Seattle Genealogical Society Tip of the Week Finding your Family in Newspapers

TIP OF THE WEEK –
FINDING YOUR FAMILY IN NEWSPAPERS

“Finding Your Family in Newspapers: Using Chronicling America for Genealogical Research”

Presented by the Library of Congress  on August 3, 2022 at 3:00pm PDT. 

Discover your family’s past through the newspapers of their present. Join Digital Conversion Specialist Henry Carter to learn how to search for ancestors in Chronicling America, a free digital collection of almost 20 million pages from American newspapers published between 1777 and 1963. The presentation will discuss the collection, the search interface, and how to navigate the challenges of working with historic newINspapers. Chronicling America is jointly sponsored by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Library of Congress.

It is free to attend this event. Register HERE.

It will be available for viewing afterwards in the Library’s Event Videos collection.

Seattle Genealogical Society News

KAREN RATHE,
VOLUNTEER OF SUMMER QUARTER

Each quarter, the Seattle Genealogical Society recognizes one member as our Volunteer of the Quarter. Our Volunteer for Summer Quarter 2022 is Karen Rathe. Congratulations to Karen Rathe, Editor of The Journal!

Karen, originally from Portland, Oregon, has been an SGS member for about six years. She volunteered as Vice President for a year. Then as The Journal Editor, she produced the last three issues.

Her professional background has been a huge benefit to SGS. Her talents in creating compelling publications come from her experience teaching journalism for about a decade at The University of Washington and 14 years as copy editor and designer at The Seattle Times. Currently, Karen works part-time for the Puget Sound Business Journal and does occasional stints with Crosscut.com and others.

Karen has enjoyed her involvement with SGS by attending seminars and workshops, where she always comes away with new and helpful information. Also, volunteering for SGS has given her wonderful opportunities to get to know new people and to pick up on genealogy tips. For over half her life, she has been fascinated with uncovering the details of her maternal grandmother’s early life in southwestern Ohio. “My grandmother refused to talk much, so I had to go dig it out much later. Under every rock I overturn, I find a whole new tunnel of mysteries,” she shared.

When Karen isn’t working or sleuthing clues to genealogical mysteries she likes to hike, bicycle, travel and sew. This past year she traveled to Chicago, California and the Canadian Maritimes. Next year’s adventure plans are currently in the works!

RE: NEW HOURS AT SGS 

Dear SGS Library Patrons, 

It has been a challenge for the library to schedule volunteers to consistenly cover the front desk from Monday through Saturday each week. Consequently beginning August 1, 2022, the SGS library will only be open Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM PDT. 

If you are interested in volunteering at the SGS library, we would love your help. Please let us know at desk@seattlegenealogicalsociety.org. We would love your involvement.
 

SAVE THE DATE

Jewish Genealogical Society of Washington State, 
2nd Monday meetings
usually 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM 


JGSWS meets on the second Monday of each month, from Sept-June. Doors open at 6:30 PM unless noted otherwise. The next meeting is Monday, Sept 12, 2022 at 7:00 pm. The presentation will be “A Multiracial Jewish Family in Early America” with Laura Arnold Leibman. 

http://www.jgsws.org/meetings.php

SGS CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Good Shepherd Center, Suite 302
4649 Sunnyside Ave N
Seattle, WA 98103
206 522-8658

New Hours :  Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday,  Friday, Saturday
10:00 am – 3:00 pm  PDT** Please call ahead to make sure our library will be open. We are short on front desk volunteers this summer.  

Masks are recommended  inside the Good Shepherd Center. Due to COVID the events listed below continue to be virtual, online via Zoom. Always check the SGS Website Calendar of Events for the meeting links, registration, or for last minute updates or changes to the schedule. Be advised you may need to register in advance to join a meeting. 

NOTICE: SGS has imposed more security on our Zoom meetings. Some meetings will begin with a waiting room.  The host must take action to let people into each meeting.  The host will try to open the waiting room about 10 minutes ahead of time. Please be patient.

All times listed are Pacific Time unless otherwise noted 

Wednesday, Aug 3 2022, 10:00 am-11:30 am, Brags & Bricks Social Interest Group (Virtual), Join us for an informal social gathering. Share your recent genealogical successes and challenges, or just come to hang out with other genealogists.

Tuesday, Aug 9 2022, 10:00 am-11:00 am, Tech Tuesday (Virtual), back by popular demand, the informal consultation time on DNA, genealogy software, or genealogy-related technical issues. All are welcome. No appointment necessary. 

Wednesday, Aug 10, 2022, 10:00 am-11:30 am, Brags & Bricks Social Interest Group (Virtual), Join us for an informal social gathering. Share your recent genealogical successes and challenges, or just come to hang out with other genealogists.

Wednesday, Aug 17, 2022, 10:00 am-11:30 am, Brags & Bricks Social Interest Group (Virtual), Join us for an informal social gathering. Share your recent genealogical successes and challenges, or just come to hang out with other genealogists.

Saturday, Aug 20, 2022, 10:00 am- 12:00 pm, Irish SIG, with Susan McKee and Jim Ryan. See the SGS website Calendar of Events for further information. Notice there is a new Zoom link.

Sunday, Aug 21, 2022,  1:00 pm-2:30 pm, Virtual Sundays: Something Old, Something New,  Jill Morelli is the host. Visit the SGS website Calendar for details and updates. Please register in advance. Topic this month is “Solving Family Myths Using the Principles of Logic”. 

Tuesday, Aug 23, 2022, 10:00 am-11:00 am, Tech Tuesday (Virtual), back by popular demand, the informal consultation time on DNA, genealogy software, or genealogy-related technical issues. All are welcome. No appointment necessary. 

