Boot Camp 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Laurel Smith will present a day of beginning genealogy. There will be sessions about the census, vital records, immigration and naturalization, discussions about genealogy software and database use, organizing your research and more — all geared toward beginners. Those registered should bring a sack lunch so the discussion can continue while we eat. This class is currently full. If you wish to put your name on the wait list, click here. Tuesday, June 11th Board Meeting 6:10 – 8:10 p.m. Wednesday, June 12th PMUG Clinic – 6:00 – 7:45 p.m. For the month of June, the Portland Macintosh Users Group will bring one of our most successful events to the GFO – the PMUG Clinic. The Clinic is a friendly place where you can bring in that Mac/iPad/iPhone that you are having problems with for free diagnostics, as well as many other issues. PMUG is a group of users helping each other, which is what user groups are all about. We have been running these clinics for several years and enjoy offering the unique opportunity for people to access free one on one consultations with our knowledgeable experts.

THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s Thursday Evening E-News Edition May 30, 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

Late Hours Now Permanent on Free First Mondays!

We began an experiment this spring by offering late hours, until 8:00 p.m., on our first Monday of the month. These are popular days because the GFO is free to everyone; no membership required. Enough of you enjoyed this feature that we’re now making this part of our regular schedule. The library’s next Free First Monday is coming right up on June 3. We hope we’ll see you. Special Note: If you arrive after 7:00 p.m., the door to the Ford Building may be locked. Call us at 503-963-1932 and we’ll come right up to let you in.

Cancellations make 5 seats available for June 10th Beginners’ Boot Camp!

There are 5 seats left for our upcoming Beginners’ Boot Camp on June 10. Just a reminder that Registration closes on June 6 and we won’t be having another Boot Camp until August! This is a great way to get started in your family tree research. GFO members get in free! Join Laurel Smith at the GFO for a day of beginning genealogy.

Register Now

Half-Day Workshop: Adding Historical Context

Registration now Open! Adding Historical Context: A Hands-On Approach Join GFO’s Kate Eakman for a half-day of learning about how to add historical context to your genealogical research to make it richer and more interesting. In this workshop you will: ▪ Practice identifying items, events, and topics ripe for historical research. ▪ Once the questions have been asked, learn how to find the answers. ▪ Discuss how to add this new-found information to one’s family’s history. Take advantage of Early Bird pricing. Register by June 30 and save $5.00!

Register Here

Deadline Looms for Genealogy Scholarship

Have you ever wanted to study at the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy? Now is your chance to land a scholarship. The Laura Prescott SLIG Scholarship covers tuition in the course of your choice, plus six nights at the Hilton Hotel in downtown Salt Lake City. You can be a beginner or professional, young or old but you must exhibit a passion for genealogy. The deadline is days away: June 1. Click here to learn more if you’d like to apply.

GFO still needs a Webmaster!

If you are looking for a way to volunteer, this may be the job for you! Our volunteer webmaster is leaving, and we are looking for someone to take her place. Web design skills are not needed since our website provider has a template we follow. We offer many indexes and resources and our site needs updating when our volunteers finish each new project. Please contact president@gfo.org if you have any questions or wish to volunteer. Thank you.

Advanced Notice of GSHA Annual Business Meeting and Conference

The Annual Business Meeting and Conference of the Genealogical Society of Hispanic American will be held in Pueblo, Colorado, August 16-18. The host hotel will once again be the Marriott Hotel located about five minutes from the Rawlings Library and El Pueblo Museum where most of our activities are planned. The discounted rate is $119 plus tax. Call (719) 542-3200 and make sure you tell them you are with the Genealogical Society of Hispanic America to get the discounted rate. Please go to our website for updated information . Online registration is available thru PayPal here.

Surplus Book of the Week: Guidebook to Historic Germantown

Our featured book this week is The Guidebook to Historic Germantown: Prepared for the Site & Relic Society by Charles F. Jenkins and printed in Germantown (Philadelphia, PA) in 1902. It is inscribed on the flyleaf, “Bought at Relic Show, Germantown Alumni Hall, June 12, 1902.”

There are three news clippings glued to the inside covers and back flyleaf, and one of them is about the Relic Show itself! It’s a sweet little book, filled with illustrations, and there’s even a fold-out map. It has a few little scuffs on the cover—but wouldn’t you, too, if you were born in 1902? Otherwise, it is in absolutely fabulous condition. Pick it up at the GFO for $25 or have it mailed to you for $30. Contact booksales@gfo.org for more information.

