
Whitman County Genealogical Society “Making AHA! Happen”

Based on all the current information, the WCGS board decided it is best to postpone our April 4 seminar. We have been in touch with both speakers about a date in the future that would work for both of them and have settled on Sat., Aug. 29 in the morning, using the same format as previously published. We have also contacted Bishop Place and put it on their calendar so the venue will be the same as previously published. It’s not too early to mark your calendar for this informative and, what we think, is an exceptional mini-seminar with very well-known and much in demand speakers. We thank both Bob and Steve for their flexibility in working with us to re-schedule their presentations at a later date. Monica Peters, WCGS Corresponding Secretary
For questions or more information contact WCGS President, Sue Kreikemeier at: 509-635-1303 or aerocraft@completebbs.com. Please RSVP to Sue or whitmancgs@gmail.com by March 28 to accommodate handouts & refreshments. The seminar is free, but donations are welcome at the door.
Directions: Turn off Bishop Boulevard onto Klemgard Ave., follow Klemgard Ave. up the hill and turn left at the top. Do not go into the front entrance, but turn right, continuing up the hill and turn left at the white car ports. Find an appropriate parking place, enter the building through the main doors and go straight ahead to the Social Room.
BIOGRAPHIES OF SPRING SEMINAR SPEAKERS
Robert King’s biography includes the following:
Robert E. King grew up in Pullman where he graduated from WSU with degrees in Anthropology and History. He completed his Ph.D. at the Univ. of Pennsylvania in Anthropology (specialty: Ethnohistory & Archaeology) and since 1981 has worked for the Bureau of Land Management in Alaska. He has been the BLM’s State Archaeologist in Alaska for over 33 years, with his work taking him to much of the state. He has a strong interest in federal land laws including homesteading, and has spoken and written on this subject for several years. Currently, he writes a guest monthly column on the history of homesteading for the Homestead National Monument of America’s electronic newsletter. Locally, he is best known in Whitman County as a frequent contributor to the “Bunchgrass Historian,” having authored over 30 articles in the past nearly 25 years on a variety of topics. He is also an avid genealogist and has co-written several books on various families, with some of his relatives settling in Whitman County in the 1870s. He maintains homes in both Anchorage and Pullman.
Steven Branting’s biography includes the following:
Since 2000, many of this country’s leading history, geography and preservation organizations — including the American Association for State and Local History, The History Channel and the Society for American Archaeology — have honored Steven Branting for the depth, scope and variety of his research and field work.
In 2009, he was nominated for the American Historical Association’s prestigious William and Edwyna Gilbert Award, which recognizes outstanding contributions to the teaching of history through the publication of journal articles. Branting has written eight (8) books on the history of Lewiston. Branting’s articles have appeared in, among others, the Western Historical Quarterly, The History Teacher, Idaho Magazine, Nostalgia and Idaho Yesterdays.
The Idaho State Historical Society conferred upon him the 2011 Esto Perpetua Award, its highest honor, citing his leadership in “some of the most significant preservation and interpretation projects undertaken in Idaho.” Governor C. L. “Butch” Otter awarded him that year’s Outstanding Cultural Tourism Award for showcasing Idaho’s heritage.
In 2013, the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution awarded Branting its coveted Historical Preservation Medal. In 2015, Lewis-Clark State College selected him for the Marion Shinn Lifetime Achievement Award, and in 2016 he was awarded the President’s Medallion for his efforts to safeguard the heritage that the college and community have shared since the 1890s.
During 2018, the Lewiston Tribune published 104 of his columns highlighting events and people who featured greatly in the history of Lewis-Clark State College, which was celebrating its 125h anniversary and for whom Branting holds the office of “Institutional Historian,” the first since Henry Leonidas Talkington in the 1940s.
Branting’s eighth Lewiston book — The Words That Were Our Names — was released in October 2019.
For questions or more information contact WCGS President, Sue Kreikemeier at: 509-635-1303 or aerocraft@completebbs.com. Please RSVP to Sue or whitmancgs@gmail.com by March 28 to accommodate handouts & refreshments. The seminar is free, but donations are welcome at the door.
Directions: Turn off Bishop Boulevard onto Klemgard Ave., follow Klemgard Ave. up the hill and turn left at the top. Do not go into the front entrance, but turn right, continuing up the hill and turn left at the white car ports. Find an appropriate parking place, enter the building through the main doors and go straight ahead to the Social Room.
