California Genealogical Society blog

28 July 2010

Wordless Wednesday

Posted by Kathryn Doyle

Tech Workshop with Tim Cox

Using Microsoft Word 2007 for Genealogy

Saturday, June 26, 2010

Photographs courtesy of Tim Cox, Oakland, California.

Copyright © 2010 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library

26 July 2010

Will You Join Us on Thursday Night?

Posted by Kathryn Doyle

Last Thursday, July 22, 2010, five participants attended the discussion group on French Canadian genealogy. Attendees had varying levels of expertise using French-Canadian records and by the evening's end, everyone had learned something new.

Some members came in to take advantage of the extended open hours at the library – until 8:30 p.m. on Thursdays in July and August. Between her weekday work schedule and weekend family commitments, member Lynn Theuriet rarely gets to visit the library. She was thrilled to be able to grab a few hours of research time and she is looking forward to the remaining five Thursday evenings to catch up on her genealogical pursuits.

Gary Darnstedt planned to attend the French Canadian discussion group but arrived at 9:00 a.m. to get in a full day of research. He spent his day with Dutch ancestral pursuits and worked on French-Canadian in the evening.

This coming Thursday, July 29, 2010, Tom Gesner will be leading a discussion on using NewEnglandAncestors.org – one of the subscription databases available at the library. Won't you join us?

RSVP online and let us know you are coming.

25 July 2010

San Francisco Bay Area Genealogy Calendar: August 2010 Published

Posted by Kathryn Doyle

August events have been published on the San Francisco Bay Area Genealogy Calendar – a collection of local genealogical society classes, workshops and meetings within a 75 mile radius of San Francisco.

The monthly list of Bay Area genealogy programs continues to grow as more societies submit their items to the calendar.

If you would like your group's events added to the calendar, please email the information by the 20th of each month for publication on the 25th. (Put "SFBA Calendar" in the subject line.)

Copyright © 2010 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library

23 July 2010

What You Missed: California's Newspapers with Dr. Henry Snyder

Posted by Kathryn Doyle

The newspaper is the most important printed source for local history and especially so for genealogists.
– Dr. Henry Snyder

On Saturday, July 10, 2010, at the CGS July membership meeting, Dr. Henry Snyder presented The California Newspaper: A Genealogical Treasure, What Survives, How to Find and Use It. Henry is a member of CGS and Professor of History Emeritus at the University of California, Riverside.

Dr. Snyder described the national umbrella project, The United States Newspaper Program, managed by the Library of Congress and funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Each state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands had a program which spent twenty-five years locating, cataloging, and microfilming newspapers published in the United States from the eighteenth century to the present.

Now retired, Snyder continues to offer assistance to The Center for Bibliographical Studies and Research (CBSR) at the University of California, Riverside, where he was the director of the California Newspaper Project from 1990 through 2009. He and his team scoured the state, chasing down any clues that might lead to a stash of old papers or microfilm. According to their website, "Close to 9,000 California newspapers were inventoried in over 1,400 repositories throughout the state, 1.5 million pages of California newspapers were preserved and made available on microfilm, and 100,000 rolls of negative microfilm rolls are being processed for permanent storage at the UC Regional Library Storage Facilities."

Although the first California newspaper wasn't published until 1846, the state has the third largest number of known titles after New York and Illinois. Papers have been published in thirty-nine different languages in the state, including Greek, Latin, Hebrew, Japanese and Chinese.

The state program has evolved into the California Digital Newspaper Collection. As of today, the collection contains 44,922 issues comprising 396,287 pages and 4,907,047 articles. Approximately 200,000 of these pages can also be accessed through Chronicling America on the Library of Congress website.

Copyright © 2010 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library

19 July 2010

Member Book - The California Snatch Racket: Kidnappings During the Prohibition and Depression Eras

Posted by Kathryn Doyle

CGS member James R. Smith is busy promoting his newest book:

The California Snatch Racket: Kidnappings During the Prohibition and Depression Eras

Bringing a dark and forgotten era into vivid life, this fascinating history explores a booming criminal enterprise that was spawned in California in the 1920s and 1930s. Exposing a spree of kidnappings referred to as the “snatch racket,” true accounts of the crimes and the unfortunate victims are revealed. Driven by greed, desperation, or sheer stupidity, this detailed discussion explains that the ransom artists preyed indiscriminately on Hollywood socialites, wealthy heiresses, and even the poor—while each new disappearance brought new headlines and sales to the newspaper companies.

Illustrating the manner in which even the simplest capers would often run tragically awry, fifteen bizarre and often ironic tales are presented, including how a modern city rose to lynch a pair of kidnappers, the college kids who chose to imitate Leopold and Loeb, and the famed evangelist who faked her own abduction to cover up an affair. Early forensic techniques are described, including the first documented call tracing using a bevy of operators in a phone chain, as well as the birth of the modern symbiotic relationship between the news media and high-profile crime, demonstrating how the sensationalism of personal tragedy became a source for increased media sales.

Jim is also the author of San Francisco's Lost Landmarks, published in 2004.

Copyright © 2010 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library

16 July 2010

Friday Report: 2010 Institute of Genealogy & Historical Research

Posted by Kathryn Doyle

This is Jeff Vaillant's final installment of his series from the Samford Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research (IGHR). Thanks so much, Jeff!

Friday was the “short” day with three presentations. Those of us staying in the dorms had to be out before breakfast so the rooms could be cleaned for a new group arriving in the afternoon. Samford University hosts many activities: youth sport camps, freshman orientation, and church organizational meetings. The decibel level in the cafeteria must have been in excess of 80!

Lloyd started the day talking about Church Records. His bibliography included surveys and denominational records. He drove home the point that understanding the religion of an ancestor will help in finding records. Two tidbits offered were the 903 churches in 1750 (465 Congregational, 288 Anglican and about 250 Quaker meeting houses) and that a “graveyard” is associated with a church whereas a “cemetery” is not.

