The CGS News - July 2008

The July 2008 issue of the CGS News, Volume XXXIX, No. 4, will be mailed out to members this week and its twelve pages are full of news and information:

• Guidelines for Publishing Web Pages on the Internet - page 2
• Registration Flier for Nora Keohane Hickey - page 3
• Diversity in American Last Names - page 4
• Registration Flier for NEHGS Library Trip - page 5
• Book Review - Royal Families: Samuel Appleton - page 6
• Nancy Peterson's "Major Northeastern Holdings" - pages 7 and 8
• New Books in the Library - pages 6 and 9
• New Members List - pages 9 and 10

The CGS News, edited by Jane Hufft and produced by Lois Elling, is published six times a year by the California Genealogical Society. An annual subscription to the bimonthly newsletter is included in a society membership ($35 per year). For membership information, visit the CGS Web site.

The newsletter keeps members up-to-date regarding speakers, trips, and other events of interest to family history researchers. Articles on relevant aspects of California history and ongoing publication of vital records are some of the regular topics. Back issues of the CGS News are available at the Web site in the "Members Only" section.

Just One Week Until Jamboree!

Southern California Genealogical Society Jamboree

Burbank Airport Marriott and Convention Center
June 27-28, 2008

The California Genealogical Society is heading south next week for Jamboree 2008. This is a great opportunity for our Southern California members to meet each other and attend some fantastic sessions. "Solve Your Family History Puzzle" is the theme of the 39th Annual SCGS Jamboree. More than 1200 registrants have signed up to hear thirty-seven speakers present more than eighty sessions.

A CGS Membership Coffee will be held on Friday morning, June 27, from 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. in Sunset A and B in the Burbank Airport Marriott Hotel and Convention Center. Jamboree attendees and members who live in the Los Angeles area are invited to join CGS President Jane Lindsey for an update on society events. Please be sure to let us know if you can come.

The California Genealogical Society is also sponsoring Membership Table # 710 in the Exhibit Hall next to the California State Genealogical Alliance. Be sure to stop by and say "hello!"

For detailed information about schedule, speakers, genealogy exhibitors and more, visit the Jamboree blog.

Red Hat Ladies at CGS

Yesterday the California Genealogical Society Library was the third and last stop of a full day field trip for members of a local chapter of the Red Hat Society. Barbara Hill, a CGS volunteer librarian, planned the day of shopping, lunch and genealogy research for her fellow red hat enthusiasts.

The Red Hat Society had its roots in a tradition started in 1998 by Sue Ellen Cooper of Fullerton, California. Inspired by the poem "Warning" by Jenny Joseph, Cooper began giving red hats to her friends as birthday gifts with a copy of the poem which begins "When I am an old woman I shall wear purple. With a red hat which doesn't go and doesn't suit me."

Barbara sent this description of the group:

The Red Hat Society has been around for ten years now, and is a "disorganization" for women over 50 who just want to have fun. There are no rules, and only a few traditions, so chapters don't have to have elections or by-laws or dues or charitable functions unless that is what they want to do.

Women under 50 can be "pink hatters" and wear lavender clothing with a pink hat. When they turn 50, they "reduate" and then wear purple clothing with a red hat. (During your birthday month you can wear reverse colors, red clothing with a purple hat.

We try to do things for fun as a group that we wouldn't think of on our own. Some of our outings have included going to tea, touring museums, painting pottery blanks, a Jelly Belly factory tour (fascinating!), a Scharffenberger's chocolate factory tour, going to plays, and many other activities, often along with other chapters. I once arranged for my chapter to have a lesson on how to play pool, with a professional woman billiard player as the instructor. The ladies who went have never stopped talking about it!

Standing: Susan Kaasa and Chapter Queen, Judy Fox;
Seated, left to right: CGS Librarian, Barbara Hill,
Jane Kaasa and Mary Louise Prentice.
[Photograph courtesy of Jane Knowles Lindsey.]