Wednesday, Aug 24, 2022, 10:00 am-11:30 am, Brags & Bricks Social Interest Group (Virtual), Join us for an informal social gathering. Share your recent genealogical successes and challenges, or just come to hang out with other genealogists.

Wednesday, Aug 31, 2022, 10:00 am-11:30 am, Brags & Bricks Social Interest Group (Virtual), Join us for an informal social gathering. Share your recent genealogical successes and challenges, or just come to hang out with other genealogists.

For Members –  to renew online log in at Members Home, go to your Member Profile, and then click the green “Renew Membership” button.   If you’d rather renew by postal mail, click print a membership application and send it together with your dues payment to SGS. Or better yet, stop by the SGS Library and renew in person!
 
Not a member yet? Join online today and enjoy discounted class and Seminar fees, free research requests, special interest groups, and access to exclusive SGS publications and databases. Find out more about membership at Join SGS.

Take part as SGS enters it 100th Year! 

Seattle Genealogical Society Tip of the Week INDEX WASHINGTON STATE RECORDS

TIP OF THE WEEK –
INDEX WASHINGTON STATE RECORDS

The Historical Records Project (HRP) for the Washington State Archives has been around for a while. Millions of records have already been transcribed and indexed, which makes them easily accessible to researchers and genealogists. But countless records still need to be done. Volunteers are the lifeline for this project.  So that’s where you come in! 

Scribe is the online application for entering this data. To volunteer to help you simply Register and Set Up your account, pick which record collection you’d like to work on, and start transcribing. It’s quick and easy. You work on this from the comfort of your own home, at your own pace. Do as many or as few records as you want, quit, and then pick it up again on another day. 

Washington Delayed Birth Records is one of the collections that need transcribing and this is a good record collection to start on. They tend to be easy to read. The image of the document appears on the left of your screen. On the right of your screen is the form into which you enter the child’s first, middle, and last name, gender, birth date, father’s first, middle, and last name, mother’s first, middle, and last name. Save the form. Check it over. Here’s your opportunity to Edit if you’ve made a mistake. Once it looks good, hit Finish for that record.  

Read the ten page “The Users’ Guide to Scribe”  found here: 
https://www.sos.wa.gov/archives/hrp/scribe-user-guide-final.pdf

Pay particular attention to the rules. They are on page 6. Here’s a visual reminder to print and keep at hand while you are transcribing: 

Any one of these rules is bound to come up early on.

Simply remember if a required item is missing enter the word blank.
But if the item is not required leave the space empty.

Don’t use prefix titles. Don’t use suffix titles. Don’t use punctuation.

So ignore Mr, Mrs, Miss, Sr, Jr, Dr, CPA, Esq, etc. As an example : Mr. John M. Doe, Sr, PhD becomes John M Doe. 

If you can help out and would like to Scribe, register here:
https://scribe.digitalarchives.wa.gov/



Seattle Genealogical Society News

Early History of SGS

On October 18, 1923, eight local researchers founded the Seattle Genealogical Society. They met in the downtown Seattle law offices of Moore and Higgins. According to the 1924 Seattle City Directory (information gathered in 1923) this was in Room 953 of the Dexter Horton Building, 704 Second Avenue, on the northeast corner of Cherry Street. These offices were the likely site of the original Seattle Genealogical Society, now known as SGS to all those who use it.

The eight founding members were Alexander Craig Dermond, Eleanor M. Freeman, Elizabeth A. Hubbart, Susan M. Keppel, Lida R. McKercher, Harry Denton Moore, Alice V. Robinson, and George E. Tilton. Their purpose was to form an active genealogical society and to begin a library collection available for Pacific Northwest researchers.The original SGS constitution, statement of purpose and the bylaws were modeled after those of the California Genealogical Society, founded in 1898 in San Francisco. President Harry Moore read aloud a letter from the California society. Its wording, adapted by the Seattle Genealogical Society, declared the new Society’s purpose of being: “To collect, preserve, disseminate information on genealogy and Washington local history; to assist its members in tracing their ancestry; to ascertain the location and condition of various public and private records which are or may become accessible to students of genealogy and American History; to aid in investigation of this nature by combining the efforts and resources of its members; to seek to direct public attention to the value of complete and exact records; and to emphasize the necessity of unremitting care in their collection and preservation.”

Fifty-nine interested researchers met on December 10, 1923 in the Chamber of Commerce auditorium in the downtown Arctic Building, Third Avenue and Cherry Street. Reverend Ambrose Bailey of the First Baptist Church spoke on “Why Trace Your Ancestry?” This was the first general meeting of the newly organized Seattle Genealogical Society and at that meeting 21 more members joined SGS.

SGS membership has increased from the original 8 members to over 1200 members at our peak and now we have over 500 members. We have seen membership dues rise from $1 to the current $40 for an individual membership. Next year we will be 100 years old so watch for news about celebrating our centennial. 

IMPORTANT NOTICE

SGS is  having trouble getting the front desk covered for a few days this summer so we ask you to  Please call before coming in to ensure we will be open that day:  (206) 522-8658

SGS depends on volunteers and there are several volunteer positions open. We still need new members for the Archives Committee. We can always use front desk volunteers. Visit our page on open volunteer positions at SGS: 
https://seagensoc.org/cpage.php?pt=18

 FROM OUR FRIENDS TO THE NORTH 


The Surrey Libraries Family have two FREE online Eastern Europe research programs coming up in August and you are invited to join in.   