John Colletta revealed our ancestors using nineteenth-century newspapers. I heard a similar presentation from him in Santa Rosa a few years ago. If you have heard John speak, then you know he is both entertaining and informative. Again, an excellent outline and bibliography was offered. John cited St. Louis as an example of why newspapers are important in research. Of the fifteen papers in print there in 1904: six were in English with four for the white community, one for the black community and one for the Jewish community. There were five German newspapers, two Czech, one Polish and one Italian publication. The Library of Congress has a newspaper collection as well as many state archives and local archives. There are several websites with varying newspaper collections available—mostly on a fee basis.

The last session was Lloyd’s opportunity to finish his discussion of church records and other tidbits, for which there was little time earlier in the week. Yes, we all got handsome certificates of completion.

My take on IGHR is that I now understand why people keep coming to the Institute. One can spend an entire week on Virginia records or Military records or Scottish records.

The June 12-17, 2011 Course Offerings are:

Techniques and Technology (Pamela Boyer Sayre)

Intermediate Genealogy and Historical Studies (Lloyd DeWitt Bockstruck)

Research in the South, Part 3 (Carolyn Earle Billingsley)

Advanced Methodology and Evidence Analysis (Elizabeth Shown Mills)

Writing and Publishing for Genealogists (Thomas W. Jones)

Advanced Library Research: Law Libraries and Government Documents (Ann Carter Fleming and Benjamin b. Spratling)

Virginia's Land and Military Conflicts & Their Effect on Migration (Barbara Vines Little)

Researching African-American Ancestors: Slave & Reconstruction Era Records (Frazine Taylor)

U.S. Military Records (Christine Rose)

Scottish Genealogical Research (Paul Milner)

I meet some splendid people while at the Institute. My next genealogical educational endeavor will be the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy in Salt Lake City, Utah in January. So, it will be from the frying pan of Birmingham to the freezer of SLC.

– Jeffrey Vaillant

Read the entire series:
Part 1 — Getting to IGHR: A Tale of Two Days
Part 2 — Monday Report
Part 3 — Tuesday Report
Part 4 — Wednesday Report
Part 5 — Thursday Report
Part 6 — Friday Report

Copyright © 2010 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library

15 July 2010

Thursday Report: 2010 Institute of Genealogy & Historical Research

Posted by Kathryn Doyle

Jeffrey Vaillant continues his series from the Samford Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research (IGHR).

Thursday was Bockstruck day! The definition of a walking encyclopedia is Lloyd. His first presentation was on Hereditary Societies and Their Records. His bibliography included history, directories, military, armigerous (right to use of coat of arms), occupational, ethnic, colonial, old world societies and geographical references. He illustrated many of the lineage societies with his own family.

Next he covered the topic of Migrations or Westward Expansion in two separate presentations. One interesting set of facts about immigration that he offered was the number of arrivals.

1620 – 1820: 650,000 people immigrated in 200 years

1820 – 1880: 10,000,000 arrived over the next 60 years

1880 – 1920: 25,000,000 in the next 40 years

Those are big numbers that stretch the brain to comprehend the impact made. A selfish thing that I found happening while listening was noting those references and aids which will help me in my own research. Most of the materials presented related to the Colonial period.

Lloyd finished the day talking about Special Collections. The points made were to survey the literature, become familiar with handbooks and guides to collections, stay current on genealogical literature, attend conferences, interact with other genealogists, and search computer data bases. Search the Family History Library catalogue, identify WPA inventories, use the NUCMC (National Union Catalog Manuscript Collection) and a touch of serendipity is useful too.

Thursday evening was the dinner banquet in the dining hall with Pamela Boyer Sayre talking about Lookin’ for Kinfolk, Dead or Alive. Hers was a light hearted presentation about field work and what might encounter.

14 July 2010

Wednesday Report: 2010 Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research

Posted by Kathryn Doyle

Jeffrey Vaillant continues his series from the Samford Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research (IGHR).

The morning began with an excellent presentation by Christine Rose on Correlation and Analysis of Evidence. She began the talk with a discussion of the Genealogical Proof Standard (GPS). She literally wrote the book on this subject. Rose spoke about the three classes of evidence which are (1) primary and secondary information, (2) direct and indirect evidence and (3) original and derivative sources. Then she spoke to the importance of evaluating the three classes of evidence. If one becomes stuck, she suggested the following:
List all the documents located

Examine for any local, county, state and/or federal items not examined.

Abstract each document into a Word document, then use the FIND function to review names and locations

Watch for clues on religion

Watch for clues on inherited property

As an aside, Christine Rose will be presenting a one day seminar for the Sonoma County Genealogical Society in Santa Rosa on April 16, 2011. This may have been the best lecture of the week.

Onomatology was the title of Lloyd de Witt Bockstruck’s talk. That is a big title devoted to talking about names and everything and anything that can happen with the surname we are all researching. And since word usage is big with Lloyd, on Monday I suggested “semi-posthumous child” for definition. If I understood Lloyd and wrote it down correctly, that term is used to define a child who is left material goods by a grandfather when the father is dead!

Lloyd distributed an extensive bibliography (five pages single spaced) that included general works, forenames and diminutives, name changes (by state) and language dictionaries. Another term to drop at the next genealogical society meeting is uxornecronyms—the name of the dead wife given to the child.

The afternoon was well spent with John Philip Colletta, Ph.D. who first spoke about Passenger Arrival Records from Colonial Times to Mid-twentieth Century. That is a lot of material which he supported with eight pages of outline and bibliography. I took away from this lecture his ideas on where to look if an ancestor arrives before 1820 – colonial period land patents and land grants, pre-federal naturalization, oaths of allegiance, lists of emigrants leaving, list of immigrants arriving, church records and complied histories.

Next the subject of Naturalization Records from Colonial Time to Early Twentieth Century was presented and supported by six pages of outline and bibliography. My take away was the reminder that naturalization records are kept by the regional NARA depositories not in Washington, DC and to check with a state’s archives. The other piece of information I took was the specific legislation that allowed foreign born to gain citizenship from fighting in the Civil War. That citation is to Chapter XXV, Thirty Seventh Congress, Session II, Chapter 75, 1862 which one can find by looking up the congressional records. This sent me to the Library right after class to do so! If you are not interested, skip this next section.

