Our Library Collections: Reference Books, Part 2

We have over 100 years of NGS journals

One in a series by CGS member Chris Pattillo, highlighting some of our holdings at the CGS Library in Oakland.  For a fuller listing of books, journals, and more, consult the CGS Library catalog in WorldCat.

The rest of our reference books are in the back corner of the library beyond the bank of computers. Similar to the state books, the reference books begin with journals. I counted eleven different sets of hard copy journals. The first is The Augustan Society Omnibus. Book 14 of this set has 160 pages and dozens of articles covering a wide breadth of topics including Falconry, Chivalry, Heraldry, and Colonial Genealogy. Page 73 offers “Wicca Study Circle and Colonial Witches and Witchcraft Study Group – A Pennsylvania Witch.” There are sections by French, Germanic, Irish, Scandinavian, Scottish and Hispanic Study groups.

One of our largest journal collections is the National Genealogical Society Quarterly. We have journals covering the period 1912 - 2019 – over 100 years! The March issue begins with a lengthy article titled “A Family for Mary (Jones) Hobbs Clark of Carroll County, Arkansas.” It is an extremely well-documented piece where the footnotes occupy more space than the article itself. Of particular interest to some will be the lengthy section on DNA.

A 3-page tree for my 8th great grandparents
begins on page 1122 of this book.

There are several volumes on royalty in this section including a three-volume set titled The Royal Ancestry Bible by Michael L. Call. It contains 3400 pedigree charts and royal ancestors of 300 colonial American families. Just for fun I checked for the one family name of mine that I thought might possibly be included and sure enough found my eighth great grandparents, Dr. John Waller and Mary Pomfrett, on page 1122. Their pedigree chart extends over three pages and includes several names I am not familiar with – so I guess you know how I’ll be spending my afternoon.

One of the many things we inherited from the California Historical Society is a twelve-volume set of American Ancestry: Giving The Name and Descent, in the Male Line, of Americans Whose Ancestors Settled in the United States Previous to the Declaration of Independence, by Thomas P. Hughes. Volume One was published in 1887. While the first two volumes focus on two counties in New York State, the remainder cover the whole of the United States. Each listing provides a brief biography for each individual.

An example of one of the family trees in
Bible and Family Records by the DAR

This section of the library holds two shelves of blue-clad books containing Bible and Family Records that were collected and transcribed in 1953 by the California State Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Margaret Griffith was the Editor. Our collection begins with Volume Ten so if you happen to have volumes 1-9 in your personal collection, please consider a donation to the library. Each volume has a listing of the contents followed by a carbon copy of typed pedigree charts. It is mind-boggling to me that someone typed these highly formatted pages without a word processor.

These are followed by two similar volumes that were prepared by CGS members in 1921 and 1944. Most of the material in these books is typed but the 1944 edition has numerous hand annotations.  Next are several volumes of California Genealogical Society Collections: Family Histories. Volume One includes the trees of the Perkins, Weeks, Snow, Knight, Wines, Armstrong, Thompson and Davis families. Each is quite substantial.

This group of reference books ends with books about immigration, military records, four volumes about Southern families and a few other topics.

Copyright © 2019 by California Genealogical Society

Reminder: Quarterly Membership Meeting October 12

Saturday, October 12, is our Quarterly Membership Meeting at the CGS Library, 2201 Broadway, lower level. Come at noon, bring a lunch and socialize with fellow genealogists. We'll have some brief announcements and a preview of the new CGS website to be launched early next year. Trish Nicola Hackett's presentation on The Chinese Exclusion Act Case Files follows at 1 p.m.


Copyright © 2019 by California Genealogical Society

Our Library Collections: Family Histories

One of hundreds of family history books at the
CGS library

Dear blog readers: due to an editorial error, the next post in this series by Chris Pattillo was posted out of order. 

Here is the first in a continuing series highlighting some of our holdings at the Library in Oakland.  For a fuller listing of books, journals, and more, consult the CGS Library catalog in WorldCat.

For those who have enjoyed reading the series about our state collections and were disappointed that it would end with my post about Wyoming, I am happy to tell you that I am not finished yet. There is much more in our library to tell everyone about. This post features our large Family Histories section.

Our Family History books occupy the shelves behind the bank of patron computers plus the shelves beyond the computers against the wall. In total there are over 120 shelves of family history books. The section begins with an eighteen-volume set of Historical Southern Families and also has several books about presidential families – their ancestors and descendants. I found a two-volume set among these that piqued my interest – Southside Virginia Families by John Bennett Boddie. My Pattillo ancestors lived in southside Virginia so I hoped to find a tidbit or two for my own family but was disappointed. I did find references to a second great uncle and three first cousins 3x removed in The Descendants of the Presidents by R. Whitney Tucker. They were descendants of President Andrew Johnson.

