Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday
CGS March Membership Meeting with Frances Dinkelspiel
Saturday, March 14, 2009

Photographs by Kathryn M. Doyle, Oakland, California.

Elderberries Visit CGS

The CGS Library hosted a small group from St. John's Episcopal Church in Oakland's Montclair District on March 11, 2009. The nine "Elderberries" arrived at 10:00 a.m. for a tour of the library and a brief talk by CGS President Jane Lindsey about the basics of genealogy research.




CGS members Dick Rees and Judy Bodycote were on hand to help them get started and assist with some basic computer searches. The group stayed for lunch and resumed their research in the afternoon until their departure at 2:00 p.m.




Margaret "Margie" Bowman, who is a member of both the Elderberries and the California Genealogical Society, made the arrangements for the visit.




The Elderberries group "offers fun, fellowship and philanthropy" to the "60-plus" members of the St. John's congregation. Their pastor, Rev. Elaine Reichert, who was unable to attend the CGS outing, put out a call to members to think of some interesting local places to go. Margie, who joined CGS last year, thought that the CGS Library fit the bill nicely.




Although most of the nine visitors have not pursued genealogy as a hobby in the past, we hope that their visit has inspired them to continue the search.




The society welcomes interested groups to tour the library and spend time exploring our genealogy resources. E-mail the society or call 510-663-1358 to schedule a group visit.

Photographs by Kathryn M. Doyle, 3/11/2009, Oakland, California.

A Mini-Bloggers' Summit at CGS

Sheri challenged me to get this up right away and Cheryl said I could hint at her secret so I'm putting up this quick post to share the photo of our mini-summit this afternoon at the California Genealogical Society March Membership Meeting.

Jennifer Regan, Cheryl Palmer, Sheri Fenley and Kathryn Doyle.

Jennifer Jones Regan of Rainy Day Genealogy Readings and Graveyard Rabbit of Contra Costa County; Cheryl Palmer of Heritage Happens and Graveyard Rabbit of South Alameda County and Sheri Beffort Fenley of The Educated Genealogist and The Educated Graveyard Rabbit are three busy blogging ladies! (And they are a lot of FUN.)

Cheryl changed her plans to come to the meeting to hear Frances Dinkelspiel talk about her book Towers of Gold. Sheri brought her sister-in-law who is a Hellman Heller and is related to Frances. Jenn was wearing her green and chose the meeting over the St. Patrick's Day Parade in San Francisco.

Just so you know that the society is "equal-opportunity" - CGS does have two male bloggers who weren't at the meeting today. Steve Danko is in Houston attending the Family Tree DNA Conference on Genetic Genealogy and Craig Manson of GeneaBlogie has not made it to a CGS meeting since he joined the society last year.

Are there any other CGS members out there who are blogging genealogy?

Photograph by Tim Cox, 3/14/2009, Oakland, California.

A Tribute to Dorothy Fowler (1927-2009)

"We were awaked by a most dreadful earthquake." Those words written by Sarah Phillips on April 18, 1906, were lost to the world until Dorothy Fowler brought them back to life one hundred years later with the publication of A Most Dreadful Earthquake. Researcher, editor, author and long-time volunteer and friend of CGS, Dorothy Helen Fowler died on February 26, 2009 in San Francisco. Dorothy's entire life was a testament to the art of writing and it is an honor to write this tribute to her.

A native of Clawson, Michigan, Dorothy came west to California with her family when she was seven, before settling in Grants Pass, Oregon. She obtained a B.A. in English from the University of Oregon in Eugene.

High school graduation, 1948

Dorothy's first taste of the publishing world came early when she served as editor of her high school year book. After college she moved to New York City and held a number of jobs in advertising, publishing and editing before returning to California. Dorothy once labeled herself a "job hopper" but her work was always about the written word. Her thirty year career with the State of California was spent working in research and report writing for the Departments of Public Health, Employment and Industrial Relations.

Dorothy joined CGS in 1984 and for over twenty years she was one of the reliable "Thursday group" who came in weekly to volunteer. Dorothy served on both the Library Committee and the Membership Committee and she was involved in various indexing projects. For the society centennial in 1998, Dorothy combed the archives and wrote a history entitled The California Genealogical Society's Library – A Century of Growth.

1998 was the same year that the long-lost packet of forty letters was discovered in a misplaced box after the society's move to a new location. Like many genealogists, Dorothy enjoyed mysteries so a small preservation project evolved into a full-blown research endeavor which ultimately resulted in the publication of A Most Dreadful Earthquake: A First Hand Account of the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and Fire – with Glimpses into the Lives of the Phillips-Jones Letter Writers.

Shirley Thomson worked closely with Dorothy on AMDE. She shared these thoughts:

In the process of preparing the manuscript of A MOST DREADFUL EARTHQUAKE for its eventual form as a book, I worked with Dorothy over some months in 2005. As an author, she was a joy: thorough, careful, documentation-perfect, attitude flexible, always willing to listen to suggestions, ready to go the extra mile to provide whatever was needed. She told me very clearly that her ego was not embedded in the words on her page; she could deal with—even appreciate—editorial help. Wow! That’s a rare and much-appreciated talent. She was ever generous to CGS, a kind and thoughtful friend.

