Blog truancy

I try to always listen to my superiors so when Jane said that I should explain my absence I decided to put aside my usual practice of keeping my various volunteer activities separate.

Last weekend was the 36th annual Oakland Greek Festival sponsored by the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Ascension.

We had three glorious sun-filled days of food, music, food, dance, food, shopping, and more food, including delectable pastries baked with love and the BEST lamb sandwich money can buy.

The event was the culmination of months of planning by the Festival Executive Committee (on which I sit) and weeks of hard-work by multitudes of church volunteers. You can read Angela Hill's report for the Contra Costa Times for a full overview of the event.

In case you missed Steve Morse...

Jeremy Frankel, Steve Harris, Ron Arons and Steve Morse

Photograph courtesy of Jane Knowles Lindsey, 10 May 2008

If you weren't able to attend the May membership meeting last Saturday, May 10, 2008, with Steve Morse, read the full report by Steve Danko at his blog: Steve Morse at the California Genealogical Society. Danko gives a detailed synopsis of Morse's two lectures: The Jewish Calendar Demystified and What Color Ellis Island Search Form Should I Use?

Be sure to leave a comment and tell Steve how much you appreciate his accounts of the CGS meetings and events he attends - bloggers love feedback.

If you're new to the blogosphere, Steve Danko is a CGS member and author of Steve's Genealogy Blog. Steve will be one of the speakers at the upcoming Southern California Genealogical Society Jamboree, June 27-29, 2008.

Workshop: Scandinavian Research - June 14, 2008

When: Saturday, June 14, 2008, 10:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Where: CGS Library, 2201 Broadway, Suite LL2, Oakland

The second in a series of CGS Research Workshops will focus on ancestors from Denmark, Sweden and Norway.

Please join our specialists: Laura Spurrier (Danish), Pat Smith (Swedish) and Gloria Hanson (Norwegian) as they examine Scandinavian research. Topics will include: border changes, census, church books and immigration information - where immigrants settled in the U.S. - and more. Handouts will be provided.

The workshop day will include a panel discussion, lunch break and informal work session so attendees can share ideas, do some computer research and consult one-on-one with Gloria, Pat and Laura. Members are encouraged to bring laptop computers; the six CGS computers may not all be available for the program.

Reservations are required; no walk-ins will be permitted. The workshop is free for CGS members but is limited to 15 people. There will be a sign-up fee of $10 for non-members. (The fee can be applied toward membership on the day of the workshop.) There is a sign-up sheet at the CGS Library desk. Please call (510) 663-1358 to reserve a space.

Don't miss this opportunity to learn new strategies and meet other members with similar research interests.

Jane's Report from Sacramento

CGS President, Jane Lindsey, shared a cup of coffee and enjoyed an afternoon with ten Sacramento area members at a meeting hosted by Janet Feil at the Belle Cooledge Branch Library yesterday, May 7, 2008. Elaine Adamson brought her cousin, Pat Procida, who became the newest member of CGS.

The group had an informal discussion about upcoming events at the society. Members had several suggestions which Jane will report to CGS:

• Sell handouts from major CGS events. Offer the syllabus to those who cannot attend the conference for a fee plus mailing costs.
  

• Create Surname and Locale sections on the CGS Web site to allow members to network with others with similar interests.

• Provide meetings summaries for members who could not attend. Jane suggested that members check the CGS blog or Steve Danko's Genealogy Blog if they miss a meeting. Steve has posted extensive reports on CGS meetings that he has attended.

Several members also expressed an interest in forming a carpool for a day of research to the CGS Library.


L. to R. (front row): Virginia Doyle, Helen Sheahan, Shirley Williams, Dorothy Romo; (back row): Jane Lindsey, Amy Dorman. Lynne Roberts, Janet Feil (hostess), Elaine Adamsn, Pat Procida and Ron Davis.