I found a few of  my distant relations in this book

Our shelves also offer The “Connection” In East Tennessee by Olga Jones Edwards and Izora Waters Frizzell. My James Pattillo married Carrie Stover from East Tennessee so this too was worth looking at. I found no Stovers in this book but I did find information on familiar allied families. My point in telling you these details is not to flaunt my personal family history, but rather to demonstrate that you might be surprised to find relevant information about your own family in unexpected places, so you need to think creatively about where to look.

Then we have numerous family histories arranged alphabetically by surname. The Families of Abbe and Abbey – another donation from George Dorman – is an impressive 500-page reference published in 1916. It starts with a chapter on John Abbe of Salem and Wenham, followed by eight chapters taking us through nine generations of his family. There are also chapters on Unconnected Lines, the 1790 Census and Revolutionary Soldiers. The index for this book is sixty-six pages long, so very complete.

Abbe is followed by fifteen books on the Adams family name. The range of what is available in our Family History section varies. Some Early American Ancestors of The Adams Family is a twenty-nine-page spiral-bound book that covers eleven generations. Obviously, there is much less detail than the Abbe book but it does include three fold-out fan charts that present a lot of information in a concise and very legible format.

This little gem was published in 2011 by Peter Adamson Meredith

Our collection also includes some charming self-published jewels like Jemina: An Incomplete Story. Author Peter Adamson Meredith used MyPublisher in 2011 to produce a little 5x7 hardcover book with text, color and black-and-white photos and a tiny but readable four-generation descendants chart.

Our Family Histories collection concludes with three books on the Zumwalt family name. We have Paul L. Reed's The Andrew Zumwalt Family, Volume One: The First Four Generations of Zumwalts in America and two copies of George R. Zumwalt's Zumwalt Family History. Both of these books provide more than just names and milestone dates. Each includes short narratives about each entry.

Our 18-volume set on Historical Southern Families 

Obviously, there is a lot to be found between Abbe and Zumwalt, so next time you find yourself in downtown Oakland you might plan to stop by the library and see what gems we may have to help with your family research. We look forward to seeing you there soon.

Copyright © 2019 by California Genealogical Society

Our Library Collections: Reference Books, Part 1

One in a series by CGS member Chris Pattillo, highlighting some of our holdings at the CGS Library in Oakland.  For a fuller listing of books, journals, and more, consult the CGS Library catalog in WorldCat.

Two of the classic reference books available at our library

Currently our General Reference books are located in two places in the library. They outgrew the back corner so now there are four shelves of reference books at the end of the tables opposite the front desk. These shelves offer a rich collection of how-to books including most of the new and old classics. One such book is Evidence Explained Citing History Sources from Artifacts to Cyberspace by Elizabeth Shown Mills. For anyone who is a series researcher this is a must-have or use source. It is an intimidating book – nearly 900 pages that explains “how to cite every conceivable kind of source.” We have the second edition. The third edition from Amazon is $59.99 so the cost of a CGS membership is much cheaper.

We have the two-volume set of Genealogical Research: Methods and Sources by the late Milton Rubincam, published by the American Society of Genealogists in 1980. In the forward Rubincam is described as “everyone’s favorite genealogist, knowledgeable, indefatigable, conscientious, thorough, and amazingly unrufflable.” Chapter 1 of this book is titled "Adventures in Genealogy." This is a very readable book.

Google Your Family Tree by Daniel M. Lynch

Google Your Family Tree: Unlock the Hidden Power of Google by Daniel M. Lynch was a donation from CGS volunteer Barbara Hill. It has fourteen chapters starting with "Search Engine Basics" and including "Advanced Search Techniques," "Google Books" – which I have used a lot – "Google New Archives," "Google maps," and much more. There are five appendices including Appendix B – "Top Sites for Genealogists." The book is well illustrated and indexed.

One of a few reference books in our library that focus on specific ethnic or cultural group research

We have a couple of resource books for researching Jewish heritage. I found one book on the shelf for African American Genealogy by James M. Rose and Alic Eichholz titled Black Genesis. This book has chapters on general topics like "Oral History," "National Archives and Federal Records," "Military Records," "Migratory Patterns." These are followed by sections for each state that summarize what is available for each state.

