Tag Archives: Seattle Genealogical Society

Seattle Genealogical Society Tip of the Week

by Charles Hansen

TIP OF THE WEEK –
FAMILY HISTORY LIBRARY CLASSES/WEBINARS

The Family History Library is a genealogical research facility in downtown Salt Lake City. It is open to the public, free of charge, and is operated by FamilySearch.org, associated with the LDS.

Each month they present a couple dozen classes/webinars. You can attend online or in person, and as always it’s free of charge. All you need to do is check the schedule, and then register for the class or classes that interest you. Some of the classes/webinars are available in Spanish or Chinese.

If you would like to start receiving the monthly class/webinar schedule via email, sent a email message to FHLClasses at FamilySearch.org

The webinars use AdobeConnect which can be accessed from your computer, tablet, or mobile device. The links in the monthly schedule are active and you can connect simply by clicking on the blue webinar link. If you are going to attend one of their webinars, they recommend that you connect about 30 minutes before the class starts to check your audio and visual. A further tip, connect your audio and test with YouTube before connecting to AdobeConnect. This will ensure that your sound is working before you join the webinar. The audio device you wish to use must be on before you enter AdobeConnect.

Here’s a sample of the classes/webinars that will be presented next week. The link at the very end of this article will take you to the online site where you can view the full schedules for August and September.
• Using the FamilySearch Catalog Effectively
• Researching in Prussian Poland
• FamilySearch Wiki
• Kissing Cousins or Not?
• Finding Records of Chinese Americans
• Using Metasuche or Metasearch

Click Here

https://familysearch.org/wiki/en/Family_History_Library_Classes_and_Webinars

Seattle Genealogical Society News

by Charles Hansen

COME MEET PBS GENEALOGY ROADSHOW HOST,
KENYATTA BERRY

 

Kenyatta D Berry, genealogist, lawyer, writer and host of the PBS Genealogy Roadshow, will be at the Northwest African American Museum for a brief talk and reception, Sunday, August 20, 3:00pm-6:00 pm. Admission is free. You’re invited to come hear her speak, as well as meet and mingle with other fans of the show.

Kenyatta will also be a featured keynote speaker at the upcoming Northwest Genealogy Conference, August 16-19, 2017 in Arlington. See our Save the Dates section for more info on this popular conference.

The Northwest African American Museum is at 2300 S Massachusetts St, Seattle, WA 98144 – phone 206 518-6000.

For more information on this event or the museum, visit the website :

www.naamnw.org

GLAD WE COULD HELP

 

After last issue’s Tip of the Week about Oklahoma’s online vital records index called OK2Explore, we received a message from a subscriber that this tip helped her break through one of her brick walls. It’s always nice to hear we have helped a fellow genealogist since that is our mission.

 

A few years ago, she had requested a death certificate from the state of Oklahoma. She had a full name and date of death from an obituary. The state couldn’t locate a record from the information she provided.

When she read our tip in the last issue, she immediately went to try to locate this record for herself.

She first tried entering the full name; that returned no record. Next she tried surname plus death year; that also returned no record. Next she tried surname plus a 5 year range; that returned too many records.

In a last ditch effort, she tried leaving surname blank, but entering a first name, middle initial, and death year; bingo! That returned an entry showing the surname had been grossly misspelled and the death date was one day different from what was reported in the obituary.

Needless to say she’s happy, and it’s satisfying to know we’ve been of help.

SAVE THE DATES

 

NW Genealogy Conference 2017,
Arlington, WA
August 16 – 19

The Stillaguamish Valley Genealogical Society is putting on their annual four day conference. Remember the first day is geared toward beginners and is free. Among those presenting is current SGS president, Jill Morelli, past SGS vice president, Janice Lovelace, active SGS member, Mary Kircher Roddy, and don’t miss PBS Genealogy Roadshow host, Kenyatta Berry. Visit their website for more information, to register for the conference, or to register for the free day: www.nwgc.org

Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS),
2017 Conference – “Building Bridges to the Past”,
Pittsburgh, PA
August 30 – September 2, 2017

Ready for a road trip? This conference is open to anyone with an interest in family history. FGS is teaming up with the Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society to put on this four day events. There will be various tracks to suit the individual researcher; beginner to experienced.

