Reminder: Quarterly Membership Meeting October 12

Saturday, October 12, is our Quarterly Membership Meeting at the CGS Library, 2201 Broadway, lower level. Come at noon, bring a lunch and socialize with fellow genealogists. We'll have some brief announcements and a preview of the new CGS website to be launched early next year. Trish Nicola Hackett's presentation on The Chinese Exclusion Act Case Files follows at 1 p.m.


Copyright © 2019 by California Genealogical Society

Update: Members Invited to Bring Lunch to Meeting this Saturday

UPDATE: Due to a miscommunication, our previous notice of the Membership Meeting this coming Saturday, July 13, indicated the noon meal would be a potluck. Instead, we invite you to bring your own lunch and enjoy socializing before the meeting begins at 1 p.m. We apologize for any confusion!

BYO Lunch!

Hope to see many of you there! Please RSVP at:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/quarterly-membership-meeting-july-13-tickets-40832597398

Copyright © 2019 by California Genealogical Society

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

October Membership Meeting

Past President Jane Lindsey with Linda Longley

Linda Longley was the headliner at the October 13 Membership meeting. She wowed us with a detailed description of her approach to researching and writing her recently self-published Langley & Longley Family, Biographical Directory. Linda is a longtime member of CGS and also a past historian of the Mayflower Society. Linda’s background in marketing and experience working with databases gave her a head start in tackling this comprehensive research project. We were all impressed by the amount of data and diligence that went into recording it in multiple Excel spreadsheets. The book includes three generations of Langley/Longleys from New Hampshire starting with James born in 1680, his eight children, and their descendants. Linda started the project in 2010 with three goals, one of which was to finish the project in two years. She missed her goal by six years but the results are well worth it. Linda has donated a copy of her book to our library. It is also available at Amazon.

Thank you, Linda, for an excellent presentation.

Jane Lindsey gave an update of things that are happening at CGS. Maureen Hanlon reviewed our upcoming programs and Chris Pattillo talked briefly about the 2018 Strategic Plan with specific details on plans for updating our website.

Wrapping up the quarterly Membership Meeting, Volunteer Coordinator Kathleen Beitiks announced recipients of the 2018 Genie Awards - presented to volunteers who “make magic happen” at the CGS.

Kathleen Beitiks with Genie recipient Maureen Hanlon

Awardees this year are facilitators and organizers of CGS Special Interest Groups (SIGs), honored for their work in aiding CGS members with genealogy related research: Lavinia Schwarz and Arlene Georgia Miles (Roots Magic), Sandra Britt-Huber (San Francisco), Ron Madson and Karen Halfon (Family Tree Maker), Vicky Kolakowski and Craig Siulinski (Eastern Europe) and Maureen Hanlon (Irish Ancestor Network - Facebook). Information about SIG meeting dates can be found in the monthly CGS eNews.

Thanks to all who planned and attended the meeting. Mark your calendars for the Annual Membership Meeting on January 12, 2019!

Kathleen Beitiks planned the Genies and brought cake!

Copyright © 2018 by California Genealogical Society

July Membership Meeting: DNA Testing for Genealogy with Pam Miller

by Diana Edwards, Membership Chair

Diana Edwards and members at the July Meeting 

Twenty-one members of CGS had a great time at the recent July Membership Meeting. We ate lunch together and chatted about everything from summer travel to genealogical trials and triumphs. It was a good way to get to know some of our newer members.

Next, we sat in a circle in the Learning Center and shared experiences with DNA testing and family research. We asked lots of questions, and shared some fascinating stories of how DNA testing has helped some of our members to follow elusive genealogical trails.  

Fortunately, Pam Miller had returned from her 3,000 mile road trip just in time to come and host the meeting, and was able to answer many of our questions. She has been using DNA in her research for some time. We also were lucky to have Judy Bodycote, a retired scientist with a real, in-depth knowledge of the different types of DNA and how the different tests can be used in our research.

The meeting was scheduled from 1pm-3pm, but the conversations were still going strong at 4pm!

Would you like to learn more about this fascinating topic?  

