Summer Thursday Evenings at the Library

In case you missed it: our library is open till 8 p.m. on Thursdays in July and August! More time for research, and we offer FREE classes by a variety of our members.

Talks kicked off last week with Robert Jackson speaking on "Discovering Your German Roots." This is a 3-part series, with classes continuing July 18 & 25. Check the listing for more details.

On August 1, Stewart Blandón Traiman discusses "Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Genealogy."

Maureen Hanlon offers tips on research using "Historical Newspapers" on August 8. 


August 15: Therese Hart-Pignotti and Dawn Kosmakos lead a DNA roundtable.


August 22: Keith Montgomery talks about using Genome Mate Pro to keep track of your DNA information.


August 29: Jane Lindsey presents "Beyond the Search Boxes on FamilySearch."

The classes are all free, but size is limited; please follow the link to register your attendance.

Parking is free after 6 p.m. in downtown Oakland, and North Oakland is hopping with new restaurants within blocks. Grab a friend and come on down!

All our events can be found listed on the CGS Facebook page

or on our website:

or at EventBrite.com (search for California Genealogical Society)

Copyright © 2019 by California Genealogical Society

"Discovering Your German Roots" July 11, 18, 25

July is sizzling with lots of exciting classes and events! Today, we look at a FREE class that will be of special interest to those with German heritage: "Discovering Your German Roots: The Great Migration, 1815-1914."

Longtime favorite Robert Jackson leads this three-part course, which looks at the large German migration from the early nineteenth to the early twentieth century. As he explains, "More than twenty percent of all Americans claim primarily German descent, and many more have at least one German ancestor. It continues to be the largest single ethnic component of the American population.

"To the delight of their descendants, the documentary sources available in Germany, many of them now available in the U.S. on line and on microfilm, facilitate the assembly of family trees of great age and depth, often back to the 1500s, even for simple peasant stock (which includes nearly all of us). It is not unusual for the documented family tree of one German immigrant to contain as many as 300 ancestors."

The class runs July 11, 18, and 25, from 6:30-8 p.m. at the CGS Library.  It is free to all, but limited to 30 people. Please register HERE to save your place.

All our Events can be found listed on the CGS Facebook page

or on our website:

or at EventBrite.com (search for California Genealogical Society)

Copyright © 2019 by California Genealogical Society

Got German Ancestors? August 25th Members-Only Event ends our Summer Evenings Series

Please join us this Thursday, August 25th, from 6pm until 8pm for a special, members-only evening with Robert Jackson at our genealogy library.  An added bonus is that metered parking is free after 6pm and much easier to find!

There will be informal discussion around early German records (he'll help demystify), plus the latest news from Robert about newly available German Genealogy resources.  

If time allows, he will walk you through some early marriage and baptism entries, along with how to deal with them.  No registration needed. 

About the instructor

Robert Jackson holds a Ph.D. in history from Harvard University. After several years’ teaching at the college level, he pursued a professional career in banking and finance. Since retiring, he has assisted a variety of not-for-profit and community organizations.  He has also been enjoying his hobbies of genealogy and tennis. 

Robert lives in Berkeley, is devoted to his wife, and is very proud of his daughter, who recently graduated from Bennington College in Vermont.

Join Robert this Thursday for this special, members-only event and learn how to decipher your German roots!

Copyright © 2016 by California Genealogical Society

Genealogy Class: So you've got French-Canadian ancestry, Eh?

Trying to hunt down that elusive French-Canadian ancestor?  Then register today for our class, French-Canadian Family History.  It’s this Saturday, January 30, 2016 at our library in Uptown Oakland from 1PM to 3PM.

What’s the purpose of the class?

It’s to learn how to solve the key problem facing anyone with French-Canadian ancestors: the discovery of their most recent marriage record, whether in Canada or the United States, which will usually provide access to the rest of the family tree.  Also, you’ll review the main online resources for French-Canadian research.

Who were the original French-Canadians?