Moultrie Creek Online Historical Society (MCOHS)

I've been asked to contribute to a new online adventure with two of my fellow genea-bloggers, Denise Olson, of Family Matters and Thomas MacEntee, of Destination:Austin Family. Denise has created a fictitious society - the Moultrie Creek Online Historical Society (MCOHS). Its purpose is to serve as a model and "learning center" for societies of all types to go and learn the "how-to" of bringing technology and digital services to an organization to help it grow.

Denise's vision is to create a network blog with many contributors - having "people with different backgrounds and specialties post articles that could help provide the information and support for historical, genealogical, family and veterans groups."

I look forward to participating in this exciting new project.

CGS is Going to the Jamboree!

Southern California Genealogical Society Jamboree
Burbank Airport Marriott Hotel
and Convention Center
Burbank, California
June 27-28-29, 2008

CGS President Jane Lindsey is attending this year's 39th Annual SCGS Jamboree with a small contingent from the Bay Area. The society has reserved a table in the Exhibit Hall next to the California State Genealogical Alliance.

This year's theme is "Solve Your Family History Puzzle." CGS member, past-president of the Southern California Genealogical Society and Co-Chair of this year's Jamboree, Paula Hinkel, is the author of the Jamboree blog which features everything-you-ever-wanted-to-know about the schedule, events and speakers.

CGS will host a Membership Coffee at the Jamboree on Friday morning, June 27, from 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. in the Burbank Airport Marriott Hotel and Convention Center. Members who live in the Los Angeles area are invited to join CGS President Jane Lindsey for an update on society events. Guests are welcome. CGS members, please let us know if you will be attending.

Acknowledging Our Volunteers

A message from CGS President, Jane Lindsey:

During this National Volunteer Week, I would like to celebrate the many volunteers we have at CGS.

Being an all-volunteer organization, our members run the library, organize a variety of indexing projects, troubleshoot computer issues and handle mail, book orders, research requests and membership renewals. Volunteers also work from home: writing, editing, proofing and formating our many publications; coordinating member programs and events; managing our Web sites and so much more.

Our volunteers come from many walks of life and their experience brings an added dimension to our society. Members with the financial know-how keep our books and safeguard our investments. An engineer who solved a problem with our new shelving saved us hundreds of dollars!

I would also like to thank many of our guest speakers who come and speak without charge to our society, and to acknowledge society members who generously share their expertise through lectures and workshops.

In this age of "pajama research" when many new genealogists think "everything is online," the genealogy society is sometimes regarded as passé. But it is the personal connections we make as volunteers that is the most rewarding part of belonging to a society.

The California Genealogical Society and Library has no paid staff. Our volunteers ARE our society. I so appreciate the willingness of members who not only DO the necessary jobs needed to effectively run CGS but who also freely share their genealogical expertise. Thanks to all of the members of the California Genealogical Society - we wouldn't be as strong as we are without you!

National Volunteer Week

I couldn't let this week go by without acknowledging the fantastic work of the many volunteers at the California Genealogical Society and Library.

That said, please be assured that this is one place where recognition is not a once-a-year occurrence.

There were many reasons why I started this blog for the society, and many goals I hope to achieve with it. I never doubted that there was plenty of content to share - beyond recording history or announcing society meetings and events - because of the richness and depth of the members themselves.

I hope you have enjoyed hearing about the people who are the California Genealogical Society. As I write about them you will find their names under "Labels" on the side bar to the right. Thanks, member-volunteers, for letting me share your contributions with the world. There are many more stories to tell.

A Hero's Final Resting Place

William Harold Roberts is buried at the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery in France near the place where he died. The cemetery is the final resting place for 14,246 soldiers, most of whom lost their lives in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive during World War I. It is the largest American military cemetery in Europe. Gary McMasters sees to it that Corporal Harold W. Roberts is honored every Memorial Day by having flowers placed at the gravesite from the soldiers and civilians at Camp Roberts.