Tuesday, August 16, 2022  10-11:30am PDT, Eastern Europe Border Changes 

Tuesday, August 30, 2022  10-11:30am PDT, Online Polish Records 

Free. Registration is required. To register, email familyhistory@surrey.ca or call 604-598-7327. A notice for these two programs was posted in Washington State Genealogical Society’s BLOG. The WSGS BLOG is a good way to stay on top of what’s happening at the various genealogical societies all around the Northwest. Here’s the link if you’d like to subscribe to the WSGS BLOG: 
https://wasgs.org/blog/subscription-form-2/

RENEW OR JOIN SGS

For Members –  to renew online log in at Members Home, go to your Member Profile, and then click the green “Renew Membership” button.   If you’d rather renew by postal mail, click print a membership application and send it together with your dues payment to SGS. Or better yet, stop by the SGS Library and renew in person!
 
Not a member yet? Join online today and enjoy discounted class and Seminar fees, free research requests, special interest groups, and access to exclusive SGS publications and databases. Find out more about membership at Join SGS.

Take part as SGS enters it 100th Year! 

SAVE THE DATE

Pacific NW Scottish Highland Games &
Clan Gathering, 
Enumclaw Expo Center, 
Enumclaw, WA 
Friday, July 22, 2022 – Sunday, July 24, 2022


Mark your calendar and show up for plenty of fun at the 75th Annual Pacific NW Scottish Highland Games & Clan Gathering.  For full details visit: 
https://www.sshga.org/daily-event-schedule/

Jewish Genealogical Society of Washington State, 
2nd Monday meetings
usually 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM PST


JGSWS meets on the second Monday of each month, from Sept-June. Doors open at 6:30 PM unless noted otherwise. The next meeting is Monday, Sept 12, 2022 at 7:00 pm. The presentation will be “A Multiracial Jewish Family in Early America” with Laura Arnold Leibman. 

http://www.jgsws.org/meetings.php

SGS CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Good Shepherd Center, Suite 302
4649 Sunnyside Ave N
Seattle, WA 98103
206 522-8658

New Hours : Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday
10:00 am – 3:00 pm ** Please call ahead to make sure our library will be open. We are short on front desk volunteers this summer.  

Masks are recommended  inside the Good Shepherd Center. Due to COVID the events listed below continue to be virtual, online via Zoom. Always check the SGS Website Calendar of Events for the meeting links, registration, or for last minute updates or changes to the schedule. Be advised you may need to register in advance to join a meeting. 

NOTICE: SGS has imposed more security on our Zoom meetings. Some meetings will begin with a waiting room.  The host must take action to let people into each meeting.  The host will try to open the waiting room about 10 minutes ahead of time. Please be patient.

All times listed are Pacific Time unless otherwise noted 

Saturday, July 16, 2022, 10:00 am- 12:00 pm, Irish SIG, with Susan McKee and Jim Ryan. See the SGS website Calendar of Events for further information. Notice there is a new Zoom link.

Sunday, July 17, 2022,  1:00 pm-2:30 pm, Virtual Sundays: Something Old, Something New,  Jill Morelli is the host. Visit the SGS website Calendar for details and updates. Please register in advance. Topic this month is “150 Years of Burned Records: Parents for Elna Johansdotter”. 

Wednesday, July 20, 2022, 10:00 am-11:30 am, Brags & Bricks Social Interest Group (Virtual), Join us for an informal social gathering. Share your recent genealogical successes and challenges, or just come to hang out with other genealogists.

Tuesday, July 26, 2022, 10:00 am-11:00 am, Tech Tuesday (Virtual), back by popular demand, the informal consultation time on DNA, genealogy software, or genealogy-related technical issues. All are welcome. No appointment necessary. 

Wednesday, July 27, 2022, 10:00 am-11:30 am, Brags & Bricks Social Interest Group (Virtual), Join us for an informal social gathering. Share your recent genealogical successes and challenges, or just come to hang out with other genealogists.

Wednesday, Aug 3 2022, 10:00 am-11:30 am, Brags & Bricks Social Interest Group (Virtual), Join us for an informal social gathering. Share your recent genealogical successes and challenges, or just come to hang out with other genealogists.

Tuesday, Aug 9 2022, 10:00 am-11:00 am, Tech Tuesday (Virtual), back by popular demand, the informal consultation time on DNA, genealogy software, or genealogy-related technical issues. All are welcome. No appointment necessary. 

Wednesday, Aug 10, 2022, 10:00 am-11:30 am, Brags & Bricks Social Interest Group (Virtual), Join us for an informal social gathering. Share your recent genealogical successes and challenges, or just come to hang out with other genealogists.

Wednesday, Aug 17, 2022, 10:00 am-11:30 am, Brags & Bricks Social Interest Group (Virtual), Join us for an informal social gathering. Share your recent genealogical successes and challenges, or just come to hang out with other genealogists.

Saturday, Aug 20, 2022, 10:00 am- 12:00 pm, Irish SIG, with Susan McKee and Jim Ryan. See the SGS website Calendar of Events for further information. Notice there is a new Zoom link.

Sunday, Aug 21, 2022,  1:00 pm-2:30 pm, Virtual Sundays: Something Old, Something New,  Jill Morelli is the host. Visit the SGS website Calendar for details and updates. Please register in advance. Topic this month is “Solving Family Myths Using the Principles of Logic”. 

Tuesday, Aug 23, 2022, 10:00 am-11:00 am, Tech Tuesday (Virtual), back by popular demand, the informal consultation time on DNA, genealogy software, or genealogy-related technical issues. All are welcome. No appointment necessary. 

Wednesday, Aug 24, 2022, 10:00 am-11:30 am, Brags & Bricks Social Interest Group (Virtual), Join us for an informal social gathering. Share your recent genealogical successes and challenges, or just come to hang out with other genealogists.