Act of July 17, 1862: Honorably Discharged Soldiers (Re: Naturalization):
“Section 2166: Any alien, of the age of twenty-one years and upward, who has enlisted, or may enlist, in the armies of the United States, either the regular or the volunteer forces, and has been , or may be hereafter, honorably discharged, shall be admitted to become a citizen of the United States, upon his petition, without any previous declaration of his intention to become such; and he shall not be required to prove more that on year’s residence within the United States previous to his application to become such citizen; and the court admitting such alien shall, in additions to proof of residence and good character, as now provided by law, be satisfied by competent proof of such person’s having been honorably discharged from the service of the United States.”

On Tuesday the question was: What President lost his citizenship and did not regain it? The answer is: John Tyler – who was a strong states rights person and who lived in Virginia at the time of secession. As a person living in Virginia he lost his citizenship AND he died before the end of the Civil War.

Wednesday evening Patricia Walls Stamm presented The Timeline: Linking Historical Events to Our Family History. She urged the use of a person’s life events with readily available timelines. Some genealogy software has this capacity. I know I have found timelines to be a big help in identifying where to look for more information about an ancestor.

– Jeffrey Vaillant

Read the entire series:
Part 1 — Getting to IGHR: A Tale of Two Days
Part 2 — Monday Report
Part 3 — Tuesday Report
Part 4 — Wednesday Report
Part 5 — Thursday Report
Part 6 — Friday Report

13 July 2010

Tuesday Report: 2010 Institute of Genealogy & Historical Research

Posted by Kathryn Doyle

Jeffrey Vaillant continues his series from the Samford Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research (IGHR).

Tuesday morning was filled with Court Records presented by Christine Rose, CG, CGL, FASG – one of our many local (San Jose) gems. Part I of the presentation was The System and Its Records; Part II was on Estates. Like Lloyd and Claire, Christine prepared in advance very complete documentations supporting the presentation. What I gather is clues for my research. For example, we mainly think about court records being at the local level; however, I learned that is not the case for North Carolina. Those records are in the state archives. (Yes, after each class I have been visiting the library to do research on the items learned.) And courts issue licenses for ordinaries. An ordinary is what we might call a public inn. So did my ggg grandfather Charles Fuller get a license from the court before opening his inn in Jeffersonville, Indiana in the early 1820s? I do not know and will find out if there is a record to be found.

The afternoon was devoted to Military and Pension Records from the Revolutionary War through World War II. A big time span and with the prepared materials we are left with much research to do. I picked up several ideas about looking for NARA records for the War of 1812 which is one of my interests and research challenges. Lloyd knows his records and we sit spellbound as he relates to us his knowledge. A tidbit is what U. S. President lost his citizenship? Answer later in the week.

The Tuesday evening session was Certification: Procedures, Questions and Answers presented by Elissa Powell and Thomas Jones. For me this was one of those recharge the batteries as I continue to have a goal of certification.

Other stuff: The weather continues to be about 100°F with humidity of 90% each day. It rained briefly Monday and today which temporarily reduced the humidity for about 60 minutes.

The University Center Cafeteria does an excellent job feeding what must be 1500 people per meal. Yes, the lines are long and one does learn short cuts.

Samford University has about 2700 undergraduates and about the same number of graduate students. It is an all brick campus set on gentle hills.

12 July 2010

Monday Report: 2010 Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research

Posted by Kathryn Doyle

Jeffrey Vaillant continues his series from the Samford Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research (IGHR).

Lloyd de Witt Bockstruck began the morning by stating the “simple” Four Steps of Genealogical Research:

What do you want to find or to prove?

What kind of record would contain that information?

Where does that record exist?

How do I gain access to it?

This four step process strikes me as a good guideline for the week. The first presentation was on Tax Records. Lloyd provided a bibliography of tax record sources that have been complied for many (but not all) states. He addressed remembering to know what the law required for taxing. And in the colonial period there were rent rolls rather than tax rolls in places like Virginia (paid to Lord Fairfax), Maryland (paid to Lord Baltimore), Pennsylvania (paid to William Penn) and North Carolina (paid to Lord Granville).

Next Lloyd discussed the Pitfalls of Genealogy with a list of some twenty-eight examples! Some we all know about: surnames and forenames, Sr. versus Jr., as well as abbreviations and titles. Some people get tripped up on the sanctity of the printed word or the failure to become acquainted with local history. Ever hear the term “semi-posthumous child”? I certainly had not. Want to guess what it means? I will answer in a couple of days.

Claire Bettag, CG, CGL, presented the afternoon lecture on Federal Land Records at the National Archives. If you have heard Claire, then you will know it is impossible to nap after lunch when she is presenting. She ripped through her ten pages of prepared materials leaving behind many items for follow up. Upon my return I'll be visiting NARA in San Bruno to follow up on several sources she cited.

Lloyd finished the afternoon with A Genealogical Bibliography divided into subjects of Atlases/Gazetteers, Bibliographies, Biography, Dictionaries, Handbooks, Indexes, Law, Paleography, Passenger Lists, Periodicals, Manuscripts, and Ethnic Guides.

There are optional evening presentations offered. Monday night was excellent. Ruth Ann (Abels) Hager spoke on History through Genealogy—the Best of Both Worlds. She presented what would be called a case study on Dred and Harriet Scott: Their Family History. Yes, this is the Dred Scott of the U.S. Supreme Court decision. One might think that about all has been written and discovered about the family. Well, one would be wrong. Ruth has uncovered new materials and explained how using genealogical methodology led to the discoveries and their information. Her book was published this year and is now in my collection.

11 July 2010

Getting to IGHR: A Tale of Two Days

Posted by Kathryn Doyle

Board member and conference reporter, Jeffrey Vaillant, has been on another voyage of learning. This time he took time out of a busy week in Birmingham, Alabama to report on the Samford Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research (IGHR). Jeff's first report:

IGHR is the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research held annually at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. There are ten courses offered this year and I selected Intermediate Genealogy and Historical Studies whose course coordinator is Lloyd de Witt Bockstruck.