BIOGRAPHIES OF SPRING SEMINAR SPEAKERS
Robert King’s biography includes the following:
Robert E. King grew up in Pullman where he graduated from WSU with degrees in Anthropology and History. He completed his Ph.D. at the Univ. of Pennsylvania in Anthropology (specialty: Ethnohistory & Archaeology) and since 1981 has worked for the Bureau of Land Management in Alaska. He has been the BLM’s State Archaeologist in Alaska for over 33 years, with his work taking him to much of the state. He has a strong interest in federal land laws including homesteading, and has spoken and written on this subject for several years. Currently, he writes a guest monthly column on the history of homesteading for the Homestead National Monument of America’s electronic newsletter. Locally, he is best known in Whitman County as a frequent contributor to the “Bunchgrass Historian,” having authored over 30 articles in the past nearly 25 years on a variety of topics. He is also an avid genealogist and has co-written several books on various families, with some of his relatives settling in Whitman County in the 1870s. He maintains homes in both Anchorage and Pullman.
Steven Branting’s biography includes the following:
Since 2000, many of this country’s leading history, geography and preservation organizations — including the American Association for State and Local History, The History Channel and the Society for American Archaeology — have honored Steven Branting for the depth, scope and variety of his research and field work.
In 2009, he was nominated for the American Historical Association’s prestigious William and Edwyna Gilbert Award, which recognizes outstanding contributions to the teaching of history through the publication of journal articles. Branting has written eight (8) books on the history of Lewiston. Branting’s articles have appeared in, among others, the Western Historical Quarterly, The History Teacher, Idaho Magazine, Nostalgia and Idaho Yesterdays.
The Idaho State Historical Society conferred upon him the 2011 Esto Perpetua Award, its highest honor, citing his leadership in “some of the most significant preservation and interpretation projects undertaken in Idaho.” Governor C. L. “Butch” Otter awarded him that year’s Outstanding Cultural Tourism Award for showcasing Idaho’s heritage.
In 2013, the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution awarded Branting its coveted Historical Preservation Medal. In 2015, Lewis-Clark State College selected him for the Marion Shinn Lifetime Achievement Award, and in 2016 he was awarded the President’s Medallion for his efforts to safeguard the heritage that the college and community have shared since the 1890s.
During 2018, the Lewiston Tribune published 104 of his columns highlighting events and people who featured greatly in the history of Lewis-Clark State College, which was celebrating its 125h anniversary and for whom Branting holds the office of “Institutional Historian,” the first since Henry Leonidas Talkington in the 1940s.
Branting’s eighth Lewiston book — The Words That Were Our Names — was released in October 2019.
We want to share with you a presentation given by one of our Whitman County Genealogical Society members, Joye Dillman.
Joye Dillman of Pullman will give a historical presentation on toys and games enjoyed by children before computer games and the internet at 6:30 PM, Wed., Nov. 20, at the Troy Historical Society. Joye’s presentation is titled “For the Fun of it: American Childhood Toys and Games.” She is a museum correspondent docent with the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, and a retired professor of human development at WSU. Attendees are welcome to bring their antique toys to add to the displays at the event. The society is located at 421 S. Main St., Troy, Idaho.
Whitman County Genealogical Society
is hosting a FREE Fall mini-seminar
Bishop Place Independent Living Social Room, 811 SE Klemgard, Pullman, WA
Saturday, September 14, 2019
featuring: DAN OWENS and DULCE KERSTING-LARK
“Using the Public Library for Genealogy and Local History”
9:00 am: The doors open.
9:30 am-10:30 am: Dan Owens will discuss the resources in the Palouse Heritage Collection at Neill Public Library in Pullman as well as working with public libraries, in general, when doing genealogical research or learning more about local history. This can be applied to researching in any area, not just our own local area. In addition he will cover the ins and outs of interlibrary loan.
10:30 am-10:45 am: Break and refreshments.
“Archival Power: Demonstrating the Importance of Primary Sources to Stakeholders and the Public”
10:45 am-11:45 am: Dulce Kersting-Lark will discuss how working with original source materials is a privilege, but it is also a complex challenge. The nature of archives makes them both authoritative and flawed. Creating a community repository in a border town is just one of many challenges that we must make our users aware of from the get-go. How we promote the value of primary source material to the broader public is another. She will also speak to the interesting and rewarding work she does at Latah County Historical Society, as well as share information about the History Relevance Campaign.
If you have any questions or need more information contact WCGS President, Sue Kreikemeier at:
aerocraft@completebbs.com or 509-635-1303. Please RSVP to Sue or whitmancgs@gmail.com
by September 7 to accommodate handouts & refreshments.