Wednesday, Aug 31, 2022, 10:00 am-11:30 am, Brags & Bricks Social Interest Group (Virtual), Join us for an informal social gathering. Share your recent genealogical successes and challenges, or just come to hang out with other genealogists.

Seattle Genealogical Society Tip of the Week FRENCH GENEALOGY FETE!

TIP OF THE WEEK –
FRENCH GENEALOGY FETE!

July 14, 1789 is the day that marks the symbolic start of the French Revolution. Bastille Day, celebrated on July 14th each year, is France’s largest national holiday. In honor of Bastille Day, FamilySearch has scheduled four back-to-back webinars on French genealogical research. Register through your FamilySearch free account. Here’s the schedule for Family History Library Bastille Day 2022:

8:00 AM MDT/7:00 AM PDT; Reading French Civil Registration Records (60 min) – This class will cover basic French paleography by teaching you how to read and navigate French civil registration records.

9:15 AM MDT/8:15 AM PDT; Accessing the Archives of France Online (45 minutes) – Every department in France has placed the records of greatest genealogical value online, freely accessible to all. This class will demonstrate some tips and tricks to help you navigate these websites.

10:15 AM MDT/9:15 AM PDT; How Geneanet Can Help You with French Research (45 min) – The website Geneanet.org is one of the best resources for French research. Not only does it contain thousands of family trees, it also houses indexed collections of genealogical society publications, books newspapers, and vital records. Learn how to access each of these collections and use them to optimize your French research.

11:15 AM MDT/10:15 AM PDT; Using the French Genealogy Website Filae (45 min) – Come learn the basics of navigating and searching on the website Filae. This site is a wonderful resource when searching your French ancestry.

These webinars, as well as other July webinars, are listed on the Family History Library Webinar Calendar for July 2022 : 
https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/img_auth.php/f/f7/07_July_2022.pdf

Seattle Genealogical Society News

WSGS AWARDS

The Washington State Genealogical Society (WSGS) has restarted its awards programs and five SGS members received awards this year. Four SGS members received a WSGS Outstanding Volunteer award. This award is given by WSGS based on recommendations from local societies. The SGS recipients are: 

  • Kathi M and Rob Sexton (team award) were recognized for their efforts in planning and executing the move and restructuring of the SGS library.
  • Cary Bright was honored for her many years of running the SGS DNA Special Interest Group.
  • And accolades go to Christine Schomaker for being, in essence, the SGS Swiss army knife, doing whatever is needed, and doing it well, for so many years.

Created in 2015, the WSGS President’s Award for Outstanding Achievement is not given out each year. It was designed and is reserved to single out that rare individual, society, or organization who has demonstrated exemplary service, above and beyond expectations. For 2022 this award was given to SGS’s past president, Jill Morelli. Everyone who knows Jill also knows that she has earned this award for her many efforts, not only within SGS, but within the genealogical community at large. 

Our congratulations, and thanks, to all the award recipients!

A MESSAGE FROM THE SGS PRESIDENT

What Should We Be Doing?

At the July meeting of the SGS Board we will be having a discussion of what we should be doing over the next year or so. Our time these past couple of years has been consumed by responding to COVID-19, the move to the Good Shepherd Center, and the library restructuring project. So, now what?  

Please send your thoughts on what the SGS Board and SGS should be doing over the next little while to me at president@seattlegenealogicalsociety.org.

Thanks, and have a great summer!

Jim Secan
President, SGS

ANOTHER REMINDER TO RENEW OR  
JOIN THE SEATTLE GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY

For Members –  to renew online log in at Members Home, go to your Member Profile, and then click the green “Renew Membership” button.   If you’d rather renew by postal mail, click print a membership application and send it together with your dues payment to SGS. Or better yet, stop by the SGS Library and renew in person!
 
Not a member yet? Join online today and enjoy discounted class and Seminar fees, free research requests, special interest groups, and access to exclusive SGS publications and databases. Find out more about membership at Join SGS.

Take part as SGS enters it 100th Year! 

Help wanted! A few more volunteers are needed to man the SGS booth at the Scottish Highland Games & Clan Gathering, Saturday, July 23, or Sunday, July 24. Volunteers will get a free entry ticket to the games that day. Also we have one volunteer from the Northgate area who needs a ride to the games. If you can help in the booth and/or provide a ride, call or text Jean Roth at 206 510-5202. Please make that call today. Thank you. 

SAVE THE DATE

Jewish Genealogical Society of Washington State, 
2nd Monday meetings
usually 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM PST


JGSWS meets on the second Monday of each month, from Sept-June. Doors open at 6:30 PM unless noted otherwise. 

http://www.jgsws.org/meetings.php

Virtual Celtic Connections Conference 2022, 
Saturday, July 9 – Friday, Sept 30, 2022 
 

Registration is now open.  Here are some of the highlights. 

  • 22 international and national speakers will deliver over 50 pre-recorded talks
  • Talks available 24/7 for almost 3 months
  • 6 Conference Tracks
  • 15 live chats to engage with Presenters
  • At least 5 interactive roundtables

For all the details visit: http://celtic-connections.org/


Pacific NW Scottish Highland Games &
Clan Gathering, 
Enumclaw Expo Center, 
Enumclaw, WA 
Friday, July 22, 2022 – Sunday, July 24, 2022


Mark your calendar and show up for plenty of fun at the 75th Annual Pacific NW Scottish Highland Games & Clan Gathering.  For full details visit: 
https://www.sshga.org/daily-event-schedule/

SGS CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Good Shepherd Center, Suite 302
4649 Sunnyside Ave N
Seattle, WA 98103
206 522-8658
New Hours : Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday
10:00 am – 3:00 pm

Masks are recommended  inside the Good Shepherd Center. Due to COVID the events listed below continue to be virtual, online via Zoom. Always check the SGS Website Calendar of Events for the meeting links, registration, or for last minute updates or changes to the schedule. Be advised you may need to register in advance to join a meeting. 

