A Special Evening Event with Noted Genealogy Author, Bill Cole

Join us on Thursday, March 8th, and be a part of a unique celebration between the California Genealogical Society (CGS) and the California Historical Society (CHS)! Our two genealogy and history-focused organizations are hosting a special event at CHS' headquarters to celebrate our shared history and collaborative missions. Access to CHS' genealogical collections viewing and current exhibits, and a special speaker, Bill Cole will be highlights of the evening. You must pre-register for the event. Free for CGS members or only $5 for non-members.

Interested in California history?  You won't want to miss this event!
Bill Cole will talk about a fascinating only-in-California event, the 1864 Bullion Bend Stagecoach Robbery. This amazing Wild West caper occurred during the Civil War’s final year. It was front-page news that captured the country’s attention.

These incredible events unfolded right in our backyard, from San Jose to Sacramento to Placerville. Genealogist Bill Cole, a relative of one of the perpetrators, dug deep into the California State Archives to uncover the full story. The treasure trove of information he found tells an amazing story, where fact is truly stranger than fiction.

About the Speaker
Bill Cole, M.A., is a passionate genealogist who has vigorously pursued his family history since 1980. His genealogy exploits include being the first person to document the English parents of his immigrant 8th great grandfather from the 16th Century. He has uncovered ancestors born at sea, a shipwrecked survivor pardoned from a death sentence who survived Jamestown, two Mayflower ancestors, multiple Revolutionary War patriots on both sides, and  other fascinating characters – including one involved in a California stagecoach robbery.  

Bill is a member of the Mayflower Society and the Vice President of the Sacramento German Genealogical Society. He recently served on the International German Genealogical Partnership’s International Conference Executive Committee.

Location
California Historical Society
678 Mission Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
Need directions or suggestions on how to get there? Visit their website.

Schedule
5:45 pm - Doors open with a reception, CHS' genealogical collections viewing, and access to CHS' current exhibits.

6:45 pm - Bill’s talk begins at “Bullion Bend: Confederate Stagecoach Robbers, Murder Trials, & the California Supreme Court -- Oh, My!”.

8:45 pm - Event ends

Exhibit information

Alexander Hamilton: Treasures from the New-York Historical Society

The extraordinary life and prolific career of Alexander Hamilton (1757–1804) continue to captivate the American public more than two centuries after his death. Drawing from the    collections of the New-York Historical Society and JP Morgan Chase bank, this exhibition presents original artifacts and documents—many never before seen on the West Coast—that illuminate Hamilton's role in shaping the legal, economic, and political systems at the foundation of the modern United States.

Meanwhile out West: Colonizing California, 1769–1821

At least 300,000 indigenous people lived in Alta California, as it was once known, when the Spanish Crown asserted sovereignty over the territory in 1769. In the ensuing five decades, Spain left an enduring imprint on the Native peoples, the landscape and on California's cultural heritage. This exhibition explores the period through manuscripts, books, paintings, and artifacts from the California Historical Society's collections.

Join us on March 8th and help us make this a celebration to remember!

Copyright © 2018 by California Genealogical Society

The California State Archives - A Capital Resource for Family Researchers

An early 20^th century “mug shot” book from San Quentin Prison is just one of the
pieces of California memorabilia preserved and protected by State Archives staff.

by Kathleen Beitiks

California’s capital city of Sacramento may be all about politics, but it is also a treasure trove for genealogists.

Recently, a small group of California Genealogical Society (CGS) members showed up in the capital city for a “behind the scenes” tour of the State Archives, located in the building occupied by the Secretary of State and the California Museum.

Although the State Archives was established in 1850 primarily to house records of California state agencies, the governor's office, the state legislature, and the State Supreme Court and Courts of Appeal, it also contains many genealogical resources. It is one of the biggest archives west of the Mississippi.

CGS members pose in front of shelves of vintage books and ledgers with Archivist
Jessica Herrick (left) before exploring the stacks on the 4^th Floor of the California State Archives. 

What we experienced
Archivist Jessica Herrick told CGS members that its list of Collections & Catalogs includes photographs and some census, county, mental health, military and prison records. 

Vintage Maps are preserved in a climate-controlled
room of the California State Archives.   

In addition, there are records for Supreme and Appellate Court cases, Common School Reports, Articles of Incorporation, Trademarks, and Professional and Vocational Licensing files.

Preserving ledgers from the former Whittier State School,
established as a reform school for boys and girls in 1891,
is an ongoing project for the State Archives staff.

The 1852 state census is on hand, as well as the 1860 and 1889 Federal Censuses. County records from 1850 -1987 are housed at the Archives and include probate court case files, wills, naturalizations, deeds, homesteads and vital records for more than 20 counties.

Common School Reports (1862-1960) include school districts, student attendance figures, grades taught and names of teachers. 

The destructive cigarette beetle – otherwise known
as a “bookworm” is just one of the challenges faced by
the preservation staff at the California State Archives.

In addition to housing important documents related to the history of California, the Archives is also tasked with preserving older documents, books, maps and ephemera.

Document Preservation Technician Juan Ramos,
shows Jessica Herrick, Archivist, some of the
preservation work his staff has completed
 on an 1892 World Atlas.

Juan Ramos, Document Preservation Technician, led CGS members on a tour of the conservation lab, showing some tools of the trade. He also pointed out some of the well-intentioned, but destructive attempts at preservation in the past – cellophane tape, laminate and glue. 

Preserving documents and old books is a science and an art, says Ramos, and there are many tools available today that are more successful in keeping items intact. (Check the State Archives website for information about periodic conservation classes.)

Genealogists are welcome to visit the State Archives to do research. It is recommended that you call prior to your visit so staff members can pull any relevant records and make your research easier. Want additional information? Click here for more about the California State Archives, its mission and programs.

Photos courtesy of Kathleen Beitiks

Copyright © 2017 by California Genealogical Society