The Yakima Valley Genealogy Society is holding its November general meeting 10:00 AM Saturday, November 4, 2017 at the library at 1901 S. 12th Avenue. The public is welcome to attend. The program will feature Richard Kyle speaking about using maps to enhance genealogical studies. Call 509-248-1328 for additional information.
The Yakima Valley Genealogical Society will celebrate its 50th anniversary with a potluck/party Saturday, October, 21 5 – 9:00 PM at Mt. Olive Church in Yakima.
The Yakima Valley Genealogy Society is hosting its Fall Workshop Friday and Saturday, October 6 and 7 in Yakima. See below for registration details and further information.
Below are classes and meeting listings for the Clark County Genealogy Society through Oct 17.
Legacy Genealogy Software User Group
Mon, Oct 2, 2016: 10 am-noon
CCGS Education Center
If you use Legacy Family Tree Software for tracking your genealogy research, there is a Legacy Users Group that meets monthly to discuss tips, tricks and problems. You will always come away with some new ideas. The meetings are held regularly on the first Monday of the month. Members and non-members are welcome.
Is Your Genealogy Research a Mess?
Mon, Oct 2, 2016: 12-1:30 pm
CCGS Education Center
Is your family history research going the way it should? Have you hit a brick wall or are confused about which direction to go? Learn how to re-start, re-set and re-group with guidelines set by nationally-known researcher, Thomas MacEntee, in his “Genealogy Do-Over Workbook.” Free classes are held on the first Monday of each month. Brown baggers are welcome.
The general meeting of the Yakima Valley Genealogical Society will be held Saturday, September 2 at 10:00 AM at the library, 1901 S. 12th Avenue, Union Gap. The Program will be about “Fraudulent Genealogy.” The public is welcome. Refreshments will be served.
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.
Frank McLean
In today’s “Meet the Board” series, we’re introducing you to Frank McLean. Frank lives in Yakima and is WSGS’s chair of the Pioneer and First Citizen Program and the Conference Liaison. He has been a member of the WSGS since 1986, previously serving as President and Vice President. He was named as a WSGS Outstanding Volunteer in 2003, 2005 and 2006. He’s been a proud member (and past President) of the Yakima Valley Genealogical Society since 1986.
Frank’s high school picture
Frank Leroy McLean was born in Chewelah (Stevens County), Washington in 1937 to Jonathan Cornelius and Margaret Ella (Starz) McLean, the third of six children. After high school, Frank served proudly in the Army for 20-plus years, then worked for 19 years at the U.S. Department of Defense, with a short break in between working in Spokane. In 1958, Frank married Delma Dee Roloff. They have three surviving children and seven grandchildren.
Frank has a special interest and knack in technology and computers. In fact, he maintains a database for the American Historical Society of Germans from Russia Society that holds about 560,000 names. He also manages the WSGS Pioneer and First Citizen certificate database — almost 30,000 strong. For an index of the names, click here.
Frank, Delma and their children
John Robertson McLean (1847 – 1919)
Speaking of Germans from Russia…that’s how Frank got his interest in genealogy. No, he doesn’t have German ancestors from Russia, but Delma does. She joined the Central Washington chapter of the American Historical Society of Germans from Russia Society in 1985 and Frank tagged along as “driver, cemetery walker and microfilm cranker.” From there, his interest grew. His ancestors hail from Germany, Nova Scotia, Maine and Minnesota. Frank’s grandfather, John Robertson McLean (pictured at left) was born in Nova Scotia, but moved to St. James, Minnesota in 1870. While there, he started a church in a boxcar on a siding. Frank and his family attended the 125th anniversary of the church, where they were given a copy of the picture that hangs in the church. There is also a miniature replica of the boxcar on the lawn in front of the church.
Frank likes the research part of the genealogical search, but he’s not as thrilled with the documentation part. He also prefers his hard-copy paper charts and lists over paperless research.
A few more interesting tidbits about Frank:
• Favorite genealogy website: Family Search
• Favorite color: Blue
• Favorite dessert: Lemon Cream Pie
Now you know a little more about another of the WSGS Board members. The next time you see Frank, say hello and thank him for his service to WSGS.
Opal Myhres
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 Opal Myhres. Opal lives in Yakima and is WSGS’s Region 5 Representative for Kittitas, Klickitat and Yakima Counties. She is a proud member of the Yakima Valley Genealogical Society where she has been president, secretary and treasurer. She is currently the head librarian of YVGS’s amazing research library located at 1901 S. 12th Street in Union Gap. Between the 18,000+ bound volumes on the shelves and the massive microfilm/microfiche collection, the library hosts an equivalent collection of 35,000 volumes of genealogical research material covering all 50 states and a large number of foreign countries. Quite a job to be the head librarian!