Christine Schaefer's book about colonial American research

Another “Where To Look” book is the Genealogical Encyclopedia of the Colonial Americas by Christina K. Schaefer. In the preface she explains that the book “has been written out of my frustration at the lack of an existing single-source reference for Colonial America.” Schaefer addressed this problem by producing over 800 pages that help researchers find the records they seek from this period.

Practically every book in this section has something to offer. Next time you are in the library you might want to see what may be of help in your personal research.

Copyright © 2019 by California Genealogical Society

October 2019 Events

https://dfoodcouture.wordpress.com/

Happy October! Culminating in All Hallows’ Eve, this is a month that's close to many a genealogist’s heart—who doesn’t appreciate a good cemetery or tales of those who’ve gone before?

You're sure to get a thrill at one of our events this month! Stewart Blandon Traiman’s popular “Excel for Genealogists” has already sold out, but there are still tickets available for other classes. They include:

October 10 - Trish Nicola’s presentation on “The Chinese Exclusion Act Case Files.” An introduction to the more than 50,000 case files for Chinese immigrants available at the National Archives-Seattle. This talk is offered twice, on October 10 and again on October 12 immediately following the -

October 12 - Quarterly Membership Meeting. All are invited to hear brief announcements and get a preview of the new CGS website to be launched early next year. Come at noon, bring a lunch and socialize before the meeting. Chinese Exclusion Act talk follows at 1 p.m.

October 15 – CGS Members’ Trip to Sutro Library. Did you know the Sutro has one of the largest genealogy collections in the U.S.? Pre-register to join this visit, which includes an orientation and tour by librarian/genealogist Dvorah Lewis.

October 26 – Book Building and Book Repair Workshop with Bill O’Neill A rare opportunity to learn book repair techniques and create your own book under the guidance of Bill O’Neill, a retired art teacher and former CGS Book Repair Committee leader.

And don’t forget our regular monthly offerings:

October 5 – Intro to Genealogy: Using the Census

October 19 - San Francisco Special Interest Group (10 a.m.)

October 19 – Family Tree Maker Special Interest Group  (1 p.m.)

All our Events can be found listed at the CGS Facebook page
Or on our website

Or at EventBrite.com (search for "California Genealogical Society")

Copyright © 2019 by California Genealogical Society

New Website Preview

A screen clip of our updated masthead

Chris Pattillo, Website Committee Chair, writes:

Last July I blogged about our new website and invited members to submit old family photos for the new home page. Several of you submitted some wonderful photos and member Lois Elling is working on how to display them on the new site.

In the meantime, the website committee has been working diligently with our representative from K2, the web design firm hired to implement the new design. Our goal is to launch the new site in December or January. At the October 12^th Quarterly Membership Meeting, we plan give a preview of the new site. While the look of the site has changed, all of the content and search features from our original site are still there, mostly from the same pulldown menus everyone is familiar with.

A need to update the CGS website was something we heard during the strategic planning process. There was a clear consensus that it needed a fresh, modern look and better organizing, so that is what we have attempted to do. We hope you will agree that the site is much improved.

Top 3 boxes on the home page

The new site’s home page has six boxes that describe and link to features of most interest to our members. The top three link to the list of upcoming "Classes and Events," "Visit Our Library," and to a list of Special Interest Groups. The link to classes and events goes directly to what is posted on EventBrite, so all of the details about classes is in one place. The link to "Visit Our Library" takes you to an explanation of what is available at the library and all our offerings.

Bottom 3 boxes on the home page

The bottom three boxes include a link to our Blog and two new features that are intended to attract new members. At times we have heard feedback expressing concern about the safety of our downtown Oakland location. "Showcase Oakland" features the neighborhood surrounding the library and includes tips on nearby and new businesses. "Past Events," another new feature, has photos from many of the events CGS has hosted in the past – we think site visitors will be impressed by the type and breadth of programs we offer.

3 Get Started buttons

Under the heading "Get Started" we have added three easy links: one to videos created by Kathie Jones and Shannon Reese about getting started with research, one where you can sign up for our eNews, and one goes directly to the Research page for hiring a researcher.

Four new features at the bottom of the Home Page

At the bottom of the home page you will find four more new features. A "Shop" button will take you to a listing of all of the books and other items available for purchase at the library. "Support CGS" explains all of the different ways you can support the society, from donating books to listing CGS in your personal Trust. "Leave A Suggestion" is another new feature: this is where members can suggest new books, speakers, field trips or whatever good ideas you have. And, you will find a link to a new Calendar on the home page; it shows library hours, committee and board meeting dates, our classes and events and everything else that is happening at CGS.

