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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

—Jeffrey Vaillant

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

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

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

Here is the next of Jeff's reports:

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

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

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

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

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

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

—Jeffrey Vaillant

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

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

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

CGS President Jeffrey Vaillant sent another conference report:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

—Jeffrey Vaillant

Photograph courtesy of Jeff Vaillant, 5/10/2012

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Wordless Wednesday

Book Repair Committee

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Anne Robinson

 Photograph courtesy of Arlene Miles, Oakland, California.


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

A Pre-Conference Report from President Jeff in Cincinnati

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

—Jeffrey Vaillant

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

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

Heading South for Jamboree 2012

Members of the California Genealogical Society are making plans for this year's Southern California Genealogical Society Jamboree, Friday-Sunday, June 8-10, 2012, at the Los Angeles Marriott Burbank Airport. The theme for the 43rd annual event is Lights, Camera, Ancestors! Spotlight on Family History.

As they did last year, co-chairs Paula Hinkel and Leo Myers offered a FREE one-day exhibit table to genealogical societies, historical societies, and other nonprofit organizations. We had one of the hall tables last year and it worked well for us. We're thrilled to have snagged a table for this year on Saturday, June 9, 2012.

We will be selling our newest publications, Raking the Ashes and the Insider's Guide to California Genealogy and we could use some help! If you can give us a couple of hours of your time, please email me.

And thank you to the Southern California Genealogical Society for giving us the opportunity to exhibit at your wonderful event. We believe in collaboration, and we are glad you do, too!

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

Wordless Wednesday

12th Annual California Genealogical Society
Salt Lake City Research Tour

April 22-29, 2012

Photographs courtesy of Jim Sorenson, Salt Lake City, Utah.


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

eNews May 2012, volume 6, number 5

The May 2012 eNews, volume 6, number 5,  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.

Member and Volunteer Coordinator, Linda Okazaki, contributed this month's photograph of her husband Ted's Japanese immigrant ancestors, as we celebrate Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month.

Ichimaru Okazaki & Hamako Maibara marriage photo, 1921

 
Past issues of the eNews are available at the eNews archive.

The June 2012 issue will be emailed on May 31, 2012. To receive a copy, please join our mailing list.

Photograph courtesy of Linda Okazaki.


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

1940 Census Indexing – April 2012 Update

The California Genealogical Society is part of the 1940 U.S. Census Community Project to create a free, online searchable name index of the 1940 U.S. Federal Census.

Fifty-eight indexers have signed on to participate under the CGS umbrella. For the month of April, our group has indexed 29,829 names and arbitrated 2000!

President Jeffrey Vaillant is our acting project coordinator and he is posting periodic "cheerleading" messages to our group participants. We are seeing new members sign on every week.

Overall, the project is exceeding expectations. As of April 20, 2012, FamilySearch Indexing reported the following statistics:

• So far, 14.2% of the entire project has been completely indexed.
• We have 75,820 indexers and arbitrators working to index and arbitrate the census records.
• Colorado and Kansas have been completely indexed and are being processed in preparation for posting on FamilySearch.org.
• Delaware is posted online at FamilySearch.org.
• Nine states (Alaska, Idaho, Indiana, Nevada, New Hampshire, Oregon, Utah, Virginia and Wyoming) are 80% or more indexed and will soon be complete. To see the status of each state, visit FamilySearch.org/1940census.
• A total of 19,242,589 records have been indexed and arbitrated by volunteers.

The state of California is more than 25% indexed already – perhaps because fifty Golden State genealogical societies are part of the community project.

Thanks to all of our hard-working indexers!

If you haven't signed on yet, don't delay! Join us and the 1940 U.S. Census Community Project.


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

Historical Portuguese Newspapers of California Digitized

Dr. Henry Snyder sent this press release:

April 25, 2012, Dartmouth, MA – The Ferreira-Mendes Portuguese-American Archives at the Claire T. Carney Library and the Center for Portuguese Studies and Culture of the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth announce the addition of 14 Portuguese-language newspapers published in California between 1885 and 1940 to its Portuguese-American Digital Newspaper Collections. The project was done in collaboration with the J.A. Freitas Library, a special collections library privately owned and operated by the Supreme Council of P.F.S.A. in San Leandro, CA, which provided the original newspapers.