Pam will be facilitating another DNA conversation at our Thursday Summer Evening program, on August 21, from 6:30-8:30 pm.

Come on down!

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

Annual Business Meeting and Buffet Lunch – Saturday, January 11, 2014

President Jeffrey Vaillant

Saturday, January 11, 2014
12:00 p.m. - Potluck buffet and social hour
1:00 p.m. - Annual Business Meeting

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

The bylaws of the California Genealogical Society specify that the regular January membership meeting shall be the Annual Business Meeting "at which time the annual budget shall be adopted and all appropriate business presented."

Last year Diana Edwards and Linda Okazaki shook things up and organized a potluck buffet lunch and social hour before the meeting. It was so successful that members lunch together and socialize for an hour before every quarterly membership meeting.

The January potluck buffet is being planned by Diana Edwards, Kathie Heller, and Diana Wild. Members are invited to join the festivities and bring a dish to share. Beverages will be provided. The reception will start at 12:00 p.m. in the Education Center.

The Annual Business Meeting will start promptly at 1:00 p.m. President Jeff Vaillant will preside.

Agenda items include:

• treasurer's report and presentation of results of the review of the investment portfolio and financial records by Edie
• presentation and approval of the society budget
• consideration of the change to the bylaws
• report from the nominating committee by Karen Lemelin
• election of new board members
• brief committee reports
• remarks from the president

The Annual Business Meeting is always well-attended. See you there!


Photograph by Kathryn Doyle, Oakland, California, 1/12/2013.

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

October Membership Meeting: Remembering World War I

Saturday, October 12, 2013

1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

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

Do you have family stories, photos, or memorabilia from World War I? Was there a WWI soldier, sailor, marine, nurse, journalist or ambulance driver in your family? Did an ancestor contribute to the war effort from home?

If you haven't been to a membership meeting your next chance is coming in October. Members are invited to bring a bag lunch to the Sherman Room at noon, Saturday, October 12, 2013, for a chance to meet and chat with board members, new members, and friends. Bring a dessert or beverage to share and enjoy the camaraderie of folks who love genealogy!

The meeting will start promptly at 1:00 p.m. Director Diana Edwards will start things off with announcements of upcoming society events and news from the library.

The focus of the October meeting will be the 2014 Centennial of the Start of World War I. Members are invited to bring their World War I ephemera and ancestor stories about the Great War. Letters, photos, service and military records, and other WWI era documents are especially welcome. Members with research experience in military history will be here to discuss your research questions.

Please email Diana Edwards if you have something to share.

We look forward to a vibrant and fun event!

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

Wordless Wednesday

July Membership Meeting with Henry Snyder

Newspaper Preservation and Digital Access in The Americas and Europe

Saturday, July 13, 2013

Photographs courtesy of Ron Madson, Oakland, California, 7/13/13.
Copyright © 2013 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library.

July Membership Meeting: Newspaper Preservation and Digital Access in The Americas and Europe

Saturday, July 13, 2013
1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

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

If you were unable to join the festivities at the April membership meeting, your next chance is coming in July. Members are invited to bring a bag lunch to the Sherman Room at noon, Saturday, July 13, 2013, for a chance to catch up with friends and get to know new members. Come and mingle with members who share your enthusiasm for genealogy!

Our own Henry Snyder has graciously volunteered to make a short presentation to members on Newspaper Preservation and Digital Access in The Americas and Europe.

There has been a concerted effort in recent years to preserve and make accessible newspapers. The U.S. had the United States Newspaper program. But there are similar programs in most of Europe and elsewhere. The same basic steps are involved: inventory, preservation, microfilming and digitization. I will discuss a number of these programs and how to find information about them and how to access them.

Membership Coordinator Diana Edwards noted, "This will give members who do not know Henry an opportunity to enjoy his wit and warmth and to learn of a National Treasure who is a member of our very own Society!" Dr. Snyder will present his talk at 1:00 p.m.