My trip to “genealogy camp” (as some call it) began innocently enough with a United Airlines flight from the San Francisco Bay Area to Birmingham with a stopover in Chicago – all on the Saturday before the institute to allow me to arrive a bit early. The travel time would allow me to read Virginia Winters’ book Murderous Roots (2009) which I highly recommend for mystery readers with a strong genealogical bent.

Landing at O’Hare International Airport brought the sudden news that my connecting flight to Birmingham had been cancelled. The agent at the gate informed me that the chances of getting out of Chicago were slim and to proceed to the customer service desk which he warned me would have a long line. How right he was. After waiting 2.5 hours in line I finally got to talk with a service person. No flights on any airline out of O’Hare Saturday night. What were my options? ALL the flights on Sunday were booked! To his credit the service person put me on a standby list for the 7 a.m. flight and if that did not work out he ticketed me from Chicago to Charleston, SC, to Charlotte, NC and then to Birmingham. Since the flight cancellation was weather related I got a discounted rate at the Doubletree in Rosemont and was assured that my luggage would be on the first flight out the next morning (which was my standby flight).

Up early Sunday morning, shuttle to the airport and Starbucks was my start of the the day. I found that watching the wonderfully informative screens at the gate kept me informed about the flight, including the standby list. I was number eleven and there were ten seats left. “Standbys” were encouraged to stay until the gate closed. I had an alternative so I waited it out. Four seats left and I am number seven on the list. WHAT?? My name was called and I was on the plane.

It was a short flight to Birmingham – one hour, forty five minutes – arriving before 9:00 a.m. Off to retrieve the luggage. The routing is well known. We all stand around staring at the conveyor belt which finally starts. Nope, the luggage did not arrive! Where is the luggage agent? The luggage office was closed so it was off to see a ticket agent. The luggage tag and the computer system worked well: the luggage was still in Chicago! The United Airlines Delayed Baggage Report was filled out and submitted. The assurance was I would hear within 24 hours. Well, that was not going to work since I was staying in the dorms and the luggage contained bedding materials and the like.

Since orientation was in the afternoon and it was hot in Birmingham (99°F.) I elected to stay in the airport and read Labor Day by Joyce Maynard on my Kindle. Afternoon arrived so it was time to taxi from the airport to Samford University ($45). It was amazing to see others standing around in the heat and humidity waiting to register – and the line got quite long before the doors opened. Registration was a snap due to the IGHR staff. I got my dorm room. Bare bones accommodations and the price is right.

Dinner was in the Cafeteria with more than the 300 attending IGHR. The campus is alive with various activities from summer youth sports camps to freshman orientation. The cafeteria staff must have feed 1500 people. The IGHR orientation followed. The orientation was complete and informative. I called United Airlines to find out the status on my luggage. Their call center could not find anyone at the Birmingham Airport---not surprise it being Sunday.

One advantage about conferences and institutes is the people who attend. I was able to hitch a ride to Kmart to get clean clothes and some bathing items as well as rent a room at the nearby Marriott for the night. At 11:30 p.m. my luggage arrived so Monday I could get settled into the dorm.

Ah, what an adventure. I knew I should have flown Southwest Airlines.

10 July 2010

Third Edition: Carnival of Genealogical Societies

Posted by Kathryn Doyle

Welcome to the Third Edition of the Carnival of Genealogical Societies.

First, kudos to the footnoteMaven for creating the carnival badge and description:

The key to all good genealogical research starts with the society of other genealogists and in turn genealogy societies.

Next, I must apologize for my tardiness and the lack of time and attention I have given to the GenSo Carnival. I promise to do a better job of promoting the carnival and gathering submissions starting with the next edition.

The topic for this edition is: Uniquely Us!

How is your society unique?
Tell us about something one-of-a-kind. Is it a program, project, or publication? A record set or archival holding? A certain procedure or way you handle meetings? This is your opportunity to tell why and how your society is special!

This edition has three submissions:

Thomas MacEntee is the new Publicity Chair and the social media agent for the Illinois State Genealogical Society based in Springfield, Illinois. Thomas describes some of the special genealogy programs and services available at the society in Uniquely Illinois posted at Illinois State Genealogical Society Blog.

Charles Hansen shares a special type of city directory resource in Third Carnival Of Genealogical Societies: Uniquely EWGS posted at Eastern Washington Genealogical Society Blog. Charles commented: "I don't know how EWGS got these Postal Forwarding books, but as a resource for genealogists they are amazing."

Kathryn Doyle discusses a valuable CGS database in Uniquely Ours: The California Names Index posted here at the California Genealogical Society and Library blog. "Take a chance and search our index!"

This concludes the third edition.

The topic for the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogical Societies originated with a request from Robert Larson, President and Newsletter Editor of the Larimer County Genealogical Society. The society recently put up a Facebook Page and Bob had some questions that are timely.

Call for Submissions!

The topic for the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogical Societies is: Gen Societies on Facebook.

Does your society have a Facebook Page? What are the benefits? Are you an administrator or a regular contributor? Does it help your members or attract new visitors and members?

The deadline for submissions is September 7, 2010.

Please indicate in your article that you are writing for the Fourth Edition of the Carnival of Genealogical Societies. Submit your blog post using the carnival submission form provided by Blog Carnival. Please use a descriptive phrase in the title of any article you plan to submit and write a brief introduction to your articles in the "remarks" section of the form.

Past posts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

See you at the Carnival!

08 July 2010

Uniquely Ours: The California Names Index

Posted by Kathryn Doyle

Member volunteers have donated thousands of hours painstakingly indexing and abstracting records held by the society to create the California Names Index – an enormous and unique database on our website. Currently there are more than 350,000 names in the index from state, county, and local references. It is an ongoing project and names are added regularly.

Surname searches of the index are free. Search results yield a full name and an Index Code which identifies the type of source material we have for that individual. If your ancestors or relatives appear in the Names Index, you can order copies of the original records from our Lookups Committee. (Members receive a discount for this service.)