This unique collection, which includes some of the earliest known Portuguese-language newspapers in the U.S., such as O Progresso Californiense, first published in July of 1885, may be accessed through the Internet for free and without a password. Each issue of the newspapers in the collection may be browsed in its entirety or searched by keyword. The site also offers the possibility of searching across all issues of the same paper or across all newspapers in the collection.

A formal presentation of the online site that houses the collection will take place Saturday, May 28 at 6:00 PM in the J.A. Freitas Library, 1120-24 E. 14th Street, San Leandro, CA. Archivist Sonia Pacheco of the Ferreira-Mendes Portuguese-American Archives, who supervised the digitization, will provide an overview of the project and demonstrate the use of the site. Similar presentations will also be held at the Portuguese Historical Museum of San Jose on April 29th at 2:00 PM (History Park - San Jose, Phelan Ave. Entrance); the University of California, Berkeley on May 2nd; and San Jose State University on May 3rd (for time and place please contact Prof. Deolinda Adão at 408-924-4022 or deolinda.adao@sjsu.edu). All presentations are free and open to the public.

The papers were digitized onsite at the J.A. Freitas Library by ArcaSearch of Minneapolis, MN. This process safeguarded the integrity of the fragile historical originals and created high quality scans, using a patented process that optimizes the text and illustrations. ArcaSearch also provided preservation quality microfilm, which will serve as a backup for long-term preservation of the contents of the papers.

Information which in the past required researchers to travel to various archives and spend extensive hours of searching paper sources or reel after reel of microfilm is now available from the comfort of one’s home at the click of a computer mouse. “This collection of historical newspaper is an invaluable resource for the study of the Portuguese-American experience in California and beyond,” said Dr. Frank Sousa, Director of the Center for Portuguese Studies and Culture at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, who initiated the Portuguese-American Newspaper Digitization Project.

“Given the major role played by the Portuguese in California agriculture, especially the dairy industry, this collection is of paramount value to the understanding of the state’s history and economy,” stated Dr. Gloria de Sá, Faculty Director of the Ferreira-Mendes Portuguese-American Archives, the major repository of historical materials about the Portuguese in the U.S. “Much of the information contained in these newspapers cannot be found elsewhere. Sociologists, historians, anthropologists, political scientists and other academics researching issues associated with immigration and ethnicity will also find it a valuable tool, as will those interested in local and family history. It’s the most comprehensive and accessible database available to students and academic researchers interested in Portuguese-related issues, as well as individuals tracing their family genealogy,” added Dr. de Sá.

Besides keeping Portuguese Americans informed about local, national, Portuguese and world news, these newspapers also played a major role in documenting social events and life. Religious festivals, club activities, charity appeals, and visits of prominent individuals were regularly announced; weddings, births and deaths reported; and news of the arrival and departure of vessels bringing new immigrants or taking them for a visit back to their homeland were featured along with the respective passenger lists. Photographs, drawings, advertisements and editorials give us a window into period fashions, patterns of consumption, the cost of goods, types of businesses owned by the Portuguese and the perspectives of this ethnic group on the political and social issues of the times.

The digitization of the historical Portuguese newspapers of California is the second venture undertaken by the Ferreira-Mendes Portuguese-American Archives under its Portuguese-American Newspaper Digitization Project. The first was the Diário de Notícias, a daily newspaper published in New Bedford, Massachusetts between 1919 and 1973. The initiative was made possible by grants from the Government of the Autonomous Region of the Azores (Carlos César, President); Elisia and Mark Saab of Advanced Polymers, Inc., in Salem, NH; and Luis Pedroso, of Accutronics, Inc., in Lowell, MA. The goal of the project is to digitize major historical Portuguese newspapers published in the United States. Individuals or organizations possessing copies of such newspapers or other historical documents associated with the Portuguese in the U.S. are encouraged to contact Sonia Pacheco at 508 999-8695 or spacheco@umassd.edu.


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

Summer Evening Hours Begin Thursday, June 14, 2012

For the third year in a row, the California Genealogical Society will offer summer extended research hours, designed especially for our working members and patrons.

Starting mid-June and continuing every Thursday through August, the library will be open from 9:00 a.m. until 8:30 p.m. Library hours on the two other open days each week will remain the same: Friday (9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.) and Saturday (10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.).