On October 4, 1918, Roberts' company was engaged in a fierce battle in the Montrebeau woods. Roberts and Sergeant Virgil Morgan were in a two-man tank, a French Renault, weighing slightly over seven tons and with a top speed of seven miles per hour. Sergeant Morgan and Corporal Roberts saw a disabled tank with a soldier crouched by it. As Roberts stopped his tank, the soldier asked for help. The reply was given that they would return after the battle and they drove off.

In an interview with Sergeant Virgil Morgan, the gunner whose life Roberts saved, Morgan said, "Bob, as we called him, came to our company last summer and almost at once he was liked by everybody. By his good work he soon was promoted to Corporal. There never proved to be a better soldier."

The Medal of Honor was presented to Harold's father, John A. Roberts. The citation reads "Corporal Roberts, a tank driver, was moving his tank into a clump of bushes to afford protection to another tank which had become disabled. The tank slid into a shell hole, 10 feet deep, filled with water, and was immediately submerged. Knowing that only one of the two men in the tank could escape, Corporal Roberts said to the gunner, "Well, only one of us can get out, and out you go," whereupon he pushed his companion through the back door of the tank and was himself drowned."

Roberts was also awarded the French Croix de Guerre with Palms, The French Military Medal, and the Italian War Cross.

This Saturday, May 3, 2008, Camp Roberts is celebrating sixty-seven years at an Open House at the Camp Roberts Athletic Field from 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. McMasters plans to unveil the completed portrait of Roberts that he commissioned of a Sacramento artist. He promises to send a photo of the completed work.

McMasters still hopes to locate the missing yearbook so he can see a proper portrait of Corporal Harold Roberts. If you have a 1913 Wilmerding High School yearbook, or you are a descendant of the Seifert or Roberts family, please contact the society.

Read the entire series:

• Part 1 — Searching for Harold Roberts
  
• Part 2 — Roberts: What We Found
  
• Part 3 — Roberts' Battlefield Letter
• Part 4 — A Face for Harold Roberts

A Face for Corporal Roberts

One of the items that Gary McMaster most wanted was a photograph of Corporal Harold Roberts. The CGS research team determined that Roberts graduated from Wilmerding High School in 1913. Unfortunately, no book for that year could be located in the archives of Lick-Wilmerding High School, the San Francisco Historical Society or the San Francisco Public Library. The June 1911 Commencement Issue of the school newspaper, Wilmerding Life, carried an informal group photograph of the class of 1913, but entirely without names.

Newspaper research yielded several articles about Roberts and his family, including marriage notices, obituaries and reports about his heroic death and honors. A few included photographs but most were small and without significant detail. The photo archives of the San Francisco Public Library's History Center had a folder on Roberts which contained this image from the San Francisco Call Newspaper. There was no notation to indicate its source or whether it was ever printed.

One article covered the medal presentation of the French Croix de Guerre (Cross of War) made to Harold's father, John Roberts, on the steps of the San Francisco City Hall in 1919. The item contained a small oval photo insert of Harold Roberts which McMaster is using to create a more accurate depiction than the painting that now hangs in the Camp exhibit. Curator McMaster made a blurred sepia drawing of the image and added the correct World War I issue helmet and uniform to create this likeness.

He has commissioned a Sacramento artist to paint a new portrait to hang in the base museum. It is scheduled to be finished and delivered to Camp Roberts this coming Saturday for a preview during the Camp Roberts Open House. McMaster has promised to send us a photograph of the finished work when it is hanging in the Museum.

Read the entire series:

• Part 1 — Searching for Harold Roberts
• Part 2 — Roberts: What We Found
• Part 3 — Roberts' Battlefield Letter
• Part 5 — A Hero's Final Resting Place

Roberts' Battlefield Letter

July 4, 1918

My dear Dad,

I know that you shall be glad to hear that I am with my new outfit and well pleased. I'm feeling better than I have felt since arrival over here.

We are out in the country billeted in a small village which would cause the average American to turn pale; but it is better than some I have seen and it is way better than the rice paddies I slept in when out on manouvers in the Philippines.