For more info visit : fgs.org

SGS 2017 Fall Seminar
Speaker: Dick Eastman
Fairview Christian School,
Seattle, WA
October 21, 2017

SGS is excited to have Dick Eastman for the Fall Seminar. Registration will open in early September. Mark your calendar.

SGS CALENDAR OF EVENTS

 

Unless otherwise indicated all programs will be at the SGS Library, 6200 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle. Check the SGS Web Site for additions, changes, and corrections. Programs may be canceled or postponed because of inclement weather. The Family Tree Interest Group with Lou Daly will not meet in August or September. The Irish, German, and Canadian Interest Groups are not meeting in August; they will return to their regular schedule in the fall. The Scandinavian Interest Group will not meet in September. The SGS Library will closed September 2 – 4 for Labor Day weekend.

 

AUGUST

Wednesday, August 16, 11:00 am – 3:00 pm, Beginning Genealogy Class with SGS past president, Linda Fitzgerald. Feel free to bring your brown bag lunch.

SEPTEMBER

 

Saturday, September 9, 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm, new “Second Saturday Speaker Series”, with guest, Cyndi Ingle

Sunday, September 10, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm, DNA Workshop, Led by Cary Bright with first hour on a specific topic, and the second hour open for sharing DNA issues with focus on GenomeMate Pro.

Saturday, September 23, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm, SGS Fall Membership Meeting

 

 

 

Seattle Genealogical Society Tip of the Week

by Charles Hansen

TIP OF THE WEEK –
OKLAHOMA VITAL RECORDS INDEX

Oklahoma’s Dept. of Health now has an online vital records index, called OK2Explore. This is a free, searchable index of births and deaths in the state of Oklahoma; included are details of births more than 20 years ago, and of deaths more than 5 years ago. One may search this site using any combination of the subject’s name, date of event (birth or death), county of event, and sex of the subject.

 

Records of births occurring more than 125 years ago and those of deaths occurring more than 75 years ago are open to the public, and no proof of eligibility is required to order them. More recent records require proof of eligibility.

If you find a record you want a copy of, the site provides several ways in which to order it.

Here is the URL for this site:

https://ok2explore.health.ok.gov/

Seattle Genealogical Society News

by Charles Hansen

DICK EASTMAN, POPULAR NEWSLETTER AUTHOR,
COMING TO SGS SEMINAR THIS FALL

Eastman’s On Genealogy Newsletter by Dick Eastman is a vastly popular, widely read site. I’m sure most of you have read his Free Standard Edition and gleaned a lot of useful information from it. And I’m also sure many of you subscribe to his reasonably priced Plus Edition. It costs about $.38 a week, as either $19.95 a year, or $5.95 per quarter. The Plus Edition has more articles and no advertising.

Since you enjoy his newsletter so much, come see him live at the fall seminar. Mark it on your calendar. Save the date.

 

DOUBLE DATING AND OTHER WOES

“In 1752, England changed her calendar, too” is a little rhyme I made up to help me remember the year England and her colonies, including here in America, switched from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar. This was much later than most other countries.

As a quick recap, there was a Roman calendar, a Julian calendar, and finally the Gregorian calendar. Many countries switched over to the Gregorian calendar between 1582 and 1701, but as mentioned, England didn’t switch until 1752. I thought this date thing was pretty straight forward, but soon learned it could be rather sticky.

Continue reading →

Seattle Genealogical Society Tip of the Week

by Charles Hansen

TIP OF THE WEEK –
USING LOCAL LIBRARIES TO FIND OBITUARIES

While on-line newspaper vendors like GenealogyBank.com and NewspaperArchive.com are terrific resources, these databases often do not have newspapers for the geographical area you are researching. When online sources fail to find an obituary, what is a person to do?