We're also bringing back the popular weekly informal discussions. Participants of all levels of research experience are welcome to network and join the conversation from 6:30 p.m. - 8:15 p.m.

Discussion schedule:

June 14 – Open house and dessert bar
June 21 – Using Census Records and the 1940 Census, Jeff Vaillant
June 28 – Stump the Panel, Research team
July 5 – Genealogical Sleuthing: Finding Your Immigrant Ancestor's Home, Steve Harris
July 12 – Searching for Living People, Jane Lindsey
July 19 – German discussion group**, Robert Jackson and Jane Lindsey
July 26 – Stump the Panel, Research team
August 2 – Creative Ways to Share Your Genealogy, Cathy Paris and Craig Siulinski
August 9 – Using Social Media to Further Your Genealogy, Kathryn Doyle
August 16 – Genealogical Sleuthing: Finding Your Female Ancestors, Ellen Fernandes Sacco and Nicka Smith
August 23 – Stump the Panel, Research team
August 30 – Genealogical Gadgets, Tim Cox

**Special offer: Come early on July 19, 2012, and meet with Robert Jackson who will do 20 minute consultations on German research problems. Email Jane Lindsey your name and phone number to make an appointment.

This year we will kick off our evening hours with a special open house event on Thursday, June 14, 2012, at 6:30 p.m. Details are still being worked out but I'm told a dessert bar is part of the plan!

There is no need to RSVP or register – just show up and take advantage of the many resources in the library. Non-members are welcome, but the library charges a $5.00 user’s fee for non-members. The user’s fee will be waived for those who arrive after 5:00 p.m. for the discussion sessions.

If you plan to drive, the lot in the rear of the building has a reduced rate after 3:00 p.m., and the metered spaces in Oakland are free after 6:00 p.m. (but they fill up fast.) Traveling 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.


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

A Call for Volunteers from Our New Coordinator

The California Genealogical Society is looking for volunteers! Do you have some time to spare? There are a variety of positions waiting for someone like you. 

Are you good with computers, social media and a good writer? Then join our technology or marketing teams.

Work full time but have some talent with Webinars? We can sure use your help.

Great with people in person or on the phone? Then join our membership team.

Have skills with numbers or are good with finances? Come help our treasurer and her group of dedicated volunteers. 

Have experience with database management? Let us know. We’d love your assistance.

Are you very organized and detail oriented? Don’t mind running to the court houses in San Francisco, Alameda or Contra Costa counties? We’ve got a spot for you.

Most fun of all is volunteering at our front desk. Our library is only open because of our fantastic Desk Staff. Can you commit to one Saturday a month? Would you like to be trained as a substitute or added to the list? We can use several interested people.

If you would like to become a volunteer, or if you are a current volunteer who wants to try something new, just fill out a form online or in the library. Or send me an email. 

Volunteering isn’t just good for our society, it’s also a great way to make new friends and meet fellow genealogists. Who knows, maybe one of them can even help you break down that brick wall. 

—Linda Okazaki 

Linda Okazaki is a fourth-generation Californian, born in San Francisco and raised in Marin County. She received a B.S. in Human Development and an M.A. in Education. After leaving a career working with hospitalized children in Sacramento and Oakland, she discovered a passion for volunteering in the local schools.

As a child, Linda and her mother would explore old cemeteries, just for fun. She initially became interested in genealogy fifteen years ago when her daughter needed help with a school project, but didn’t get serious until joining the California Genealogical Society two years ago, after taking the Intermediate Genealogy Series.

Her love of tending her roses and dwarf fruit trees ties right into her research of the Orchard surname. She also loves to travel and still can’t seem to get enough of those old cemeteries. Linda is currently researching her husband’s Japanese-American ancestry and aspires to write a children’s book about that topic.


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

Celebrating Our Volunteers

During National Volunteer Week, we celebrate our many volunteers at the California Genealogical Society and Library. Here is a message from CGS president, Jeff Vaillant:

The California Genealogical Society has no paid staff. Our volunteers ARE our society. I appreciate the willingness of members who DO the necessary jobs needed to effectively run the society, and who freely share their genealogical expertise. Thanks to all of the members of the California Genealogical Society – we wouldn't be as strong as we are without you!