Sure did hate to leave some of my old pals behind; but shall try my best to make new friends here. I had some very good friends amongst officers and men in the Fifteenth and I know that I can do my duty here as well as I have done it in the past.

So please do not worry about me and you shall surely be surprised to see me when I come home to stay this time. However that time is a long way off and it is not good form to think about the future. The present is what counts and I shall surely do my best to make good and shall stick it out despite the fact that there may be disappointment in store for me.

Do hope that your business keeps on improving and please do not take any bad nickels.

Just my luck that my pen had to run dry, but why sorry over a little thing like that. Liable not to have a pencil to finish with next time.

Remember Dad if I die I want Ida May Zeile to have everything. I send you the very best of wishes.

Lovingly,
Harold

Pvt. 1st cl. Harold Roberts,
Co. A 326 Battalion Tank Corps
311 Tank Center
A.P.O. 714
A.E.F.

Censored by:
H.J. Ellis
1st. Lt. Tank Corps

Read the entire series:

• Part 1 — Searching for Harold Roberts
• Part 2 — Roberts: What We Found
• Part 4 — A Face for Harold Roberts
• Part 5 — A Hero's Final Resting Place

Roberts: What We Found

CGS volunteer Dick Rees handles the mail at the society, so it was he who first read McMaster's request. Dick spearheaded the research efforts of a small group that included Verne Deubler, Nancy Peterson, Vinnie Schwarz and Pat Smith.

William Harold Roberts was the son of John and Elfreda Seifert Roberts, born October 14, 1895, in San Francisco. No official birth record exists because the ledgers were destroyed in the 1906 earthquake and fire.

The team gathered data from all the likely sources and also contacted the Episcopal Diocese Archives, the Lick-Wilmerding High School, the San Francisco Historical Society and the San Francisco Public Library and their Sixth Floor History Center.

But "Look-up" volunteer, Pat Smith, hit pay dirt when she followed the "no stone left unturned" approach and found a listing for William Harold Roberts in the San Francisco probate index.

The estate file includes a typescript of a letter that Roberts wrote to his father on July 4, 1918 from France. After Robert's death in November of that year, the letter became his last will and testament.

Harold's letter was started in ink but was finished in pencil when his fountain pen went dry. It was in the closing sentences, in pencil, that Roberts indicated that if he died everything should be left to his father's sister, Ida May Zeile.

Roberts, who was unmarried, left a war risk insurance policy, probably standard issue by the Army. The "will" was challenged by family members when Harold's aunt filed for probate in 1924, two years after the death of Roberts' father. An article from the November 18, 1924, San Francisco Chronicle, "Will of Hero Hit in Court - Relatives Attack Letter Written on Battlefield Leaving Estate" describes charges of forgery and the fight for the money.

Ultimately, Ida was named the executor and Roberts' $8000 estate was divided among the living relatives.

Read the entire series:

• Part 1 — Searching for Harold Roberts
  
• Part 3 — Roberts' Battlefield Letter
• Part 4 — A Face for Harold Roberts
• Part 5 — A Hero's Final Resting Place

Searching for Harold Roberts

The letter to CGS didn't use these words but the message was clear:
find Corporal Harold W. Roberts.

Periodically the California Genealogical Society and Library receives a research request that morphs into a group project. In this case the letter came from Gary McMaster, director and curator of the Camp Roberts Historical Museum. He was looking for Harold Roberts, the World War I soldier posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, for whom the camp is named.

Camp Roberts is a one-time Army base, now National Guard training facility, off U.S. 101 about half way between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Originally called Camp Nacimiento, the name was changed even before it became operational during World War II. It is the only U.S. facility named in honor of an enlisted man.

Gary McMaster, Retired Army Sergeant First Class, has been on a mission to find out all he can about Roberts. He first contacted CGS last summer with the letter that said in part:

"We would like to find out about any of his family and try to find out whatever happened to his parents and his Medal of Honor. We also would like to find any photographs of him, as we have none. The large painting we have in his exhibit in the Museum... is an artist's impression. We would like to know what he actually looked like."

