Wordless Wednesday

NEHGS Comes West

Friday, October 26, 2012

Hs Lordships, Berkeley, California

Photographs by Kathryn Doyle.


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

An Idea You Should Steal: "My Favorite Ancestor" Presentations at Your Genealogical Society Meetings

California Genealogical Society President Jeffrey Vaillant had a great idea I think you should steal.

When the incoming board of directors had their first meeting this past February, Jeff added a new item to the agenda: "My Favorite Ancestor." After "old business" and before we move on to new agenda items, one director gives a short, two-three minute presentation about an ancestor. Jeff makes the next assignment so the presenter will have a month to prepare.

So far each presentation has included a a photo or two to pass around. Some have recited a short life synopsis, some have focused on a good story, and some have talked about some aspect of the research itself.

It has been such a successful idea it is spreading to other committee meetings at our society. Last month our Publications/Marketing chair, Shannon Reese, brought along some photos and the obituary he wrote for his grandmother, who died this past year.

One added benefit is that the photos are also being used in the "California Ancestors" feature in our monthly eNews. You can take a look at the photos on our California Ancestors photo board on Pinterest.

It goes without saying that genealogists love to share their family history. This has been a good way to put some of the focus back on our research.

If you think this is an idea worth stealing, or you are already doing something similar, please let me know by leaving a comment.


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

Workshop: Platting and Locating Lands from Metes and Bounds Deeds

Saturday, December 8, 2012
1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

California Genealogical Society Library
2201 Broadway, Suite LL2 

Oakland, CA 94612

Using deeds and other land records to assist with researching family history can help us gain a better understanding of the family, the land, and the community. Unfortunately, land records are often overlooked by beginners and by more experienced researchers.

Pam Miller is coming to the rescue! Pam knows how the art of surveying land has changed over time and she is back with a new workshop to help you navigate this rich record set. She will simplify the "metes and bounds" terminology seen in early deeds.

This hands-on workshop will help you:

• understand the terminology written in deeds prior to the mid-1900s
• decipher old deeds and extract the critical information
• create a hand-drawn map of an actual property
• use some of the online land platting tools
• locate old properties on current maps

Supplies:
Please bring a calculator and pencils with erasers. Pam will furnish graph paper, rulers, and protractors. Laptops are encouraged, but not required.

If you have an old deed, please bring it for the hands-on exercise.

Register online.

The class is limited to twelve 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 workshop. 

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

Pam Miller, a native of Dallas, Texas, attended Stanford University where she earned a B.A. in Linguistics and an M.A. in Spanish. She was employed as an educator in the Bay Area for twenty-eight years, teaching Spanish and computer science. Pam grew up "walking the family lands" with her parents, inheriting her family's love of maps and developing a severe case of what she calls "Tara Syndrome." She has been a member of CGS since 2005.


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

November Membership Meeting: Fun Tools for Genealogists to Help You Work Smarter

Tim Cox

Saturday, November 10, 2012

1:00 p.m.

California Genealogical Society Library

2201 Broadway, Suite LL2

Oakland, CA 94612

Genealogists are always looking for ways to be more productive while researching, especially when digitally storing the information collected. But with technology constantly changing, how do we keep up with the new software, websites, tools and devices?

Join Tim Cox for a discussion about  using smart phones, tablets, and other tools to help you work smarter, be more productive, and allow you to easily share your information with others. Tim's talk will begin after a short membership meeting which starts promptly at 1:00 p.m.

Tim Cox has been a family historian and genealogist for more than twenty years. He is a member of numerous genealogical societies across the country, and is currently the Education and Events coordinator for the California Genealogical Society and Library.

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

San Francisco Bay Area Genealogy Calendar: November 2012 Published

November 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 November calendar lists forty-eight 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.

Wordless Wednesday

New Shelves in the Library

October 17, 2012

Photographs by Kathryn Doyle, Oakland, California.

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

Workshop You Missed: Create Your Own Document Box

The California Genealogical Society's Book Repair Committee has mended about 3,000 books since it began meeting monthly in 1987. Several years ago, the committee's chairman, Bill O'Neil, created a workshop to teach book repair techniques which has proved to be quite popular. This fall, in addition to the Book Repair Workshop, Bill introduced a second hands-on offering.

Table and supplies organized and ready for the workshop.