In addition, our member volunteers equip, maintain, staff and operate a genealogical library. Our founders, if they could time-travel forward from 1898, would be astounded at the collection we have amassed in a century, thanks to the generosity, in time and money, of our members. The CGS continues, in the twenty-first century, to place the highest value on real books in the digital age. To run a library without any paid staff is a remarkable accomplishment.

Member volunteers contribute their time and energy to a large menu of projects, services, and educational opportunities the CGS provides. Some work behind the scenes to keep our computers in repair and our digital presence up-to-date. Our research team is in the library every Tuesday to handle look-ups and research requests and help produce our publications. Indexers, archivists, librarians, catalogers, writers, editors, photographers, designers, film-editors, videographers, archivists, bookkeepers, receptionists, speakers, teachers, book repairers – all these, and more, are words that describe the actions our volunteers perform every year.

One of our challenges is finding the right person to do the right job. We are extremely fortunate to have Linda Okazaki as our Volunteer Coordinator. Her enthusiasm and knowledge enhances our volunteer corps.

It is my experience with volunteer organizations that there is a core of people who carry the load. We are blessed with a number of members who have stepped forward to do the work. Thank you for all you do for the California Genealogical Society.

—Jeffrey Vaillant, President, 2012

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

CGS at the Aging & Disability Technology Summit – May 15, 2012

To foster broadband technology awareness and access for all local seniors and adults with disabilities, the Mayor’s Office of San Francisco, in collaboration with the Department of Aging and Adult Services, the Department of Technology and the Community Living Campaign, is presenting an Aging and Disability Technology Summit at City Hall on May 15 from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The focus of the summit is the "world of possibilities" using technology.

The California Genealogical Society will be hosting a table with four computers for attendees who are interested in family history. CGS member volunteers will be assisting participants who want to practice using the internet to access ours and other genealogy websites. Member volunteer Mary Beth Frederick will present a "Beginning Genealogy" workshop at 2:15 p.m. Director Pat Gallagher is spearheading our participation.

The Summit will include:

• Informative plenary sessions in the North and South Light Courts of City Hall
• Workshops on a wide range of topics – the What and Why of broadband computer access
• Interactive, hands-on computer niches where people can try out different learning opportunities, including medical research, Facebook, email and more
• Large-scale video displays featuring website demonstrations in which conference attendees can actually participate
• Program and workshop translation offered for Spanish and Cantonese speaking participants

The Summit kicks off a City-wide program of free Internet access and training for seniors and adults with disabilities. Touch-screen computers will be installed in 50 San Francisco non-profit community centers serving these populations. Free, multi-lingual classes and tutoring will be offered by trained volunteers. Computer access, with classes and tutoring, is expected to begin this spring.

The Summit and computer installation, access and training are funded by the City with a federal Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) grant.

If you would like more information about the event, sponsorship, ways to volunteer, email summit@sfcommunityliving.org or register online.


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

San Francisco Bay Area Genealogy Calendar: May 2012 Published

May 2012 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 May calendar lists fifty classes and events at various venues around the Bay Area, sponsored by thirty societies, libraries and archives.

If you would like to add your group's events to the calendar, please email the information by the 15th of each month. (Please include "SFBA Calendar" in the subject line.)


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

The California Genealogical Society on Pinterest

My daughter introduced me to Pinterest late last year and my immediate reaction was a negative "Oh no, not another social networking site." I finally did take a look but I didn't see how Pinterest would be of value to the society and I felt we had already had a good mix of social media presence with Facebook, Twitter and Yelp.

Last week I took another look after noticing how many non-profits and genealogists had taken the plunge. I set up a page and some boards and did a little experimenting.

It's important that a social networking site provide unique value before it becomes part of our messaging and Pinterest provides a new service I've been thinking about for quite awhile. Every month we run a member-submitted ancestor photograph in the eNews and I've been wanting to create an online repository of the photos with links back to the archived newsletter for easy access to the original story. Our Pinterest "California Ancestors" board is exactly the solution I've been looking for.

Not all the photos have been pinned yet but I think it looks great already. Please take a look and let me know what you think!


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

Bounty Land and the War of 1812 Soldier

Saturday, May 19, 2012
1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

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

Sociologists and historians make frequent use of the many records created by the War of 1812 soldiers' quest for bounty land. Genealogists should do the same, but few know how to make their way through these valuable records. What's the difference between an application and a warrant? Why does it matter if my soldier was in the Army or the militia? What on earth is scrip? Join Susan Goss Johnston and learn more about the treasures that can be found by courageous researchers.

