Quarterly Membership Meeting: Saturday, July 13!

Bill O'Neil with some of his dolls in military uniform

If you missed the April membership meeting, where Bill O'Neil displayed his collection of dolls dressed in military uniforms--or if you were there, but want to know the story behind the figures--you're in luck! Bill will give a presentation at our quarterly meeting on Saturday, July 13.  Each doll represents one of Bill's ancestors. His family includes veterans of every war except Vietnam, starting with Rogers' Rangers. Bill himself is a Korean War veteran.

As always, the meeting begins at 1 p.m., but all are invited to bring your own lunch and come at noon for socializing. RSVP is appreciated: please register online to let us know how many are coming. Note that the CGS Library will be closed to researchers from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. on this day.

Copyright © 2019 by California Genealogical Society

2019 Genie Awards and Quarterly Meeting

Vic Halfon and Theresa Murphy were the featured speakers

Our membership meeting on April 13 was fun AND instructive, as we enjoyed fellowship and some interesting talks by members. Theresa Murphy shared her tips on creating a professional-quality family memory book using one of a variety of print services. Vic Halfon recounted the amazing story of how research and DNA led to his reunion with descendants and cousins of the father he never knew.

Receiving the "Genie" award for outstanding contributions to CGS were:

Bill O'Neil with his collection of dolls in uniform

Bill O'Neil, a member since 1995, whose many contributions to the society include his long tenure as chair of the Book Repair Committee, in which he has overseen the maintenance and renewal of countless volumes and taught the skills of the trade to other volunteers. We were also treated to an exhibit of Bill's collection of "Ken dolls in uniform" - a dozen figures outfitted in military costume representing his ancestors' service through the centuries.

Genie Awardees Nancy Servin, Jerry McGovern, Bill O'Neil,
and Cheryl Schmidt (not pictured: Adelle Treakle)

Longtime Membership Team leaders Nancy Servin, Adelle Treakle and Cheryl Schmidt were also recognized, as was our dedicated "Saturday Library Assistant" Jerry McGovern. Our indefatigable Volunteer Coordinator Kathleen Beitiks presented the awards and helped bring the whole event together.

Our always-cheerful Volunteer Coordinator Kathleen Beitiks (at right)

Photos by Ron Madson.
Copyright © 2019 by California Genealogical Society

Secrets of the Grave: Find clues to help you solve your family puzzle

Are you a fan of Find-A-Grave? 

Then come join our own Bill O’Neil for his take on providing you an illuminating overview of graveyards and markers, along with his own personal stories of genealogy discovery, as well as an exploration of the variety of available death-related documents. Bill's talk will include images of interesting tombstones from some of his favorite haunts. 

Bill O'Neil
 photo courtesy of Jane Knowles Lindsey

I asked Bill why cemeteries are such a rich source of material when looking for our ancestors, as well as the potential pitfalls to be aware of and he explained, “I get records from the cemeteries and their custodians much of the time, but sometimes they will not let you see the records because they plot is not fully paid for.”

Sometimes a cemetery can potentially create a family controversy.  Bill describes one such event, “My cousin sent me a photo of the O’Neil tombstone in Scotland. She didn’t know the last listed person and assumed that this woman might have been someone’s mistress because her maiden name was on the stone. She wasn’t. She was a great, great-grandmother, Mary McIver. In typical Scottish tradition, I knew that all of the women were listed on the headstones by their married names and as  “wife of’”, yet there was no husband listed for Mary McIver (my great, great-grandmother). However, obituaries in Scotland list both the maiden and married names---so that’s how we knew there was no controversy.”

Funny things also happen when dealing with cemeteries. Bill said, “I sent a request to the Oakland Cemetery in Little Falls, MN. It was returned with the following comment":  

“ALL DECEASED R(eturn) T(o) S(ender)”

Lastly, I asked what drew Bill to cemeteries.  He said, “I don’t really know why they fascinate me, but in addition to the obvious cemetery documentation that’s available, you can learn more about your relatives just by observing how their markers were decorated. Were they simple, fanciful, or morbid?  In an odd way, observing how your loved ones were treated in death actually helps you understand how the family felt about them when they were alive.”

In Bill’s opinion, “the bottom line is that the cemetery is the starting point for finding out about your ancestors”.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

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 over twenty years. 

How do I sign-up?

Pre-registration is required, but class size is limited so register now. 

Are you a CGS member?  Then admission is free.

Not a member?  That’s fine, but the fee is $30.00 and can be applied towards a new one year CGS membership ($40) the day of the class.

Bill has a treasure trove of stories and anecdotes that he can’t wait to share with you.  Join him and learn what makes a cemetery a fascinating place to discover clues about your ancestors.

