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11 September 2014

Ready, Set, Go: Family History Month’s Coming to Town!



by Shannon Reese

October’s just around the corner so get ready for Family History Month at the California Genealogical Society! 

For more than a decade, October has been celebrated among genealogy enthusiasts. As always, the society library will open its doors to the public during the month of October.

Are you new to family history research?  No worries, we waive the library usage fee for non-members and invite everyone to come and explore the library's resources. 

We're located in the historic Bruner Building at 22nd Street & Broadway, one block north of the Paramount Theater, in downtown Oakland.  All classes (for which you must register) during October will be held here, unless specified.


Photo: “Examining Passengers Aboard Ships.” Vessel is the Shimyo Maru, Angel Island, California, 1931. The U.S. National Archives Flickr page.
Although it’s technically not in October, don’t forget about the September 27th class at CGS on Finding Your Japanese Roots: In the US and In Japan led by Linda Harms Okazaki.

Our member volunteers have been busy gearing up for a month of special events and exciting classes. Please help us celebrate Family History Month by attending one of our October events.  We start off October with a slew of choices:

Saturday, October 4th

The California Genealogical Society is participating in the Nikkei Pilgrimage to Angel Island.  This fun, all-day event is focused on the Japanese-American experience at the "Ellis Island of the West". CGS Member Linda Harms Okazaki, will present and then will be available to help people get started in their own research.  Diana Edwards, Eva Goodwin, and Todd Armstrong (all CGS members & genealogists) will be there to help as well.

Don’t miss our FREE Beginning Genealogy class with Dick Rees from 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.  Find out who you are and who your ancestors were!

Saturday, October 11th
The City Directory Library awaits your visit!  Come by from 10am – 4pm and see member Dr. Stephen Harris’ collection of 6,000 city and telephone directories dating from the 1840s to the 1960s.

Everything Was Not Lost! Digging Deeply to Unearth Your Early San Francisco Ancestor  from 10am-12pm.  Genealogists are often told the bad news that the family records they are looking for in San Francisco all burned in the 1906 Earthquake and Fire, but everything was not lost. CGS member and author of Raking the Ashes – Genealogical Strategies for Pre 1906 San Francisco Research, Nancy Peterson knows how to unearth early San Francisco Ancestors.

We can’t wait to see you at our Fall Membership meeting!  We'll be presenting the First Annual Genie Awards, honoring some of our extra-special volunteers -- those whose "magical" skills have helped the California Genealogical Society in significant ways.
  
The award ceremony, with an Academy Awards theme and a glass of bubbly, will begin at 12:00 p.m.  It’s followed by the membership meeting (1pm – 3pm) with a discussion of "Genealogical Blogging." BYO lunch; dessert and beverages will be provided.

Tuesday, October 14th
The CGS Book Repair Committee, headed by Bill O'Neil, will hold its monthly work session from 9:30am – 3:00pm.  The committee welcomes new members who are interested in learning the craft and who can meet with the group every month. No experience necessary!

Friday, October 17th
Never explored the City Directory Library?  It’s open from 10am – 4pm with a collection of 6,000 city and telephone directories dating from the 1840s to the 1960s.

Saturday, October 18th
10:00am – 11:30am is the monthly meeting of the CGS Board of Directors that focuses on making our tagline, “helping people connect to their family heritage” a reality.

Our San Francisco Special Interest Group meets from 10:00am – 11:30am and is led by Sandra Britt-Huber.  Topics include both pre & post 1906 time periods. Come & join us this month if you have an interest in San Francisco history and genealogy! 

Saturday, October 25th
10am – 1pm is Susan Goss Johnston’s Exploring Record Sets Series: Introduction to Military Records More than 35 million people have fought in military conflicts in America's history. The records created during and after their service are invaluable sources for family historians. Discover the many record types available, where to find them, and study problems that can be solved only through these fascinating documents.

For a full listing of all Bay Area genealogy events in October, check the San Francisco Bay Area Genealogy Calendar frequently.

Get started today on your family history---you’ll be glad you did!




Copyright © 2014 by Ellen Fernandez-Sacco, California Genealogical Society and Library.

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