Occasionally a book is in such poor condition it cannot be rebound. In those cases, a book box is created so the item can continue to be shelved. Bill's new workshop – Create Your Own Document Box – was held Thursday, October 18, 2012.

Eleven members gathered around a work table soon scattered with the tools of the day: pencils, rulers, glue, and exacto knives. Participants each made a custom-sized and beautifully decorated box for a personal item or items.

Diana Edwards, Bill O'Neil, Marianne Frey, and Linda Okazaki.

As always, Bill made meticulous preparations so things ran like clockwork. Attendees let Bill know the dimensions of their treasures in advance so he could prepare their materials.

Todd Armstrong and Carolyn Jacoby

Todd Armstrong made a document box sized to fit an ancestor's civil war diary.

Lavinia Schwarz and her finished book box.

Attendees included Todd Armstrong, Judy Bodycote, Bonnie Dehler, Diana Edwards, Marianne Frey, Eleanor Hedenkamp, Carolynn Jacoby, Stephen LaBounty, Jane Lindsey, Linda Okazaki, and Vinnie Schwarz.

Eleanor Hedenkamp shows off her creation.

Linda Okazaki

Linda Okazaki sent this feedback:

The box workshop was active and interactive with a lively group. Where else can you learn to create an archival box that is beautiful and functional, and have fun in the process? It was also nice to meet some new people, both members and non members. Thanks, Bill!

If this workshop sounds appealing, please consider joining the CGS Book Repair Committee. No special expertise is required – they will teach you the basics. The committee meets monthly on the second Tuesday from 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Please email Bill O'Neil if you would like to be part of his team.


Photographs courtesy of Jane Knowles Lindsey, Oakland, California, 10/18/2012.


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

Wordless Wednesday

14th Annual Family History Day at the California State Archives

Saturday, October 13, 2012

Save the date for next year's event: Saturday, October 12, 2013.


Photographs by Jeff Vaillant and Kathryn Doyle, Sacramento, CA.

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

A Colonial Dames Treasure Returns Home

No one is certain how the original membership book of the California Chapter of the National Society of The Colonial Dames of America came to be at the California Genealogical Society. It most likely was among books that were donated after a member’s death.

Ledger book of the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America - California

The ledger book's cover doesn't hold any clues to its origins. It is well-worn, and frankly, it's not much to look at!

But the contents are a very precious piece of The Colonial Dames state history.

Ledger book's first entries from the 1890s

The first entry lists Mrs. William Peyton who was admitted to membership in 1892. The last entry dates from 1960. The ledger contains standard information on members – name, address, when admitted to the Dames, name and state of ancestor, and descendent generation number from said ancestor. The  date of death was written in for several of the members.

Ledger entries from 1906

Diana Morris Wild is our current vice-president and a board member of the California Genealogical Society. Since Diana is also an active member of the Dames, she volunteered to deliver it to their headquarters at the Octagon House in San Francisco.

Past-presidents Charlotte Scherman (left) and Jean Palmer (right) flank NSCDA-CA President Nancy McAteer (center)  and the ledger book at Octagon House.

The California Dames President Nancy McAteer reports that the ledger book was a big hit at their recent meeting. She thanks the California Genealogical Society for returning this important piece of their history and assures that it will occupy a special place in the California Dames Archives.


The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America (NSDCA), founded in 1891, is an association of forty-five corporate societies in forty-four states and the District of Columbia, with more than 15,500 individual members nationwide. The society's national headquarters are located in Washington, D.C. The California Society has headquarters at the Octagon House, 2645 Gough Street,
San Francisco. The NSDCA actively promotes the national heritage through historic preservation, patriotic service and educational projects.

Photographs courtesy of Diana Wild and Nancy McAteer, San Francisco, September 2012.

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

eNews October 2012, volume 6, number 10

The October 2012 eNews, volume 6, number 10,  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 "Little Jim," nanny or nurse to the great-granduncle of California Genealogical Society board member, Henry Snyder.

"Little Jim"

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

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

Photograph courtesy of Henry Snyder.

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

October 2012 Family History Month Offerings at the California Genealogical Society

The California Genealogical Society opens its doors to the public every year during the month of October in celebration of Family History Month. We waive the library usage fee for non-members and host workshops and classes. This year the society is offering a membership discount for visitors to the library during the month of October.