It may take a few visits to get used to the new layout but once you do, we hope you will agree that the site is much improved. If you have suggestions of what can be made even better, now you have an easy way to share your ideas.

Copyright © 2019 by California Genealogical Society

CGS Champions: Our Shelf-Read Team

Our champion shelf read team at work

Chris Pattillo writes:

Recently whenever I have visited the library I’ve seen one or more CGS volunteers working on the shelf-read project. The other day I chatted with Arlene Miles, co-chair of the Library Committee, about this project, and learned that it is a two-part undertaking that began over a year ago. Part one was the “shelf read,” which is a spot check to make sure the books on the shelf are in the correct order and that no books have inadvertently been pushed back behind others. With volunteers coming in every Thursday to tackle the task, it took about seven or eight months to complete.

Linda Edwards, focused

Vic and Karen Halfon completed most of the shelf-read work. On this day, they were joined by Gibran Rath, Wendy Polivka and Linda Edwards, who were at the library working on the second part of the task - doing an inventory.

The inventory involves printing a list of the books we are supposed to have from the catalog and comparing that list to what is found on the shelf. Sounds easy enough; but it is not quite so simple. If a book does not appear in its proper place on the shelf these volunteers must first check if it is somewhere else in the library before they declare it missing.

Another volunteer, Phil Hoehn, reviews the completed lists and double-checks to confirm if a book is missing. If he cannot find it, Phil edits the catalog listing. Occasionally, a book is found on the shelves that was not listed on the inventory. In these cases Phil catalogs the book.

Gibran, Karen and Linda teamed up

This work requires focus and attention to detail. Fortunately, we have a great team of volunteers who show up faithfully and seem to enjoy working together. Next time you see one of them, be sure to say thank you. It takes a community to maintain our library – we are lucky to have members like Vic, Karen, Gibran, Phil, Wendy and Linda. 

Copyright © 2019 by California Genealogical Society

Our Library Collections: Wyoming

One in a series by CGS member Chris Pattillo, highlighting some of our holdings at the Library in Oakland.  For a fuller listing of books, journals, and more, consult the CGS Library catalog in WorldCat.

Bareback rider at Wyoming rodeo

Our hard-copy books shelved in the Wyoming section are modest – only five books. But our online card catalog indicates that we have forty-nine print books, fifteen articles, nine journals and two maps. The seeming discrepancy can be accounted for because Wyoming information is included in books filed in other sections of the library. The five books shelved under Wyoming look very interesting. The section begins with West of Yesteryear by Peg Layton Leonard, published in 1976. This book offers profiles of twenty-four pioneer families plus twenty-two profiles of early businesses in Wyoming. Part III is headed “Bits and Pieces” and includes chapters on Pioneer Graveyards, Frontier Life in Fetterman Country, Natural Bridge, Wyoming State Fair, A Glimpse at Courthouse History, and Christ Episcopal Church. The book includes good photographs.

A history book about Fort Bridger

Next is Fort Bridger, Wyoming: A Brief History by Robert S. Ellison. This too provides a narrative on pioneer life. “This little volume is the only complete history of Fort Bridger that has been written; and it has been prepared by the one man who knows it best.”

Letters of a Woman Homesteader by Elinore Pruitt Stewart was published in 1913. The book is divided into twenty-six chapters, each telling the story of a pioneer woman and her homesteading experience. Chapter headings are enticing: "The Horse-Thieves," "At Gavotte’s Camp," "A Thanksgiving-Day Wedding," "A Confession," and much more.

An ad in the
Cheyenne business directory

We also have a copy of History and Business Directory of Cheyenne and Guide to the Mining Regions of the Rocky Mountains. Clearly this is a specialized reference, but if you happen to have family who were miners in Cheyenne you will be delighted to find the book.

Finally we have Pages From Converse County’s Past – a centennial book published in 1986. Like other books of its type, it is filled with bios of local families and histories of events, Churches, Communities, Mines, Organizations, Schools, Land Acquisitions by Homesteading, and lists of County officials. This book is also filled with lots of photos.

One of many photos in Pages From Converse County's Past

Copyright © 2019 by California Genealogical Society

Meet the President: James Sorenson

James Sorenson, current CGS President

In July 2019, CGS Board President Vicky Kolakowski stepped down and Vice President James Sorenson assumed the duties of president. For many longtime CGS members, Jim needs no introduction. He has served previously on the Board in various capacities, including as tech liaison. He’s been a member of the society since 2007, volunteering on the Research Committee, leading research trips to the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, and serving the society in many other ways. He was the project manager for the 2011 publication Insider’s Guide to California Genealogy.

