"Paper Sons and Picture Brides" in NGS Magazine

 

Exciting news! The cover of the newly published January-March issue of NGS Magazine features an article by CGS members Grant Din and Linda Okazaki. "Paper Sons and Picture Brides" is an in-depth look at Record Group 85 found at the National Archives in San Francisco. This group of records, titled "Immigration Arrival Investigation Case Files, 1884-1944," contains information about immigrants to California during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It is a particularly rich source for those researching their Chinese and Japanese ancestors, who often had to employ strategy to enter the U.S. at a time of heightened anti-Asian sentiment. Many prominent Asian Americans, from architect I. M. Pei to Congressman Norman Mineta, trace their ancestry to these early immigrants.

Beautifully illustrated with photographs and documents, Din's and Okazaki's article offers a broad historical overview that gives context to these documents. It also has a sidebar explaining how the activism of a group of genealogists and historians saved these files from destruction. The article includes anecdotes that show the sometimes grueling experience of Asian immigrants: an eight-year-old Chinese boy was grilled with more than 100 questions, including details of his village, house, school and neighbors, before he was allowed to join his father; a teenaged American citizen was detained for ten days upon returning to the U.S. from Japan. Din and Okazaki offer detailed information on how to access and interpret the files.

National Genealogical Society members can view the magazine online at the NGS website: https://www.ngsgenealogy.org/. 

Copyright © 2020 by California Genealogical Society

Save the Date! Family History Library research trip planned for 2020

Photo by Daniel Spelce, 2014

Yes, there will be a CGS research trip in 2020!

Our own Lisa S. Gorrell, CG, will once again be the leader for this trip to the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, scheduled for May 24 through May 31, 2020. (May 25 is Memorial Day, but the library will be open.) This may be of special interest to those who are attending the National Genealogical Society's conference the previous week (May 20-23).

Three hotels are accepting room registrations for the NGS conference now and they fill up fast. The official conference hotels are Hilton Salt Lake City, Radisson Hotel SLC Downtown, and Salt Lake Plaza Hotel at Temple Square. If you think you might like to attend the NGS conference and stay through with us to research afterwards, you can book your conference hotel room now to stay until May 24. Then when you register for the CGS trip, you can move into the Plaza Hotel. The link for registering at NGS Conference hotels is here.

Of course, you can stay anywhere you like during the conference (even an AirBnB). When registration opens up for the CGS research trip, do let Lisa know whether you’ll be there for the NGS Conference, too. Stay tuned for updates later this year!

Copyright © 2019 by California Genealogical Society

The Merger of NGS and FGS

Announcement on the NGS web page, August 21

Breaking news: The Federation of Genealogical Societies and the National Genealogical Society have just announced their agreement to merge and to host a single, annual joint conference beginning in 2021.

Genealogist Amy Johnson Crow has put out a podcast and blog post in which she shares her thoughts on what the merger might mean for genealogical societies. As she points out, FGS and NGS have distinct missions: "NGS’s main mission is to promote genealogy scholarship and education—helping genealogists do better research. FGS’s main mission, on the other hand, is to help genealogy societies be better societies. Those missions complement each other, but they are not the same."

Read Amy's blog post or listen to the podcast HERE.


Copyright © 2019 by California Genealogical Society

Nancy Peterson honored with NGS Award of Merit

Nancy Simons Peterson received the 2017 Award of Merit at the annual meeting of the prestigious National Genealogical Society (NGS) last week in Grand Rapids, Michigan. This award is in recognition of her efforts on behalf of NGS. A consummate researcher, Nancy is the author of Raking the Ashes: Genealogical Strategies for Pre-1906 San Francisco Research. First published in 2006 and revised and updated in 2011, the book continues to be CGS’ best seller.  Nancy is well known at CGS where for more than a decade she generously volunteered her time and talents on an enormous variety of projects. She gave countless hours as the society’s research director, co-led numerous research tours and served three terms on the board of directors.  She is celebrated for her research, writing, editing, and lecturing skills. Currently a resident of Portola Valley, Nancy also lived for a time in Washington state, where she taught genealogy classes and was the editor of the Tacoma-Pierce County Genealogical Society quarterly publication, The Researcher.