Yesterday's excursion seemed to yield many smiles despite the absence of a pool shark. Lavinia Schwarz and Jane Lindsey stepped in to help Barbara guide the purple-clad neophytes with their first attempts at genealogy research. All four left with copies in hand of census, WWI draft registrations and other finds.

The California Genealogical Society welcomes interested groups to come and tour the library and spend some time exploring our genealogy resources. Contact CGS at (510) 663-1358 to schedule a field trip.

A Day of Irish Information - July 9, 2008

Internationally known author and speaker, Nora Keohane Hickey presents

A Day of Irish Information - four talks to help with your Irish research.

Wednesday, July 9, 2008, 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. at the Berkeley Yacht Club.

Ms. Hickey, a native of Cork, Ireland, is the founder and director of the Irish Genealogical Project. She visits the U.S. several times each year to lecture.

Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. Lectures start promptly at 10:00 a.m.

The program:

10:00 Debunking some of the myths of Irish genealogy
11:15 Extracting all the important information from Griffith's Valuation
12:15 Break for lunch and book sales
1:15 Little-known and under-used Irish genealogical sources
2:15 A discussion about common problems in Irish genealogy

Ms. Hickey will also provide Personal Consultations on Thursday, July 10, 2008, at the CGS Library. The fee is $15.00 for fifteen minutes.

Registrants can opt to bring their own lunch or pre-pay for a boxed lunch which includes a sandwich, salad, drink and cookie for $10. For further information about this event or to schedule a Personal Consultation with Nora Hickey, download the event flier and reservation form.

The deadlline is approching so please send your registration form today!

Nora M. Hickey was educated at Loreto College, Manchester, England. After returning to Ireland in 1974, she studied history and philosophy at St. Patrick's College, Maynooth, a constituent college of the National University of Ireland. Her B.A. thesis was genealogical: a study of the Norman family, the de Berminghams of Leinster. As a founder member of the Federation of Local History Societies, she was Honorary Editor of Local History Review for many years. An early member of the Irish Family History Society, Nora also acted for some years as the Honorary Editor of Irish Family History.

Her publications include: Going to Ireland: A Genealogical Researcher's Guide; Kinsale Historical Journals; Kinsale: Glimpses of a Town through the Years and The Battle of Kinsale. She has also writen many articles, historical and genealogical, published in many journals in two continents.

Feedback on the Scandinavian Workshop

Cynthia Peterson Gorman sent this report on the last Saturday's Scandinavian Research Workshop:

All three presenters were so well prepared and had spent a great deal of time organizing their talks and materials. We had a great group - more than expected and it was definitely worth attending. We also all gave our email addresses so we can continue to share questions and information. It was nice to have a facilitator to keep the group 'on agenda.'

Events coordinator, Carolyn Steinberg, reports that there was a "full house" - seventeen attendees - plus the three specialists, Laura Spurrier (Danish), Pat Smith (Swedish) and Gloria Hanson (Norwegian). Carolyn also noted:

There was some lively conversation amongst attendees as they contributed their knowledge and asked questions. Three of the four non-members who attended joined CGS on Saturday. Cynthia Gorman brought a number of books to share and to demonstrate the resources available. Rick Sherman also assisted with information on church records and brought up an Online Web site for anyone interested after lunch. A new member who joined Saturday was also able to contribute based on his knowledge and experience being Swedish-born. Our speakers had also brought in some books from the library to show the resources available in the library. Pat, Laura, and Gloria all deserve to be commended for a job well done! CGS is very fortunate that these three members rose to the occasion, providing a very informative, lively, and interesting workshop for us.

Carolyn is compiling the lessons learned from this workshop and the Eastern European one held in April. She would appreciate additional reviews from those who attended on Saturday. Please share your comments here or send an e-mail to Carolyn.

Do you have a suggestion for the next workshop? French-Canadian? German? Do you have expertise in researching another location? Let us know!