NOTICE: SGS has imposed more security on our Zoom meetings. Some meetings will begin with a waiting room.  The host must take action to let people into each meeting.  The host will try to open the waiting room about 10 minutes ahead of time. Please be patient.

All times listed are Pacific Time unless otherwise noted 

Wednesday, July 6, 2022, 10:00 am-11:30 am, Brags & Bricks Social Interest Group (Virtual), Join us for an informal social gathering. Share your recent genealogical successes and challenges, or just come to hang out with other genealogists.

Sunday, July 10, 2022,  1:00 pm-3:00 pm, Scandinavian Interest Group,   Jill Morelli will speak about Scandinavian Handwriting at this meeting. Hosted by Karen Knudson. 

Tuesday, July 12 2022, 10:00 am-11:00 am, Tech Tuesday (Virtual), back by popular demand, the informal consultation time on DNA, genealogy software, or genealogy-related technical issues. All are welcome. No appointment necessary. 

Wednesday, July 13, 2022, 10:00 am-11:30 am, Brags & Bricks Social Interest Group (Virtual), Join us for an informal social gathering. Share your recent genealogical successes and challenges, or just come to hang out with other genealogists.

Wednesday, July 13, 2022, 7:00 pm-9:00 pm, MAC Computer SIG, Jointly sponsored by SGS and Fiske Genealogical Library, this group meets every other month from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Meetings are open to the public and address topics and resources helpful for those using MacIntosh (Apple) computers and the Reunion program in their genealogy research.  Meetings are virtual via Zoom until in-person meetings can resume. The link to logon will be sent to the MAC SIG email list. People wishing to attend should email macusersig@seagensoc.org to be added to the mailing list.

Saturday, July 16, 2022, 10:00 am- 12:00 pm, Irish SIG, with Susan McKee and Jim Ryan. See the SGS website Calendar of Events for further information. Notice there is a new Zoom link.

Sunday, July 17, 2022,  1:00 pm-2:30 pm, Virtual Sundays: Something Old, Something New,  Jill Morelli is the host. Visit the SGS website Calendar for details and updates. Please register in advance. Topic this month is “150 Years of Burned Records: Parents for Elna Johansdotter”. 

Wednesday, July 20, 2022, 10:00 am-11:30 am, Brags & Bricks Social Interest Group (Virtual), Join us for an informal social gathering. Share your recent genealogical successes and challenges, or just come to hang out with other genealogists.

Tuesday, July 26, 2022, 10:00 am-11:00 am, Tech Tuesday (Virtual), back by popular demand, the informal consultation time on DNA, genealogy software, or genealogy-related technical issues. All are welcome. No appointment necessary. 

Wednesday, July 27, 2022, 10:00 am-11:30 am, Brags & Bricks Social Interest Group (Virtual), Join us for an informal social gathering. Share your recent genealogical successes and challenges, or just come to hang out with other genealogists.

Seattle Genealogical Society Tip of the Week Seattle at Gettysburg Tour

TIP OF THE WEEK –
“SEATTLE AT GETTYSBURG” TOUR

The Gettysburg campaign was a military invasion of Pennsylvania by the main Confederate army under General Robert E Lee in the summer of 1863. The Union army may have won a decisive victory, July 1–3, 1863, but there were heavy casualties on both sides. 

Did you know Seattle has a GAR Cemetery Park? Me neither. It’s up on Capitol Hill, literally a stone’s throw from the more known Lake View Cemetery. 

Did you know Seattle has a historian that specializes in walking tours, presentations, and local history stories linking Seattle citizens to the Civil War? Me neither. But I hear the tours are very entertaining, as well as informative. 

Civil War Seattle, which has a website and a Facebook page, is kicking off the summer walking tour season with “Seattle At Gettysburg” tour on July 2 and July 3 for the special, and clever, price of $18.63. 

Experience the story of the Battle of Gettysburg through the eyes of the dozens of Seattle Civil War veterans who fought there. To register for the tour, visit : 
https://www.civilwarseattle.com/tours

Even if you are not interested in taking a tour at this time, go to the website and read the BLOG. There is some good information there. 

Seattle Genealogical Society News

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR THE
HIGHLAND GAMES

After a two year closure due to Covid, the Scottish Highland Games are back on for Saturday, July 23, 2022 and Sunday, July 24, 2022! 

The Irish Heritage Club and SGS will share a double booth, display maps, and genealogy reference books for lookup of surnames of Scotland and Ireland. The Scottish Highland Games will be at the Fairgrounds in Enumclaw, WA. We have been participating for over 30 years and this community outreach program helps with our 4Culture grant. In past years over 30 thousand people have attended these games. 

As a volunteer you will receive a free day use ticket in exchange for manning a 2 hour shift in our booth. Loads of fun…see the website for Seattle Scottish Highland Games at:  https://www.sshga.org/

If you can help, please call or text Jean Roth at 206-510-5202 ASAP. Please respond before June 30.

VIRTUAL SUNDAYS: SOMETHING OLD,
SOMETHING NEW

 JUNE 19, 2022

1:00-2:30pm on ZOOM

“FINDING TREASURES in ACADEMIC LIBRARIES”

Genealogists often look online at Ancestry and FamilySearch, repositories with a vast array of types of materials. Some might even be familiar with the county libraries close to their geographic area of interest. In this session three Academic Libraries, an overlooked resource, will be explored. These repositories will be important even if your ancestor never attended. You will see what can be found online and what you are missing if you do not visit them. General collections, special collections, and archives will be covered.