Dorothy Fowler (1927-2009)

Members and friends of Dorothy will gather at the California Genealogical Society on Thursday, April 9, 2009 at 1:00 p.m. to remember Dorothy and to meet her brother, Walter Henry Fowler, his wife Etta Mae and their daughter Lisa.

Photographs courtesy of Lisa Fowler.

Submitted to the 68th Edition of the Carnival of Genealogy: A Tribute to Women.

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Scots-Irish Research Consultations

Fintan Mullan and Dr. Brian Trainor
CGS Library
Friday, March 6, 2009

Photographs courtesy of Jane Lindsey and Kathryn Doyle.

Workshop: Microsoft Word Skills for Genealogists - April 11, 2009

Microsoft Word Skills for Genealogists – Formatting Styles, Footnotes and Indexing
A Publishing Workshop with Matthew Berry

Saturday, April 11, 2009
10:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
California Genealogical Society Library
2201 Broadway, Suite LL2, Oakland, California

Join CGS member Matthew Berry for this skills building workshop designed to help give genealogists the practical tools they need to go beyond the basics of Microsoft Office Word. Follow Matt's step-by-step tutorial and learn to create an organized family history with information that is easy to find using:

· Consistent formatting of information
· Footnotes or endnotes to document ancillary information, especially sources
· A comprehensive index and table of contents.

Please note that MS Word 2003 will be used for illustrations but instructions will also be provided for MS Word 2007.

The workshop day will consist of lecture material with handout, a lunch break and a "hands-on" session so attendees can practice their new skills. Members are encouraged to bring laptop computers; the six CGS computers may not all be available for the program.

Bring a brown bag for lunch or, if you prefer, there is a nearby deli where you can buy a sandwich and bring it back to the library.

The workshop is FREE for CGS members but is limited to fifteen people. There will be a sign-up fee of $10 for non-members. (This 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 CGS at 510-663-1358 or E-mail CGSLevents@gmail.com to reserve a space.

Matthew Berry is a San Diego native who came to the Bay Area at a young age and grew up in Foster City. He received his B.A. and M.S. degrees from the University of California, Berkeley, and M.B.A. from Santa Clara University. His first career was as a satellite systems engineer at Lockheed Martin for fifteen years; he is now Project Manager at Wells Fargo Bank in San Francisco. Seeing what he calls "a cool computer program" for entering family information at a family reunion in 2003 sparked an interest in genealogy, which was subsequently fueled by a desire to consolidate the genealogical work of several other family members. Matt lives in Livermore with Karen, his wife of 15 years, and daughter Christa.

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday
CGS member volunteer Marilyn Willats

Photograph by Kathryn M. Doyle, 1/13/2009, Oakland, California

Countdown to the Scots-Irish Seminar

Final preparations are being made for this Saturday's Scots-Irish Family History Research Seminar, March 7, 2009, at the new Oakland Airport Holiday Inn and Suites, 77 Hegenberger Road, Oakland, California. Please note that there are two Holiday Inns near the airport - this is the new one next door to the Hilton.

Fintan Mullan and Dr. Brian Trainor are coming from the Ulster Historical Foundation in Belfast and they're bringing a wide range of books to sell. Oakland is their first stop on this U.S. Lecture Tour so they will have a full selection and it is an opportunity to save shipping charges since their books are not sold in the United States.

One must-have title is Researching Scots-Irish Ancestors, The Essential Genealogical Guide to Early Modern Ulster, 1600-1800 by William Roulston. If you want to pre-plan your purchases be sure to check out their complete catalog at the Ulster Historical Foundation Bookstore website.

I hope to see many of you on Saturday. If you can't make it I'll post some of "what you missed" next week.

Back to Basics

Something unexpected happened last October during Family History Month when the California Genealogical Society teamed up with the Oakland Regional Family History Center to present a Beginning Genealogy series of four classes -- people came, lots of people came. A total of fifty students took advantage of the series, surprising organizers – but in a good way!

CGS President Jane Lindsey and Marge Bell, Assistant Director of the ORFHC, were the masterminds behind the joint venture. Marge recalls that Jane came up with the idea during a conversation the two had about ways to get more visitors to the libraries. The ORFHC has hosted lots of classes but Marge doesn't remember ever having more than 5 or 6 students attend any session.

Jane reported on the success of the Beginners Series to the CGS Board of Directors in November and she brought along a proposal for Intermediate classes in 2009. I recall that it was Jane Hufft, savvy editor of the new California Nugget, who suggested starting the next series of classes right away. Hufft recognized immediately that Jane and Marge had created a winning formula and that the society should piggyback on their success.

Was she ever right! The eight-session Intermediate Series started on January 17 and the response has been overwhelming. Classes are filled to capacity – thirty students on Saturdays at CGS and fifty at the ORFHC sessions on Tuesdays – so a waiting list had to be created. Registration fliers for more classes starting in April are already available for download at the CGS website.

What exactly is behind the success? Jane and Marge aren't really sure. Certainly the price is right – the classes are free with just a nominal ($15) charge for the series syllabus – especially in this economic environment. And the instructors must be doing something right – more than half of those who took the beginners classes re-upped, and some are bringing their friends.

But I think there's a bit more going on here. Much has been written about whether the Internet has helped or hurt genealogical society membership but no one disputes the fact that the Internet makes genealogy research seem easy. We know that it isn't and that at some point all that surfing and collecting will lead to a confused mess, if you don't know the basics.