The Paso Robles Gazette did a story about McMasters and the planned exhibit on Roberts, but no mention was made of the efforts of the research team at the California Genealogical Society. I thought I should set the record straight.

Read the entire series:

• Part 2 — Roberts: What We Found
  
• Part 3 — Roberts' Battlefield Letter
• Part 4 — A Face for Harold Roberts
• Part 5 — A Hero's Final Resting Place

Sacramento Membership Coffee

Wednesday, May 7, 2008, 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.

Belle Cooledge Library
5600 South Land Park Drive
Sacramento, CA 95822

California Genealogical Society members living in the greater Sacramento area have been invited to a coffee at the Belle Cooledge Branch Library on Wednesday, May 7, 2008 from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. The get-togethers are a fun way to meet members who live locally and are designed to help us link with neighbors who share similar genealogy research interests. Take advantage of this opportunity to network and set up car pools for future CGS meetings, events or research trips. CGS President, Jane Lindsey will give guests an update on current events at the society.

If you live in our target area, please save the date and let us know if you can come. You can also feel free to bring a friend who is interested in genealogy. The society gratefully acknowledges the generosity of Sacramento member, Janet Feil, who made the arrangements and is acting as hostess. RSVP to the society at (510) 663-1358 or email CGSpublicity@gmail.com.

Wordless Wednesday

Photographs courtesy of Cathy Merrill Paris.

Salt Lake City Success

Another CGS Tour to Salt Lake City came to a close on Saturday night with the annual dinner at Lamb’s Grill. Special guest and CGS member, Steve Danko, took time out from the United Polish Genealogical Societies Biennial Conference to join us.

President Jane Lindsey thanked all of the participants and gave an overview of the upcoming society events. Before the annual group photograph was taken, several members shared their research success stories.

Jane was doing the genealogical happy dance after finding the marriage record of Magdelena GERTH and Valentine HUND in Renchen, Germany.

Mother-daughter team, Penny Pollock and Faith Hazelton have attended the SLC trip for all eight years. Penny got closer to proving a Mayflower line through George SOULE; Faith proved one last year.

Mary White Limosner, equipped with new knowledge obtained during the Eastern European Research Workshop, finally had success finding her BUDNICK family in Polish records.

Arlene and Ted Miles enjoyed their first trip and found information on their Brooklyn ancestors and Ted's Kentucky MILES family.

Rick Sherman was finding elusive Danes online in his hotel room.

Pat Smith and Laura Spurrier took advantage of the Danish talks offered this week at the library. Pat applied the knowledge to her Swedish ancestor Johan WIDMAN and found a probate record from the late 1700s.

Betty Barnard Walker found her BIERMANN ancestor in German passenger records from the mid-nineteenth century.

Bill O’Neil finally found the documentation he needed for his French Canadian DRINKWINE/BOIVIN and MITCHELL/MICHAUDs.

And last but not least, Cathy Paris and CGS librarian, Laura Spurrier, discovered that they are MERRILL sixth cousins.

SLC Tour group 2008

Photograph courtesy of Cathy Merrill Paris.

A Most Dreadful Earthquake

One hundred two years ago today, at 5:12 a.m., the earth shook in San Francisco and Sarah E. Phillips was "awaked by a most dreadful earthquake.” Thus began a series of letters Sarah wrote to her fiancé in Schenectady, New York, chronicling the days and weeks of the aftermath.

Almost one hundred years later, a ribbon-bound packet of forty faded letters, still in their original envelopes, was found in a misplaced box at the California Genealogical Society, with little to identify the writers or explain how the letters came there.

Author Dorothy Fowler, a researcher and long-time volunteer at the society, happened to be on hand when the letters turned up. She took on the challenge of researching and editing the letters and was the sole author of a book published by the society to coincide with the earthquake centennial. The vast number of hours required in researching and writing the book were contributed by her to the society.