Are you missing a nineteenth century ancestor? During the Gold Rush years, the population of a place called California exploded as immigrants poured into the territory from around the world. Take a chance and search the California Names Index. Be sure to leave a comment if you get a hit!

–Written for the Third Edition of the Carnival of Genealogical Societies: Uniquely Us.

Copyright © 2010 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library.

07 July 2010

Workshop: Using Microsoft PowerPoint 2007 for Your Genealogy Presentations

Posted by Kathryn Doyle

Saturday, August 7, 2010
1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

California Genealogical Society Library
2201 Broadway, Suite LL2
Oakland, California 94612

PowerPoint 2007 is a powerful presentation tool that allows you to create professional looking presentations and have fun doing it!

In this workshop, Kathy Watson will show you how to:

navigate around the ribbon and know where things are located
create and save presentations
work with tabs and tools to insert elements and style them as you want
choose a theme

and more!

You will get hands-on practice by working on some instructor-created exercises. If you don't bring your laptop to class you can partner with someone and try the exercises at home.

Skill level: beginner to intermediate.

This workshop is limited to fifteen participants and one of the free benefits for CGS members. Non-members fee is $20.00 (non-refundable) and can be applied towards membership on the day of the workshop.

Preregistration is required. Walk-ins will not be admitted.

Register online.

Copyright © 2010 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library

05 July 2010

Update From the French-Canadian Special Interest Group

Posted by Kathryn Doyle

One of the upcoming summer Thursday night discussions will be devoted to all thing French-Canadian.

On Thursday, July 22, 2010, Mary Beth Frederick will facilitate a discussion about French-Canadian research resources. She will be available to provide help for non-French-speakers about commonly used words and to converse about the format of French-Canadian birth, marriage and death records. Attendees are encouraged to bring their problem documents.

The session will be held from 6:30 p.m. - 8:15 p.m. at the CGS library. Participants of all levels of research experience are welcome to network and join the conversation.

SIG organizer Lorna Jones sent word that future meetings of the French-Canadian group are planned for Saturday mornings: October 9, 2010 and January 8, 2011.

Copyright © 2010 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library

02 July 2010

Workshop: How to Conduct Oral Histories with Nancy Thompson

Posted by Kathryn Doyle

Saturday, August 14, 2010
1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

California Genealogical Society and Library
2201 Broadway, Suite LL2
Oakland, California 94612

Nancy Thompson will conduct a three-hour interactive workshop on how to conduct oral histories. Discussion topics will include interviewing techniques, transcribing and editing tips, using photographs and other family memorabilia, incorporating relevant social history, using different multimedia options (book, CD, video, DVD, websites), and archiving oral histories.

This workshop is limited to thirty participants and is a free benefit of membership. A non-refundable fee of $20.00 will be charged to non-members (can be applied towards a CGS membership only on the day of the workshop.) Walk-ins will not be admitted. Preregistration is required.

Register online.

Nancy Thompson is an Oakland native, an award-winning oral historian, filmmaker, and writer. She is the director and producer of a 12-minute documentary titled Mrs. Brown’s Beauty - A Story of Art and Inspiration. Produced in 2006, the film has been screened at film festivals in Oakland, San Francisco, and Atlanta. She is the author of Pioneering Spirits – A Legacy of Courage (2009), The Life and Art of Inez Brown (2009), The Artwork of Inez Brown (2005), and The Turner Family History (2003). Nancy was an interviewer for the Friends of Negro Spirituals Oral History Project, In Our Own Words: The Negro Spirituals Heritage Keepers and she has recorded her family history with the Story Corps’ Griot Project and the Museum of the African Diaspora’s Share Your Stories Project. Nancy earned a B.A. degree in sociology/economics from Mills College in Oakland and a J.D. degree from Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco.

Copyright © 2010 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library

01 July 2010

eNews July 2010, volume 4, number 7

Posted by Kathryn Doyle

The July 2010 issue of the eNews, volume 4, number 7, has been published and emailed to members and friends. As always, the eNews features timely information about the California Genealogical Society and our upcoming events. Each edition also includes Suggested Links From the Blogosphere and a photo feature: California Ancestors.

This month I submitted one of my own ancestor photographs. A tintype of my gg-grandmother, Mary Ann "Mollie" Glant Briggs.

Mary Ann "Mollie" (Glant) Briggs (1848-1880)

All past issues of the eNews are available for viewing at the eNewsARCHIVE.

The August 2010 issue will be emailed on July 31, 2010. To receive a copy, please join our mailing list.

Copyright © 2010 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library

30 June 2010

Book Donation Policy

Posted by Kathryn Doyle

The California Genealogical Society Library appreciates donations of books and periodicals that have genealogical content. The generosity of many people has greatly enriched the CGS Library collections in the past. Donations will be gratefully received by the CGS Library Committee and will be reviewed by Committee members, who will make decisions regarding retention.

Desired donations include: family genealogies or family histories; county histories and local histories with biographical sketches of residents; indexes to, or abstracts of, vital records or newspapers; and genealogical periodicals. Works on CD-ROM or microfilm will be accepted if not available in other formats.

Due to limited shelf space, NOT ALL donated items can be added to the Library collection. Examples include: encyclopedias lacking genealogical content, most biographies or autobiographies of famous persons, general histories, Who’s Who-type publications, works of fiction, photocopied books still under copyright, yearbooks, and many media materials. If received, CGS may give such items to other libraries, exchange them for more desirable works, or sell them in periodic book sales, the proceeds of which help to support Library operations.

Duplicate copies of items already owned by CGS may be retained if they are in better condition than copies currently in use. Small printed items that cannot be catalogued for the book collection may be added to the Surname File.

Donors (when known) will be identified with bookplates inside front covers noting items as gifts. Letters of thanks will be sent to donors, or to their heirs if gifts are from estates. CGS is not allowed by law to appraise or value any donation, but donors are welcome to fill out and sign the Instrument of Gift form for their uses.