Trish Nicola

Accepting the award on Nancy’s behalf was her friend Trish Hackett Nicola of Seattle. Trish is a CGS member and a trustee for the Board for Certification of Genealogists (BCG). A longtime volunteer with the Seattle NARA, she was the recipient of the Weidman Outstanding Volunteer Service Award in 2016. She also writes an information-packed blog exploring the Chinese Exclusion Era records in Seattle.

Also at the conference, Kathryn Doyle was voted in as Vice President of NGS. She served on the CGS board for six years and launched this blog in 2007.

We are proud of these women, grateful for their connections to CGS, and we look forward to seeing their future work.

Copyright © 2018 by California Genealogical Society

Report Two from NGS 2013

I had a chance to sit down with 2013 Conference Chair Stefani Evans to talk about the collaboration with local genealogical societies.

NGS 2013 Conference Chair Stefani Evans, CG

Stefani explained that "normally" the NGS Annual Conference partners with one or two large groups to serve as "local host societies" who are asked to provide more than 400 volunteer hours to help staff and run the four-day event. Since none of the local Las Vegas groups were large enough to supply that kind of woman/manpower, a new model had to be created.

Evans put out a call to several organizations and for the first time a coalition of six "hosts" was formed, representing "a really good demographic in genealogy."

Centennial Las Vegas Genealogy Society
Clark County Nevada Genealogical Society
Jewish Genealogy Society of Southern Nevada
Las Vegas FamilySearch Library
Nevada African American Genealogy Society
Nevada State Society Daughters of the American Revolution

One positive outcome for the local societies is a new spirit of cooperation and collaboration going forward. Stefani calls it "cross-pollinating" since host members are joining each other's groups. She sees it as a positive example for groups across the country who sometimes exist in isolation from each other.

Well done, Las Vegas area societies! And thank you, Stefani Evans.


Copyright © 2013 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library.

First Report from NGS 2013

Every genealogy conference is jam-packed with learning opportunities and this year's National Genealogical Society Family History Conference is no exception. I've been using the handy Conference App to organize my schedule and exchange information with old friends and new acquaintances.

Marian L. Smith, chief of the historical research branch of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). 

The conference started Wednesday morning with a lively Opening Session. Marian L. Smith, chief of the historical research branch of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), delivered the keynote address, "People, Policy, and Records: The Importance of Historical Background. Smith told the fascinating story of her quest to solve the mystery of the origins of the Morton Allen Directory of European Passenger Ship Arrivals. She summed up her tale of dogged perseverance with this advice: "Some questions take years to answer. Be prepared to be surprised. Question your sources."

Mariachi Los Bravos

After welcoming speeches, awards, memorials, the talented Mariachi Los Bravos, from the J. D. Smith Middle School of Las Vegas, serenaded attendees from the auditorium to the exhibit hall.

Mariachi Los Bravos

On Day one I took the opportunity to hear lectures by two giants of genealogy research methodology. 

Dr. Thomas W. Jones, Ph.D, CG, CGL, FASG, FUGA, FNGS    

Dr. Thomas Jones presented "Debunking Misleading Records."
 

Elizabeth Shown Mills, CG, CGL, FASG, FNGS, FUGA

Elizabeth Shown Mills' first lecture was "The Genealogical Proof Standard in Action! Case Building When No Record States an Answer!"

For members who aren't able to attend the conference, NGS contracts with JAMB-Inc to record sessions and provide CDs (price: $12) which can be ordered online. It will take about a week for the 2013 recordings to be uploaded to the website. Also available are recordings from the previous annual conferences back to 2007.



Photographs (C) 2013 by the National Genealogical Society, Inc. Used by permission of the National Genealogical Society and the photographer, Scott Stewart. [Thanks you, NGS and Scott Stewart!]

Copyright © 2013 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library.

Wordless Wednesday

Members at the National Genealogical Society

2013 Family History Conference

Las Vegas, Nevada

Photograph courtesy of Caroline Pointer.


Copyright © 2013 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library.

Off to the NGS 2013 Family History Conference

Are you attending this year's NGS Family History Conference? It's relatively rare for the national societies to host their annual meetings in the western states so this is a great opportunity for genealogists on the left coast.

In fact, before the Salt Lake City meeting in 2010, the annual conference was last in the West in 2004 (Sacramento) and in 2001 (Portland). The Federation of Genealogical Society (FGS) was in Salt Lake City in 2005 and in Ontario, California in 2002.