In person, Jim is congenial and easygoing, with a dry sense of humor. He opened his first board meeting as President with the following comments:

“In the middle of the CGS logo is a ship under sail. I’m the new captain of that ship with its unpaid crew. Walking the plank and public flogging are not productive; I don’t have a sparkling personality. I do offer: reasoning, understanding, determination and guidance. As your leader, I’m now the highest paid member of CGS, an organization where all of the women are paid as much as the men.”

Make no mistake; this laid-back demeanor masks a sharp mind and numerous talents. Jim is extremely well versed in history, according to his friend and colleague Pat Smith. “If you mention a battle in the Civil War, he knows exactly when and where it happened, and who was there,” she says. Jim’s background is in finance; he worked for thirty-eight years with Lockheed Martin in the overhead budget, financial forecast and government finance arena. His expertise has been key in helping CGS to thrive and succeed as an organization. A life member of CGS and an early donor to the Capital Campaign, Jim strongly believes that the California Genealogical Society is an institution that contributes to our local community and to our collective history.

Jim’s interest in family history dates back to his high school years, and genealogy resurfaced as a serious pursuit in 1994. It’s been a series of adventures since then, with Jim discovering long-lost facts in both his own and his wife’s family trees. With the advent of DNA as a genealogical tool, Jim recently uncovered some more surprises in his family. “Genealogy isn’t for everyone,” he says. “You shouldn’t pursue it if you can’t handle the fact that your ancestors were human and that most families have secrets unknown to the current generation.”

Aye aye, Captain. It's good to have you at the helm.

Copyright © 2019 by California Genealogical Society

Our Library Collections: Wisconsin

Our library has many Wisconsin history books

One in a series by CGS member Chris Pattillo, highlighting some of our holdings at the Library in Oakland.  For a fuller listing of books, journals, and more, consult the CGS Library catalog in WorldCat.

Our collection of books for Wisconsin is unique for its sameness. We have a disproportionate number of books about the history of the state and counties plus a number of biographies. This fact no doubt reflects the interests of the individuals who donated these books to our library.

Our collections starts and ends with two sets of journals. The first is Wisconsin State Genealogical Society Newsletter beginning in 1955 and continuing to the current issues. Featured in the most recent issue is “Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President” – sounds intriguing. I was impressed to find a list of their scheduled webinar topics, one for each month of the year. Much of the newsletter consists of announcements of upcoming events much like our eNews.

Recent edition of the Wisconsin
State Genealogical Society Newsletter

Our second set of journals is the French Canadian/Acadian Genealogists of Wisconsin. We have copies from 1988 to 2010. Its style is very similar to our own Nugget.

Towards the end of the Wisconsin collection the topics are more diverse. One such book is History of the Oshkosh Welsh Settlement, 1847-1947. This provides the history of the Welsh of Winnebago and Fond du Lac counties. It was edited by Rev. David Davies and translated by Hanes Y. Cymry. 

Example of photo collections in History of the Oshkosh
Welsh Settlement

Copyright © 2019 by California Genealogical Society

Our Library Collections: West Virginia

Our West Virginia has a book about highway
markers

One in a series by CGS member Chris Pattillo,  highlighting some of our holdings at the Library in Oakland.  For a fuller listing of books, journals, and more, consult the CGS Library catalog in WorldCat.

At first glance, our collection of books for West Virginia seems to include a notable number of interesting books. Compared to other states I’ve written about there are fewer of what I would term “traditional” genealogy books – compilations of data on pioneers, marriage, death, bible records, etc. There are more books on unique topics. The first book in this category is West Virginia Highway Markers – about those small metal signs you see throughout the country. My personal perception is that the southern United States have more than their share of these signs, which I found very helpful while traveling in the south. While not primarily genealogical reading, these mini-history markers are a quick way to learn about the highlights of local history.

Indian Warfare and Massacres on the West Virginia Frontier is another somewhat unusual reference. We have two volumes of this book. Each chapter includes several articles. Chapter 5 is all about pioneer women and Chapter 6 contains personal recollections of persons living on the frontier during the Indian wars.