In his post "Who Do You Think You Are?" Series is coming - are we ready for it?, Randy Seaver wrote about the potential fascination with family history likely to be sparked by the upcoming NBC television series. First he asked, "What should local and regional genealogy societies be doing to prepare for the anticipated swelling of interest after the series starts? Then Randy gave some answers including: "Have beginning genealogy classes ready to roll after 20 April."*

You're right, Randy, classes are the answer, but there is no need to wait – the interest is already out there. The California Genealogical Society and the Oakland Regional Family History Center found that out when we went with the basics.


*The start date for WDYTYA has been pushed back to the summer.

Wordless Wednesday

Lunch hour at CGS

Photograph courtesy of Jane Knowles Lindsey, February 10, 2009, Oakland, California.

Joseph Durocher and 83,232 Other Reasons to Search Pre-1905 San Francisco Deaths

Words like "coincidence" and "synchronicity" crop up rather frequently in genealogy blogs. Usually they are used to describe ancestral finds of the Psychic Roots variety like the ones I've labeled serendipity on the CGSL blog. But today I had one of those weird, unexplainable connections with someone I've only met once and who lives about 400 miles away.

Pam Wiedenbeck and I met briefly last summer at the California State Genealogical Alliance breakfast on the second morning of the SCGS Jamboree. She started our little journey to the Twilight Zone from her home in the southern end of the state. Pam has been trying to break down one of her French-Canadian brick walls by systematically reviewing all of the pertinent documents and data. She stumbled upon my CGS business card just after reviewing an early San Francisco death and sent me this email:

Hi Kathryn,

We had a fairly lively discussion of death records in San Francisco for times prior to 1905. I had actually had fairly good luck in Salt Lake City finding one of my Michigan ancestors who died in San Francisco in 1902. Since I am working on a family mystery right now, I came across the record. It was in the "Mortuary Book of the City and County of San Francisco". This must have been indexed. Anyhow, the film number where I found my ancestor in SLC was 0975834. I found this record in 1998 -- and it unlocked alot for me. With this record, I was able to get a death certificate from SF County.

Anyhow -- thought you would like to know where I found this. If your society is indexing and publishing, this might be a road to travel.

Thanks again for last year's great discussion,
Pam Wiedenbeck, President, SCGS

What Pam didn't know is that CGS has traveled this exact road. After months of work, a new database – Pre-1905 San Francisco Deaths – is finally up and running. It's part of The California Names Index and I've been working on a series of blog posts about the CGS Research Committee and this collection of indexed records which can be searched on the society website.

Needless to say, I was surprised at the timing and I wrote back to Pam to ask her to put our new database to the test. I sent her the link to our website's California Names Index search page.

This is her result:


Joseph Durocher was a wooden ship builder who came to San Francisco to work and was killed in an industrial accident in 1902. Entry 7209 is the record number of the coroner's entry.

What I learned from Pam is that Joseph left his family behind in Michigan to look for work. He spent his whole life there but he died here. His death record is one of the 83,233 Pre-1905 Deaths that somehow managed to survive the devastating 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and Fire which destroyed most of the vital records of the city.

Joseph's death record was found by a descendant 96 years later who told me today so I can tell you to go and search The California Names Index. And let me know if you find something unexpected.

How An Item in the Personals Led to a Photo I.D.

My favorite type of genealogical pastime is newspaper research. I've wiled away more hours than I care to admit scrolling through microfilmed papers borrowed through inter-library loan from the Pennsylvania State Library. Obituaries, legal notices, passenger arrivals and news articles provide important information and often point to documents needed for the search. But the really fun stuff resides in the personal columns – the collections of gossip often grouped by neighborhood or town – that offer glimpses into the lives of our ancestors.

Lookups volunteer Patricia Smith stumbled on to a personal item in an Indiana newspaper that led to an unexpected find when the California Genealogical Society acquired NewspaperARCHIVE.com last summer.

According to Pat, CGS President Jane Lindsey was helping her to navigate the site and found an item in the personals about the 50th anniversary of Pat's great-grandparents, Alanson and Laura Ross, in The Fort Wayne Journal Gazette. It was published " Tuesday morning" January 2, 1917, under the headline "Pleasant Lake News."

Mr. and Mrs. Alson Ross celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary last Sunday and a public reception was given them at the home of their daughter, Mrs. Frank Chadwick, from 2 to 4 p.m. The Pleasant Lake concert orchestra furnished music during the afternoon. Mr. and Mrs. Ross were seated in the large window beautifully decorated for the occasion. Those present from a distance were: Mrs. Lucey Widney, of Auburn; Otto Ross and wife, of Louisville, Ky.; Bessie Cross of Fort Wayne; Mrs. Bert McNett and children of Nevada Mills; Donn Ross and wife of Monpelier, O. Miss Laura McEthenie sang "Put on Your Old Grey Bonnett." L.L. Matson gave a short eulogy on the couple and closed by reading Riley's "That Old Sweetheart of Mine." Mrs. Frank Chadwick gave a short poem on "Mother." Miss Helen Huffman read "When This Old Ring Was New" with Miss Maurine Huffman presiding at the piano. A vocal solo, "Silver Threads Among the Gold," was sung by Maurine Huffman. Light refreshments were served, after which the Ross family sang "Bless Be the Tie That Bonds," with the guests joining in the chorus. It is not often that a couple celebrates their fiftieth anniversary who are as supple and robust as Mr. and Mrs. Ross. Fred Fay was present and took the family picture.