Henry L. Snyder is the Former Director of The Center for Bibliographical Studies and Research (CBSR) at the University of California, Riverside, where he led the California Newspaper Project from 1990 through 2009. The project led to the California Digital Newspaper Collection: A Freely Accessible Repository of Digitized California Newspapers from 1846 to the Present. A specialist in British history, Dr. Snyder earned his B.A., M.A. and Ph.D. from U.C. Berkeley. He was awarded the National Humanities Medal in 2007. Henry serves as the California Genealogical Society's Library Committee Chair and is a member of our board of directors. He holds the same positions for The Book Club of California.

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

What You Missed: April 2013 Membership Meeting and Volunteer Appreciation Ceremony

Members gathered on Saturday, April 13, 2013, for a special celebration of volunteerism and creativity. Volunteer Coordinator Linda Okazaki and Membership Coordinator Diana Edwards unveiled a new meeting format and started a new tradition to honor long-standing volunteers. It was a success by every measure.

Linda Okazaki and Diana Edwards added festive touches.

Most of the members in attendance arrived early at 12:00 p.m. with lunch in hand to share company and lively conversation in the Sherman Room. Beverages were provided by the board of directors.

Members shared lunch and lively conversation.

After the celebratory cake was cut and dessert finished, the festivities moved to the classroom for the program and a few words of welcome by President Jeff Vaillant. Director Tom Gesner updated members on several changes in the library, including new computers, shelving, and display racks. Tom also announced three special events planned for the fall.

Pat Bonderud accepting her "Certificate of Recognition" from President Jeff Vaillant.

Next up was the volunteer recognition part of the program. Linda Okazaki gave some statistics, "Of our more than 1000 members, 170 have contributed their time in some way to the society. Ninety-three current members are scheduled to work in 2013 and fourteen new volunteers have joined our team since January."

Honorees Marston Watson (representing his wife, Kathy), Gloria Hanson, Pat Bonderud, Barbara Hill, and Dick Rees. Honorees not in attendance: Lois Elling, Ken Haughton, Lorna Jones.

Eight individuals who have held membership for more than two decades and who continue to serve the California Genealogical Society as active volunteers were presented with certificates of recognition.

• Kathy Watson, a member for twenty years since 1993, has held a variety of roles and currently serves as chair of both the Computer and Technology Committees. Kathy was unable to attend so her husband Marston, a past board member, accepted on her behalf.
• Lois Elling, also a member for twenty years since 1993, creates every layout of the California Nugget and has designed the society's bookmarks, business cards, and branding graphics.
• Gloria Hanson, a member for twenty-one years since 1992, has held a variety of positions including Desk Duty. Gloria is well known in the society for her extensive knowledge of Norwegian genealogy. She currently volunteers in the library as a copy cataloger.
• Pat Bonderud, a member for twenty-three years since 1989, helped with the architectural design of the media room and layout of the library. Pat partners with Linda Darby as Special Projects Co-chair. The two have organized the manuscript collection and vertical files.
• Lorna Jones, a member for twenty-nine years since 1984, has worked in a variety of positions in the library. For several years she led the French-Canadian Special Interest Group.
• Barbara Hill, a member for thirty-two years since 1981, volunteers on the Library Committee and handles library acquisitions. Barbara performs monthly desk duty on Saturdays.
• Dick Rees, a member for thirty-three years since 1980, has worn many hats for the society. These days he does special project work, teaches some introductory genealogy classes, and serves on the Book Repair Committee. 
• Kenneth Haughton, a member for thirty-five years since 1978, is our member of longest standing who continues to actively serve the society. Ken served on the board of directors and was CFO for many years. He is currently an advisor to the Investment Committee.

Diana Edwards introduced the last part of the program: Preserving Your Genealogical Work Through Publishing. Displayed around the room were charts, books, articles, and other materials created by members – wonderful family treasures that will be cherished by family members for years to come.

Tim Cox served as master of ceremonies and guide as he went around the room and introduced each item on display. Tim introduced the authors/creators and described their work.

After the program members were able to browse and examine the displayed items more closely. Past-president Steve Harris gave tours of his city directory library.

Linda Okazaki proclaimed the day "a smashing success."