One excellent resource to check with is the local public library in the city, town, or county in which your ancestor died. Provide them with the name, the date of death, and ask them if they have newspapers for that period that they can search for you. Sometimes this query can be done via the local library’s web site. And some local libraries even have links to an obituary index that you can search.

Libraries might charge a nominal fee for this service, but some may provide it for free, especially when they can email you a scanned image of the obituary, rather than mailing it to you.

So don’t forget the local library in the area where your ancestor lived or died can be a valuable resource

Seattle Genealogical Society News

by Charles Hansen

OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE SGS

Seattle Genealogical Society runs on volunteers. It is with this volunteer support that SGS is able to provide ever current, significant support to our members in their genealogical research – from book and online resources available at the SGS library, as well as numerous free classes – from DNA to Irish and Scandinavian special interest groups research, to extremely instructive seminars. SGS is able to provide all this great assistance because of its invaluable volunteers. The more SGS members who volunteer, the easier it is to provide this support, along with making the volunteer experience more enjoyable and productive for all.

SGS is in need of a few more volunteers. Several critical Board of Directors positions remain open. The Vice President (provides support to the President), Director of Technology (does not require significant computer skills, but does include updating of email addresses), and Director of Volunteers (includes working with volunteers in the library) still need to be filled. The work these positions entail is not overly burdensome, but will involve a monthly meeting with the other directors.

Also, the SGS Nominating Committee (the committee that annually assembles for election the list of those interested in being on the Board) currently has 2 members, but needs two more members.

If you have any questions, or are interested in any of these open positions, please email volunteers@seattlegenealogicalsociety.org , or call the main SGS phone number at 206-522-8658 and leave a message.

In an ongoing effort to fill these open Board positions, the SGS Nominating Committee will be contacting SGS members by phone or email. Please consider volunteering for one of these positions. Help continue to make SGS the great volunteer organization that it is today.

 

Puget Sound Society Summit

 

In the spirit of collaboration, a number of society leaders from around the Puget Sound area met on June 22, 2017, to share success stories and concerns for the coming year. All agreed that greater cooperation would benefit all, particularly in cross-advertising our various activities. Represented were Whatcom GS, Eastside GS, Fiske Library, Tacoma-Pierce County, South King County GS and Seattle Genealogical Society, host. Our immediate goal is to advertise ourselves to each other at the Northwest Genealogical Conference in Arlington, WA, sponsored by the Stillaguamish GS.

SAVE THE DATES

 

71st Annual Scottish Highland Games and Clan Gathering,
Enumclaw Expo Center,
45224 284th Ave SE,
Enumclaw, WA
July 29-30

 

Enjoy Highland dancing, piping, drumming and Scottish athletic events. Always a July favorite. More info at:

www.sshga.org

NW Genealogy Conference 2017,
Arlington, WA
August 16 – 19

The Stillaguamish Valley Genealogical Society is putting on their annual four day conference. Visit their website for more information, to register for the conference, or to register for the free day: www.nwgc.org

Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS),
2017 Conference – “Building Bridges to the Past”,
Pittsburgh, PA
August 30 – September 2, 2017

Ready for a road trip? This conference is open to anyone with an interest in family history. FGS is teaming up with the Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society to put on this four day events. There will be various tracks to suit the individual researcher; beginner to experienced.

For more info visit : fgs.org

SGS 2017 Fall Seminar
Speaker: Dick Eastman
Fairview Christian School,
Seattle, WA
October 21, 2017

Registration will open in early September. Mark your calendar.

SGS CALENDAR OF EVENTS

 

Unless otherwise indicated all programs will be at the SGS Library, 6200 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle. Check the SGS Web Site for additions, changes, and corrections. Programs may be canceled or postponed because of inclement weather. The Family Tree Interest Group with Lou Daly will not meet in July, August, or September. The Irish, German, and Canadian Interest Groups do not meet in June, July, or August; they will return to their regular schedule in the fall.