Register online.

The class is limited to thirty participants and is a free benefit of membership. Non-members fee is $20.00 (non-refundable) and can be applied towards membership on the day of the class.

Preregistration is required. Walk-ins will not be admitted. Registration confirmations will be sent to the first thirty registrants. Additional names will be collected and placed on a waiting list in case of cancellations.

Susan Goss Johnston was a member of Yale University's first undergraduate class of women, earning a B.A. in physics. After graduation, she began working in medical research while studying voice at Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore. The natural outgrowth of this experience, mixed with two children, led to genealogy, research that didn't require grant writing! She has been involved in teaching and researching for thirty years. Sue currently teaches genealogy courses in the Community Education division of Las Positas College in Livermore, California, and is a member of the Livermore-Amador Genealogical Society and co-presenter at the group's Tri-Valley TMG (The Master Genealogist) Users Group. She is a ProGen Study Group alumna, completing the program in 2011, and she is a graduate of the National Institute on Genealogical Research and the "Advanced Methodology and Evidence Analysis" at the Samford University's Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research. Her personal research focuses on families in New England and the Mid-Atlantic region, and she specializes in military records and federal land records.

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

eNews April 2012, volume 6, number 4

The April 2012 eNews, volume 6, number 4,  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.

Member Chris Pattillo contributed this month's photograph in honor of her great-grandfather, George Vetter, posing in front of The Standard Brewery Headquarters in Chicago.

George Vetter and his beer hall in Chicago.

Past issues of the eNews are available at the eNews archive.

The May 2012 issue will be emailed on April 30, 2012. To receive a copy, please join our mailing list.

Photograph courtesy of Chris Pattillo.



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

Join Us and the 1940 U.S. Census Community Project

 

The California Genealogical Society is proud of our continuing partnership with FamilySearch Indexing.

CGS has joined forces with genealogy societies around the country as part of the 1940 U.S. Census Community Project to create a free, online searchable name index of the 1940 U.S. Federal Census after images of the census are released to the public starting April 2, 2012.

The 1940 Census is attractive to both new and experienced researchers because most people in the United States can remember a relative that was living in 1940. It will do more to connect living memory with historical records and families than any other collection previously made available.
—David Rencher, Chief Genealogical Officer for FamilySearch.

Join our members throughout California and across the U.S. (and one international indexer!) who have signed on to help. Visit The1940census.com/society and register to participate with our society. Simply select California Genealogical Society and Library on the profile screen when creating your account. Every new person indexing with our society gets us closer to milestones that qualify us for incentives provided by the sponsors of the project, so sign up today!

Steps to take:

1. Download and install the indexing software
   Watch an Overview | Get Started
2. Learn how to index the 1940 US Census
   Watch a Video | Try the 1940 Census indexing simulation
3. Let others know about the 1940 US Census Community Project
   Like the Facebook page | Follow @The1940Census on Twitter | Follow the page on Google+ | Tell friends about the1940census.com

Thank you for your help!

 

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

Revealing Grandma's Secrets: The 1940 Census

Who knew grandma was living in Kansas City in 1935 and then in San Francisco by 1940? The 1940 U.S. census tells us a wealth of unique information about our families and helps us understand what their lives were like.

The newest video by Reese & Jones features member volunteers Bill O'Neil and Lavinia Schwarz.

Directed by: Shannon Reese
Edited by: Kathleen Jones

Visit our YouTube channel: CAancestors.

If you need guidance finding your people on the unindexed 1940 census, the California Genealogical Society is here to help. Consider using our extended research service.


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

Have You Seen Our New Facebook Timeline?

Facebook is updating their look again and "Pages" are being moved to the new "Timeline" format. Non-profits have the opportunity to use new features to jazz things up and present an historical perspective. Like most genealogical societies and libraries, we don't have a marketing budget so we've completed the transfer with volunteer time and "creativity on a shoestring."

The Publications/Marketing Committee discussed cover photo options at the March 6, 2012 meeting. After weighing several options, the group unanimously chose Judy Bodycote's great black-and-white photograph of our volunteers at work in the library. Judy is also responsible for editing and enhancing the photograph of the California Genealogical Society's first president – Dr. Edward Stephen Clark – for the start of our timeline.