Photographs courtesy of Ron Madson. More of Ron's photos from the day are posted at Wordless Wednesday.

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

Wordless Wednesday

Membership Meeting and Volunteer Appreciation Ceremony 

Saturday, April 13, 2013

Photographs courtesy of Ron Madson, Oakland, California.

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

April Membership Meeting: Preserving Your Genealogical Work Through Publishing

Saturday, April 13, 2013
12:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

California Genealogical Society Library

2201 Broadway, Suite LL2

Oakland, CA 94612

April is Volunteer Appreciation Month so please join us for a celebration of volunteerism at next month's membership meeting.

Volunteer Coordinator Linda Okazaki and Membership Coordinator Diana Edwards are launching a new membership meeting format that starts with lunch and a social hour. Members are invited to bring a bag lunch to the Sherman Room at noon for a chance to catch up with friends and get to know new members. Beverages and desserts will be provided. Come and celebrate the spirit of volunteerism within our society.

The business meeting will begin promptly at 1:00 p.m. with a brief ceremony to honor our longest serving volunteers. This will be followed by this month's focus: Preserving Your Genealogical Work Through Publishing. Members who have published genealogical books, articles, and other materials are invited to bring them to the meeting. You will not be required to give a presentation. Come and get inspired to publish your research by browsing through the examples created by our members. Please email Diana Edwards if you have a work to share.

We look forward to a vibrant and fun event!

And take a look at our new Books by CGS Members board on Pinterest!



Future membership meetings for the year will be held:

• Saturday, July 13, 2013
• Saturday, October 12, 2013

Please save the dates!

Photograph courtesy of Jane Knowles Lindsey.


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

New Pinterest Board: Books by Our Members

Membership Coordinator Diana Edwards and Volunteer Coordinator Linda Okazaki are busy making plans for the April membership meeting. The theme will be: Preserving Your Genealogical Work through Publishing.

Members who have published genealogical books, articles, and other materials are invited to bring them to the meeting on Saturday, April 13, 2013. Please email Diana Edwards if you have a work to share. You will not be required to give a presentation.

In anticipation the meeting, we've added the new Books by CGS Members board to Pinterest.

We'll have more about the April meeting as the date approaches.


Copyright © 2013 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

November Membership Meeting: Members Talk, CGS Listens

Saturday, November 12, 2011
1:00 p.m.

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

The California Genealogical Society has had a busy and productive 2011. As we begin to make plans for 2012, we thought it was important to make time for member feedback. We want to know what you're thinking!

Join President Stephen Harris and Vice-President Jeffrey Vaillant for a special member session where you'll do all the talking. We're seeking input and feedback from members on a variety of topics. Join us for a one-sided conversation: you talk, we listen!

For our distant members who can't make it, please leave a comment here and I'll make sure your remarks are read at the meeting.


Copyright © 2011 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library

September Membership Meeting: Putting Flesh on the Bones with Ron Arons

Saturday, September 10, 2011
1:00 p.m.

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

Why limit yourself to simply expanding your family tree by looking for names, dates and places? Beyond the Who, When, and Where, it is possible to explore the far more interesting question: WHY?  Why did our ancestors behave the way they did?

After a short membership meeting at 1:00 p.m., Ron Arons' presentation will provide two related examples from his own research experience on how this process works. The unexpected benefit of this approach is that it allowed Ron to push back his family tree four more generations and find many living relatives he never knew before.

Born and raised in New York, Ron Arons has traced his roots to England, Poland, Romania, the Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania. In researching his book, The Jews of Sing Sing, Ron took a genealogical approach, collecting a variety of original source documents. The book includes biographies of more than a dozen famous gangsters and lesser-known criminals and paints a broad canvas of Jewish criminality in New York City. Ron's latest book is Wanted! U.S. Criminal Records: Sources and Research Methodology.


Copyright © 2011 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library

July Membership Meeting: All About the CGS Library

Saturday, July 9, 2011
1:00 p.m.

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

Join CGS librarians Laura Spurrier and Barbara Hill for So Many Books, So Little Time! Demystifying the California Genealogical Society Library – a discussion of the vast resources at the society's library.