Indian Warfare and Massacres on the West
Virginia Frontier

For a good overview of the state you could choose to look at The 55 West Virginias: A Guide to the State’s Counties by E. Lee North. Each county is summarized in two pages. Articles include a couple of photos, a short narrative, a location map, a larger map showing the featured county and what counties surround it, an economic profile and a table of statistics for that county.

History of The Pan-Handle: Being Historical Collections of the Counties of Ohio, Brooke, Marshall and Hancock, West Virginia is a hefty volume with over 500 pages of fine print. First published in 1879, it was donated to CGS by Stanley Ross. The book includes a number of nice illustrations and individual biographies.

55 West Virginias provides concise data on each
West Virginia county

We have four volumes of Family Stories & Bible Records of Central West Virginia. These are extracts from the Clarksburg Exponent Telegram, and provide detailed biographies for families. An example is a profile of Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Stonestreet of Near Wolf Summit during their sixty years of marriage. Chapter subheadings tell us what sort of information is included. They include: "English Stock," "Friends Form Screen," "Recalls Trip," "Nine Children," "Drove Sheep on Foot," "Buried on Tenmile," "Married Wetzel Farmer," "Two Sons Marry," "Mathematics Instructor," "Court Reporter," "Invalid at 17," "Union Soldier, Killed at Antietam," "Weds Three Times," ""Dies of Infection," "Husband Stayed on Farm, …. And it continues with nine additional topics. Who wouldn’t love to discover one such article about their ancestors?

Copyright © 2019 by California Genealogical Society

Report from the FGS Conference in Washington, D. C.

CGS was well represented at the National Conference of the Federation of Genealogical Societies, held August 21-24 in Washington, D. C. The event offered four full days jam-packed with interesting speakers and exhibitors on a multitude of topics. “It was hard to choose classes because there were so many offered,” said CGS past president Linda Okazaki, who was among our members in attendance.

Kathryn Doyle, James Russell, Katie Welka, Pamela Brigham,
and Linda Okazaki at last month's FGS Conference

The conference was held at the historic Omni Shoreham Hotel, the site of every Presidential inaugural ball dating back to Franklin Roosevelt’s administration. Many attendees enjoyed a 1930s-themed party on Friday night, which featured dancing to a live traditional jazz band. Guests were invited to come dressed as a favorite ancestor from the 1930s. 

Katherine Wilson and Linda Okazaki in 1930s dress

The big news this year was the announcement of the planned merger between FGS and NGS (the National Genealogical Society). This has been widely covered and was discussed in a previous blog post.

Next year's FGS Conference (the last before the two societies merge) will be held in Kansas City.

Photos courtesy Linda Okazaki

Copyright © 2019 by California Genealogical Society

September 2019 Events

Happy September!

We have no shortage of exciting events coming up this fall. Here's a quick look at some things happening this month:

September 7: Our 1st Saturday free "Intro to Genealogy" course returns. We've come full circle and are starting this month with "Genealogy Basics"; a great class for beginners or a great refresher course for those who need it. Pam Miller is the instructor.

September 11: Trolley Tour of Cypress Lawn Cemetery. A chance to enjoy the vast, scenic grounds of this beautiful cemetery in Colma from the comfort of an air-conditioned historical trolley. At this writing, we still have a few seats available. Let's fill up the bus!

September 14: Cindy Thomson discusses "Immigrant Sugar Plantation Workers in Hawaii: A Multi-Ethnic Approach to Genealogy," sharing her thoughts on researching immigrants who came to work in Hawaii in the 19th century from many different countries, including Korea, Japan, China, Germany, and Australia.

September 21: If you use Family Tree Maker, you'll want to attend the monthly meeting of the FTM group to discuss the recently released Family Tree Maker 2019. Ron Madson and Karen Halfon will be on hand to take questions and offer tips on FTM.

September 28: Jim Russell leads an advanced course on "Genetic Networks and Cluster Research" for genealogists who use DNA evidence in their research.

Don't forget about our various Special Interest Groups (SIGs), which focus on topics ranging from Eastern European genealogy to Mayflower descendants.


All our Events can be found listed at the CGS Facebook page

Or on our website:

Or at EventBrite.com (search for "California Genealogical Society")

Copyright © 2019 by California Genealogical Society

Our Library Collections: Washington

A photo of the Lindstrom family from the The Researcher

One in a series by CGS member Chris Pattillo, highlighting some of our holdings at the Library in Oakland.  For a fuller listing of books, journals, and more, consult the CGS Library catalog in WorldCat.

Our collection of hard copy books for the state of Washington occupies two shelves in the Dorman Room. It includes a good selection of the standard fare of genealogical sourcebooks including cemetery and death records, marriage, pioneers, and bible records and several histories for the state.