Survey Results: Your DNA Experience

We received 82 responses to our survey asking whether your DNA results were surprising or not. There were a lot more surprises than we expected, 35 (42.7%), while 47 (57.3%) reported ho hum results. One participant said, “I was hoping for something more exotic, but no.” The reasons for the surprises were varied and interesting. Respondents could select more than one answer.

▪ Confirming an ancestor in question: 15.8% ▪ Ethnicities you weren’t expecting: 23.7% ▪ Unknown parentage of you or an ancestor: 23.7% ▪ Family members with unexpected parentage: 21.1% ▪ Health issues: 5.2% ▪ Other included Y-DNA matches have not revealed anyone with the same surname; Identified two brick wall great-grandfathers; Descendants of relatives I was not aware of; and What I already knew. We invited participants to tell us more if they wanted to share. Click here to see all the comments.

New Survey: Has DNA testing helped you break through a Brick Wall?

Genealogists often hit “brick walls,” a dead end in their research of a specific ancestor. We’d like to know if DNA has helped you solve any of yours. And for those of you bored with all the DNA questions, we have a query just for you.

Take the Survey

This week at GFO … Saturday, June 1st Virginia Group 9:00 a.m.- 12:00 p.m. Pirates or Privateers – What’s in a Name? Did your ancestors have contact with pirates or privateers? If they lived anyplace along the Eastern Seaboard, from Canada through New England and the southern colonies, all the way to the Caribbean, their lives were likely affected. Trade routes and the safe exchange of goods was essential for survival, as was security in times of war – Revolutionary, 1812, and the Civil war. Join the Virginia Group to learn a little about this history and its role in the political, social, and economic development of the modern world. Did you know Sir Walter Raleigh was a privateer? Join us to explore this exciting history. For more information see our blog: Virginia Roots and Vines. You can also reach this group’s leaders, Judi Scott and Carol Currency, at virginia@gfo.org. Sunday, June 2nd Library Work Party – Manuscripts 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. 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, June 3rd GFO Free Monday 9:30 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. GFO open for free to non-members. Wednesday, June 5th Learn and Chat 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. At Learn & Chat some of the learning comes from speakers with particular expertise but most of it comes from the sharing of experiences and knowledge of attendees who have developed methods that work for them. And if you have been doing genealogy for any length time you have likely experienced the wonderful moments of exhilaration, the successes that you then share with others and that drive you to continue researching. Unfortunately those times can be few and far between. Join us to talk about your genealogy questions and help provide support to others. Facilitated by Jeanne Quan. DNA Q&A 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. Lisa McCullough will be available to help answer your DNA questions, whether you are new and just getting started or have more involved questions. You may contact Lisa if you want more information. dna_qa@gfo.org

THE GENEALOGICAL FORUM’s Thursday Evening E-News Edition May 23, 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

Half-Day Workshop: Adding Historical Context

Registration now Open! Adding Historical Context: A Hands-On Approach Join GFO’s Kate Eakman for a half-day of learning about how to add historical context to your genealogical research to make it richer and more interesting. But if you aren’t a historian, how do you know when there is an opportunity for adding history to our research? In this workshop we will: ▪ Practice identifying items, events, and topics ripe for historical research. ▪ Once the questions have been asked, we will learn how to find those answers. ▪ Finally, we will discuss how to add this new-found information to our family’s history. Kate Eakman is a Senior Researcher and Team Lead for Legacy Tree Genealogists and has taught a variety of classes and genealogical presentations across the United States. She holds an MA in History from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with additional graduate work in history and education from Immaculata University, Lewis and Clark College, and Seattle Pacific University. For additional information, contact seminar@gfo.org. Take advantage of Early Bird pricing. Register by June 30 and pay $20.00 – a $5.00 savings!

Register Here

A few seats still available for June 10th Beginners’ Boot Camp!

There are only 5 seats left for our upcoming Beginners’ Boot Camp on June 10. Just a reminder that Registration closes on June 6 and we won’t be having another Boot Camp until August! This is a great way to get started in your family tree research. GFO members get in free! Join Laurel Smith at the GFO for a day of beginning genealogy.