I've been designated one of the conference "official bloggers" so I'll be posting reports and Tweeting (#NGS2013) from the Las Vegas Hotel and Casino. Among the other bloggers are fellow California Genealogical Society members Sandra Benward and Denise Levenick. Our board member Kim Cotton will also be attending.

It's become a tradition for CGS members to meet at conferences for a group photo, so if you are going and you haven't let me know yet, email me or send a message via Twitter. I've got our blue ribbons (thanks, Tim Cox!) so be sure to find me.


Copyright © 2013 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library.

Day Four: NGS 2012 Family History Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio

President Jeff sent his last conference report. Thanks so much!

National Genealogical Society Annual Conference Day Four
12 May 2012 Cincinnati, OH

A Saturday which means a change in the shuttle service between Covington, KY and Cincinnati, OH or a minor chance to miss the first 8:00 a.m. class! Yep! It means the opportunity to walk from Kentucky to Ohio, which is what I did to catch the 9:30 a.m. class by Harold Henderson Indirect Evidence: What To Do When Perry Mason Isn’t on Your Side. Harold suggested that we might be better off using Sherlock Holmes as our model since this fictional character could take small bits of information to solve cases. 

Then from this crowded room it was on to another packed room for Elizabeth Shown Mills, CG, CGL, FASG, FUGA, FNGS presentation Information Overload? Effective Project Planning, Research, Data Management and Analysis which included links to her papers at the BCG website. Work samples posted for all to read are at: http://www.bcgcertification.org/skillbuilders/worksamples.html 

The FamilySearch luncheon proved to be the weakest of any attended. It seemed like a long commercial rather than the topic Discover Your Ohio Ancestors Online, so I got up and left about halfway through, as did some others. 

I went for a last visit to the trade show floor and will bring back some goodies for use in the CGS Library. One of the groups with a booth was the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War whose local Camp footed the bill. I observed they were busy all four days of the conference, informing attendees about the SUVCW. As the conference winds down it is possible to talk with vendors without the crowd (unless a raffle is being held!)

The afternoon session was with Thomas W. Jones, who spoke on Solutions for Missing or Scarce Records and he cited several cases which can be found at the NGS website. One must be a member of NGS to read articles published in the last 100 years.

Then it was time to hit a Cincinnati highlight called Skyline Chili which opened in 1949 by a Greek immigrant; however, it was only the Greek salad that one might find to be “Greek” as the menu has chili in a variety of forms.

It was a GOOD conference, which I recommend to those who have not attended. It is interesting that the conference in 2013 will be in Las Vegas, Nevada. A video about NGS conferences can be found at http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/cs/video_conference. 2014 will be in Richmond, Virginia (7-10 May) and 2015 in St. Charles (outside St. Louis), Missouri (13-16 May). Now it is time to write up the other two days of research done before the conference began, pack for the return trip and reengage with CGS. Thank you for reading.

—Jeffrey Vaillant

Read the entire series:
Report #1: 2012 NGS
Report #2: 2012 NGS
Report #3: 2012 NGS
Report #4: 2012 NGS
Report #5: 2012 NGS

Copyright © 2012 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library

Day Three: NGS 2012 Family History Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio

Here is the next of Jeff's reports:

National Genealogical Society Annual Conference Day Three
11 May 2012 Cincinnati, OH

Day three has been an eclectic one with a variety of presentations. There are reported 2155 attendees and it shows, since Vinnie, Tim and I have seldom crossed paths. The day started with Elizabeth Shown Mills, CG, CGL, FASG presentation Okay, I ‘Got the Neighbors’: Now What Do I Do with Them? This was followed by Facial Recognition Software: Application for Genealogists? [Not yet] by Greg Kipper. Then Thomas W. Jones PhD, CG, CGL, FASG, FUGA, FNGS who talked about Documentation: The What, Why and Where.

Before lunch, I think for some readers it might be useful to define all those nominal letters, so here goes: PhD I suspect folks know. In Dr. Jone’s case it is in the field of education. CG is Certified Genealogist, CGL is Certified Genealogist Lecturer, FASG is Fellow American Society of Genealogy [this is limited to 50 members only], FUGA is Fellow Utah Genealogy Association and FNGS is Fellow National Genealogical Society.