Image from newspaperarchive.com.

The unexpected find happened when Pat went home and tried to decipher the family relationship of those named in the article. Pat explains:

I recognized the name "Mrs. Bert McNett" as that of my mother's cousin – Parepa Walker McNett – and I remembered that I had a family photograph that included her. When I retrieved it, I noticed that almost everyone mentioned in the article was in the photograph. On the back was written "Taken at Pleasant Lake, Indiana."

The family of Alanson and Laura Ross (left to right): Nellie Ross Chadwick, Alanson Ross, Don Ross, Parepa Walker McNett, Laura Ross, George McNett, Walker McNett, Bessie Ross Cross, Esther Westergren Ross, Ella Ritter Ross, Otto Ross, Gertie Ross and Harry Ross.

On closer inspection, I could see that it was taken in the winter – you can see some snow on the ground. Parepa's little boys were born about 1913 and 1915 and would have been approximately four and two years old, if this photo was taken in 1917, which looks about right. I also know that Perapa had a daughter born late in 1917 and although her waistline isn't totally visible, she doesn't appear to be pregnant, or if she was, she was not far enough along to show.

The news item states that Fred Fay took the family picture and I think, given the above information, that this photo was taken on that January day in 1917.

Do you have a great story about a find made at the CGS Library? If so, leave a comment. Inquiring minds want to know!

Wordless Wednesday

CGS Research "Look-ups" Volunteers

Patricia Smith, Lavinia Schwarz, Judy Bodycote-Thomas

Photographs by Kathryn M. Doyle, Oakland, California.

See You at the SoCal Genealogy Jamboree?

Southern California Genealogical Society Jamboree
Burbank Airport Marriott and Convention Center
June 27-28, 2009

The Southern California Genealogy Jamboree blog is active again as Co-Chairs Paula Hinkle and Leo Myers and members of SCGS gear up for their annual meeting in June.

The 40th Annual Jamboree will be held Friday through Sunday, June 26-28, 2009, at the Burbank Airport Marriott Hotel and Convention Center. The focus of this year's Jamboree is British Isles research – English, Irish, Scottish and Welsh.

Paula has posted an impressive list of speakers, including CGS members Ron Arons, Stephen Danko, Craig Manson, Cath Trindle and Marston Watson. I'm especially looking forward to seeing old genea-blogger friends and meeting new ones at Saturday's Summit 2: Son of Blogger.

This year the California Genealogical Society and Library will be sharing a table in the Exhibit Hall with either the California State Genealogical Alliance or the Federation of Genealogical Societies. I'll be sure to keep you informed as the details are worked out. We're looking for members to help staff the table so please send me an e-mail if you can help.

For detailed information about schedule, speakers, genealogy exhibitors and more, visit the Jamboree blog.

March Membership Meeting - Frances Dinkelspiel

March Membership Meeting
Saturday, March 14, 2009
1:00 p.m.
CGS Library
2201 Broadway, Suite LL2
Oakland, California 94612

The California Genealogical Society is pleased to have local Bay Area author Frances Dinkelspiel as the guest speaker at our March membership meeting. Her book, Towers of Gold: How One Jewish Immigrant Named Isaias Hellman Created California, is a San Francisco Chronicle best-seller which has been getting rave reviews since its publication by St. Martins Press in November 2008.

Frances will share some of the backstory about how she learned about her great-great-grandfather and the eight years she spent researching and writing the book. Isaias Hellman’s story is a page-turner and a must-read for anyone interested in California history. The book is a who's who of the banking world made even more facinating by the tie-ins to today's financial crisis.

It's fitting that Frances lecture at the CGS Library because a bit of her research was done here - a small bit when compared to the time she spent at the California Historical Society reviewing some forty cartons of material containing over 50,000 pages of archival documents including letters, receipts, copy books, court cases and newspaper articles.

Dinkelspiel is a fifth-generation Californian who grew up in San Francisco. A graduate of Stanford University and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, she spent more than twenty years in the newspaper business, working as a general assignment reporter for Syracuse newspapers in upstate New York and the San Jose Mercury News. She has taught at the Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism at the University of California at Berkeley. Her freelance work has appeared in the New York Times, People Magazine, the San Francisco Chronicle, the Miami Herald, the Detroit Free Press and the Los Angeles Times.

Frances is also the author of a literary blog, Ghost Word: Ethereal Thoughts on Books and Writing
Please note that the short membership meeting starts promptly at 1:00 p.m. Frances' talk follows at about 1:20 p.m. She will be available afterward to autograph and sell books. Please arrive early.

Wordless Wednesday

Publications Committee Meeting

Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Kathryn Doyle, Nancy Peterson, Marianne Frey, Verne
Deubler, Jane Hufft, Barbara Close and Arlene Miles.

Photograph by Richard Rees, Oakland, California.