Board member and Corresponding Secretary Lisa Gorrell will be teaching our First Saturday Intro to Genealogy on October 6, 2012, 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.

Book Repair Chairman Bill O'Neil is teaching two hands-on workshops in October. Build a Book and Learn Repair Techniques will be held Saturday, October 6, 2012, 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Create Your Own Document Box will be held Thursday, October 18, 2012, 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. 

Bill will also be teaching a free class on cemetery research, Secrets from the Grave on Thursday, October 11, 2012, 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

The California Genealogical Society will be an exhibitor at the 14th Annual Family History Day at the State Archives in Sacramento on Saturday, October 13, 2012. CGS President Jeffrey Vaillant will be heading up our delegation.

The African American Genealogical Society of Northern California is hosting Black Family History Day on Saturday, October 13, 2012, from 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. at the Oakland FamilySearch Library.

The RootsMagic Special Interest Group meets Tuesday, October 16, 2012, 6:30 p.m. - 8:15 p.m.

The newly formed San Francisco Special Interest Group has its second meeting on Saturday, October 20, 2012, 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

There are still openings in Pat Burrow's class, Legacy Planning: What Happens to Your Research When You Are Gone?, Saturday, October 20, 2012, 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

The annual Fall Beginning Genealogy Series continues. This is the fifth consecutive year that CGS is offering the classes, hosted this year at the Oakland FamilySearch Library.

For a full listing of all Bay Area genealogy events in October, check the San Francisco Bay Area Genealogy Calendar. Plan to spend some time with your family history!


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

Wordless Wednesday

San Francisco Special Interest Group

Inaugural Meeting 

Saturday, September 22, 2012

Photographs courtesy of Tim Cox, Oakland, California.


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

San Francisco Bay Area Genealogy Calendar: October 2012 Published

October 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.

Genealogical societies traditionally celebrate October as "Family History Month"which accounts for a record sixty-five 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.

African American Research Workshops Resume

“Our Ancestors Will Not Be Forgotten”

The African American Research Workshop teaches research strategies and techniques to knock down those ‘brick walls’ encountered when conducting African-American genealogical research.

2012 workshops are held the fourth Wednesday of each month beginning September 26, 2012, at the Oakland FamilySearch Library, 4766 Lincoln Avenue, Oakland. Classes are held from 6:00 pm to 8:00 p.m. Individual assistance is provided from 8:00 p.m. to 8:45 p.m.

The workshops are presented in partnership with the African American Genealogical Society of Northern California. Sessions are free and pre-registration is not required. All are welcome!

For further information email workshop instructor Judith Collins.

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

2012 Book Donations – "A Stellar Year"

The donation of books accounts significantly for the growth in holdings of the California Genealogical Society Library over the past century. Library chair and board member Henry Snyder sent this update about recent donations to the library. 

This has been a stellar year for book donations to the library. It began with a handsome gift of materials from the library of John Ellis Hale, a past-president of the California Genealogical Society. The gift was substantial and it was recently supplemented by another small group of books and unpublished materials for which we are most grateful.

At the beginning of the year we had a call from J. Ryan May. His grandfather, George S. May, another long-term member, had given up his apartment to move into a retirement home. Ryan and his father decided to donate his library to a worthy institution and Ryan called us to see if we were interested. Of course we were! Diana Wild and I met him at his apartment in San Francisco and packed up a number of boxes sufficient to fill my car. Ryan had only been able to bring half of them down and the following month he delivered the rest to our Oakland quarters. The donation was rich in family histories and historical materials, largely focused on the Northeast. 

As many of you know, at one time the CGS shared quarters and a library with the California Historical Society (CHS). When we separated and moved to our own facility in San Francisco the library was divided up among the two institutions. The CHS kept the material on California and the Western States and we took the materials for the country east of the Rockies. The family histories largely came to the CGS but more have now been discovered at CHS. The indefatigable Jane Lindsey has been in discussion with Mary Morganti, CHS Director of Library & Archives, for years about books in storage at CHS that might be of interest to us. When I joined the library committee she suggested I follow up as I had worked previously with Mary on other projects. I did so last year and the result was that Mary graciously agreed to review the stored materials and pull items that were more germane to our mission than theirs. The result has been three substantial shipments since the first of the year with more to come. We have been particularly pleased that the preponderance consisted of family history charts and practically everything they offered was new to our collection. We are most grateful to Mary and the California Historical Society for turning over these items to us. To recognize their generosity, the Board has agreed to offer CHS members free use of our library. 