Dorothy is a gifted writer with long experience in various publications. Much of her work life was spent in research, writing and administrative jobs, mainly for the state of California. She is now retired and lives in San Francisco.

Two years ago when promoting the book, Dorothy was a guest of radio personality John Rothmann on his KGO Radio 810 AM talk show. Dorothy did several readings from A Most Dreadful Earthquake: A First-Hand Account of the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and Fire before Rothmann closed with these remarks:

"I'm going to tell you that every April 18th, for as long as I live, I'm going to pick up your book, and I'm going to re-read it. And the reason I'm going to re-read it is because of the vivid, powerful expressions. You've given us a great gift... and you've preserved history. And for that we are all very grateful, Dorothy."

We are indeed. Mr. Rothmann, have you done your reading this year?

CGS Library Committee

What better place for a group of genealogists to spend National Library Week than the Family History Library in Salt Lake City? I'm going to put a little twist on genea-blogger Lori Thornton's summons and write a tribute to the California Genealogical Society Library Committee and librarian volunteers.

The Library Committee is composed of several volunteers with years of experience in all areas of librarianship. They are experienced genealogists as well, who know how to catalog, locate new publications and out-of-print books, keep good records and, best of all, freely give their time and expertise. Past and present committee members include: Gloria Hanson, Barbara Hill, Arlene Miles and Laura Spurrier.

(L. to R.) Laura Spurrier, Arlene Miles, Gloria Hanson.
Not shown: Barbara Hill
Photograph by Kathryn M. Doyle, Family History Library
Salt Lake City, Utah, 16 April 2008.

Gloria Hanson has experience in libraries from Korea to St. Louis. After obtaining her Masters in Library Science (M.L.S.) from the University of Southern California, Gloria decided to "see the world" and worked as a civilian employee for the U.S. Army in Korea where she ran three libraries. Stateside she has worked as a cataloguer for the St. Louis Public Library system and retired from the San Francisco Public Library as a branch district manager. Now Gloria puts her experience to work for CGS primarily in periodical processing and cataloging and receiving books.

Barbara Hill has a total of 33 years of library work experience, including time in public, school, technical and academic libraries. Her favorite jobs involved working in library acquisitions which is her focus for the CGS Library Committee. She often humorously ascribes her interest in genealogy to "prenatal influence" since her mother was pregnant with Barbara while researching the family at the Library of Congress. (It probably influenced her career choice as well.) Barbara and her mother collaborated on the family's U.S. and Canadian research for many years until her mother's death.

Arlene Miles is a retired library technician who has acquired an eclectic resume in specialized libraries, including air quality management, law, environmental as well as volunteer work at an electric railway museum. Arlene joined CGS in 2007 intending to do family research but she couldn't resist keeping her fingers "in the library pie." She soon set to work on the uncataloged periodicals, setting up a spreadsheet to organize incoming titles, identify missing issues and process subcription renewals.

Laura Spurrier chairs the Library Committee and acts as head librarian. Her credentials include masters degrees in history and East Indian Area Studies from the University of Wisconsin and a M.L.S. from the University of California, Berkeley. Laura worked for fifteen years at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory where she retired as a technical information specialist. Genealogy was the family hobby in the Spurrier household so Laura caught the bug as a teenager. She is a specialist in Quaker research and has lectured on the topic to the society.

Please join me in honoring the CGS librarians for the valuable work they do.

Missing Money for You

CGS has landed in Salt Lake City this week for the 8th annual CGS Salt Lake City Research Tour. Seven of us drove from the airport to the hotel on the shuttle yesterday with Melinda M. Barbish, Auditing-Accounting Manager of the Division of Unclaimed Property, Department of the Treasury of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Melinda is here for a conference of a different sort but she advised us all to take a look at MissingMoney.com. The Web site is billed as "State governments working together to safeguard and return your lost funds" and is a collection of links to the Unclaimed Property divisions of the various state agencies. Click on the small map to bring up a page with a large clickable map of the U.S. which leads to each state's free search engine.