The NGS luncheon began with about sixty of us standing due to a miscommunication of the number of attendees. The staff at the Duke Energy Center, where the conference is being held, swiftly set up chairs, tables, linens, and silver without missing a beat. The talk was From Goetta to Guacamole: The Immigrant Impact on Cincinnati.

The afternoon was the Ancestry.com staff presentation on Making the DNA Connection. I believe Ancestry purchased the Sorenson Molecular Foundation and its database along with genetree. Ancestry is moving into this related genealogy field and taking reservations for lab tests. They are so backed up in the lab that my sample from 15 Nov 2011 is “still in process.” DNA testing can be expensive and I saw a bargain $9 to be part of their beta test and swabbed the check. I have 67 markers at Family Tree DNA as well as Sorenson as well as the Genome National Geographic project. 

The day ended with the NGS Quarterly 100th Anniversary Reception. I took a hand full of the sample brochure to bring back to the library. An element that is important in these meetings is the contacts made with others and the stories exchanged about the field of genealogy. Besides class there are opportunities to learn from the other attendees. 

—Jeffrey Vaillant

Read the entire series:
Report #1: 2012 NGS
Report #2: 2012 NGS
Report #3: 2012 NGS
Report #4: 2012 NGS
Report #5: 2012 NGS

Copyright © 2012 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library

Day Two: NGS 2012 Family History Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio

CGS President Jeffrey Vaillant sent another conference report:

National Genealogical Society Annual Conference Day Two
Cincinnati, OH 10 May 2012

I have Pierson, Render, Leathers and Tanner lines that landed in Kenton, Campbell and Boone counties in Kentucky in the early 1800’s and left for Indiana by 1840. So today I immersed myself in the “Research in Kentucky” track for four presentations:

• Researching Kentucky Records by Don Rightmyer from the Kentucky Historical Society (located in Frankfort, KY)
• They Paid Their Taxes: Using Kentucky Tax Lists for pre-1850’s Research by Gail Jackson Miller, CG
• Researching the Southern Side of Cincinnati: Northern Kentucky Genealogy and Local History Resources by Elaine Kahn, MLS
• Collections of the Kentucky Historical Society by Louise Jones, MLS

These were all excellent presentations with Kentucky Tax Lists leading the parade. Tax lists in Kentucky start before 1800 and were well documented and recorded – probably better than any census. The taxes were collected by local people who knew local people so it was not easy to duck the tax collector (sound familiar?) The tax records are a wealth of information since one did not have to own land to be taxed. Even an old horse worth $10 got taxed!!

The Board for Certification of Genealogist luncheon had good food and a solid presentation. Elizabeth Kelley Kerstens, CG, CGL wore a period mourning outfit and read from the diary of a Mrs. Davis, Civil War widow.

In the afternoon, after sitting next to the retired History and Genealogy Librarian from Kenton County Public Library, I made a dash to the library between class and the Evening at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. The library (located in Covington) has vertical family files with some information on the Tanner and Leather lines which I mined. AND since it is something one has to do, I walked from Kentucky to Ohio….across a bridge across the Ohio River.

The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center is everything one would expect from an excellent museum. Two floors of exhibits clearly bringing into focus the role of slavery in the United States through the Civil War and the Underground Railroad. It is a dramatic exhibit and a dramatic building. More can be learned at their website: http://freedomcenter.org/.

—Jeffrey Vaillant

Photograph courtesy of Jeff Vaillant, 5/10/2012

Read the entire series:
Report #1: 2012 NGS
Report #2: 2012 NGS
Report #3: 2012 NGS
Report #4: 2012 NGS
Report #5: 2012 NGS


Copyright © 2012 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library.

Day One: NGS 2012 Family History Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio

CGS President Jeffrey Vaillant generously makes time to write and send reports from conferences. This year he is attending the NGS 2012 Family History Conference in Cincinnati. Thanks, Jeffrey!

National Genealogical Conference-Day One
Cincinnati, OH 9 May 2012 

Great first day! It started with a presentation by Patricia Mosley Van Skaik on the Genealogy Buried in a Photograph: Amazing Discoveries in the Cincinnati Panorama of 1848. Rather than words, go here to see it for yourself: Cincinnati Panorama of 1848.