Decisions regarding donations of unpublished works, such as scrapbooks, original documents, pedigree charts, correspondence, personal diaries, photographs and photo albums, will be the responsibility of the CGS Archives Committee rather than the Library Committee, or may be made jointly by both committees in special instances.

Donated items become the property of the California Genealogical Society and Library, to be used in whatever way is most beneficial to the Library. CGS reserves the right to withdraw donations from the Library collection if they become obsolete or can be replaced by newer editions. CGS does attempt to extend the useful life of withdrawn materials, whether by exchange, sale, or donation to other collections.

29 June 2010

Five Ways To Kill Your Genealogy Society

Posted by Kathryn Doyle

In all of the excitement of Jamboree I neglected to acknowledge the publication of an article that should be a must-read for every genealogical society. Amy Coffin's piece, Five Ways To Kill Your Genealogy Society, is the lead article in the May-June 2010 California State Genealogical Alliance Newsletter.

Amy is the "rock star" author of the highly acclaimed We Tree blog and has a master's degree in library and information science from San Jose State University. She's a new member of the California Genealogical Society and Library and serves on our Publications and Marketing Committee.

I hope Amy doesn't mind me telling that the concept (and title) came from Jane Hufft, Editor of The California Nugget. Amy ran with the idea and wrote it in record time. CSGA Newsletter Editor Peggy Rossi thought it was great and worth sharing with genealogical societies across the state of California. I think it's worth sharing with societies across the planet and if you hurry you can download and read the article and the entire issue. (The Alliance puts the current issue up on their website as a sample so you may get another issue if you read this too far in the future.)

If your society would like permission to reprint Amy's article, email her at amy@amycoffin.com.

Copyright © 2010 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library

28 June 2010

Thursdays in July and August: An Experiment with Evening Hours!

Posted by Kathryn Doyle

Events coordinators Tim Cox and Jane Lindsey are excited to announce summer extended research hours at the library designed especially for working members and patrons.

Starting July 8, 2010 and continuing every Thursday through August, the California Genealogical Society Library will be open from 9:00 a.m. until 8:30 p.m. Hours on the two other open days will remain the same: Friday (9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. ) and Saturday (10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.)

In addition, informal evening discussions are planned from 6:30 p.m. - 8:15 p.m. Participants of all levels of research experience are welcome to network and join the conversation. Topics are as follows:

July 8, 2010 – New Tools on Familysearch.org
Discuss and learn about the site improvements including Record Search Pilot, Indexing, the Wiki, online tutorials and more.

July 15, 2010 – Blogging
Share your favorite gen blogs and discuss how and why blogging can help genealogists. If you have a secret desire to be a blogger, come and ask questions. You’ll get a better understanding of how to get started and how to maintain your blog.

July 22, 2010 – French-Canadian Research
Have documents you can’t translate? Members of the society’s French-Canadian Special Interest Group will share their tips and expertise. Facilitator: Mary Beth Frederick.

July 29, 2010 – Using NewEnglandAncestors.org
Helpful tips will be shared to more effectively use this subscription site. Facilitator: Tom Gesner.
RSVP for Using NewEnglandAncestors.org

August 5, 2010 – Whippersnappers 2.0
Born in the 70s or 80s? This session is for you! This is an invitation to our younger members and friends to get together and share ideas on how the society can be more helpful to your research. Hint: if you remember disco you're too old for this meeting. Facilitators: Jennifer Jones Regan and Gabrielle Kojder.
RSVP for Whippersnappers 2.0.

August 12, 2010 – Hispanic/Latino Research
Share ideas for effective research in Spanish-speaking countries. Discuss the Spanish record extraction process. Bring your questions and your favorite resources. Facilitator: Ellen Fernandez-Sacco.
RSVP for Hispanic/Latino Research.

August 19, 2010 – German Research
Have you been putting off your German research? Join a discussion about resources, which sites are best and how to find towns in Germany. Experienced researchers will help you gain the confidence you need to get started. Facilitator: Jane Knowles Lindsey.
RSVP for German Research.

August 26, 2010 – Using Roots Magic
Bring your questions and ask the group for advice on how to perform tasks, run reports, create charts, or overcome obstacles you are experiencing with RootsMagic4. Power users will be there to help solve your dilemmas. Facilitator: Tim Cox.
RSVP for Using Roots Magic.

Details are still being worked out and facilitators are being identified for each discussion session.

BYO dinner or buy something nearby. If you plan to drive, metered spaces in Oakland are free after 6:00 p.m. but they fill up fast. Traveling in by BART is easier – get off at the 19th Street station. Group discussions will end by 8:15 p.m. to allow for everyone to walk to BART together before dark.

We would love your feedback. Do any of these topics appeal to you? Will extended summer hours entice you to spend some time with us?

Copyright © 2010 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library

26 June 2010

San Francisco Bay Area Genealogy Calendar: July 2010 Published

Posted by Kathryn Doyle

July 2010 meetings and events have been posted to the San Francisco Bay Area Genealogy Calendar. The calendar is a collection of local genealogical society events – seminars, classes, workshops and meetings – within a 75 mile radius of San Francisco.

More than thirty genealogy programs will be offered during the month of July.

If you would like your group's events added to the calendar, please email the information by the 20th of each month for publication on the 25th. (Put "SFBA Calendar" in the subject line.)

Copyright © 2010 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library

25 June 2010

The California Nugget, Volume II, Issue 1

Posted by Kathryn Doyle

Writing, editing, formatting and printing of the Spring 2010 edition of The California Nugget is complete and copies should be arriving at members' homes any day. Kudos to Editor Jane Hufft and Production Editor Lois Elling for another outstanding issue!

You'll notice right away that the cover color has changed – the plan is to use a different one for each year. The Editor's message from Jane explains:

For 2010 both issues will have green covers, signaling freshness, renewal, and growth in the articles and information we present for our readers. May this inspire your research to bloom!

The cover article is an informative and entertaining piece by Thomas MacEntee: The Day Grandma Fran Got On Facebook: Why the World Didn't End and Why It Was a Good Thing. Thomas is a "far-flung" member of the California Genealogical Society who lives in Chicago.