CGS is Going Green

The California Genealogical Society entered a new era of paperless communication after mailing the last official issue of the CGS News to members in December. Following the lead of many other societies, the CGS Board of Directors made the decision to "go green" and use electronic means as the major way to communicate with membership. The society will use four online avenues to stay in touch with members: the CGS e-News, the CGSL blog, the CGS website and the CGS Google calendar.

The CGS e-News, e-mailed to members and friends on the first of every month, is in its third year of publication. (I took over as editor in January 2008.) The monthly electronic newsletter features news about upcoming society meetings and events, suggested links, timely announcements and "CGS Ancestors" – a member-submitted photograph with accompanying family story. Up-to-the-minute society news is always available here at the CGSL blog. CGS member volunteers Larry Youngman and Marianne Frey are working hard to keep the CGS website updated with the latest information on upcoming events and program offerings. CGS Events volunteers Carolyn Steinberg and Tim Cox keep the online CGS Google calendar up-to-date. Detailed information about each entry is just one click away.

"Going green" freed up funds in the society budget to allow the reintroduction of a more scholarly journal. Newsletter editor Jane Hufft will turn her attention to the launch of The California Nugget which will be published twice a year beginning with the spring 2009 issue. Hufft has announced that her "goal is to provide a quality publication that will have something of interest for every member." The California Nugget will carry in-depth articles about California genealogy, contain help and guidance for those just beginning their research and provide book reviews. Hufft gave this list of the type of content she plans to feature: "Brick-wall stories, Hispanic research connected to California families, unique unpublished indexes, research highlighting early Bay Area settlers and 'cite-your-sources' articles."

Jane is soliciting manuscripts for The California Nugget from members. Precise submission guidelines will be made available in the first issue. Contact CGS or email Jane Hufft directly with a description of your manuscript.

Library Closed for President's Weekend

Please note that the California Genealogical Society Library will be closed on Saturday, February 14th (Valentine's Day) for the three-day President's Weekend. Monday, February 16, 2009 is the Washington's Birthday holiday.

The library re-opens on Thursday, February 19, 2009 at 9:00 a.m.

The CGS Library is open on Thursdays and Fridays from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m, on Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. and by appointment. Non-members are welcome for a $5.oo fee. The first Saturday of every month is free to all.

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday
CGS Manuscript Committee
Pat Bonderud and Linda Darby

Photograph by Kathryn M. Doyle, 7/31/2008, Oakland, California

French Canadian Interest Group

CGS members with an interest in French Canadian ancestry meet occasionally during the year to discuss research problems. Lorna Jones sent this announcement with the dates of the upcoming French-Canadian Interest Group meetings for 2009:

French-Canadian Interest Group members: (left to right) Mary Beth
Frederick, Al Riel, Lorna Jones, Bill O'Neil and Barry Goyette.
(Not shown: Jane Lindsey, Tom Gesner, Lynn Theuriet, & Ann Cyr.)

Do you have ancestors who may have moved to the mid-west in the early 1800s? Or perhaps some who were born in Canada, but the exact location is unknown? The American-Canadian border was easily crossed; many others came up the Mississippi via New Orleans to settle before the railways were built.

This year the French-Canadian Interest Group will meet at the CGS Library at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 9, 2009 and again on Saturday, September 12, 2009. The meetings are casual and unstructured – someone usually comes with a “brick wall” question and we all dive in and work on it. We frequently have “show and tell” where we share new websites, or a good book someone has found, or some new French translation list. We're a very low-key but entertaining group and the folks who attend are great.

If you would like to join us, please e-mail Lorna Jones to receive a reminder prior to the meetings.

Photograph courtesy of Jane Knowles Lindsey.

Test E-mail to CGS Members

A test e-mail is being sent to all CGS members with e-mail addresses on file. The communication has “CGS test e-mail" in the subject line. Members are requested to check their spam folders if they do not receive the test e-mail in their in-box. Successful receipt of the test e-mail means we have the correct address for you. If you do NOT receive this e-mail, please contact the society right away at calgen1898@calgensoc.org using the subject line “Response to CGS test” and, in the body of your e-mail, retype your correct and current e-mail address. We will respond to you.

When the last issue of the CGS Newsletter was snail-mailed last month, the society entered a new era of electronic communication. Obviously, we must have every member’s current e-mail address in order to effectively keep members up-to-date with society events and programs. We also are reminding you that if you manage personal e-mail on a work computer, CGS messages may be getting blocked.

Your membership e-mail and e-News e-mail have to be the same e-mail address for us. Please call us if you having difficulty with this requirement and we will help you find a resolution.

Members who do not have an e-mail address can arrange to receive a printed version of the e-News. Our records indicate that at this time, about seventy members fall into this category. Please note, members without an e-mail address will not be able to access the CGS members-only portion of the society’s website.

All CGS members without e-mail addresses on file will be contacted by telephone by a representative of the society to discuss this transition. We will be phoning members who fall into the following categories: those without e-mails; those whose e-mails have bounced back to us; those who have not opened the e-News, as far as this can be determined.

Wordless Wednesday

Intermediate Genealogy Series

Class 1 - Military Records
Susan Goss Johnston

Photograph courtesy of Jane Knowles Lindsey, Oakland, California, 1/20/2009

Change in Schedule for the Intermediate Genealogy Series

Jane Lindsey and Marge Bell sent this announcement:

Due to a family emergency the Land Record class being taught by Lavinia Schwarz on January 31 and Feb 2, 2009 has been rescheduled.

