California Genealogical Society blog: Susan Goss Johnston

Showing posts with label Susan Goss Johnston. Show all posts

21 January 2016

Member Survey: You talked, We listened

Posted by Shannon Reese

Written by Maureen Hanlon

Thanks to your fantastic response rate to our Fall All-Member Survey, we heard loud and clear that you (our members) value our classes, on-line sites, social media channels, and eNews. We also learned that even in this digital age, you especially enjoy our bi-annual genealogy journal, The California Nugget. Thank you.

In terms of education, what we have learned is that you are clear about the topics and level of classes you want to see. This included more Intermediate and Advanced genealogical learning opportunities, more about DNA and classes focused on specific ethnic groups and localities. You also want to improve your technical skills.

Question 16 from our All-Member Survey

Based on this feedback, we’re adding the following classes to our 2016 calendar:

Ethnicity and Geography: French-Canadian, German, Irish, African-American, Jewish, Nikkei Pilgrimage, Angel Island, Western Pennsylvania, and Locations Basics.

Technical: Spreadsheets (repeat of Susan Goss Johnston class), Creating a Blog, and Optimizing FamilySearch.

Intermediate and Advanced: Repeat of Susan Goss Johnston Advanced five class series, National Archives, Forensic Genealogy, Handwriting, and Certification.

DNA: DNA for Beginners (quarterly) and DNA for adoptees.

The 1st quarter offerings are now on Eventbrite and more will be added soon. We're currently in the planning stage with other instructors. The classes listed above do not include the activities of our very popular San Francisco and FamilyTree Maker Special Interest Groups. We'll report more about their plans as they become available.

This Fall there will be an All-Day Event with Cyndi Ingle of Cyndi’s List (not yet on Eventbrite). We're so excited to have Cyndi come and speak---mark your calendars for November 5th!

Thank you for your feedback. We hope that you'll be pleased with this year's class line-up.

30 August 2015

An Introduction to U.S. Military Records

Posted by Linda Okazaki

Exploring Record Sets Series

An Introduction to U.S. Military Records

More than 35 million people have fought in the 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. Join Susan Goss Johnston on Saturday September 13 as she presents "An Introduction to U.S. Military Records" from 1:00-3:00 at the California Genealogical Society and Library.

Susan Goss Johnston was a member of the first undergraduate class of women at Yale University, earning a B.A. in physics. She is a frequent speaker in the Bay Area and has been involved in teaching and researching for more than thirty years. Sue is a ProGen Study Group alumna, completing the program in 2011, and she attended the National Institute on Genealogical Research and completed the "Advanced Methodology and Evidence Analysis" course 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.

Please register on our eventbrite page.

Class size is limited to 30 attendees. Pre-registration is required.

CGS members are admitted for free.

Non-members fee is $30.00 and can be applied towards a new one year CGS membership the day of the seminar.

09 October 2014

Extending your genealogical knowledge: thinking about interpretation

Posted by Anonymous

Where are you in terms of your genealogy and family history? What's your next step in better understanding the documents you've collected? Do you have a specific goal?

Searching for clues in other resources. Lisa Gorrell at the SF Maritime Museum Library. Photo: Ellen Fernandez-Sacco

For many people, defining the answers to these questions can take several routes, from hiring our Research team, consulting the CGS Library or attending classes in person. There are many virtual options, a tendency that has increased with the changes in technology. Determining an area of focus for skill set or geographic area can lead you to new resources for taking your work further.

While documents are central to genealogical practice, understanding the context for how those documents were created and used is also important. I asked CGS member, lecturer and instructor Susan Goss Johnston, what should people keep in mind about how this context relates to their own family history?

Susan agreed that while documents are central to genealogical research, she stressed that
"understanding the historic, legal and inherent context of those documents is not just important, it's essential. If a researcher doesn't understand the history behind a document's creation, he or she might not understand important events in an ancestor's life. If a researcher doesn't understand a document's legal context, they might misinterpret the true meaning of that document. If a researcher doesn't study that document in the context of other similar documents, they will miss important patterns and inferences not explicitly stated anywhere."

So, it's simply not enough to just have the documentation, but to also learn about these different facets, which can add so much more to your family history. Look at history written at different scales, the larger picture of events in the past, down to legal and social histories, or even material culture studies that can tell you more about life at that time.

Some excellent approaches can include using the lists at H-Net (Humanities and Social Sciences Online) a nonprofit organization housed at the Wisconsin State University. H-Net sponsors over 100 interactive newsletters (discussion boards) in order to advance teaching and research. Its H-Net Reviews section is devoted to in depth reviews of publications that can be searched for specific topics relevant to doing genealogical research. For example, you can find recent reviews of books and exhibitions that you might have missed otherwise.

Explore archival websites once you've charted a portion of your tree- you'll probably come away with some insights into the era your people were living in. DNA offers other routes to connect with relatives, now that testing has dramatically changed over the last five years.

Consider a small study group, that meets in person or virtually, such as reading groups such as the NSGQ Study Groups [National Genealogical Society Quarterly] that meet online, or webinars. Tour local historical sites of interest with your genealogy society. At CGS, we have SIGs (Special Interest Groups), so that people can systematically explore a topic together. Visit our Facebook page, blog and homepage and check for events of interest.

Do you have an area of interest in genealogy or family history that you'd like to attend a discussion on? Contact us-- we're always looking for members and volunteers to delve into new areas of interest!

11 September 2014

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

Posted by Anonymous

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!