From a tiny population of immigrants—just 5,000 men and 1,500 women, most of whom arrived in Canada between 1660 and 1680—descends the entire French-Canadian population of more than seven million, as well as their millions of American cousins.

To have French-Canadian ancestors is to have an astonishing and ready-made family tree. From the very beginning of French settlement in Canada, in the early 1600s, the Catholic priests responsible for the spiritual lives of their parishioners maintained thorough and complete records of all vital events, including marriages, baptisms, and burials.

From these pristine and detailed documents, all of which are now available on line, we can construct impressive family trees, often consisting of over a thousand individuals reaching back to the fifteenth century in France.

About the instructor

Robert Jackson holds a Ph.D. in history from Harvard University. After several years’ teaching at the college level, he pursued a professional career in banking and finance. Since retiring, he has assisted a variety of not-for-profit and community organizations.  He has also been enjoying his hobbies of genealogy and tennis.

Robert lives in Berkeley, is devoted to his wife, and is very proud of his daughter, who recently graduated from Bennington College in Vermont.

The details

Member?  Then you enjoy free admission. 

Not a member yet?  Your admission fee is $30.00* and can be applied towards a new one year CGS membership the day of the class.  If you think you’ll come to more than one of our classes, then a new membership (which starts at only $40) more than pays for itself.

So what are you waiting for?  Reserve your spot today and learn all about the French-Canadians!

Copyright © 2016 by California Genealogical Society

French-Canadian Seminar and Panel Discussion

Dr. Robert Jackson

Saturday, March 23, 2013

10:00 a.m. – 3:15 p.m.

California Genealogical Society Library

2201 Broadway, Suite LL2

Oakland, California 94612

Dr. Robert Jackson, a retired Harvard history professor and businessman, will give participants an overview of the history of Quebec, providing historical perspective to French Canadian research. Come hear him discuss major French Canadian resources and online resources for your genealogy research. He will also offer suggestions for U.S. research to trace your ancestor back to Quebec.

The last hour of the seminar will be devoted to a panel discussion with time for questions from the audience. Mary Beth Frederick and Tom Gesner will assist.

Seminar Schedule:

10:00 – 11:00 a.m.: Brief History of Quebec and how it affected the Canadian population, including the King’s daughters (Filles du Marier), the Carignan Regiment, and the Acadians.

11:15 a.m.

-12:15 p.m. Discussion of Important Record Sets for French Canadian research, including notarial records, the Drouin Collection, the PRDH, Jette’s genealogy dictionary the Tanguay Collection, the Census and other resources. The use of “dit” names (alternate surnames) and online resources will also be covered.

12:15 -

1:00 p.m. Lunch: Bring your own lunch and network with other French Canadian researchers.

1-2 p.m. Beginning your French Canadian research in the U.S Ideas for identifying the French name will be discussed, as well as using churches with a large French Canadian population as a resource. We will look at migration patterns of French Canadians to the U.S. Marriages in VT, NH, and NY are often hard to find.2:15-
3:15 p.m. Q & A and Panel Discussion

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.

Register online.

The class is limited to thirty participants. The cost is $20 for members and $40 for non-members, with the option to apply $20 to a membership that day to allow one discounts for other classes.

Registrants are encouraged to give as much information beforehand on their French Canadian ancestors as possible, including at a minimum the name and birthdate of their most recent French-Canadian ancestor as well as the names of his/her parents and their marriage date/location. Registrants should email this information at time of registration to events@california ancestors.org, with the email subject of FRENCH CANADIAN FAMILY INFORMATION.

Robert Jackson holds a Ph.D. in history from Harvard University. After several years' teaching at the college level, he pursued a professional career in banking and finance. Since retiring he has assisted a variety of not-for-profit and community organizations and has enjoyed his hobbies of genealogy and tennis. He lives in Berkeley, is devoted to his wife, and is very proud of his daughter, now in her junior year at Bennington College in Vermont.


The writing assistance of Carol Corville Horn is gratefully acknowledged.

Copyright © 2013 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library.