Grays Harbor Genealogical Society Genealogy Cafe
Tag Archives: Grays Harbor Genealogical Society
Grays Harbor Gen Soc Open Discussion
The program at the Grays Harbor Genealogical Society meeting will be an open discussion about resources, brick walls and general questions. No issue is too small to discuss — and there’ll be lots of opinions! Saturday, July 13, 2024, 10:00 a.m., Hoquiam Library downstairs meeting room and via Zoom. All are welcome. For more information, email Info@graysharborgenealogy.com.
Genealogical Societies Support Patriot Week
Volunteers from the Grays Harbor and North Beach Genealogical Societies are hosting Genealogy Cafe’s during Patriot Week from April 23 – 25, 2024, in Ocean Shores. Patriot Week is sponsored by the Washington State Society of the Sons of the American Revolution.
Volunteers will be available by appointment. The sessions will be at the libraries in Ocean Shores and Hoquiam. See the flyer for details.
More information about SAR’s Patriot Week, including a list of events, is available here.
Grays Harbor Genealogical Society Genealogy Cafes
The Grays Harbor Genealogical Society is partnering with multiple other genealogy and lineage groups to offer Genealogy Cafés at the Ocean Shores and Hoquiam Libraries.
Tue, Apr 23, 2024, from 11 am – 3 pm
Ocean Shores Library
Tue., Apr 23, 2024, from 10 am – 2 pm
Hoquiam Timberland Library
Wed, Apr 24, 2024, from 11 am – 3 pm
Ocean Shores Library
Thu, Apr 25, 2024, from 11 am – 3 pm
Ocean Shores Library
Work one-on-one by appointment with a volunteer to begin building your family tree. Call or Text Carrie at (206) 276-7889 to schedule an appointment time.
Regards,
Debbie Stiles-Lusk
Aberdeen, Grays Harbor County, Washington, USA
360-624-6258, debbie.stileslusk@gmail.com
Jo Linker Named One of WSGS’s Outstanding Volunteers in 2023
Since 2003, the Washington State Genealogical Society has recognized over 600 outstanding volunteers and teams, nominated by their local society or genealogical organization for their service and dedication. These volunteers are the backbone of their local society, giving their time and expertise, to the organization and the field of genealogy. In the coming months, you will be introduced to each of the 2023 award recipients and learn why they received the 2023 WSGS Outstanding Volunteer and Team Award.
Today we’re introducing Jo Linker of Aberdeen, Washington, who was nominated by the Grays Harbor Genealogical Society (GHGS).
In 2010, Jo Linker became one of eight new members in Grays Harbor Genealogy Society. Today, she is the only one of those eight who is still active!
Jo works behind the scenes for the good of the society – providing refreshments for meetings, volunteering for special projects, and helping others at the Genealogy Café. In 2013 Jo was part of a committee that organized a successful workshop featuring expert genealogist and popular lecturer Mary Kathryn Kozy. In 2015 and 2016, she served as a trustee.
Jo’s biggest contribution, however, has been as treasurer. In late 2015, the society’s longtime treasurer passed away leaving a huge void and a position no one wanted. Jo stepped up and has held the position for seven years. She has attended a number of statewide and regional genealogy conferences to hone her skills and stay current in the genealogy field.
For more information on the WSGS Outstanding Volunteer Award program, visit the Recognition page of the WSGS website or contact Info@wasgs.org. Please type “Volunteer Award” in the subject line.
Grays Harbor Genealogy Society Genealogy Cafes
Aberdeen and Elma Timberland Libraries
The Grays Harbor Genealogical Society will host Genealogy Cafés. Whether you’re new to genealogy or experienced, you’ll learn about local resources, as well as get individualized help using the library’s online resources and print materials. This free program is offered on a first-come, first-served basis. No registration is necessary.
Regards,
Debbie Stiles-Lusk
Aberdeen, Grays Harbor County, Washington, USA
360-624-6258, debbie.stileslusk@gmail.com
Meet the Board: Roxanne Lowe
Do you know who’s running the show at the Washington State Genealogical Society? Who are these people? In the coming months, we’ll introduce them to you, so you can say “hi” the next time you see them. (Note: a variation of Roxanne’s story was published in September 2017.)
In today’s “Meet the Board” series, we’re introducing you to Roxanne Lowe. Roxanne lives in McCleary (Grays Harbor County) and is WSGS’s secretary, web manager and on the blog team. She’s also in charge of the Recognition program. She has been a member of the WSGS since 2008. She was named as a WSGS Outstanding Volunteer in 2010. She’s a proud, long-time member of the Grays Harbor Genealogical Society, serving as president and newsletter editor of the GHGS Family Tree Searcher newsletter.
Roxanne was born in Aberdeen, Washington in January 1955, the first child of George and Patricia (Murphy) Ferbrache. She is the great-granddaughter of Patrick Murphy and Mary Donovan who moved to the Chehalis River Valley in the spring of 1888 from New Brunswick, Canada.
Roxanne’s interest in genealogy began as a child. Her paternal grandmother gave her a written family history, loaded with names, dates and locations. It was many years, however, before Roxanne learned enough about genealogy to realize that:
• Ferbrache can be spelled a multitude of ways.