The updated schedule for the Intermediate Series of genealogy classes is as follows:

Jan 31 and Feb 2 - Church and Cemetery Records
Feb 7 and 10 - Reading and Transcribing Colonial Handwriting
Feb 21 and 24 - Newspaper Research
Feb 28 and Mar 3 - Land Records and Maps
Mar 14 and 17 - Immigration, Passenger Lists, Naturalizations and Passports
Mar 21 and 24 - People-Finders, Continuing Education and Giving Back

We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.

Allen County Public Library Research Tour 2009

August 16-23, 2009
Fort Wayne, Indiana

The fourth CGS Research Tour to the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana, takes place August 16-23, 2009. Join CGS President Jane Lindsey for a week-long trip to the best public genealogy library in the United States.

Whether you have visited before, or this is your first time, you will benefit from Jane's individualized attention to your research goals. Pre-planning meetings can be arranged by phone or in person prior to the trip.

Space is limited to fifteen participants. To ensure the minimum tour requirement of ten participants is met, a $200 deposit is required by June 15, 2009. The trip will be canceled if we do not have the minimum, so please E-mail Jane Lindsey as soon as possible, if you are interested in attending. Download the tour brochure from the society website. The registration flier was also distributed in the January issue of the CGS News.

Photograph of the interior of the library is from the Allen County Public Library website.

Wordless Wednesday

CGS Member Volunteers
Craig Siulinski and Nancy Hart Servin

Photograph by Kathryn Doyle, 10/23/2008

Penelope's Report on the North Star Workshop

I'm playing catch up and finally posting this report from CGS member Penelope Curtis on the North Star Workshop with Chris Enns which was held on Saturday, November 15, 2008, at the North Star Mine House designed by Julia Morgan.

The front of the North Star House.

On a not November-cool but unusually warm day, my husband Michael and I arrived at the House at 8:30 to finish cleaning up before our guests came. Michael swept the courtyard while I set up the historic display and put out the cups for the coffee & tea with pumpkin muffins. Soon Chris Enss drove up. She looked great in her 1900s outfit. After setting up her display in the library where we were going to have the morning session, Chris picked up a broom and began sweeping as she talked with Michael. Quite a sight!

Carole Miller, who has worked with me as a volunteer caring for the heritage roses and docent for house tours, joined us followed by Marie Nelson, Cindy Toffelmier, and Lucinda "Cindy" Woodward from the State Office of Historic Preservation. We began chatting about the history of the house while waiting for Carolyn Steinberg, a California Genealogical Society member, and her friend Rita Matheson. When they arrived I gave an historical overview of the North Star Mine, its various owners and a description of the buildings that made up the mine's operation. Carole then gave a history of the House's landscaping and the heritage roses that were rescued and nurtured back to life when the Nevada County Land Trust took possession of the House and surrounding property in 2004.

Chris passing out the workshop folders.

After a tour of the house with stories about Mary Hallock Foote, 19th Century author and illustrator; Arthur DeWint Foote, superintendent of the Mine, photographer, inventor and horticulturist; James D. Hague, North Star Mine owner; and, Julia Morgan, architect, we took seats in the library and got down to the business of hearing Chris Enss' "Historical Cold Cases: Tips to Conducting Your Own Investigation." My cold case ghosts, Mary Hallock Foote & Julia Morgan were apparitions behind me in the living room. Chris provided each attendee with helpful documents and forms she uses when she is researching her historical characters.

Chris Enss in front of the library fireplace.

Here are Chris' tips:

Tip 1. Prowl the Courthouse where marriage, divorce and birth records are kept. Sometimes a name will give a clue to a next step (www.cocourts.com).

2. Nose Around the Archives such as the National Archives which can give insights into our very early American ancestors (www.nationalarchives.gov).

3. Check Out the Church which from centuries back has been the repository of births, deaths and wills for the surrounding community. Also, the tombstones in the cemetery can reveal clues.

4. Hunt Through the Home especially the old attics where people have collected and left behind letters, wills, bibles & photographs. Surviving family members may have stories.

5. Tramp Through the Trades that are often in historical libraries. Trade directories have location information, services and the names of staff employed at the business.

6. Delve into the Dispensary or hospital where there may be patient records.

7. Poke Around the Pokey an unusual spot but may provide additional clues to a family's history.

8. Rove Over the Reports like the Dictionary of National Biographies in the local library. You never know who or what you'll discover.

9. Listen for Clues by exploring the oral history at the state archives which will have verified information.

10. Notice the Newspapers which have morgues where news is reported and obituaries are listed sometimes with biographical information not found any where else.

With much food for thought and growling stomachs, we headed out onto the terrace to eat lunch and discuss Chris' tips. After which, we adjourned to the dining room where Chris gave pointers on how to develop a book and get it published in today's very competitive world. Heydey and Arcadia are two publishing firms that feature historical books. They look for books with marketable subjects whose foreward is by a "celebrity" or well known figure. A catchy or controversial title will sell better. Book publishers today want, after a query letter, a full book proposal...how it will make money; who is the audience; and, potential ROI. They also require a sample of the contents with several chapters and a bibliography that shows the origination of your source material. When your book is accepted, then it is time to market your book. Marketing your book can become a full time activity.