Jill Morelli is the presenter for “Virtual Sundays” which takes place via Zoom on the 3rd Sunday of each month. Jill is a certified genealogist, a writer, lecturer, and researcher specializing in methodology, the U.S. Midwest, and Scandinavia. As some of you know, in 2017 she founded the online “Certification Discussion Group,” sharing her journey and demystifying the process of submission of a portfolio to the Board for Certification of Genealogists. Jill is also past president of the Seattle Genealogical Society.

Please visit the  SGS Website Calendar of Events and register in advance for this presentation. 

IT’S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN,  
JOIN THE SEATTLE GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY

For Members –  to renew online log in at Members Home, go to your Member Profile, and then click the green “Renew Membership” button.   If you’d rather renew by postal mail, click print a membership application and send it together with your dues payment to SGS. Or better yet, stop by the SGS Library and renew in person!
 
Not a member yet? Join online today and enjoy discounted class and Seminar fees, free research requests, special interest groups, and access to exclusive SGS publications and databases. Find out more about membership at Join SGS.

Take part as SGS enters it 100th Year! 

SAVE THE DATE

Jewish Genealogical Society of Washington State, 
2nd Monday meetings
usually 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM PST


JGSWS meets on the second Monday of each month, from Sept-June. Doors open at 6:30 PM unless noted otherwise. 

http://www.jgsws.org/meetings.php

Genealogical Research Institure of Pittsburgh, 
Pittsburgh, PA 
Online Evening Lectures,
June 20-23, 2022 and
July 11-14, 2022
4:00 PM PDT


From their website, they say, “As is traditional, during the weeks that GRIP (Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh) is having their week-long daytime institutes, some of the course instructors give a lecture in the evening (7 PM Eastern, 4 PM Pacific) that is open to the public.  These virtual presentations are free to attend because of the generous sponsorship of various societies. They are presented live on Zoom with no recording.”  Visit their website for more details. 
https://www.gripitt.org/free-lectures-open-to-the-public/?fbclid=IwAR2mdp0rjfMmPMMS6M2kglnqJOnuV7n6LStNFwiFn9_8e5OKP7K3Baw111s

SGS CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Good Shepherd Center, Suite 302
4649 Sunnyside Ave N
Seattle, WA 98103
206 522-8658
New Hours : Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday
10:00 am – 3:00 pm

Masks are recommended  inside the Good Shepherd Center. Due to COVID the events listed below continue to be virtual, online via Zoom. Always check the SGS Website Calendar of Events for the meeting links, registration, or for last minute updates or changes to the schedule. Be advised you may need to register in advance to join a meeting. 

NOTICE: SGS has imposed more security on our Zoom meetings. Some meetings will begin with a waiting room.  The host must take action to let people into each meeting.  The host will try to open the waiting room about 10 minutes ahead of time. Please be patient.

All times listed are Pacific Time unless otherwise noted 

Wednesday, June 15, 2022, 10:00 am-11:30 am, Brags & Bricks Social Interest Group (Virtual), Join us for an informal social gathering. Share your recent genealogical successes and challenges, or just come to hang out with other genealogists.

Friday, June 17, 2022, 10:30 am-12:30 pm, Family Tree Maker SIG,  with the Eastside Genealogical Society. You must be on the email list of attend a meeting; send your request to egsgenealogyhelper@yahoo.com 

Saturday, June 18, 2022, 10:00 am- 12:00 pm, Irish SIG is back! With Susan McKee and Jim Ryan. See the SGS website Calendar of Events for further information. 
Saturday, June 18, 2022, 1:00 pm-3:00 pm, German SIG is back! With Carolyn Schott. See the SGS website Calendar of Events for further information.

Sunday, June 19, 2022,  1:00 pm-2:30 pm, Virtual Sundays: Something Old, Something New,  Jill Morelli is the host and this month’s presentation is “Finding Treasures in Academic Libraries”. Visit the SGS website Calendar for details and updates. Please register in advance. Topic to be determined – stay tuned. 

Wednesday, June 22, 2022, 10:00 am-11:30 am, Brags & Bricks Social Interest Group (Virtual), Join us for an informal social gathering. Share your recent genealogical successes and challenges, or just come to hang out with other genealogists.

Saturday, June 25, 2022, 10:00 am- 12:30 pm,  DNA SIG with Cary Bright and Craig Gowens.To participate you must be on the DNA SIG email list. Contact Cary at sgsdnasig@gmail.com to join.

Sunday, June 26, 2022, 1:00 pm, Japanese American SIG,  with Caitlin Oiye Coon. This is one of our newer SIGs. Please sign up if you would like to attend; send an email to family.history@densho.org 

Tuesday, June 28, 2022, 10:00 am-11:00 am, Tech Tuesday (Virtual), back by popular demand, the informal consultation time on DNA, genealogy software, or genealogy-related technical issues. All are welcome. No appointment necessary. 

Wednesday, June 29, 2022, 10:00 am-11:30 am, Brags & Bricks Social Interest Group (Virtual), Join us for an informal social gathering. Share your recent genealogical successes and challenges, or just come to hang out with other genealogists.

Wednesday, July 6, 2022, 10:00 am-11:30 am, Brags & Bricks Social Interest Group (Virtual), Join us for an informal social gathering. Share your recent genealogical successes and challenges, or just come to hang out with other genealogists.

Sunday, July 10, 2022,  1:00 pm-3:00 pm, Scandinavian Interest Group,   Jill Morelli will speak about Scandinavian Handwriting at this meeting. Hosted by Karen Knudson. 