Mr. and Mrs. Louis Myhres
Opal Irene Walsh was born in October 8, 1927 in northern Minnesota. Her parents Charles and Ethel (Olson) Walsh named their first daughter after October’s birthstone – the opal. She was the oldest girl in a family of five boys and three girls. After graduating high school in 1945, Opal married her sweetheart Louis Myhres in 1946 as soon as he got home from the Navy after the war. Not long after, the couple moved to Washington where Louis’s family lived. Opal was a stay-at-home Mom to their two children until Louis was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. When Louis went back to school, Opal went to work for Sears until 1974 when he had to retire. But they soon bought a motorhome, and with Opal as the driver, they hit the road. Louis passed away in 1984 while they were snow-birding in Arizona.
In addition to her two children, Opal is the proud grandmother of three granddaughters – and 12 great-grandchildren, ages 23 to 3.
Opal’s interest in genealogy started early. Her father had always told the family that there was a family Bible that traced his mother’s family back to early England. It was passed down from the youngest son to the youngest son. When Opal and Louis lived in Olympia, she located the son who should have had the Bible who was living in the Seattle area. He told Opal the book was too fragile to send, but there was a book with the same info in the Seattle Library. What an amazing find! Opal copied it, and later found one to purchase. The book outlined the family lineage from England to Massachusetts from 1635, through the generations of Opal’s paternal line — the George Weekes family. Opal’s father also knew that his family came from Washington County, NY and his father was the youngest of 14, born in 1848. Opal went to the Olympia library and met Alma Greenwood, former WSGS president, who showed her how to order a census and how to find him. From those two experiences, Opal was able to fill in details about many members of her family – and become “hooked” on genealogy.
Besides being a member of the Washington State Genealogical Society since 2002 (and a WSGS Outstanding Volunteer in 2005), Opal belongs to the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) where she is the state Archivist; the Daughters of the American Colonists, Descendants of Washington’s Army at Valley Forge, and Sons of Norway. She is also a former member of the Colonial Dames.
When she’s not researching her family roots, Opal enjoys quilting, embroidery and reading.
A few more interesting tidbits about Opal:
Favorite color – blue
Favorite dessert – anything chocolate
Favorite genealogy websites – Ancestry and Fold3
Now you know a little more about another of the WSGS Board members. The next time you see Opal, say hello and thank her for her service to WSGS.
Many thanks are extended to the Yakima Valley Genealogical Society for hosting the WSGS Annual Meeting and Awards Event on Saturday, 22 April 2017. The annual meeting was held in conjunction with YVGS’s Spring Seminar featuring Jay Fonkert, a Minnesota-based genealogy researcher, educator, and writer who focuses on nineteenth-century Midwest research. Nearly 90 people attended the seminar and annual meeting.
WSGS Vice President Donna Phillips presenting Outstanding Volunteer Award to Patricia McCann Manning from the Stillaguamish Valley Genealogical Society.
Region 6 Representative Janet McKinnon presenting an Outstanding Team member award to husband Mikal McKinnon for his work on the Tri-City Genealogical Society’s Library Recataloging and Renumbering Team.
During the annual meeting and awards lunch, nearly 40 local society members were recognized with Outstanding Volunteer and Team awards. These volunteers were praised for their commitment and energies to promote genealogy and family history in their local communities.
Some of the 2017 local society award winners
Other awards presented included:
Five local societies were awarded Innovative Grant Awards. See separate blog feature.
The President’s Award for Outstanding Achievement was presented to Joanne Egbert Calhoun of the Wenatchee Area Genealogical Society. See separate blog feature.
For more photos of the seminar and annual meeting, visit our Facebook page.
Jay Fonkert
You don’t want to miss the Yakima Valley Genealogical Society‘s Spring Seminar this Saturday, April 22, 2017 at Mt. Olive Lutheran Church, 7809 Tieton Drive in Yakima. In addition to four lecture sessions with professional genealogist Jay Fonkert, the Washington State Genealogical Society’s annual meeting will be held during the lunch hour honoring outstanding volunteers and projects. For more information on the seminar, click here.
Registration can be done online at the YVGS website or at the YVGS library at 1901 S. 12th Avenue, Union Gap. Day-of-seminar walk-ins are welcome, however, lunch cannot be guaranteed.
The Yakima Valley Genealogical Society Spring Seminar will take place Saturday, April 22, 2017 at Mount Olive Church, 7809 Tieton Drive in Yakima.
One of America’s foremost genealogists and reputed speaker will be speaking on a variety of interesting topics. Jay Fonkert is considered to be one of the best and most educated genealogical speakers in the country.
Registration can be online at the YVGS website, or at the local genealogical library at 1901 S. 12th Avenue, Union Gap. Walkins are welcome, however lunch cannot be guaranteed. Check in and registration 8:00 – 8:50 and seminar will begin at 9:00 am. $40. until April 14, $45 after that.
The Washington State Genealogical Society annual meeting will be during the lunch hour honoring outstanding volunteers and interesting projects.