While the seminar is free, donations are welcome at the door.
Directions: Turn off Bishop Boulevard onto Klemgard Ave., follow Klemgard Ave. up the hill and turn left at the top. Do not go into the front entrance, but turn right, continuing up the hill and turn left at the white car ports. Find an appropriate parking place, enter the building through the main doors and go straight ahead to the Social Room.
Whitman County Genealogical Society
is hosting a FREE Fall mini-seminar
Bishop Place Independent Living Social Room, 811 SE Klemgard, Pullman, WA
Saturday, October 13, 2018
featuring:
“All About Heraldry and Its Use in Genealogy”
By Anthony (Tony) Durnford deGray Birch
“Digital Research – Tips, Tricks and Resources” By Lee Pierce
9:00 am: The doors open.
9:30 am-10:30 am: Anthony (Tony) Birch is a retired higher education administrator and long standing member of Eastern Washington Genealogical Society. He doesn’t claim to be a heraldry expert, but a family historian trying to make sense out of things he has inherited or found through research. His presentation will focus on heraldry, and how the genealogist/family historian can use heraldry to learn more about their ancestors. He will share examples of his ten-year search of his ancestors’ crests and coats of arms and what the many images, forms and colors mean.
10:30-10:45 Break and refreshments.
10:45 am-11:45 am: Lee Pierce is the archivist for the Eastern Region Branch of the Washington State Archives in Cheney, Washington. His mission is to collect, preserve and provide access to the records of local government agencies of the 11 furthest east counties of the state. He will be showing and telling about the digital archives and how best to use it, as well as other government resources that are available to researchers.
If you have any questions or need more information contact WCGS President, Sue Kreikemeier at:
aerocraft@completebbs.com or 509-635-1303. Please RSVP to Sue or whitmancgs@gmail.com
by October 6 to accommodate handouts & refreshments.
While the seminar is free, donations are welcome at the door.
Directions: Turn off Bishop Boulevard onto Klemgard Ave., follow Klemgard Ave. up the hill and turn left at the top. Do not go into the front entrance, but turn right, continuing up the hill and turn left at the white car ports. Find an appropriate parking place, enter the building through the main doors and go straight ahead to the Social Room.
BIOGRAPHIES OF FALL SEMINAR SPEAKERS
Anthony (Tony) Durnford deGray Birch’s biography includes the following:
Compiled seven books about their ancestors
Volunteered with Find-A-Grave for many small cemeteries in the Palouse area
Enjoyed a number of weeklong trips to the Family History Center in Salt Lake City, Utah
Lee Pierce’s biography includes the following:
Seminar reminder-- For those of you who have not yet registered for our spring mini-seminar, but plan to attend, we encourage you to register by April 14 so we can plan for refreshments, handouts and room set-up. We have two excellent speakers in Prof. Horace Alexander Young and Fr. Mike Savelesky. Please see the attached flyer for seminar details as well as the bios of the speakers. It promises to be an exciting and informative morning. The seminar is being held at Bishop Place in the Independent Senior Living Social Room, 811 SE Klemgard, Pullman, WA. Driving directions are on the flyer. Doors open at 9 AM and the program begins at 9:30, ending by noon. For questions or to RSVP, e-mail whitmancgs@gmail.com or call Sue Kreikemeier, 509-635-1303. Hope to see you there. Monica Bartlett Peters
Whitman County Genealogical Society
is hosting a FREE Spring mini-seminar
Bishop Place Independent Living Social Room, 811 SE Klemgard, Pullman, WA
Saturday, April 21, 2018
featuring:
“The Buffalo Soldiers and The Tuskegee Airmen:
Past, Present & Future” by Horace Alexander Young
“Cooking the Church Books”
by Fr. Mike Savelesky
9:00 am: The doors open.
9:30 am-10:30 am: Horace Alexander Young is a Clinical Associate Professor of Saxophone and Jazz History at Washington State University. The profiles of three servicemen will be discussed: Col. Charles Young, U.S. Army 9th and 10th Cavalry (Buffalo Soldiers); Lt. Col. Clarence L. Shivers, U.S. Air Force (Tuskegee Airman); and Lt. Col. Jack D. Holsclaw, US Army (Tuskegee Airman & WSU Alumni).
10:30-10:45 Break and refreshments.