There are two sets of journals. The first, East Washington Genealogical Society Bulletin, is limited to the years 1970-1971. The other, The Researcher, published by Tacoma-Pierce County Genealogical Society, covers 1994 to 2001. The last edition we have of The Researcher is quite substantial, coming in at 114 pages. Featured articles include “Searching for Ladies: The Rumerfield Sisters,” “Ladies in the Shadow of the Mountain” and “Pierce County Pioneer Woman: Margaret Meyer Tiedeman." This caught my eye because of recent discussions at CGS about how to do more to help our members find their female ancestors.

Whitman Mission genealogies for the families
impacted by the Whitman massacre

A book of particular note is Whitman Mission, 29 Nov 1847 Families, including some Cayuse and Nez Perce. This book is a preliminary genealogical index compiled in 1998 by Warren Louis Forsyth. The book includes the family histories and genealogies of persons impacted by the Whitman massacre of 1847, when missionary Marcus Whitman, his wife Narcissa and eleven others were massacred by members of the Cayuse tribe because they suspected Whitman of poisoning 200 Cayuse tribe members who died of measles. On the cover page, the author added this note, “Yes, go copy what you want (including electronically, and microfilming & circulating film copies to branch libraries) of all pages for private use and public research/teaching study if proper identification is included.” Our copy appears to be such a bootleg copy, in that it has numerous hand-written annotations throughout the book.

A book about the San Juan Islands

Our collection includes a few county books and a half dozen directories. We also have San Juan Islands: The Cronstadt of the Pacific by Archite W. Shiels, published in 1938. For anyone planning a vacation to the San Jan Islands this looks like a good read.

Copyright © 2019 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

Our Library Collections: Virginia

William Wirt:  could this be the person my great uncle was
named after?

One in a series by CGS member Chris Pattillo highlighting some of our holdings at the Library in Oakland.  For a fuller listing of books, journals, and more, consult the CGS Library catalog in WorldCat.

At long last I’ve finally gotten to Virginia where my Pattillo ancestors are from. Fortunately for me and others with Virginia ancestors this is one of the largest sets of books in our library, occupying twenty-three shelves in section F221-235. I should also note that it is preceded by F206 and F209 that cover southern genealogy in general and section F213 that has books about southern plantations.

The collection starts with a small number of books about Virginia counties. These are books that cover multiple counties. As in other states our books on specific counties follow the books on statewide topics.

We have both volumes of Virginia Historical Index by E.G. Swem.  One of the cover pages notes that 425 copies were printed and we own set No. 195. These caught my eye because during one of my two visits to the State Library of Virginia I was startled to encounter our own Lavinia Schwarz in the library. At that time she emphatically insisted that I make time to visit the Swem library while I was in Virginia, so I know this is a good source. These books are an extensive index to articles that appear in other periodicals. Page 400 lists several Pattillos including twelve citations for James Pattillo. I have seventeen James Pattillos in my database so possibly some have made it into these journals.

There are three large collections of genealogy magazines for Virginia. The Virginia Genealogist starts in 1957 and continues to the current edition. We have the Virginia Magazine from 1941 to 1972 - the October 1972 issue of the Virginia Magazine begins with an article about William Wirt, described as “friend and confidante of four presidents. As a lawyer, he ranked with the best in the nation, appearing in many of the landmark cases before the Supreme Court … Identified by one legal historian as the “most beloved of American advocates …” My great-grandparents named their first born Wirt W. Pattillo in 1880 – an unusual name that I’ve found nowhere else in the family. Is it possible they named this son after the statesman?

Our stacks hold eight volumes of Cavaliers and
Pioneers for the state of Virginia

We have eight volumes of Cavaliers and Pioneers Abstracts of Virginia Land Patents and Grants by Nell Marion Nugent. This is a compilation of land ownership in Virginia beginning in 1607. Each entry provides a synopsis of land patents that were granted in a rather charming style. As an example, “Thomas Sully, of the Neck of Land in the Corp. of James City, Yeoman & old planter, 6 acs. Aug 14, 1624 p. 12. Within the island of James City E. upon Blockhouse field cleared in the time of the government of Sir Thomas Gates, extending towards the new blockhouse lately built. Part of the first dividend for his personal adventure.”

For those with Scotch-Irish ancestors we have three volumes of Chronicles of the Scotch-Irish Settlement in Virginia by Lyman Chalkley, published in 1989.