The Virginia Department of the Treasury defines Unclaimed Property as "All tangible or intangible property that has remained unclaimed by its owner for an extended period of time. This includes but is not limited to savings and checking accounts, wages or commisssions, underlying shares, dividends, customer deposit, credit balances, gift certificates, credit memos, refunds, etc.

What is the connection to genealogy? Melinda advises checking the databases in every state you have ever lived, and also to search your parents' and grandparents' names in all the states they lived, or any state in which they were stationed if they were in the military. In Melinda's home state of Virginia, one in seven residents are owed unclaimed funds.

After taking a look at some of the sites, these are also potential places to find missing relatives since many states give full addresses as well as names. If you don't find money, you may find cousins. Please leave a comment if you hit the lottery!

Feedback on the Eastern European Workshop

Nancy Hart Servin sent a glowing report on the first CGS "Second Saturday" workshop held yesterday at the CGS Library. Events coordinator, Carolyn Steinberg, did an excellent job of setting up the program entitled Eastern and Central European Research. Attendees first heard formal presentations by Jeremy Frankel, President of the San Francisco Bay Area Jewish Genealogical Society, and Steve Danko, author of Steve's Genealogy Blog before the informal work session began. Steve gives a full report on his blog: Eastern European Research Workshop.

Nancy's account: "We had eight CGS members and one woman from the San Ramon Valley Genealogical Society, and the two leaders. Both presentations were interesting and informative, and Steve Danko's slides/powerpoint was a good addition. They are very knowledgeable and a few researchers who stayed afterward got some important extra help. We exchanged phone numbers and Emails addresses so if anyone wants to continue the search thread with someone from the meeting they can."

"The whole thing was very well done, and at least three members really seemed to benefit from it. Thanks to Jeremy and Steve for volunteering their time. Thanks to CGS for introducing us to two members who have expertise in a specific area."

Two Talks by Stephen Morse - May 10, 2008

May Membership Meeting
Please note the earlier start time!

Saturday, May 10, 2008, 1:00 p.m.
CGS Library, 2201 Broadway at 22nd, Oakland.

Please join us for two special talks by Dr. Stephen P. Morse.

"What Color Ellis Island Search Form Should I Use?"

& “The Jewish Calendar Demystified”

CGS members will have double the pleasure when popular speaker Steve Morse returns in May.

Steve's first talk will describe the evolution of the One-Step Ellis Island Web site to the One-Step Web Pages. In April 2001 the Ellis Island ship manifests and passenger records went online. A few weeks later the One-Step Ellis Island website was created to make this resource easier to use. Since that time the One-Step site has been greatly expanded to include new search capabilities and an array of color-coded search forms.

He will describe the evolution of the website from both a historical and a practical perspective, and provide a beacon for navigating through this color maze.

Dr. Morse's second lecture is a tongue-in-cheek but factual description of the Jewish Calendar as seen through the eyes of Adam and Eve. Because it is both a solar and lunar calendar, the rules that govern it can be a bit daunting. This piece was recently published in the Association of Professional Genealogists Quarterly which reflects its general appeal. It's not just for people doing Jewish genealogy - and is a very humorous talk!

CGS News - May 2008

The May 2008 issue of the CGS News, Volume XXXIX, No. 3, has been mailed out to members and its twelve pages are chock-full of news and information.

In This Issue:
“Post-Immigration and Naturalization Records: Part I” by Nancy Peterson
Research Trip to the NEHGS Library in Boston: Registration Flier
A Tsunami of New Books, Books and More Books
Book Review, Events, and much more.

The CGS News, edited by Jane Hufft and produced by Lois Elling, is published six times a year by the California Genealogical Society. An annual subscription to the bi-monthly newsletter is included in a society membership ($35 per year). The newsletter keeps members up-to-date regarding speakers, trips, and other events of interest to family history researchers. Articles on relevant aspects of California history and ongoing publication of vital records are some of the regular topics.