10:45 am-11:45 am: Fr. Mike Savelesky is a retired pastor living in Spokane, currently serving the Holy Rosary Parish in Rosalia and Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in St. John. His current volunteer job is Diocesan Archivist in Spokane, WA. His presentation will include: why the Catholic Church keeps records; details found in various parish sacramental books (Baptism, Confirmation, First Eucharist, Marriage, Ordination, Profession of Vows, Annulments); tips for researchers’ use of sacramental books; tips for researchers’ use of parish census directories; review of available resources for the researcher.
If you have any questions or need more information contact WCGS President, Sue Kreikemeier at:
aerocraft@completebbs.com or 509-635-1303. Please RSVP to Sue or whitmancgs@gmail.com
by April 14 to accommodate handouts & refreshments.
While the seminar is free, donations are welcome at the door.
Directions: Turn off Bishop Boulevard onto Klemgard Ave., follow Klemgard Ave. up the hill and turn left at the top. Do not go into the front entrance, but turn right, continuing up the hill and turn left at the white car ports. Find an appropriate parking place, enter the building through the main doors and go straight ahead to the Social Room.
BIOGRAPHIES OF SPRING SEMINAR SPEAKERS
Fr. Mike Savelesky’s biography includes the following:
Pastor, St. Peter Parish in Spokane (1980-1995)
Pastor, St. Patrick and St. Francis Parishes in W. Walla (1995-2001)
Pastor, Assumption Parish in Spokane (2001-2012)
(“Children of the Sun”)
Horace Alexander Young’s biography includes the following:
Do you know who’s running the show at the Washington State Genealogical Society? Did you know we have an Executive Committee, six standing committee chairs and three appointed non-elected officers? Who are all these people? In the coming months, we’ll introduce them to you, so you can say “hi” the next time you see them.
In today’s “Meet the Board” series, we’re introducing you to Donna Potter Phillips. Donna lives in Spokane and is WSGS’s Vice President, Communication Chair, on the Blog Team, and Region 7 Representative for Ferry, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Spokane, and Stevens Counties. She also served as WSGS Vice President a number of years ago. She is a proud member of the Eastern Washington Genealogical Society where she has been president (twice!), program chair, newsletter editor and held “jack of all” jobs. She is currently EWGS’s Federation of Genealogical Societies’ representative and Education chair.
Besides being a member of WSGS (since 1984) and EWGS, Donna is a member of the Mayflower Society, DAR, St. Clair County (Illinois) Genealogical Society, National Genealogical Society, Whitman County Genealogical Society and the Northeast Washington Genealogical Society. In addition, Donna was named a WSGS Outstanding Volunteer in 2008 and 2014. That’s a lot of genealogy, but that’s what Donna does!
Donna Ruth Potter was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan to Francis Harold and June Magdalen (Gurney) Potter. She was named for the heroine Lady Dona in Daphne Du Maurier’s 1941 novel “Frenchman’s Creek.”
Donna and her husband John are the proud parents of three, grandparents of eight and great-grandparents of 2-3/4 great-granddaughters.
Donna’s been interested in genealogy for more than 40 years – since she first learned she was a direct descendant of Englishman William Bradford of the Mayflower. She got “hooked” in 1971, joined EWGS in 1976 and has been researching, sharing, educating and promoting genealogy ever since. One of her favorite experiences was going with her son Benjamin and his son Austin to Fairchild Air Force Base near Spokane to see a B-52 bomber jet on display. According to the serial number on the plane, it was one Donna’s father flew as an Aircraft Commander in the U.S. Air Force. Such serendipity! And speaking of “serendipity,” Donna publishes a weekly feature on the WSGS Blog called “Friday Serendipity” – assorted musings to entertain one and all. She also publishes “Monday Mystery,” “Tuesday Trivia,” and “Wednesday Nostalgia.”
On Donna’s ever-growing genealogy To Do List:
• Get all her genealogy research and information in order in case…well, you know.
• Upload her photos to www.Forever.com.
• Put her family tree on Ancestry, FamilySearch and MyHeritage.
• Make sure her list of contacts and passwords are updated.
When Donna’s not doing genealogy, she enjoys gardening (both inside and out), reading, rock collecting, taking educational classes and travel, including her ancestral homelands: Germany, England and Wales. She’s also a devoted dachshund lover!
A few more interesting tidbits about Donna:
• Favorite genealogy sites: Ancestry, FamilySearch and the Washington Digital Archives
• Favorite color: red
• Favorite dessert: Anything chocolate
• Word or phrase that describes her: Outspokenly energetic!
Now you know a little more about another of the WSGS Board members. The next time you see Donna, say hello and thank her for her service to WSGS.