Changes implemented so far:

1. Cover photo and thumbnail of the CGS seal as our inset photo.
2. Milestones – "founded" in 1898. Only 114 more years of CGS history to record!
3. Pinned posts – featured the Insider's Guide to California Research.
4. Applications – featuring our YouTube and Twitter pages.
5. Message inbox is activated for fans who want to contact us privately.

Please take a look and be sure to give us a Like if you approve!

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

A Day with the Photo Detective Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Photo credit: Erik Jacobs Photography

Wednesday, June 6, 2012
8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Veterans Memorial Building
3780 Mt. Diablo Blvd.
Lafayette, CA 94549

Join us for A Day with the Photo Detective. Maureen Taylor is returning to Northern California and bringing her blend of photo curation, genealogy, and history.

She's presenting four new talks:

• Hair-sterical & Mad as a Hatter: 19th Century Photos in Your Files 
• Eight Basic Steps to Preserving Your Photos 
• Google Images and Beyond: Adding Pictures to Your Family Collection 
• Kodak Moments and Technicolor Dreams: 20th-Century Photos and Films in the Family Archive

Visit our event site – A Day with the Photo Detective – for full information and the link to our registration page.

Register by May 6, 2012 for the early bird price – just $48 to attend this all-day event. The price includes lunch – sandwich & salad buffet – with vegetarian choices. After May 6, 2012, price will increase to $58.
 
Please invite your friends – you don't need to be a CGS member to attend!

In the four years since Maureen was here, she's written several more best-selling books and her most popular titles will be available for purchase at the event.

Maureen is also offering a limited number of photo consultations to seminar registrants. Consultations will take place the day before the seminar on Tuesday, June 5, 2012, at the California Genealogical Society Library in Oakland. They are by-appointment-only and must be scheduled in advance with Maureen Taylor. Visit CGSphoto.weebly.com for more information.

Twitter followers, the hashtag for A Day with the Photo Detective is #CGSphoto. Please track our event on Lanyard.com or let us know there that you will be attending!


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

First Saturdays Free and CGS Intro to Genealogy Classes

The California Genealogical Society offers a free "Intro to Genealogy" class on the first Saturday of every month, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., at the library at 2201 Broadway, Suite LL2, Oakland, California, in the historic Breuner Building.

The intro class is part of our monthly First Saturdays Free event when we welcome non-members and the general public. We open the library and share our resources with anyone interested in learning more about their family history. The library is a benefit of membership and is available to non-members for a $5.00 day fee during the rest of the month.

First Saturday intro class in February 2012

Volunteers with research experience take turns teaching the intro class which focuses on basic research methods and terminology. The class covers common (and uncommon) family history records and the resources available, both online and in libraries, repositories, and archives. The two-hour session also includes a tour of the library and an overview of our extensive holdings.

The schedule of the remaining 2012 First Saturday class dates and instructors is:

• April 7 – Mary Beth Frederick
• May 5 – Craig Siulinski
• June 2 – Kim Cotton
• July 7 – Muriel Sonne
• August 4 – Lisa Gorrell
• September CLOSED for Labor Day weekend
• October 6 – Lavinia Schwarz
• November 3 – Kim Cotton
• December 1 – Dick Rees

The dates above each link to the registration pages for each class. Please join us!


Photograph courtesy of Linda Okazaki, 2/4/2012, Oakland, California.


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

San Francisco Bay Area Genealogy Calendar: April 2012 Published

April 2012 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 April calendar lists more than fifty classes and events at various venues around the Bay Area, sponsored by thirty societies, libraries and archives.

Several societies are holding full day seminars in April. The Sacramento German Genealogy Society will present Tracking Down Our German Ancestors with Warren Bittner on Saturday, April 21, 2012. The Sonoma County Genealogical Society is hosting its 20th Annual Seminar with Connie Lenzen on the same day, Saturday, April 21, 2012. The San Mateo County Genealogical Society will have its Spring Seminar A Cooke's Tour of Google with Lisa Louise Cooke on  Saturday, April 28, 2012.

If you would like to add your group's events to the calendar, please email the information by the 15th of each month for publication on or before the 25th. (Please put "SFBA Calendar" in the subject line.)


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

Come to Our 1940 Census Party!

 

Come and celebrate the release of the 1940 U.S. Census by searching for your ancestors with other researchers!