Marin County Genealogical Society's Field Trip to CGS

Members of the Marin County Genealogical Society have journeyed to Oakland as a group twice in the last month. Jim Robinson, who is a member of both societies, organized the field trips, first to the CGS March Membership Meeting at the Oakland Regional Family History Center to hear Margery Bell's update on the changes at the Family History Library. On April 5, 2008, a group of six came from the MCGS for First Saturdays Free to spend a day at the CGS Library to do a day of research.


The group included (L. to R.) Shirley Genetin, President; Jim Robinson, Vice-President; Pam Saulter; Doris Salvisberg, Director of Hospitality; John Bowman, Past Treasurer (also a CGS member) and Will Deady. The Marin County Genealogical Society was formed in May 1977 in Novato, California.

CGS welcomes interested groups to come and tour the library and spend some time exploring our resources. Contact CGS at (510) 663-1358 to schedule a field trip.

Book Recommendations from Steve Danko

CGS Librarian, Laura Spurrier, sent word that new books were ordered for the CGS Library in anticipation of the workshop this Saturday, April 12, 2008, "Eastern and Central European Genealogy." Specialist Steve Danko of Steve's Genealogy Blog suggested several titles. These are now available at the CGS library:
In Their Words: a Genealogist's Translation Guide to Polish, German, Latin and Russian Documents, Volume I: Polish by Jonathan D. Shea and William F. Hoffman.

In Their Words: a Genealogist's Translation Guide to Polish, German, Latin and Russian Documents Volume II: Russian
by Jonathan D. Shea and William F. Hoffman.

Avotaynu Guide to Jewish Genealogy
edited by Sallyann Amdur Sack and Gary Mokotoff.

















Where Once We Walked : A Guide to the Jewish Communities Destroyed in the Holocaust, revised edition, by Gary Mokotoff and Sallyann Sack with Alexander Sharon.

Additional books on Polish, Ukrainian and Galician genealogy have also been ordered.

The workshop is free for CGS members and there are still a few slots open. Reservations are required; no walk-ins will be permitted. There is a sign-up fee of $10 for non-members. (The fee can be applied toward membership on the day of the workshop.)

Please call (510) 663-1358 to reserve a space.

Roots Central - Free Advertising for Non-profit Genealogical Organizations

Roots Television announced a new public service and free advertising outlet for genealogical societies and organizations. Roots Central is a slide show of "upcoming events, speaking schedules, new projects, and anything else of genealogical interest."


CGS submitted this graphic for inclusion on the site. Roots Central is updated every Tuesday, and submissions are due each Friday by noon Pacific time. Director of Operations, Samantha Butterworth, says that the CGS contribution should be up on Tuesday, April 8, 2008.

Genealogy for Beginners

The California Genealogical Society is offering an ongoing, free, introductory class in genealogy, the first Saturday of every month, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the CGS Library at 2201 Broadway, Suite LL2, Oakland, California, in the historic Breuner Building. This Saturday's class will be taught by Dick Rees.

The course is part of the "First Saturdays Free" policy that allows open access to the library and resources to non-members and the general public on the first Saturday of every month. The dates for the remainer of 2008 are: April 5, May 3, June 7, August 2, September 6, October 4, November 1 and December 6. The library is a benefit of membership and is available to non-members for a $5.00 day fee during the rest of the month.

For the remainder of 2008, CGS is opening its doors to the tenants of the Breuner Building for use during the lunch hour, at no charge. President Jane Lindsey notified the society's neighbors that CGS will offer this benefit on Thursdays and Fridays, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. for the remainder of 2008. CGS recently marked the one-year anniversary of the society's move to the Breuner Building.

Please note that the CGS Library will be closed on the first Saturday of July for the Independence Day holiday. Further information is available at the CGS Google calendar.