On the way to the opening of the trade show, Vinnie Schwarz, Tim Cox, and I stopped to have our picture taken by another attendee on his handy iPad. Hopefully he has sent it for posting. The exhibit hall has more room than I recall in the past, allowing the 2000+ attendees ease in getting around. All the usual suspects were displaying their wares and FamilySearch and Ancestry were the space hogs! The 1940 U.S. Census Project was on the floor so I was able to walk away with a tee shirt after indexing two more batches. Stopped to say hello to the Photo Detective, Maureen Taylor, and told her we were looking forward to seeing her in early June for the CGS Day with the Photo Detective. She told me all her consultation times have been taken so I asked her to consider coming a day earlier for more. 

Then it was off to Strategies for Finding "Unfindable" Ancestors with Dr. Thomas Jones. It was a great class in methodology and research. 

I attended the Association of Professional Genealogists luncheon. (Vinnie and Tim went out to the local chili feed.) Curt B. Witcher spoke on the Expectations of 21st Century Genealogists and was entertaining as well as insightful. While he was focused on the individual genealogist, I think some of his ideas can apply to a genealogy society as well. 

Since I came early to do some of my own research, the afternoon lecture Moving Out: Migration Patterns into the Midwest by Carol Elise Smith AG, was spot-on for my thinking process. We all need to shed our modern-day view and consider how people moved about in the late 1700s and early 1800s. As Carol put it, "they did not have stuff to move!" and the routes taken were formed by geography. It was a solid presentation. 

The day was topped off by a trip to the Cincinnati History Museum which is located in a renovated Union Station at the west end of the city. Great renovation with art deco motif. They started construction in August 1929 and completed the original structure in March 1933 at a cost of $41M. The History Museum has a working model of Cincinnati in 1940 with trolleys and trains running. It is a HUGH exhibit reminding me of the one in Chicago at the Museum of Science and Industry. 

The evening included dinner and was attended by 230+ people. People are another important part of this conference as we exchange genealogy and learn from each other.

Read the entire series:
Report #1: 2012 NGS
Report #2: 2012 NGS
Report #3: 2012 NGS
Report #4: 2012 NGS
Report #5: 2012 NGS

Copyright © 2012 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library

A Pre-Conference Report from President Jeff in Cincinnati

CGS President Jeffrey Vaillant is attending the National Genealogical Society's Annual Family History Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio. He sent this "pre-conference" report:

Some of my people came from Boone, Campbell, and Kenton Counties in northern Kentucky which is just south of Cincinnati where the NGS event is being held. So since I'm "in the neighborhood" it's a great opportunity to do some research in advance of the conference.

Today was my day in Campbell County which has TWO places where records are kept – Newport  and Alexandria. The first stop was Newport since it is close to Covington where I am staying. Close is nice if one wants current (1850+) records. The staff there was helpful in pointing me to Alexandria where the old records (pre-1850+) are kept.

We all understand that it is great to have indexes as a clue to where to look and it is great to have cousins who are working the same lines. The combination made it possible for me to find a photocopy of the original marriage license for my ggg-grandfather, Robert Pierson. The good news is that someone took the time to make a copy of all the original documents and place them in a binder at the county clerk’s office. And some good soul made an index of the binder’s contents, which are not in chronological order. The earliest records start in 1799 (when Kentucky became a state). The record read as transcribed:

Know all men by these presents that we Robert
Pearson & Arch Render------
are held firmly bond unto Isaac Shelby
Esq Gov of the State of Kentucky This
successors (?) in the sum of fifty pounds
current money for the payment
where of we the s’d Pearson & Render
[do bind] ourselves and heirs [Ex & Admin]
[jointly] & severally firm[ly] [by these] presents
As witnesses our Han[d] & seals this 1st day of
September 1815. The condition of the obligations is that
when as there is shortly a marriage
intended to be solemnized between
The above bond Robert Pearson-----
& Nancy Render [now if there be no just cause to
obstruct] the same then this [obligation] to be void or else remain in full force & virtue
Robert Pearson==Seal
Arch Render==Seal

It was necessary to look at several similar documents of the time to decode all the missing words since the original copied was in extremely poor condition. On the back of the copied document (like many others) was stamped NO INSTRUMENT RECORDED. There was no paper on the marriage license actually being used for marriage.