• There may be more than one (or two or 10) Daniel Murphy’s, Lawrence Ryan’s – and even Thomas Ferbrache’s.
• Middle names are not a big deal in her family (Roxanne doesn’t even have one).
• Her descendants moved around – a lot – with little or no regard to leaving a paper trail.
• Whoever wrote that family history was a creative writer.
Fortunately for Roxanne, she joined the Grays Harbor Genealogical Society who taught her a thing or two about genealogy research. She’s attended many conferences, workshops and seminars – learning something new at each. She’s even traveled to Ireland and New Brunswick, Canada looking for Murphy’s and Ryan’s. Next on her travel wish list is to go to Guernsey in the Channel Islands (with a side stop in London) to visit her Ferbrache ancestral land.
Roxanne retired a few years ago from the Washington State Auditor’s Office in Olympia. She had previously worked for Governors Gregoire and Locke as a project manager on the welfare and performance measure programs. When not searching for her family history, she enjoys scrapbooking, quilting, sewing, machine embroidery and just about every other paper and fabric art. She and her husband Gary have five children and nine adored grandchildren. You can often read about Roxanne’s fun-filled adventures with her grandchildren on her Facebook page.
A few more interesting tidbits about Roxanne:
• Favorite genealogy websites: Ancestry, MyHeritage and Google
• Favorite color: Red
• Favorite dessert: Apple pie
• When asked for one word that described her, she replied, “Busy!”
Now you know a little more about another of the WSGS Board members. The next time you see Roxanne say hello and thank her for her service to WSGS.
Lee Thomasson Named One of 2022’s Outstanding Volunteers
Since 2003, the Washington State Genealogical Society has recognized over 600 outstanding volunteers and teams, nominated by their local society or genealogical organization for their service and dedication. These volunteers are the backbone of their local society, giving their time and expertise, to the organization and the field of genealogy. In the coming weeks, you will be introduced to each of the 2022 award recipients and learn why they received the 2022 WSGS Outstanding Volunteer and Team Award.
Today we’re introducing Lee Thomasson of Hoquiam, Washington, who was nominated by the Grays Harbor Genealogical Society.
Lee joined GHGS 25 years ago and has been involved ever since. He is a past president, has served on research committees, and is currently cemetery chair. Lee and two other members spent countless hours indexing graves in seven nearby cemeteries and he assisted another member in locating numerous unrecorded graves in Hoquiam’s Sunset Memorial Park Cemetery after a landslide covered them years ago.
For many years, Lee was the van driver for various genealogical expeditions, transporting up to 15 members per trip to Seattle, Tacoma and Olympia and he initiated the planning of a research trip to Salt Lake City for 10 members.
At the society’s monthly meetings, Lee readily shares his latest, often unusual, ancestral finds or living cousin story. Many are interested in his lineage to the Civil and Revolutionary Wars – he has held members’ interest often with his family stories and artifacts.
For more information on the WSGS Outstanding Volunteer Award program, visit the Recognition page of the WSGS website or contact Info@wasgs.org. Please type “Volunteer Award” in the subject line.
Genealogy Help Sessions to be Held in Hoquiam and Montesano — November 12
Join members of the Grays Harbor Genealogical Society (GHGS) for one-on-one consultations on Saturday, Nov. 12, 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. at the Hoquiam and Montesano libraries. This special event is co-sponsored with GHGS and the Hoquiam and Montesano Timberland Libraries. No appointment needed.
Grays Harbor Research Library Is Open For Business
Great news! After a year of restoration and reorganization, the Grays Harbor Genealogical Society Research Library is open for business on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. at the Hoquiam Library, 420 7th Street, Hoquiam.
The society’s research library was destroyed by a three-alarm fire that destroyed the Aberdeen Armory on 09 Jun 2018. The fire also destroyed much of the Aberdeen Museum of History, Coastal Community Action Program and the Aberdeen Senior Center. The cause of the fire was never determined.
The losses were catastrophic to the small society which had been housed at the location since 2003. Staffed completely by volunteers, the research library lost:
- More than 22,000 hard copy obituaries that were taped to index cards and stuffed tightly in metal file cabinets were lost. Fortunately, a digital newspaper obit index was stored off-site.
- Thousands of mortuary records from now closed Whiteside and Elerding Funeral Homes, for funerals from 1907 – 2015. The Washington State Library graciously offered to scan their collection of over 200 four-inch binders.
- Birth, marriage and death records from the 1870s to 1907.
- Chehalis County Marriage Index from the 1850s to 1990s.
- Unique compilations of cemetery inventories for outlying cemeteries.
- Tables, chairs, pencils, pens, notepads, wastepaper baskets, bulletin boards, photographs, signage…you get the idea.
Thanks to the generous donations from fellow genealogical societies and individuals, Grays Harbor Gen Soc was able to purchase signage, a photocopier/scanner, computers, shelving, binders, pencils, and furniture. They were also able to find a temporary space, compliments of the Hoquiam Library.
GHGS is still very much on the lookout for Grays Harbor-related materials like old city directories, telephone books, school yearbooks, family histories, obituaries, etc. If you have materials related specifically to Grays Harbor or Chehalis Counties, they’d love to hear from you at Info@GraysHarborGenealogy.com.