 

JULY

 

Tuesday, July 18, 12:30 pm – 3:00 pm, Technology Tuesday, Bring your laptop or mobile device, and enjoy discussions centered around technology and genealogy – software, genetic genealogy, internet research and more. Hosted by Lisa Chan.

Saturday, July 22, 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm, Crown Hill Cemetery Tour, join Amber Brock and Lisa Oberg as they lead you through beautiful Crown Hill Cemetery, 8712 12th Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98117. Founded in 1903 to support the rapidly-growing Ballard community, Crown Hill is set on 10 acres in the heart of the city shaded by old maple trees. Explore the stories of some of the people buried in this serene country setting. We’ll meet up near the Cemetery Office, which is at the main entrance. The cemetery entrance is on 12th Ave NW, near the intersection of 12th Ave NW and NW 87th.

 

Saturday, July 29, 10:00 am – 12:30 pm, DNA SIG, this group meets at the Wedgwood Presbyterian Church. 8008 35th Ave NE, Seattle. For more information contact SGSDNASIG@gmail.com. Co-chaired by Cary Bright and Herb McDaniel.

AUGUST

 

Sunday, August 6, 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm, Scandinavian Interest Group, Karen Knudson, leader.

Saturday, August 12, 1:00 pm- 3:00 pm, Family Tree Maker (FTM) Users Group, members helping one another with Family Tree Maker (FTM) the tool long associated with Ancestry.com; Reiley Kidd and Betty Ravenholt are the leaders.

Wednesday, August 16, 11:00 am – 3:00 pm, Beginning Genealogy Class with Linda Fitzgerald, If you’d like, feel free to bring a brown bag lunch.

 

Seattle Genealogical Society Free Class

by Charles Hansen

The Seattle Genealogical Society will present a Beginning Beginning Genealogy class on Wednesday, 16 Aug 2017, The class will be held at the SGS Library from 11 am to 3 pm. Attendees can bring a brown bag lunch. The class is free and open to the public. Please call to reserve your place.

SGS is located at 6200 Sand Point Way N. E., Seattle, WA. Phone: 206-522-8658

Thank you.

 

Seattle Genealogical Society Tip of the Week

by Charles Hansen

TIP OF THE WEEK –
USING THE DAR WEBSITE

You don’t have to be a DAR member to use the DAR website and its resources. If you had an ancestor in the Colonies during the American Revolutionary War, here are the steps to finding out what the DAR might have on them:

1. Log onto www.dar.org

2. Click on GRS (green button at top of home page)

3. Click on Ancestors

4. Enter at least your ancestor’s last name and hit Search

A results list will be displayed showing full name, rank, birth and death date, service description. Click on the individual entry and you’ll get some additional data such as residence and spouse. Hint: click again on the member number (aka “Natl Num”) to see even more info. Sometimes you can purchase the associated membership application and/or supplemental supporting documentation as noted by the green Purchase button. Also don’t forget some lineage applications are on Ancestry.

Seattle Genealogical Society News

by Charles Hansen

WASHINGTON STATE GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY
RECOGNIZES LISA CHAN

 

Lisa Chan recently received a WSGS Outstanding Volunteer Award for her contributions to Seattle Genealogical Society. Although Lisa has been a member of SGS for less than two years, she has made quite an impact on the society, moving it forward technologically. She was front and center on setting up the new digital scanning lab, introduced SGS to Google Apps for Non-Profits, and coached the society through these implementations. She also helped SGS establish sound policies and procedures regarding their digital assets.

Board members, L to R, Christine Schomaker, Karen Knudson, Julia Marconi, Jill Morelli, Amandalei Bennett,
and past president, Marilyn Rose, gather around Lisa Chan, holding her award

 

SGS is so grateful for Lisa’s willingness to share her technology, applications, and training skills with us. Many of you may have come to her popular Tech Tuesday drop-in sessions. Join us in congratulating Lisa Chan on her award and thanking her for her service to SGS.

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