At day's end around the dining room table. Left to right: Rita Matheson, Marie Nelson, Cindy Toffelmier, Carolyn Steinberg, author Chris Enns and Cindy Woodward.

Chris concluded the day with questions about having a follow-up workshop next spring. Everyone was very enthusiastic about the prospect and had ideas about expanding its content. It was determined that the next workshop will be a Saturday in March, International Women's History Month. Call Penelope Curtis if you are in the area and want a tour of the house – 530-274-1398.

Photographs courtesy of Penelope Curtis.

Book Repair Mascot - Who Are You?

I missed the deadline for the 9th edition of the Smile For the Camera Carnival of Images – Who Are You? – but I still wanted to share this portrait which hangs on the wall of the Frederick S. and Patricia M. Sherman Room at the library.

Rodney J. Hudson

Anne Robinson gave me the back story. It seems that this likeness of Rodney J. Hudson fell from the pages of a book as it was being repaired one second Tuesday by a member of the Book Repair Committee. With no identifying notation on its back and no apparent reason for its residence in the pages of the book, the committee unanimously decided to adopt the misplaced Mr. Hudson as their official mascot. It's now been a couple of years since they framed RJH and hung him prominently on the wall where he continues to oversee the activities of the group.

Mr. Rodney J. Hudson, who are you?

Wordless Wednesday

Annual Membership Meeting

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Photographs by Kathryn Doyle, 1/10/2009

What You Missed: The January Annual Business Meeting

With a nod to Miriam Robbins Midkiff and her "What You Missed" posts at the Eastern Washington Genealogical Society Blog (Miriam always says that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery), I'm reprinting the minutes of Annual Business Meeting. Very special thanks to Shirley Pugh Thomson, CGS Recording Secretary who submitted these minutes as her last act as she departs the board of directors.

The annual business meeting was called to order by President Jane Lindsey at 1:00 p.m. She distributed copies of minutes of the January 12, 2008, annual business meeting to the approximately fifty-five members attending and introduced the Board of Directors of 2008.

Vice President Verne Deubler provided copies of the proposed $118,750 budget for 2009, discussed various elements of it and pointed to the need to constrain expenses in the coming year. ACTION: Resolved, seconded, passed: That the 2009 budget is adopted as presented.

Nominating Committee chair Chris Pattillo presented the list of nominees for seats on the Board of Directors: Kathryn Doyle and Chris Pattillo, for second terms, and Stephen Harris, Cathy Paris, Carolyn Steinberg and Diana Wild for first terms. ACTION: Resolved, seconded, passed: That those people nominated for directorships are hereby elected. Directors
leaving the Board in January 2009 are Jane Hufft, Laura Spurrier and Shirley Thomson. Following the election, Jane briefly described plans being considered for revisions in directors’ areas of responsibility in 2009.

Activities of the various committees were reported by chairs Bill O’Neil, Lorna Wallace, Carolyn Steinberg, Chris Pattillo, Laura Spurrier, Sandy Fryer, Linda Darby, Kathryn Doyle, Nancy Peterson, Marianne Frey, Nancy Servin and Jane Lindsey.

Jane described a wide variety of events and activities being planned for the coming year and urged that members keep up to date on such matters by frequent visits to the CGS Web site and the CGS blogspot.

The meeting adjourned at 2:30 p.m.
Shirley Pugh Thomson, Recording Secretary

Questions? Leave a comment and I'll be glad to elaborate on any aspect of the annual meeting.

Chinese Research - El Cerrito Library - 1/22/09

CGS member Jeanie Low, author of China Connection: Finding Ancestral Roots for Chinese in America will present a one hour program on Chinese Genealogical Research at the El Cerrito Library on Thursday, January 22 at 7:00 p.m. The library is located at 6510 Stockton Ave, El Cerrito, California, a branch of the Contra Costa County Library system. The telephone number is (510) 526-7512. There will be time at the end of the program for questions and answers.

Ms. Low's research specialty is Chinese American research from the 1850's to the present. She has expertise in such topics as the Chinese Exclusion Acts, confession and amnesty, 20th century Alien A-Files for all ethnic groups, basic genealogical research and finding the ancestral village. Her transparencies encompass a sampling of gravestone translation, immigration and naturalization case files and family artifacts that will inspire anyone to begin, continue, to verify and piece together their family stories.

Since 1992, Jeanie has spoken to audiences at public libraries, the Oakland Museum, Chinese Historical Society of America, and at conferences sponsored by National Genealogical Society, California State Genealogical Alliance and the National Archives and Records Administration.

Born in San Francisco, Ms. Low is the child of immigrants who entered the U.S. through the Angel Island Immigration Station. She is a graduate of San Francisco State University, with a major in Chinese Studies. She engages her audiences with humor and historical context.

San Francisco Halsted Mortuary Records Database and Index Now Online

CGS members and sfgenealogy.com founders, Ron Filion and Pamela Storm sent this press release:

San Francisco, CA - January 7, 2009 - SFgenealogy.com has completed the first phase of indexing the Halsted Mortuary Records database. The indexing was performed by over sixty volunteers during the past year.

The database includes digitized images of over 45,000 mortuary records, along with a searchable index, for the years 1923 to 1960. The index has advanced surname search options such as Soundex and Metaphone, and wildcard searching.