Many of our books are devoted to specific counties, including Mecklenburg County, where my ancestors lived for four generations. We have six books on Mecklenburg including Early Settlers, Mecklenburg County, Virginia compiled by Katherine B. Elliott, a very prolific genealogy researcher and writer.

A book for those with Scotch-Irish ancestors

Next time you visit the library, check our Virginia books – no telling what you might find.

Copyright © 2019 by California Genealogical Society

Our Library Collections: Vermont

Families of Cavendish focuses on
Windsor County, Vermont

One in a series by CGS member Chris Pattillo highlighting some of our holdings at the Library in Oakland.  For a fuller listing of books, journals, and more, consult the CGS Library catalog in WorldCat.

 Our Vermont books occupy five and a half shelves in the library. Most of the space is occupied by the bulletin of the Genealogical Society of Vermont, Branches & Twigs. Our copies cover the period of 1982 to 1995. We also have the Index to Branches and Twigs for 1972-1995, donated by Kathy Beals in 2000. Our set of the journal Vermont Genealogy begins in January 1996 and continues to the current issue.

We have three different state gazetteers for Vermont and at least three gazetteers for counties. There are two thick volumes of Genealogical and Family History of the State of Vermont by Hiram Carleton, each volume filled with more than 700 pages of dense information.

Photos of the Adams family

One of our county books is Volume 3 of Families of Cavendish: The Early Settlers of the Black River Valley in Windsor County, Vermont, compiled by Linda Margaret Farr Welch. This book covers the Adams, Blood, Burbank, French, Gammon, and Giddings families. The chapter on the Adams family includes a detailed family tree, short biographies, copies of the wills of Henry Adams, Samuel Adams, and Daniel Adams, and one page of portraits.

The History of Wallingford, Vermont by Walter Thorpe covers different periods of history and settlers, churches, libraries, industries, town war records, politics and more. It includes a nice variety of photographs and sketches.

A sketch from History of Wallingford

Copyright © 2019 by California Genealogical Society

For Members: Trolley Tour of Cypress Lawn, September 11

For members, here is a chance to visit one of Colma's largest and most scenic historic cemeteries, all while riding on a vintage trolley! A great way to see much of this large and beautiful cemetery. This is a CGS members-only event. The tour is geared to genealogists, and is limited to 24 participants--register soon! Details at EventBrite.




Copyright © 2019 by California Genealogical Society

Our Library Collections: Utah

One of many color illustrations in Utah Profile

One in a series by CGS member Chris Pattillo highlighting some of our holdings at the Library in Oakland.  For a fuller listing of books, journals, and more, consult the CGS Library catalog in WorldCat.

 Our Utah books are cataloged in section F821 – 835. As I looked for this state in our library I presumed that we would have a large number of books for the state of Utah so I was surprised to see that in fact there is only one shelf of hard copy books – many fewer than for many other states.

Utah begins with thirty bound volumes of Utah & Historical Magazine covering the period 1910 to 1940. These were published by the Genealogical Society of Utah in Salt Lake City that has been in existence four years longer than our society having been organized in 1894. Each volume includes a list of articles found in the bound collection at the end of the book along with an index.

We have a three-volume set titled Utah, The Storied Domain: A Documentary History of Utah’s Eventful Career by J. Cecil Alter, published in 1932. The cover page tells us these volumes comprise “The Thrilling Story of Her People from the Indians of Yesterday to the Industrialists of Today.” Volume One has 37 chapters that cover myriad topics.

Another illustration from Utah Profile

Our Utah collection includes two of three volumes of Heart Throbs of the West: A Unique Volume Treating Definite Subjects of Western History compiled by Kate B. Carter. From the title I was expecting tales of Errol Flynn, but instead learned that the book covers twenty-four phases of pioneer life. The table of contents offers some enticing topics including "Historical Miracles of Pioneer Days," a chapter on pioneer women and pioneer recipes.

Kate Carter is the author of Heartthrobs
of the West

Utah Profile is an unusual source for our library. It was published by American Heritage Publications and falls in the category of “coffee table books” as far as I can see. It consists of over 400 pages of glossy, color and black and white photographs covering government, education, the arts, religions, sports, film commissions and more.

Sketches of the Inter-Mountain States: Utah, Idaho, and Nevada, published in 1909, is a more typical book for our library in that it presents profiles on the leading men who were active in the development of these three states. This resource includes biographies with photographs and a wealth of information on the history and industries of each state. 

Copyright © 2019 by California Genealogical Society