Tuesday, July 12 2022, 10:00 am-11:00 am, Tech Tuesday (Virtual), back by popular demand, the informal consultation time on DNA, genealogy software, or genealogy-related technical issues. All are welcome. No appointment necessary. 

Wednesday, July 13, 2022, 10:00 am-11:30 am, Brags & Bricks Social Interest Group (Virtual), Join us for an informal social gathering. Share your recent genealogical successes and challenges, or just come to hang out with other genealogists.

Wednesday, July 13, 2022, 7:00 pm-9:00 pm, MAC Computer SIG, Jointly sponsored by SGS and Fiske Genealogical Library, this group meets every other month from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Meetings are open to the public and address topics and resources helpful for those using MacIntosh (Apple) computers and the Reunion program in their genealogy research.  Meetings are virtual via Zoom until in-person meetings can resume. The link to logon will be sent to the MAC SIG email list. People wishing to attend should email macusersig@seagensoc.org to be added to the mailing list.

Saturday, July 16, 2022, 10:00 am- 12:00 pm, Irish SIG, with Susan McKee and Jim Ryan. See the SGS website Calendar of Events for further information. Notice there is a new Zoom link.
Saturday, July 16, 2022, 1:00 pm-3:00 pm, German SIG, with Carolyn Schott. See the SGS website Calendar of Events for further information. Notice there is a new Zoom link. 

Sunday, July 17, 2022,  1:00 pm-2:30 pm, Virtual Sundays: Something Old, Something New,  Jill Morelli is the host. Visit the SGS website Calendar for details and updates. Please register in advance. Topic this month is “Solving Family Myths Using the Principles of Logic”. 

Wednesday, July 20, 2022, 10:00 am-11:30 am, Brags & Bricks Social Interest Group (Virtual), Join us for an informal social gathering. Share your recent genealogical successes and challenges, or just come to hang out with other genealogists.

Tuesday, July 26, 2022, 10:00 am-11:00 am, Tech Tuesday (Virtual), back by popular demand, the informal consultation time on DNA, genealogy software, or genealogy-related technical issues. All are welcome. No appointment necessary. 

Wednesday, July 27, 2022, 10:00 am-11:30 am, Brags & Bricks Social Interest Group (Virtual), Join us for an informal social gathering. Share your recent genealogical successes and challenges, or just come to hang out with other genealogists.

Seattle Genealogical Society Tip of the Week NYC Records Go Online!

TIP OF THE WEEK –
NYC RECORDS GO ONLINE!

This tip comes from Jill Morelli, past president of SGS, and her source for this tip is the March 16, 2022, blog by Judy Russell, the Legal Genealogist. And by the way, we are so excited to have Judy Russell lined up for our fall seminar! 

Do you have New York City connections?  In March 2022, the NYC Municipal Archives launched free online access to millions of NYC historical vital records – birth, death, and marriage. Finally! In the past, we only had the index on Ancestry, and while helpful, it was a derivative record and did not contain all the information available on the originals.
 
If you want to read more about the launch of this record set, Judy Russell (our Fall Seminar speaker) discussed it in her daily blog The Legal Genealogisthttps://www.legalgenealogist.com/2022/03/16/nyc-vitals-online/
 
In mid-March, 9 million records were available online with another 4 million yet to be digitized and uploaded.
 
The record set is a little hard to find, so bookmark it if you plan to spend much time there: https://a860-historicalvitalrecords.nyc.gov
 
The easiest way to access the records for your ancestor is to find the index entry at Ancestry. Make note of the certificate number. Now, go to the NYC site and enter that certificate number.
 
The site has a Browse All tab: just insert your certificate number.
 
The site has a Search tab: here you can search by certification or by name.
 
In both cases you can search on a particular borough.
 
The site does warn us that 25% of all births before 1909 were never reported.
 
Happy Hunting!

Seattle Genealogical Society News

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR THE
SGS ARCHIVE COMMITTEE 

While the SGS Library isn’t open to the public on Thursday, it certainly isn’t empty. Thursday is the day you’ll find the Archive Committee there working. Our Archive Committee is down to two members, Bernice and Ingrida, and they could use some help.

So what do they do, you ask. Do you like to play detective? Do you like history and family stories? Drop by the SGS Library on any Thursday between 10am – 3pm to meet with the SGS Archive Committee Volunteers and they will show you what they do with the donated materials that come in on an ongoing basis. They will gladly explain what is required to properly organize records for digitizing the family collections that are donated by the public. They look forward to working with you.

If you are interested in this volunteer position or you have questions, you are also welcome to reach out to Ingrida via email at  volunteers@seattlegenealogicalsociety.org. Leave your contact information there and she will get back to you soon. 

SGS MEMBERS – IT’S TIME TO RENEW –
TAKE PART AS WE ENTER THE SOCIETY’S
100TH YEAR

To renew online log in at Members Home, go to your Member Profile, and then click the green “Renew Membership” button.
 
If you’d rather renew by postal mail, click print a membership application and send it together with your dues payment to SGS.
 
Or better yet, stop by the SGS Library and renew in person!
 
Not a member? Join online today and enjoy discounted class and Seminar fees, free research requests, special interest groups, and access to exclusive SGS publications and databases. Find out more about membership at Join SGS.

PLEASE NOTE THESE 
IMPORTANT UPDATES 

It’s almost here – our virtual, online spring seminar is only 3 days away. It runs June 3 – June 5, 2022. If you haven’t registered and you’d like to attend, register now. Just click this link: Register for the SGS 2022 Spring Seminar Please register by June 1, 2022.