The other virtue of the original copies and index was a long list of relevant marriages that took place between 1800 and 1838. Nancy Pierson died about 1835-37 and Robert remarried; however in the Campbell county records I could not fine that second marriage.

Since the Clerk’s office was overwhelmed by other activities, I was left on my own to explore other volumes on the open shelves. Oh, is that fun. I went after land records which are indexed and had a list from a cousin; however, I was unable to find in the index any land for Pearson/Pierson or those identified. Perhaps the records ended up in Kenton or Boone County, although the land was in Campbell County.

There are the Will books from 1799 to look at and the Book A or first volume has been copied, which allows good copies to be made. Further back is the Leathers line and there were a lot of Leathers in Campbell County. The specific last will and testament of John Leathers (dated 27 May 1812 and probated November 1817) was photocopied so I can transcribe it soon. Robert Pearson along with Archib’d Render and John Leathers (son) purchased part of the estate!

And the original court order books were on the shelves. In the December 1797 Court “On the motion of Archibald Render….orders that a license be granted to him to keep a tavern in this county for one year…..bond.” As one recognizes this puts one character in our family in the county very early!

—Jeffrey Vaillant

Read the entire series:
Report #1: 2012 NGS
Report #2: 2012 NGS
Report #3: 2012 NGS
Report #4: 2012 NGS
Report #5: 2012 NGS

Copyright © 2012 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library

The Immigration of Anton Radivoj

The January - March 2009 issue of the NGS News Magazine (Volume 35, Number 1) features a case study by CGS member Barry E. Hinman about the immigration of his grandfather, Anton Radivoj. "The Immigration of Anton Radivoj" details the difficulties encountered when searching for Croatian names in citizenship and immigration documents and how he was able to find a long-sought record.

Mr. Hinman credits his interest in genealogy to his father's eldest sister, Vera Hinman McAuliffe, who succeeded her father, Elmore Brown Hinman, her paternal grandmother, Alice Jones Brown Hinman, and her paternal great-grandmother, Betsey Burlingame Hinman as "custodian of the Hinman family memory."

Anton Radivoj

Barry sent this about his Aunt Vera:

She had in her possession unique family documents concerning the three families involved, which she shared with me as long as I can remember. Among others, there was "The Hinmans of New York" which linked my father to Michael Hinman, born in Connecticut in 1748 [see "The Connecticut Connection: A Family Paper Entitled 'The Hinmans of New York'" in The Connecticut Nutmegger 22:3 (Dec. 1989):400-403; "Michael Hinman of Roxbury, Washington and York State" in The Connecticut Nutmegger 16:4 (Mar. 1984:707-715; and "Addendum to Michael Hinman Which Appeared in The Connecticut Nutmegger" in The Connecticut Nutmegger 21:3 (Dec. 1988):422-423, all with slight errors in the texts as published].

All of this was interesting to the grammar school boy that I was, but I remember vividly what really got my interest in genealogy started. We were in Aunt Vera's garage, where she had boxes and boxes of things stored, and she gave me a little notebook. "This," she said, "was written by your great-uncle Gage. You might find it interesting." Titled "A Short Memoir of Silas Burlingame" it was a copy of what is essentially an obituary, but contained the following sentences: "Many hair breaths escapes he had. Three times shipwrecked, cast away and lost all but his life ... Once taken prisoner by a man of war, made his escape by jumping overboard and swiming to his own ship. Once barely escaped being made a prisoner by a British press gang. He fought in the old French war and also in the American Revolution ..."

Who could resist this? Adventures, American history, and my own ancestor. I was hooked.

Barry E. Hinman retired in July 2007 from the Department of Special Collections and University Archives of Stanford University and is now Special Collections Librarian for Cataloging Emeritus. He was educated at the University of Santa Clara (BA), Princeton University (MA) and San Jose State University (MLS). All eight of his father's great-grandparents and three of his great-great grandparents came to California between 1849 and 1858. His maternal grandparents emigrated from Austria-Hungart to New York City and moved to San Francisco in 1907, the year following the great earthquake. Mr. Hinman has been a member of CGS since 1976.

Photograph of Anton Radivoj courtesy of Barry E. Hinman.