Have you ever wondered...

• Why are there a lot of books on some geographical areas and only a few or none on others?
• What's in the Dorman Room?
• If there's an easy way to find books when browsing the aisles?
• Are there any tips or tricks for using the online catalog?
• If you can still use the old card catalog?
• How to donate genealogy books to CGS?

Laura and Barbara will answer these questions, and will take questions from the audience.

Laura Spurrier retired from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory after serving as a reference librarian and the head of cataloging. Among her M.A. degrees, she has an M.L.S. from U.C. Berkeley. Her interest in genealogy dates from her teenage years, with Quaker genealogy being a specialty. Laura has been a member of CGS since 1996 and is currently volunteers as the chair of Library Services.

Barbara Hill retired after thirty-three years of library work, with experience in a public library, a school library, a small scientific research library, and an academic library. Her last position, at UC Berkeley Library, involved ordering books from all over the world. She ascribes her interest in genealogy to "prenatal influence," as her mother was researching the family tree at the Library of Congress before Barbara was born. Although she did not begin active pursuit of her ancestors until after her marriage, she has been at it ever since, and has been a member of CGS since 1985.


Copyright © 2011 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library

Wish You Were Here: Using Postcards in Your Genealogy Research

Membership Meeting
Saturday, May 14, 2011
1:00 p.m.

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

People have been collecting postcards since they first appeared on the American scene in 1893. While their popularity has ebbed and flowed, they continue to be sought after by collectors today. CGS member Glenn Koch combines his passion for postcards with his interest in genealogy and has agreed to share his expertise at the May membership meeting. Glenn will teach us the value of postcards as historical documents and explain how postcards can be used to enhance any family tree or genealogy project.

Glenn will briefly cover how to date undated cards.  Through the use of collecting by category, collecting by region, and collecting by family, he will show you how to go from the broadest level of collecting, right down to the finest point — your own family on postcards. Koch will use personal examples from his own family and from his Pennsylvania German heritage.

Glenn D. Koch is both postcard collector and genealogist, and he is the author of San Francisco Golden Age Postcards. His dual interests began when he was a young man and he has pursued both for countless hours since. A native of Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, he traces his roots back to some of its earliest families, along with those of neighboring Berks County with names like Miller, Troxell, Pfister, Koch and Kistler. He is quite proud of the fact that in most cases he is the ninth-generation-descendant in the colonies of these families who arrived from Germany and Switzerland. Glenn and his partner Ray Tombaugh, also a genealogist, enjoy traveling and seeking out their family roots in Europe.


Copyright © 2011 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library

March Membership Meeting and Book Launch with Nancy Peterson

Saturday, March 12, 2011
12:00 p.m.

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

It's been looked over, checked, examined, proofed and proofed again. Review copies have been mailed out and it looks like we may make the April 18, 2011 publication date. Raking the Ashes: Genealogical Strategies for Pre-1906 San Francisco Research, second edition, by Nancy S. Peterson, is almost here!

Celebrate with us as we launch our newest publication at the March membership meeting. The festivities will start at noon. We will have a special pre-publication price for members who come and order an advance copy.

After a short membership meeting at 1:00 p.m., Nancy will present a talk, "Climbing Over, Under, Around and Through Lost Records."

Nancy Simons Peterson is a Stanford graduate and certified genealogist and the author of numerous articles. She won the Society of Genealogists Scholar Award in 2003. Her narrative genealogy Guarded Pasts: The Lives and Offspring of Colonel George and Clara (Baldwin) Bomford was the winning entry in the 1998 National Genealogical Society Family History Writing Contest and is used as an example of quality work in the NGS Quarterly style on the Board for Certification of Genealogists Web site.

Nancy's search for her maternal San Francisco ancestors led ultimately to the publication of the first edition of Raking the Ashes in 2006 to coincide with the centennial of the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and Fire.


Copyright © 2011 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library

Wordless Wednesday

Membership Meeting with Jean-François de Buren

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Photographs courtesy of Tim Cox, Oakland, California.


Copyright © 2011 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library