The physical SGS Library at Good Shepherd Center will be closed to visitors on Friday, June 3, and Saturday, June 4, 2022 so that everyone may attend and enjoy our virtual, online seminar. Also note the FamilySearch SIG with Lou Daly has postponed their regular meeting time to accommodate the seminar. Instead of meeting on Saturday, June 4, they will meet Saturday, June 11, 2022. 

Another important reminder, the SGS Membership Meeting is scheduled for 12:30 pm, Saturday, June 11, 2022, following the FamilySearch SIG, and preceding the Second Saturday Speaker Series presentation with Elizabeth Swanay O’Neal. Elizabeth is the author of the family history lifestyle blog Heart of the Family™, and her mission is to help others make the past part of their present.

SAVE THE DATE

Jewish Genealogical Society of Washington State, 
2nd Monday meetings
usually 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM PST


JGSWS meets on the second Monday of each month, from Sept-June. Doors open at 6:30 PM unless noted otherwise. The next meeting is June 13, 2022, and the presentation, “Finding Relatives in the Forverts (Jewish Daily Forward)” with Michael Morgenstern, will begin at 7:00PM. Registration is required. 

http://www.jgsws.org/meetings.php

SGS CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Good Shepherd Center, Suite 302
4649 Sunnyside Ave N
Seattle, WA 98103
206 522-8658
New Hours : Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday
10:00 am – 3:00 pm

Masks are recommended  inside the Good Shepherd Center. Due to COVID the events listed below continue to be virtual, online via Zoom. Always check the SGS Website Calendar of Events for the meeting links, registration, or for last minute updates or changes to the schedule. Be advised you may need to register in advance to join a meeting. 

NOTICE: SGS has imposed more security on our Zoom meetings. Some meetings will begin with a waiting room.  The host must take action to let people into each meeting.  The host will try to open the waiting room about 10 minutes ahead of time. Please be patient.

All times listed are Pacific Time unless otherwise noted 

Wednesday, June 1, 2022, 10:00 am-11:30 am, Brags & Bricks Social Interest Group (Virtual),  Join us for an informal social gathering. Share your recent genealogical successes and challenges, or just come to hang out with other genealogists.

Friday, June 3, 2022,  the SGS Library will be closed 
Saturday, June 4, 2022,  the SGS Library will be closed ** FamilySearch SIG postponed


Wednesday, June 8, 2022, 10:00 am-11:30 am, Brags & Bricks Social Interest Group (Virtual), Join us for an informal social gathering. Share your recent genealogical successes and challenges, or just come to hang out with other genealogists.

Saturday, June 11, 2022, 10:15 am-12:15 pm, FamilySearch Interest Group with Lou Daly (Virtual),  Postponed from Saturday, June 4, to allow all to enjoy the SGS Spring Seminar. Discover the many ways to use FamilySearch. At each meeting a different aspect of the website will be featured. There will be time for Q & A. Want to be included on the mail listing? Email Lou: loudaly@nwlink.com

Saturday, June 11, 2022, 12:30 pm-1:00 pm, SGS Membership Meeting,  Hope to see all returning and new members of SGS at this meeting. Meet the new board. Hear what’s happening in our new space. Stay on for our ever popular Second Saturday Speaker Series which starts at 1:00 pm. 

Saturday, June 11, 2022, 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm, “Second Saturday: How to Use eBay, Etsy, and Other Shopping Sites for Family History”, with Elizabeth Swanay O’Neal. 

Tuesday, June 14, 2022, 10:00 am-11:00 am, Tech Tuesday (Virtual), back by popular demand, the informal consultation time on DNA, genealogy software, or genealogy-related technical issues. All are welcome. No appointment necessary. 

Wednesday, June 15, 2022, 10:00 am-11:30 am, Brags & Bricks Social Interest Group (Virtual), Join us for an informal social gathering. Share your recent genealogical successes and challenges, or just come to hang out with other genealogists.

Friday, June 17, 2022, 10:30 am-12:30 pm, Family Tree Maker SIG,  with the Eastside Genealogical Society. You must be on the email list of attend a meeting; send your request to egsgenealogyhelper@yahoo.com 

Saturday, June 18, 2022, 10:00 am- 12:00 pm, Irish SIG is back! With Susan McKee and Jim Ryan. See the SGS website Calendar of Events for further information. 
Saturday, June 18, 2022, 1:00 pm-3:00 pm, German SIG is back! With Carolyn Schott. See the SGS website Calendar of Events for further information.

Sunday, June 19, 2022,  1:00 pm-2:30 pm, Virtual Sundays: Something Old, Something New,  Jill Morelli is the host. Visit the SGS website Calendar for details and updates. Please register in advance. Topic to be determined – stay tuned. 

Wednesday, June 22, 2022, 10:00 am-11:30 am, Brags & Bricks Social Interest Group (Virtual), Join us for an informal social gathering. Share your recent genealogical successes and challenges, or just come to hang out with other genealogists.

Saturday, June 25, 2022, 10:00 am- 12:30 pm,  DNA SIG with Cary Bright and Craig Gowens.To participate you must be on the DNA SIG email list. Contact Cary at sgsdnasig@gmail.com to join.

Sunday, June 26, 2022, 1:00 pm, Japanese American SIG,  with Caitlin Oiye Coon. This is one of our newer SIGs. Please sign up if you would like to attend; send an email to family.history@densho.org 

Tuesday, June 28, 2022, 10:00 am-11:00 am, Tech Tuesday (Virtual), back by popular demand, the informal consultation time on DNA, genealogy software, or genealogy-related technical issues. All are welcome. No appointment necessary. 

Wednesday, June 29, 2022, 10:00 am-11:30 am, Brags & Bricks Social Interest Group (Virtual), Join us for an informal social gathering. Share your recent genealogical successes and challenges, or just come to hang out with other genealogists.