Research director, Nancy S. Peterson, CG

Members of the Association of Professional Genealogists (APG) have been debating the definition of "genealogist" this month on their mail list and Randy Seaver of the Genea-Musings Blog weighed in with "Why does it matter? The fact is that those in the profession of genealogy research need to act like and be treated like professionals in other disciplines - they need to be educated, be unbiased, be thorough, be honest and truthful, and be respected." Randy didn't know it but he was describing CGS Research Director, Nancy Simons Peterson.

Nancy was a researcher long before she became a genealogist. After earning her baccalaureate and master's degrees in physiology at Stanford University, she was employed as a research physiologist at the university medical school for many years. Peterson later obtained a second master's in teaching before her interest turned to family history. While living in Washington state, Nancy taught beginning and intermediate genealogy classes. For six years she was the editor of the Tacoma-Pierce County Genealogical Society quarterly publication, The Researcher.

A fifth generation Californian, Nancy is a relative newcomer to CGS. She joined the society in 2004 when she moved back to the Bay Area and has been an active member ever since. Nancy's search for her maternal San Francisco ancestors led ultimately to the publication of Raking the Ashes: Genealogical Strategies for Pre-1906 San Francisco Research, published by CGS in 2006 to coincide with the centennial of the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and Fire. Nancy explains: "I personally looked at and then included all useful FHL film numbers and tried to nail down exactly the years and record types of the surviving early SF church records. Since all records archived outside the city survived, I went quite deeply into military records -- doesn't matter that they aren't SF records, for they hold information on SF residents. I also went into a great deal of detail on exactly which land records survived and which did not. All of part 3 is devoted to what strategies work best and what pitfalls to avoid. "



About a year ago, Nancy inherited the CGS research position from past-president, Rick Sherman, who acted as primary researcher for many years and who continues to serve a couple of long-standing clients. Tuesday (when the library is closed) is Peterson's regular day at the CGS Library. But her day usually starts in San Francisco, where she travels to one of the following records repositories: Department of Health (for birth and death certificates), Hall of Records in City Hall (for marriage records and land indexes), Public Main Library (obituaries) or Superior Court (probate). Of course, she also spends time in the East Bay at the Oakland Public Library or at the nearby Recorder's Office and Courthouse. I'm exhausted just listing them all.

Nancy is a certified genealogist and author of numerous articles. She won the Society of Genealogists Scholar Award in 2003. Her narrative genealogy Guarded Pasts: The Lives and Offspring of Colonel George and Clara (Baldwin) Bomford was the winning entry in the 1998 National Genealogical Society Family History Writing Contest and is used as an example of quality work in the NGS Quarterly style on the Board for Certification of Genealogists Web site.

As Research Director, Nancy provides expert assistance for members and non-members alike. The charge is $20 per hour ($15 for members) which covers research time, analysis, documentation and a report. Rarely can one obtain the services of a certified genealogist at such bargain prices, and, as with the proceeds from her book, all monies collected benefit the society. No matter how you define it, CGS is fortunate to have such a talented and generous genealogist.

About me

Welcome to the California Genealogical Society and Library Blog - a Web log for and about the society - its members, programs and events.


I'm Kathryn Doyle and I am the writer and editor of this blog and of the California Genealogical Society and Library electronic newsletter – the CGSL eNews.

I am a great believer in genealogical society membership. I belong to three county societies in Pennsylvania where my forebears lived (Blair, Indiana and Huntingdon) and to the Ulster Historical Foundation in Belfast, Northern Ireland – my Doyles left County Tyrone at the time of the famine. I also hold membership in the Southern California Genealogical Society (SCGS), host of the annual Jamboree, in the National Genealogical Society (NGS) and in CGS, my local society here in Oakland, California.


Membership in the California Genealogical Society has given me more than just the "genealogical" benefits I had expected. Since I don't have California ancestry, I originally joined CGS for the surprisingly large Pennsylvania collection at the library. As I met other members I learned how much more you get from a local society. The volunteers at CGS are an amazing group of smart, talented, giving individuals and I value their friendship. The camaraderie is infectious - as I hope you will learn reading the California Genealogical Society and Library blog.

I appreciate your feedback and suggestions. Feel free to email me or leave a comment at the end of any post.

Updated 10/18/2009 for the 82nd Carnival of Genealogy.