Still another major gift was received when member Thomas Sinton called to say he was giving up his genealogy collection and offered it to us. Subsequently he delivered no less than thirty-six boxes of books to us at the beginning of the summer. They were again rich in New England material, including many Higginson reprints of scarce out of print works in stout library cloth bindings printed on acid proof paper, more durable than the originals. Also included was a nearly complete set of the Barbour collection, the essential source for Connecticut families, forty-five out of fifty-five volumes. We are in the process of purchasing the balance so we can proudly state we will have a complete set in essentially new condition. Finally there was an interesting group of materials, some unpublished, on San Luis Obispo County and Santa Barbara. 

Barbara Silveira, another long-time member died this year and her family invited us to take what we wanted from her library. She had built a whole room on to her house to hold her collections! Jane Lindsey, Georgia Lupinsky, Pat Smith, and I responded to the invitation. The library was rich in manuscript materials but we also retrieved twelve boxes of books. 

There has been a continuing flow of small donations which enrich the collection. Thanks to the generosity of our members and their families the library has grown substantially this past year. We are adding new shelving to accommodate the increase. So please keep the gifts coming! Our library is essentially the result of the gifts of our members and we count upon their continuing good will. 

—Henry Snyder, 14 September 2012

The California Genealogical Society Library appreciates donations of books and periodicals that have genealogical content. Donations will be gratefully received by the CGS Library Committee and will be reviewed by Committee members, who will make decisions regarding retention using the Book Donation Policy.

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

Free Family History Month Class: Secrets from the Grave

Thursday, October 11, 2012
10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

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

Cemeteries can be a rich source of information for the family historian. Join Bill O’Neil for an illuminating overview of graveyards and markers, and an exploration of a variety of death-related documents. Bill's talk will include images of interesting tombstones from some of his favorite haunts. 

This class is free and open to the public for October Family History Month, but seating is limited. Registration confirmations will be sent to the first thirty participants who register. Walk-ins will not be admitted.

Register online.

Bill O'Neil is a retired high school art teacher who loves books and cemeteries. He is the chair of the California Genealogical Society Book Repair Committee. Bill has been researching his family genealogy for about twenty years. 

Photograph from Old North Burying Ground, Dorchester, Massachusetts, courtesy of Bill O'Neil.


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

What You Missed: Genealogy 101 at the Society of California PIoneers

On Saturday, September 9, 2012, Lavinia Schwarz presented Genealogy 101: Getting Started, at the Society of California Pioneers in San Francisco. Lavinia heads the research team at the California Genealogical Society and is a former member of the board of directors. The class grew out of a desire for collaboration between our two societies. Our board members, Pat Gallagher and Henry Snyder, worked with California Pioneers Director of Library and Archives, Patricia L. Keats, to make it happen.

Lavinia Schwarz teaching "Genealogy 101" in the
Joseph and Mildred Rolph Moore Gallery. 

The setting was the beautiful Joseph and Mildred Rolph Moore Gallery. The class was free and open members of both the California Genealogical Society and the Society of California Pioneers. SOCP Director of Membership Services, Peggy Huntington, and SOCP Board President Thomas McLaughlin were present to welcome attendees and get things started. More than thirty participants heard Lavinia's excellent presentation on how to get started on a genealogical quest.

Members of both the California Genealogical Society and the Society of California Pioneers were in attendance.

Lavinia provided an excellent overview for the beginner. Using examples and photographs from her own family, she outlined the "how-to process" and shared her secrets for success. Her discussion covered the following topics:

1. Talk to everyone in the family.
2. Gather what you collect and pick an approach.
3. Learn the lingo.
4. Copy and source what you find.
5. If you can, use technology.

Lavinia provided a hand-out with resource suggestions, a comprehensive list of genealogy websites, and three sample forms – ancestral chart, research calendar, and family group record sheet.

Tim Cox, Lavinia Schwarz and Thomas McLaughlin, President of the Board of Society of California Pioneers

The class was very well-received. Organizer Pat Gallagher noted: "Lots of folks left the room saying how inspired they were to get going."