Copyright © 2016 by California Genealogical Society

2015 Genie Awards

 Congratulations to our award recipients.
Thank you, Diana Edwards and Kathleen Beitiks, for hosting an event showcasing our "Behind the Scenes" Volunteers!

2015 Genie Award Recipients
Back Row: Karen Wetherall, Ron Madson, Bill O'Neil, Rich Kehoe Larry Youngman,
Georgia Lupinsky, Phil Hoehn
Front Row: Keith Montgomery, Jane Hufft, Virginia Turner

Diana Edwards, Genie (aka Linda Harms Okazaki) and Kathleen Beitiks

Copyright © 2015 by California Genealogical Society

Ready, Set, Go: Family History Month’s Coming to Town!

by Shannon Reese

October’s just around the corner so get ready for Family History Month at the California Genealogical Society! 

For more than a decade, October has been celebrated among genealogy enthusiasts. As always, the society library will open its doors to the public during the month of October.

Are you new to family history research?  No worries, we waive the library usage fee for non-members and invite everyone to come and explore the library's resources. 

We're located in the historic Bruner Building at 22nd Street & Broadway, one block north of the Paramount Theater, in downtown Oakland.  All classes (for which you must register) during October will be held here, unless specified.

Photo: “Examining Passengers Aboard Ships.” Vessel is the Shimyo Maru, Angel Island, California, 1931. The U.S. National Archives Flickr page.

Although it’s technically not in October, don’t forget about the September 27th class at CGS on Finding Your Japanese Roots: In the US and In Japan led by Linda Harms Okazaki.

Our member volunteers have been busy gearing up for a month of special events and exciting classes. Please help us celebrate Family History Month by attending one of our October events.  We start off October with a slew of choices:

Saturday, October 4^th

The California Genealogical Society is participating in the Nikkei Pilgrimage to Angel Island.  This fun, all-day event is focused on the Japanese-American experience at the "Ellis Island of the West". CGS Member Linda Harms Okazaki, will present and then will be available to help people get started in their own research.  Diana Edwards, Eva Goodwin, and Todd Armstrong (all CGS members & genealogists) will be there to help as well.

Don’t miss our FREE Beginning Genealogy class with Dick Rees from 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.  Find out who you are and who your ancestors were!

Saturday, October 11th

The City Directory Library awaits your visit!  Come by from 10am – 4pm and see member Dr. Stephen Harris’ collection of 6,000 city and telephone directories dating from the 1840s to the 1960s.

Everything Was Not Lost! Digging Deeply to Unearth Your Early San Francisco Ancestor  from 10am-12pm.  Genealogists are often told the bad news that the family records they are looking for in San Francisco all burned in the 1906 Earthquake and Fire, but everything was not lost. CGS member and author of Raking the Ashes – Genealogical Strategies for Pre 1906 San Francisco Research, Nancy Peterson knows how to unearth early San Francisco Ancestors.

We can’t wait to see you at our Fall Membership meeting!  We'll be presenting the First Annual Genie Awards, honoring some of our extra-special volunteers -- those whose "magical" skills have helped the California Genealogical Society in significant ways.

  

The award ceremony, with an Academy Awards theme and a glass of bubbly, will begin at 12:00 p.m.  It’s followed by the membership meeting (1pm – 3pm) with a discussion of "Genealogical Blogging." BYO lunch; dessert and beverages will be provided.

Tuesday, October 14th

The CGS Book Repair Committee, headed by Bill O'Neil, will hold its monthly work session from 9:30am – 3:00pm.  The committee welcomes new members who are interested in learning the craft and who can meet with the group every month. No experience necessary!

Friday, October 17th

Never explored the City Directory Library?  It’s open from 10am – 4pm with a collection of 6,000 city and telephone directories dating from the 1840s to the 1960s.

Saturday, October 18^th

10:00am – 11:30am is the monthly meeting of the CGS Board of Directors that focuses on making our tagline, “helping people connect to their family heritage” a reality.

Our San Francisco Special Interest Group meets from 10:00am – 11:30am and is led by Sandra Britt-Huber.  Topics include both pre & post 1906 time periods. Come & join us this month if you have an interest in San Francisco history and genealogy! 

Saturday, October 25th

10am – 1pm is Susan Goss Johnston’s Exploring Record Sets Series: Introduction to Military Records.  More than 35 million people have fought in military conflicts in America's history. The records created during and after their service are invaluable sources for family historians. Discover the many record types available, where to find them, and study problems that can be solved only through these fascinating documents.

For a full listing of all Bay Area genealogy events in October, check the San Francisco Bay Area Genealogy Calendar frequently.

Get started today on your family history---you’ll be glad you did!

Copyright © 2014 by Ellen Fernandez-Sacco, California Genealogical Society and Library.