TABLE of CONTENTS
Twenty-First Century Genealogy
The Day Grandma Fran Got On Facebook by Thomas MacEntee
California Ancestors: Our New Look by Kathryn Doyle
Finding the Laughran Sisters - Part II by Jane Hufft

California Ancestors

Alonzo Marston and Eliza Jackson: Struggles and Survival of a California Family by Ronald Cannon

Louis Schwoerer and Sophia Henrietta Schlechtweg: Pioneers of Murphys, Calaveras County by Barry F. Schwoerer and Lori Schwoerer

For Our Readers
The CGS Calendar
Recent Acquisitions in the Library
News from the Society
New Members
Research Trip to Salt Lake City
Index

The California Nugget is a benefit of membership in the California Genealogical Society. It is published twice a year.

Copyright © 2010 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library

23 June 2010

Encore! Hard Drive Organization: Making Use of Your Computer File Folders

Posted by Kathryn Doyle

Saturday, July 31, 2010
11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

California Genealogical Society Library
2201 Broadway, Suite LL2
Oakland, California 94612

Join Tim Cox for an encore presentation of this popular workshop!

After collecting digital images from online sources and manually scanning paper documents and photos for over twenty years, Tim found a management method that works for his digital files. He will demonstrate how to name files for easy identification, how to organize folders that make it easy to find them, and how to properly identify scanned photographs.

This workshop is limited to twenty participants and is a free benefit for society members. Walk-ins will not be admitted.

The fee for non-members is $20.00 (non-refundable) and can be applied towards membership only on the day of the workshop.

Register online.

Copyright © 2010 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library

21 June 2010

Internet Genealogical Research with Nancy Peterson and Ron Filion

Posted by Kathryn Doyle

Saturday, July 17, 2010
11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

California Genealogical Society Library
2201 Broadway, Suite LL2
Oakland, California 94612

Join Ron Filion and Nancy Peterson for some hands-on internet genealogical research. Participants will work in groups and will be given a case study to research and solve during the class using the internet as their primary resource. This will be a great way to hone your internet research skills.

The class is limited to the first fifteen registrants. Free for members; $20.00 for non-members. (The non-refundable fee can be applied to a membership on the day of the class.) Walk-ins will not be admitted.

Bring a lunch, laptop and your enthusiasm!

Register online.

Nancy Peterson is a certified genealogist, research director for the society and author of numerous articles. Her search for her maternal San Francisco ancestors led ultimately to the publication of Raking the Ashes: Genealogical Strategies for Pre-1906 San Francisco Research, published in 2006.

Ron Filion, co-founder of SFgenealogy, is a local speaker and historian with expertise in internet genealogical resources and San Francisco history. He has been a consultant for various historical books, and has appeared in documentary films and television.

Copyright © 2010 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library

18 June 2010

Member Spotlight: Cath Madden Trindle

Posted by Kathryn Doyle

One of the high points of the February 27, 2010 meeting of the California State Genealogical Alliance held at the CGS Library was the presentation of The President's Citation award to Cath Trindle by Alliance President Sue Roe.

Cath Madden Trindle, CG, is a first generation Californian who owned a bookkeeping consultation business for thirty years. She earned a Certificate of European Research from BYU and a Certificate in Genealogical Studies - Librarianship from the National Institute of Genealogical Studies.

In addition to being a national conference speaker, Cath is an active administrator for three genealogical societies. She is currently Treasurer of the Federation of Genealogical Societies. She heads up Special Projects for the California State Genealogical Alliance and is a regular contributor to their newsletter. As Publication Chair for the San Mateo Coutny Genealogical Society, she has edited the San Mateo County Naturalization Index Series, the Schellens indexing project, and coauthored their Tree Climbing Guides.

She has been a member of the California Genealogical Society since 2006.

Cath will be making three presentations at the upcoming FGS Conference "Rediscovering America's First Frontier" August 18-21, 2010, in Knoxville, Tennessee. The conference is co-sponsored with the East Tennessee Historical Society and Kentucky Historical Society.

Cath's award states:

President's Citation Award to Cath Madden Trindle for her many contributions to CSGA, the genealogical community as CSGA Treasurer, Special Projects Chair, Speaker and as a positive example of CSGA Member dedication. Presented by the California State Genealogical Alliance, Susan M. Roe, President, 27 February 2010.

16 June 2010

Wordless Wednesday

Posted by Kathryn Doyle

California Genealogical Society Table

SCGS Jamboree Exhibit Hall

June 11-13, 2010

12 June 2010

Jamboree Panel: Blogger Summit 2

Posted by Kathryn Doyle

I'm on the panel Blogger Summit 2 at the Jamboree. Here's the view from the stage.

11 June 2010

Well-Represented at the SCGS Jamboree

Posted by Kathryn Doyle

The 41st Southern California Genealogical Society Jamboree begins today (through Sunday, June 13, 2010) in Burbank and many California Genealogical Society members have traveled south for the annual event.

Events Coordinator Tim Cox unfurled the new banner at Table 114 in the Exhibit Hall. Be sure to stop by and see us.

Several members' names appear on the list of speakers.

Ron Arons presents Researching Criminal Relatives, Saturday 5:00 p.m. Ron can be found at Table 105 in the Exhibit Hall

Elyse Doerflinger leads a Mini-course Workshop: Using Your Computer, Video Camera and YouTube Saturday at 8:30 a.m. Elyse will also be a panelist on Blogger Summit Part 1: From Novice to Reader to Blogger in Sixty Minutes.

Lisa Lee is presenting two talks: Search & Reward Notices: Hidden Information About Former Slaves, Saturday 3:30 p.m. and City Directories – Full of Hidden Information, Sunday 2:00 p.m.

Thomas MacEntee is going non-stop this weekend. He's leading three mini-course workshops, moderating two blogging summits and presenting a talk.

