Linda Darby's Report from FGS Philadelphia

CGS member Linda Darby loves a good conference. She sent this report from the Federation of Genealogical Society Footprints of Family History Conference in Philadelphia, September 4 to 6, 2008:

Conference attendees remained cool, inside the spacious Philadelphia Convention Center, while the City of Brotherly Love baked in record high temperatures. We were greeted by that renowned genealogist Benjamin Franklin, and also welcomed by Ms. Betsy Ross. The conference had numerous sessions on German, Irish, and Pennsylvania research. All attendees obtained a CD of the syllabus, could download specific sessions from the FGS website, and a hard copy could be purchased for $32. Many folks don’t like the weight of all that paper. And, printing is pretty pricey these days. Many sessions were recorded, and the recordings on CD could be purchased, so as invariably happens, if you are interested in more than one session at a specific time, you can hear them both.

Jane Lindsey and Linda Darby in Salt Lake City
at the CGS Research Tour last April.

In addition to gleaning information from the session, another incalculable benefit of attending conferences is talking to other attendee and sharing information. One such incident occurred at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania the Tuesday before the conference began. Many folks attending the conference had come in early to do some local research. I was no exception. While browsing in the Scranton City Directories, I encountered another attendee. We began chatting. She was from Boston. She was looking for a family from a small town near Scranton. My family is from this same town. What surname? Incredibly, she was looking for a collateral line of my family! We exchanged business cards, and I’ve passed along her information to a cousin in that line. He was astounded. You just never know.

Next year, the FGS Conference, Passages Through Time, will be held in Little Rock, Arkansas, September 2-5, 2009. Y'all come!

Linda Darby

Photograph courtesy of Cathy H. Paris, Apr 19, 2008, Salt Lake City, Utah.

October Family History Month Activities

For nearly a decade, October has been celebrated as Family History Month among genealogy enthusiasts. The California Genealogical Society and Library will celebrate by hosting beginning to advanced genealogy seminars throughout the month. Topics range from organizing and performing basic genealogical research to utilizing technology and software to preserve your research. All seminars are open to the public and the usage fee for non-members is waived so the library resources are available, free of charge.

CGS Events Chair Carolyn Steinberg has put together a full menu of offerings which is available in the Family History Month October 2008 Events brochure, designed by Colleen Huntley. The complete schedule of classes, workshops and consultations can be found on the CGS calendar.

Wordless Wednesday

California Genealogical Society Membership Meeting

Saturday, September 13, 2008
Ron Arons - Best Bet Internet Sites

Photographs by Kathryn Doyle (iPhone camera).

Tuesday Tales From the Road - Dorset, Vermont

CGS member Mary Mettler is still on the road. She's back in Vermont with installment number eight:

Greetings from Dorset, Vermont!

My ancestors from Suffield moved to Dorset and Rupert, Vermont around 1773. Suffield was becoming crowded, and my families seemed to be multiplying rapidly. My principal goal in Dorset is to research Cephas Kent and one of his sons, Cephas Kent, Jr. and their families and the Farnsworth family. Much has been written about Cephas Kent, as his Tavern in Dorset was the site of the first four conventions that ultimately led to the founding of Vermont. Cephas Kent, Jr. is one of my Revolutionary War Patriots and the subject of intriguing Kent family lore.

Cephas Kent Tavern, site of the Dorset Conventions.

All good genealogists should be very skeptical of family stories passed down over the generations. There always seems to be a nugget of truth in them; however, like a snowball rolling down a hill, the story seems to grow bigger as it descends through generations. According to the Kent family tradition, Cephas, Jr. was an Aide de Camp to General Richard Montgomery at the battle of Quebec. General Montgomery supposedly died in his arms. Wow, sounds like a great story, doesn't it? So powerful was this tradition that Tyler Resch included it in his well-researched book on Dorset! But where was the proof? I had stumbled across a footnote in a book that indicated that Cephas, Jr. had kept a diary during the War. It was in private hands in 1908, so I emailed and wrote many of the libraries and historical societies in New England. After two months of searching, Pat Carmichael, a volunteer at the Dorset Historical Society (DHS), found a copy of the diary in an uncataloged envelope! Again, a generous person has come to my aid! She also opened the DHS Library for me for two days that the Library is usually closed.