Where: Oakland Family History Center, 4766 Lincoln Avenue, Oakland.

When: Monday, April 9, 2012, 2:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

RSVP online.

Before the event:
•    Create a list of relatives with their possible locations and addresses in 1940.
•    Visit Steve Morse's 1940 Census ED Finder to narrow down enumeration districts for your ancestors—this will be helpful for ancestors living in major cities.

On the day of the event:
•    Bring a list of ancestors to search for and your laptop computer

•    Invite a friend to join you for the festivities 

•    Contribute by volunteering to index a portion of the census for FamilySearch.Org 

•    Expect to have a great time searching with fellow genealogists and family historians! 

This event is co-hosted by the California Genealogical Society, the African American Genealogical Society of Northern California, and the Oakland California Family History Center.

Can't make the event? If you need guidance finding your people on the unindexed 1940 census, the California Genealogical Society is here to help. Consider using our extended research service. 

Photographs from the Library of Congress.

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

Wordless Wednesday

San Francisco History Expo

Old Mint

March 3-4, 2012

 

Photographs courtesy of Judy Bodycote, Linda Darby, and Jane Lindsey.


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

Hard Drive Organization with Tim Cox

Saturday, April 21, 2012
1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

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

After collecting digital images from online sources and manually scanning paper documents and photos for over twenty years, Tim Cox 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.

Register online.

The class is limited to twenty participants and is a free benefit of membership. Non-members fee is $20.00 (non-refundable) and can be applied towards membership on the day of the class.

Preregistration is required. Walk-ins will not be admitted. Registration confirmations will be sent to the first twenty registrants. Additional names will be collected and placed on a waiting list in case of cancellations.



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

A Visit from KTVU Channel 2

Sometimes a quiet day in the library takes an unexpected turn. That’s what happened yesterday when Volunteer Coordinator Linda Okazaki fielded a phone call from a reporter on deadline.

KTVU’s Maureen Naylor was working on a story about the Miller twins whose remains were found in their Lake Tahoe home.

Gloria Hanson working the case.

Volunteers dropped everything to find additional information and Naylor arrived at the library but spent just a few minutes with her 3:00 p.m. deadline looming.

Naylor’s piece aired on Channel 2 at 6:00 p.m. and footage from the library made it into the final story. Linda had a brief on-camera interview and our gorgeous new sign (created by Judy Bodycote) was featured.

I took a few screen shots but you can view the two minute piece at SAN JOSE: Twins found dead in South Lake Tahoe.

Kudos to Linda Okazaki, Gloria Hanson, Laura Spurrier, Judy Bodycote and Kim Cotton for their efforts to find information on the family. It was great to have some media attention for the library!


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

Tracking Down Our German Ancestors with Warren Bittner, CG

CGS member, Virginia Kysh, sent word of this upcoming annual spring seminar sponsored by the Sacramento German Genealogical Society.

Saturday, April 21, 2012 
9:00 a.m. – 4:15 p.m.
(Registration 7:30 - 9:00 a.m.)

Sacramento Turn Verein
3349 J Street
Sacramento, CA

Topics will include:

• German Maps and Territories
• German Gazetteers and Levels of Jurisdiction 
• Marriage Laws and Customs
• Elusive Immigrants
• U.S. Federal Land Case Files – Key Records for German Immigrants
• Welcome to the Library – Reading to Put Your Family into Historical Context

Download the seminar flier.

Warren Bittner, CG is a genealogical researcher and lecturer, with twenty-five years of research experience. He is the owner of Ancestors Lost and Found, a small genealogical research firm and was the former German Collection Manager for the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. Bittner has done extensive research in U.S., German, and Swiss records, and is an expert in late nineteenth-century New York City Research.


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

eNews March 2012, volume 6, number 3

The March 2012 eNews, volume 6, number 3,  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.

Member Maureen Hanlon contributed this month's St. Patrick's Day inspired photograph of her  grandmother, native San Franciscan, Katherine Sheldon Hanlon, behind the wheel but driving nowhere.

Hanlon family and friends in a Cliff House studio portrait, San Francisco.

Past issues of the eNews are available at the eNews archive.

The April 2012 issue will be emailed on March 31, 2012. To receive a copy, please join our mailing list.

Photograph courtesy of Maureen Hanlon.


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