The California Genealogical Society gratefully acknowledges the assistance of Education and Gallery Manager John Hogan for facilitating the event.

We look forward to future collaborative endeavors with the Society of California Pioneers.

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

Encore Presentation! Legacy Planning: What Happens to Your Research after You Are Gone?

Patricia Burrow

Saturday, October 20, 2012
1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

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

Legacy Planning usually refers to your will, trusts and medical directives. Have you thought about what is going to happen to your family history research? Do your children know what to do with those file cabinets, folders, binders and archival boxes full of memorabilia? Patricia Burrow is back with an encore presentation. She will share some of the things we can do to ensure our family history research is preserved for future generations.

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 workshop.

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.

Patricia Burrow has blended her retired, tech world vocation with her passionate avocation for genealogy research and storytelling. She leads several groups in the genealogy community and has been actively researching her family’s history for almost a decade. Pat has had several articles and

stories published about her ancestors and is working on a book about her adopted grandmother and the two families that loved her. She teaches Reunion for the Mac at the Silicon Valley Computer Genealogy Group and participates in an indexing project at the Santa Clara County Archives. Her mantra is: “Your kids won’t throw away a book with their surname on it. Publish, publish, publish.”


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

Wordless Wednesday

Thursday Evening Discussion 

August 23, 2012

Stump the Panel

Photograph courtesy of Tim Cox, 8/23/2012.


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

2012 Nominating Committee

President Jeffrey Vaillant announced this summer that director Karen Lemelin has been named chair of the 2012 Nominating Committee. Jeff commented: "I know she will do a great job and ask that each of you support her in her efforts."

General members of the committee are Linda Okazaki and Jane Lindsey.

The committee is seeking nominees for five anticipated openings on the board of directors. They welcome suggestions of candidates or volunteers to serve. Nominees must be members of the California Genealogical Society. Please email Karen Lemelin with your suggestions.

The California Genealogical Society's bylaws specify the annual creation of a Nominating Committee in Article VII, Section 1: Nominations and Elections:

Section 1. The Nominating Committee shall consist of at least three (3) members to be named not less that ninety (90) days prior to the Annual Business Meeting. The President shall appoint the Nominating Committee. The chairperson of the committee shall be from the Board of Directors and additional committee members from the general membership.

Section 2. The Nominating Committee shall submit its report to the Board of Directors and the Board shall give timely notice of nominations to the general membership prior to the Annual Business Meeting.

Section 3. Following the Nominating Committee’s report to the membership at the Annual Business Meeting, the floor shall be open to additional nominations, provided nominees have given consent to serve if elected.

Section 4. Nominees shall be members in good standing in the Society.

Section 5. Members in good standing who are present at the Annual Business Meeting shall elect the Directors. A plurality vote shall elect.

Section 6. If there is only one candidate for an opening, the ballot may be dispensed with by general consent and the election held by voice vote.


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

ENews September 2012, volume 6, number 9

The September 2012 eNews, volume 6, number 9,  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 Labor Day, we honor Earl Warren Wright, grandfather of California Genealogical Society board member Jim Sorenson, and his long career with the Standard Oil Company.

Excerpt of the 1899 letter to Earl Wright Morgan (1879-1953).

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

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

Photograph courtesy of Jim Sorenson.

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

New Workshop! Create Your Own Document Box

The California Genealogical Society's Book Repair Committee stays busy making minor and major repairs to the books in our library. But occasionally a book is in such poor condition it cannot be rebound. In those cases, the committee creates a book box so the item can continue to be shelved.

Book Repair Committee chair Bill O'Neil has agreed to share this skill in a new workshop as part of our October Family History Month offerings.

Thursday, October 18, 2012
9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

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

Join Bill O'Neil and learn how to create your own book box or document box. Workshop participants will make a custom-sized box for a personal item or items. When registering, let us know the dimensions of your treasure: height, width and depth, so we may prepare your personal materials. Size should be no larger than 8 1/2" by 11" by 2".

PLEASE NOTE:

• Workshop is limited to ten.

• $35 charge for materials must be pre-paid.

• Walk-ins will not be admitted.

Register online.

Registration confirmations will be sent to the first ten who register and pay the materials fee. Additional names will be collected and placed on a waiting list in case of cancellations.