Register Now

Research Session with the Jewish Genealogical Society of Oregon

The Jewish Genealogical Society of Oregon invites you, your family, and friends to their upcoming June meeting, which will be a research session providing one-on-one support to all those interested in exploring their Jewish ancestry/family history. Bring your research materials and your personal laptops or tablets to work on your research goals or get help with the endless supply of genealogical websites. Even if you don’t have specific questions, come and exchange knowledge and ideas with others who have similar interests. Some computers with internet access will be available for those without. The meeting is free to all participants and will be held at the Hillsdale Public Library located at 1525 SW Sunset Boulevard Portland, OR 97239 on Sunday, June 23rd at 10:30 a.m. Doors will be open at 10:00 a.m. with time for conversation and sharing. Public parking is available, and the library is easily accessible via Tri-Met bus. See the Tri-Met Interactive Map for more details. If you want a head start on your issue, please write us at jgsoregon@gmail.com in advance with your research question.

A Brief Update on the Paradise Book Drive

We’ve had a call or two from folks who are concerned that we are gathering books to send to a library that doesn’t want them—or will never be able to use them. We would like to reassure everyone that before we began this project, we were in touch with the Paradise Genealogical Society Board of Directors. The organization has leased a space, and the Board is dedicated to rebuilding the library. GFO would not have undertaken this book drive had we not been certain the books were wanted.

The Paradise Board has been sent the list of the books that have been collected at GFO or pledged by the Douglas County Genealogical Society. Clark County Genealogical Society has packed at least five more boxes full of materials not on our list. The folks in Paradise are thrilled! One person voiced a concern about the cost to GFO and whether we are raiding our library shelves for things to send. The GFO is not spending any cash out of pocket, nor are we pulling books from our library to send. The books that have been gathered are from our sales shelves (which were really overcrowded) and from donations from folks like you. We hope this answers any questions you may have and that you will support us in the effort to help what was, and we hope will be again, a thriving genealogical society. It just seems to us like the right thing to do. And it seems like a lot of you think so too. We love hearing you’re behind us!

Surplus Books of the Week: Mayflower Families

This week’s surplus books are the product of a massive effort from 1959 to the 1970s by the General Society of Mayflower Descendants. “Mayflower Families Through Five Generations” traces five generations of Mayflower descendants, both male and female, to Revolutionary times. This book is Volume 2 of a set. It includes descendants of the families of James Chilton, Richard More, and Thomas Rogers.

We happen to have three spare copies of this intensively researched work available. Pick up at GFO Price: $24 Delivery Price: $30 All three of our copies are in very good condition with only a few minor scratches in the covers and a few marks inside from prior owners. If you’d like to buy one contact booksales@gfo.org

Survey Results: Which tests have you or close relatives taken?

Last week we asked about whether you had taken an mtDNA or Y-DNA test. And we were a little surprised by the results. Fifty-seven people entered responses: 15 of 28 males who responded said they have taken a Y-DNA test; 8 of 26 males report having done an mtDNA test; 22 of 41 females have taken an mtDNA test; and 22 of 37 female respondents replied that a father or brother had taken a Y-DNA test for them.

New Survey: Your DNA Experience

We know many of our members have taken DNA tests. Some of them have had big surprises and some have found their results pretty ho-hum. We’re wondering what your experience has been. Please take this week’s survey to let us know.

Take the Survey

This week at GFO …

Saturday, May 25th DNA Beginners 9:00 a.m.- 12:00 p.m. DNA Led the Way: A Y-DNA Case Study by Emily D. Aulicino Do you have Y-DNA matches for which you cannot find the common ancestor(s) even though the genealogy time frame is reasonable? Have you hunted all over the web to find the answer, but are still fighting that brick wall? Learn how several Y-DNA matches were able to find their common ancestor(s) in just one day! You can download the handout here. Lisa McCullough will present information on the new tools at Ancestry, including how to turn on the Beta Profile, how to access and use the new tools such as MyTreeTags and the New & Improved DNA Matches and ThruLines. She will also cover the new tools at MyHeritage, specifically the Chromosome Browser Triangulation, Theory of Relativity, and Auto Cluster Tools. All are welcome. Questions can be sent before the meeting to: dna@gfo.org British Interest Group 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. Our topic will be Northern Ireland, its history and how that effects genealogical records. We will also plan next year’s meetings. Plus snacks of our ancestors! One hour of the two hour meeting is devoted to Brick Wall questions. Anyone with an interest in English/Welsh/Scottish research is welcome to join us. Questions may be directed to: Duane Funk at uk@gfo.org Sunday, May 26th Library Work Party 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Of course 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. Monday, May 27th GFO Closed for Memorial Day