The database may be searched and accessed for free at:
<http://www.sfgenealogy.net/php/halstedsearch/halstedindex.php>

The Halsted Mortuary merged with Halsted N. Gray - Carew & English, Inc. around 1974. It was one of the oldest and largest mortuaries in San Francisco. Some of the records include reinterments and military burials. Years prior to 1923 are being processed by the California Genealogical Society, and the years 1961 to 1974 are still to be indexed.

Contact:
Ron Filion or Pamela Storm
http://www.sfgenealogy.com/admin/contact.htm

Ron and Pam have been supportive members of the society with links to the CGS website and blog on their site. They're also among the many CGS members who have become Facebook friends. Be sure to join their sfgenealogy.com group on Facebook.

CGSL Blog Resolutions?

As much as I had to admit it, the time is past due to report on how I did with my goal for 2008 and to do some planning for the new year. It is difficult to face my total and complete failure to achieve my one objective for the year – to get one of the local media outlets to publish an article on CGS. I did get a "Nice pitch" e-mail from Judith Gallman, editor of Oakland Magazine but nothing came of it. Colleen Huntley thought she had a commitment from Bob MacKenzie of KTVU to do a piece on the society - we even had a date for him to visit the library. That fell through. Oh well... I'm trying to keep a positive outlook.

There is solace in the knowledge that after one year the blog has garnered some recognition in the genealogy blogosphere. Randy Seaver of Genea-Musings has bestowed his "Best of the Genea-Blogs" honor on the CGSL blog several times and recently Miriam Robbins Midkiff of the Eastern Washingon Genealogical Society Blog lauded CGS and the blog in her post One Society Bites the Dust; Another One Celebrates a Milepost. Both of them are stars in the genea-blogging world and stalwart leaders in their respective societies. Their support means so much.

I've mentioned before the balancing act I perform – using my voice to create a blog that is more than just society announcements and keeping the rest of me out of it. I think I have hit on a pretty good compromise. I've also settled on a fairly doable schedule – blogging three times a week, relying heavily on word-free posts on Wednesdays. (Thanks to Jane, Arlene and many other members who contribute Wordless Wednesday photographs.)

In the coming year I will be reporting on some of the genealogical activities of our more distant members. I'm constantly amazed at the variety of ways they contribute to the genealogy world.

I also plan to share more information from committee reports and board meetings – nuts and bolts kinds of things about the society and how it is run. Transparency is a word that seems to be cropping up a lot lately and members will be proud to learn about how well the society is being managed.

I will continue to share members' contributions – reports from national and local meetings, great genealogical finds, personal accomplishments, involvement in family history projects – keep the accounts coming!

CGSL Blog 2008 in Review

There's a new meme going around that was started by John Newmark of TransylvanianDutch. It's called the "Blog Year in Review in Twelve Sentences." You are supposed to post the first sentence of the first blog of each month in 2008. I've also included a link to each article. Here is the CGSL blog of 2008 in twelve sentences:

1. "Traditionally, January 1st is a day for New Year's Resolutions but many years ago I began instead to create a yearly set of Goals." – My Goal for 2008

2. "Today is the last day to reserve your place at the 110th Anniversary Celebration, this Saturday, February 9, 2008, at the Concord Hilton." – Countdown to the 110th

3. "Mark Tucker of the ThinkGenealogy blog, has developed an interesting Genealogy Research Map, a downloadable visual synopsis of the "concepts found in The Genealogical Proof Standard (GPS) from the Board for Certification of Genealogists and the many works of Elizabeth Shown Mills." – Mark Tucker's Genealogy Research Map

4. "One of the photographs from the CGS 110th anniversary bookmark, was this one taken on the wedding day of Clare and Alta McAllister THOMSON, parents of Thomas Thomson, who is the husband of Shirley Pugh Thomson, CGS board member and recording secretary." – Chronicling Events in a Horseless Carriage

5. "One of the items that Gary McMaster most wanted was a photograph of Corporal Harold Roberts." – A Face for Corporal Roberts

6. "One of the most important works to come through the CGS Publications Committee will never be assigned an ISBN (International Standard Book Number) or be found on the shelves of a library." – The CGS Style Sheet


7. "Yesterday the Footnote Maven introduced Wordle, described as 'a toy for generating word clouds from text that you provide.'" – Distracted by Wordle

8. "If you are interested in participating in the San Francisco Mortuary Records Indexing Project and you haven't signed up yet, you better get started because things are moving faster than anyone anticipated!" – Update on San Francisco Mortuary Records Indexing

9. "In celebration of October as Family History Month, the California Genealogical Society and the Oakland Regional Family History Center are combining resources and expertise to offer a four session Beginning Genealogy Course." – A Joint Venture for Family History Month

10. "CGS Desk Duty Committee Computer Inservice by Kathy Watson." – Wordless Wednesday

11. "The best thing about the recent Information Swap Meet for the tenants of 2201 Broadway was meeting so many nice people who work 'upstairs' in the Breuner Building." – The Great Wall of Oakland

12. "CGS member and Desk Duty volunteer Gaye Lenahan was the lucky winner of a full-tuition scholarship to the Got Genealogy Academy held November 14 - 15, 2008. – Gaye Lenahan's Report on the Got-Genealogy Academy