Pat Carmichael in front of the Dorset Historical Society.

Alas, the tradition is greatly exaggerated. Cephas volunteered as a "waiter" for Major Samuel Safford, the second in command of Lt. Col. Seth Warner's Green Mountain Boys for the campaign that participated in the victory at Montreal. General Montgomery was the commanding officer of the New York, New Hampshire and Vermont troops. As a servant to Major Safford, Cephas, Jr. was occasionally around General Montgomery. He did stop his cooking and rush down to the water at Longueuil to fight with the Green Mountain Boys, who thwarted a crossing by the much superior number of English soldiers. This victory led to Montreal's surrender. However, Seth Warner took the Green Mountain Boys home after Montreal, and they were not at Quebec. In his diary, Cephas, Jr. also reported leaving for home after Montreal fell, so he did not volunteer to stay. If General Montgomery died in anyone's arms, most likely it was his only surviving Aide de Camp, Aaron Burr. Drat! Another good story turns out to be a fable!

Pat had other good materials ready for my arrival, and I found graves, family color and the usual birth, baptism, marriage, death, probate and land records. Again, I can only stress how generous and helpful the volunteers and genealogists are in the New England libraries and historical societies.

I'm off to West Point.

Your Genealogist on the Road,
Mary

Photographs courtesy of Mary Mettler.

Read the entire series:
Part One: Salt Lake City
Part Two: Indiana
Part Three: Pennsylvania
Part Four: More From Pennsylvania
Part Five: Washington D.C.
Part Six: Suffield, Connecticut
Part Seven: Vermont
Part Eight: Dorset, Vermont
Part Nine: West Point and Back to Pennsylvania
Part Ten: Some Final Thoughts From Home

I Heart Genealogical Society Blogs

Elizabeth O'Neal of Little Bytes of Life has honored me with the
I Heart Your Blog award. Thanks so much!

In her post, Sharing the Heart... I Mean, Love, Elizabeth gives the "rules" that accompany the honor:

1. The winner can put the logo on his/her blog.
2. Link to the person who gave you the award.
3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs.
4. Put links to those blogs on yours.
5. Leave a message on the blogs that you’ve nominated.

So many Genea-Bloggers have already received the distinction that I thought I would spread my blog-love to other genealogical and historical society blogs. Here is a sampling from around this country in alphabetical order:

Chula Vista Genealogy Cafe
Some of you may not know that the prolific Randy Seaver is also the president of the Chula Vista (California) Genealogical Society and writes a blog with Gary Brock for the society.

Eastern Washington Genealogical Society Blog
Miriam Robbins Midkiff started this Spokane society blog in July 2007. She is one of a team of writers including Donna, Charles and toppline.

Florida Genealogical Society (Tampa)
In June 2007, George Morgan outlined his board's decision to establish a society blog and eliminate their “traditional” Web page and printed newsletter.

Grand Traverse Area Genealogy Society
Brenda K. Wolfgram Moore "be-bopped" this Northern Michigan society into the 21st Century in May 2008.

Itawamba History Review: The Itawamba Historical Society

Bob Franks is publications editor of the Itawamba Historical Society and he is responsible for the beautiful photographs and content of this Itawamba County, Mississippi blog.

Moultrie Creek Online Historical Society
Denise Olson of Family Matters: Tech Support for the Family Historian created this "virtual society" blog to serve as a model and "learning center" for societies of all types to learn the "how-to" of bringing technology to an organization.

New Mexico Genealogical Society Blog
Robert Baca is an Alberquerque English teacher who teamed up with P.J. Easterly and created this state society blog in February 2008.

These are just a few of the fifty-eight Association and Society Blogs that Chris Dunham lists on the Genealogy Blog Finder, a fully searchable and up-to-date index of genealogically themed blogs. I'm sure you will find something there to love.