Photograph courtesy of Bill O'Neil.



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

Wordless Wednesday

Summer Best Genealogy Websites Series

Week 4: Ancestry.com

Jane Knowles Lindsey

Photographs courtesy of Therese Hart-Pignotti, Oakland, California.


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

October Workshop: Build a Book and Learn Book Repair Techniques

Saturday, October 6, 2012

9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

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

The California Genealogical Society is taking reservations for the popular Book Repair Workshop, taught by Book Repair Committee Chairman Bill O'Neil.

Workshop participants learn book repair techniques by creating a book for themselves. Pages are provided and the pupils create the binding. The finished product will be a copy of a "how to" pamphlet written by the late Dick Thrift, founder of the CGS Book Repair Committee. Everyone goes home with a self-made instruction book and souvenir of the day.

PLEASE NOTE:

• Workshop is limited to ten.

• $25 charge for materials must be pre-paid.

• Walk-ins will not be admitted.

Register online.

Preregistration is required. Registration confirmations will be sent to the first ten who register and pay the materials fee. Additional names will be collected and placed on a waiting list in case of cancellations.

Photograph by Kathryn M. Doyle, Oakland, California.

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

San Francisco Bay Area Genealogy Calendar: September 2012 Published

September 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.

Bay Area societies are in full-swing now that summer is over. The September calendar lists fifty-three 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

Silent Auction Items Needed for October Seminar with NEHGS

The silent auctions held at past California Genealogical Society events have been very successful fund-raisers. Members donate things that appeal to others who bid on them. The auctions are a place to browse between lectures and they are 100% profit for the society.

Items are needed for our October seminar. Can you help?

Look around your home. Do you have something that might be a sought-after auction item? Use your imagination! Here are a few examples:

Decorative – nice glass or crystal pieces, sculptures, a set of dishes, a set of popular books, handmade items such as quilts or afghans. One member donated a leather briefcase for a past NEHGS event.

Special Opportunities - a cruise on the Bay, a tour of something not readily available to the public, or tickets to a special event. A behind-the-scenes tour of BART was a well-received item at one of our events.

Services - genealogical research, software tutoring, entering genealogy into a database, etc.

Small items for Theme Baskets

• Baskets
• Coffee, mugs, scone or muffin mix for a "Coffee-break basket"
• Wine, glasses, appetizers, napkins  for a "Happy-hour basket"
• Scented soaps, oils, lufa for a "Spa basket"
• Picnic basket

All suggestions welcome! 

Please email Cynthia Gorman or call her at 510-465-4122 if you have any questions or possible silent auction items.

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

Announcing the San Francisco Special Interest Group

Join the Conversation! 

The California Genealogical Society is pleased to announce formation of the San Francisco Special Interest Group (SFSIG).

The San Francisco SIG welcomes all who have an interest in San Francisco genealogy research. Everyone is invited to participate, regardless of level of research experience. The group is forming to help so bring your questions as well as your expertise. We may not have all of the answers, but we will pool our resources and learn together.

The group will focus on both pre-1906 and post-1906 San Francisco city and county.

On occasion there will be speaker presentations from professional researchers, librarians and archivists. Nancy Peterson’s book, Raking the Ashes: Genealogical Strategies for Pre-1906 San Francisco Research will be the core research guide. Nancy had this to say about the new SIG:

The California Genealogical Society is the logical home for a San Francisco interest group since it holds a San Francisco based genealogical collection second only to the archives in the bowels of San Francisco Public Library. Not only can one access with experienced guidance the material available online, but almost all necessary and relevant Family History Library films are present onsite, as well as electronic databases and indexes that are not available elsewhere.

The first organizing meeting will take place on Saturday, September 22, 2012 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. at the California Genealogical Society Library, 2201 Broadway, Suite LL2, Oakland.

Going forward, the San Francisco SIG will meet on the third Saturday of the month. Meeting dates for the rest of the year will be:

• Saturday, October 20, 2012
• Saturday, November 17, 2012
• Saturday, December 15, 2012

Are you planning to attend? Please RSVP via email. Email reminders will be sent a few days prior.

Please note: the CGS Library is a benefit of membership but initial SIG meetings are open to the public. The library usage fee will be waived for the meeting but if non-member attendees want to stay to do some research after the SIG meeting, they will be charged the $5 fee.