His schedule: Google Docs for Beginners, Friday 4:00 p.m.; Blogger Summit Part 1: From Novice to Reader to Blogger in Sixty Minutes, Saturday 10 a.m. followed by Blogger Summit Part 2: Now that You're a Genealogy Blogger, Saturday 11:30 a.m.; Twitter – It's Not Just "What I Had For Breakfast" Anymore, Saturday, 5:00 p.m.; Blogger for Beginners, Saturday 2:00 p.m. and WordPress For Beginners, Saturday, 3:00 p.m. Whew!

Craig Manson and Kathryn Doyle are also panelists on Blogger Summit Part 2: Now That You're a Genealogy Blogger, Satuday 11:30 p.m.

Cath Trindle is presenting three talks: How Much Proof is Enough?, Saturday 2:00 p.m.; Women of the West, Saturday 5:00 p.m. and California Sources Online and Off, Sunday, 2:00 p.m.

Copyright © 2010 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library

09 June 2010

Wordless Wednesday

Posted by Kathryn Doyle

California State Genealogical Society Meeting

Sue Roe, President

Saturday, February 26, 2010

04 June 2010

July Membership Meeting with Dr. Henry Snyder

Posted by Kathryn Doyle

Saturday, July 10, 2010
1:00 p.m.
California Genealogical Society Library
2201 Broadway, Suite LL2
Oakland, California

Inventorying, Preserving, Filming and Digitizing California Newspapers: The California Newspaper Project and its Digital Successor

CGS member Dr. Henry Snyder is our July membership meeting speaker and he will share the fascinating history of the California Newspaper Project and the California Digital Newspaper Collection.

The California Digital Newspaper Collection offers over 200,000 pages of California newspapers spanning the years 1849-191l: the Alta California, 1849-1891; the San Francisco Call, 1893-1910; the Amador Ledger, 1900-1911; the Imperial Valley Press, 1901-1911; the Sacramento Record-Union, 1859-1890; and the Los Angeles Herald, 1905-1907. Additional years are forthcoming, as are other early California newspapers: the Californian; the California Star; the California Star and Californian; the Sacramento Transcript; the Placer Times; and the Pacific Rural Press.

A specialist in British history, Snyder earned his B.A., M.A. and Ph.D. from U.C. Berkeley. He has been a professor and dean at the University of Kansas, Louisiana State University at Baton Rouge, and the University of California, Riverside. Dr. Snyder was awarded the National Humanities Medal in 2007.

The short membership meeting starts promptly at 1:00 p.m. Dr. Snyder's presentation follows immediately after. Seating is limited so please arrive early. Meetings are open to everyone but non-members pay a $5.00 users fee to enter the library. (Or come and become a member!)

Copyright © 2010 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library

02 June 2010

Wordless Wednesday

Posted by Kathryn Doyle

May Membership Meeting

Jo Ann Rowley-Minhoto

01 June 2010

eNews June 2010, volume 4, number 6

Posted by Kathryn Doyle

The June 2010 issue of the eNews, volume 4, number 6, has been published and emailed to members and friends. As always, the eNews features timely information about the California Genealogical Society and our upcoming events. Each edition also includes Suggested Links From the Blogosphere and a photo feature: California Ancestors.

This month we honor the the paternal grandmother of member volunteer, Jeanie W. Chooey Low – Grandma Fung – who graces the cover of her book, China Connection: Finding Ancestral Roots For Chinese in America.

Grandma Fung

All past issues of the eNews are available for viewing at the eNews ARCHIVE. The July 2010 issue will be emailed on June 30, 2010. To receive a copy, please join our mailing list.

Copyright © 2010 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library

31 May 2010

Juneteenth Celebration at the Museum of the African Diaspora Hightlights Genealogy

Posted by Kathryn Doyle

Member Lisa Lee will be the featured speaker at the Juneteenth Celebration at the Museum of the African Diaspora in San Francisco on Saturday June 19, 2010. Lisa sent this information:

Join us for a day of reflection and an opportunity to trace your family’s lineage. Whether you’re a novice or an enthusiast, come participate in workshops designed to develop basic skills in gathering, preserving, and sharing your family’s history.

Saturday, June 19th, 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD), 685 Mission, San Francisco (415) 358-7200

EVENT costs: $10, free for MoAD members.

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES - Visit the Education Center and work with a MoAD artist to create your own screen printed family tree. Also on view, a special screening of the PBS documentary, "Juneteenth: A Celebration of Freedom"

11:00 a.m. — 12:30 p.m. Researching Your Family History From Afar**
The workshop will show you how to find and access documents and databases from remote locations. County courthouses, state archives, local libraries may seem to be thousands of miles away, but with a few trusted tips and tricks, you can gain access to records from afar, and find even the most errant ancestors. Led by professional genealogist, Lisa B. Lee, PLCGS

12:30 p.m. — 2:00 p.m. African Genetic Ancestry
Gina Paige, President and Co-founder of AfricanAncestry.com, will lead an engaging and informative workshop that explores genetic ancestry tracing within historical, cultural, and scientific contexts. Learn how DNA technology can help you find your family’s roots, when the paper trail ends.

2:00 p.m. — 3:30 p.m. Beginning Genealogy for the 21st Century **
This workshop will show you how to make the most of online databases, what to avoid, and who to trust as you explore the internet to find your ancestral roots. Led by professional genealogist, Lisa B. Lee, PLCGS

**For purchase the Genealogy Starter Kit, $30 (includes materials for workshop and one year subscription to gotgenealogy.com)

1:00 p.m. — 4:00 p.m. Family Day Activities
Visit the Education Center and work with a MoAD artist to create your own screen printed family tree. In the Heritage Center, hear audio recordings from Bay Area locals who participated in our first session of the Share Your Stories program and then sign up to record your own story. Also on view, a special screening of the PBS documentary, Juneteenth: A Celebration of Freedom.

Juneteenth is a celebration of African American freedom and achievement. It was originated to commemorate the day that enslaved Africans in Texas received formal notification of their emancipation on June 19, 1865, more than two and a half years after the implementation of the Emancipation Proclamation.

For more information, contact the MoAD: (415) 358-7200 www.moadsf.org