Download the SF-SIG information flier.


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

NEHGS Comes West: Friday, October 26, 2012

The wait is over! It's been three years since our last event with the New England Historic Genealogical Society. This year NEHGS President and CEO D. Brentan Simons will be here with Rhonda McClure and David Allen Lambert who will present two tracks of lectures at our full day Friday seminar. You choose the talks you want to attend. Topics will include vital records, immigration, online searching, New York state, and, of course, New England.

Choose the seminar, the dinner, or both!

Friday, October 26, 2012, 8:45 a.m. – 3:45 p.m.
Full Day Seminar, Continental Breakfast and Lunch
Hs Lordships Restaurant at the Berkeley Marina, 199 Seawall Drive, Berkeley, California
Rhonda McClure and David Allen Lambert will present eight lectures in two tracks.

Session 1
Option A: Beyond the Grave: Looking Past Your Ancestor’s Death Record (David)
Option B: Unique Resources in NY State Research (Rhonda)

Session 2
Option A: New Resources on AmericanAncestors.org for New England Research (David)
Option B: Researching New York City Ancestors (Rhonda)

Lunch, NEHGS and CGS updates, book sales, auction results

Session 3
Option A: Getting the Most out of New England Vital Records Online, in Print and on Film (David)
Option B: The Golden Door Has Locks – Tracing Immigrant Ancestors (Rhonda)

Session 4
Option A: Researching New England Military Records (David)
Option B: I Can’t Find It – Understanding Online Search Limitations (Rhonda)

Friday, October 26, 2012, 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Optional Dinner and No-host Cocktails
Spenger’s Fresh Fish Grotto, 1919 4th Street Berkeley, California

After dinner, a presentation by Brenton: Red Alert! Save Your Family History... NOW!

Saturday, October 27, 2012, 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Private Consultations by appointment only
CGS Library, 2201 Broadway, Suite LL2, Oakland, California

A limited number of 20-minute consultations will be available for $25. Consultations must be paid in advance by September 24, 2012. Scheduling preference will be given to seminar attendees. Please email Leah Walczak or call 617-226-1226 or 888-286-3447.

Register by September 23, 2012 for our special "early bird" prices!

• Seminar- $60.00
• Dinner- $50.00

Starting September 24, 2012, the $15 discounts end, and prices will be $75 for the seminar and $65 for the dinner.

Download the registration flier.

Register online.

Rhonda R. McClure, NEHGS Senior Researcher, is a nationally recognized professional genealogist and lecturer specializing in New England and celebrity research as well as computerized genealogy.

David Allen Lambert, NEHGS Online Genealogist, has been with NEHGS since 1993. His specialties include New England, Atlantic Canadian, British, and military research. He is a national speaker and author.

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

Wordless Wednesday

"Genealogy is Not Just for Genealogists"

Presentation by Jane Knowles Lindsey

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Photographs courtesy of Pat Gallagher and Jane Lindsey, St. Francis Senior Center, San Francisco, CA, 8/8/2012.


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

eNews August 2012, volume 6, number 8

The August 2012 eNews, volume 6, number 8,  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, CGS board member Ellen Fernandez-Sacco honors her step-grandmother and great-aunt Josefa Babilonia Lopez, daughter of Alicides Ambrosio Talavera (1860-1921) and his wife Maria de la Concepcion Lopez Ramirez (1863-1925).

Josefa Babilonia Lopez (1893-1963) and Maria del Rosario Ines 'Sarito' Babilonia Estrella (1888-1978)

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

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

Photograph courtesy of Ellen Fernandez-Sacco.

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

Almost Finished! 1940 Census Indexing: July 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.

CGS has sixty-six indexers who are part of a team of almost 155,000 volunteers. Our team members indexed 13,301 names and arbitrated 8,739 during the month of July. 

Amazingly, after only four months, the project is almost finished!

99% of the 1940 census has been indexed and arbitrated. More than 134 million records have been indexed and thirty-one states are searchable by name.

President Jeffrey Vaillant is our acting project coordinator and he is posting periodic "cheerleading" messages to our group participants. 

Thank you to all of our hard-working indexing and arbitrating volunteers! 

If you didn't get a change to participate, don't worry! New indexing projects are added every week. 

Next up: the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Community Project.


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