Honored as One of the Top 25 Genealogy Blogs

The CGSL blog is proudly displaying a new badge in the sidebar. ProGenealogists, Inc. announced their list of the 25 Most Popular Genealogy Blogs and we made the cut! CGS is represented by two other blogging members who made the list – Steve Danko and Craig Manson.

Top 25 Genealogy Blogs as of 3 April 2009:

1. About.com Genealogy (Kimberly Powell)

2. Eastman Online Newsletter (Dick Eastman)

3. Genea-Musings (Randy Seaver)

4. Creative Gene (Jasia)

5. Dear Myrtle (Pat Richely)

6. AnceStories (Miriam Midkiff)

7. Genealogue (Chris Dunham)

8. footnoteMaven (Anonymous)

9. Genetic Genealogist (Blaine Bettinger)

10. Tracing The Tribe: Jewish Genealogy Blog (Schelly Talalay Dardashti)

11. GenaBlogie (Craig Manson)

12. Olive Tree Genealogy Blog (Lorine McGinnis Schulze)

13. Steve’s Genealogy Blog (Stephen J. Danko)

14. 24-7 Family History Circle (Juliana Smith)

15. TransylvanianDutch (John Newmark)

16. GenDisasters (Stu Beitler)

17. Genealogy Insider @ FamilyTree (Diane Haddad)

18. Think Genealogy (Mark Tucker)

19. California Genealogical Society and Library Blog (California Genealogical Society)

20. The Genealogy Guys (George G. Morgan and Drew Smith)

21. CanadaGenealogy, or, 'Jane's Your Aunt' (Diane Rogers)

22. Ancestry Insider (Anonymous)

23. GenealogyBlog (Leland Meitzler)

24. Ancestor Search Blog (Kathi)

25. Tie Hugh Watkins Genealogue (Hugh Watkins) [tie]
    

26. Legacy News (Legacy Tree Software) [tie]
    

Leland Meitzler posted the full press release which also includes this year's list of the 50 Most Popular Genealogy Websites for 2009.

Thanks very much to ProGenealogists, Inc. for the honor to be listed among so many excellent genealogy blogs!

Coats of Arms, Crests and Heraldry: A Genealogist's Overview - May 9, 2009

May Membership Meeting with Jim Terzian
A Genealogist's Overview: Coats of Arms, Crests and Other Heraldry that is Part of Family Heritage

Saturday, May 9, 2009, 1:00 p.m.

California Genealogical Society Library
2201 Broadway, Suite LL2
Oakland, California 946121

Kings and courtiers, gentlemen and family groups have borne coats-of-arms for over thirty generations. Yet most of us, even extremely experienced genealogists, know very little about them or how to use them in our research. What exactly are coats-of-arms and crests? Who has them, when did they develop and where does a family get them? What resources exist to help you use heraldry as a tool in your research?

Join CGS for a ninety-minute presentation by Jim Terzian, Executive Director of the Heraldry Foundation and Secretary-Treasurer of the "Royal Bastards" – Descendants of the Illegitimate Sons and Daughters of the Kings of Britain.

For almost forty years, Jim Terzian has been a student of heraldry and genealogy, representing the United States as a delegate to the International Congresses of Genealogical and Heraldic Sciences since 1996, serving as a member of the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society Heraldry Committee from 1995 to 2004 and serving as Executive Director of the Heraldry Foundation since 2003. Professionally Mr. Terzian is principal of the Terzian International Group, a 21-year-old Silicon Valley firm that develops and launches technology start-up companies, products and services.

Please note that the short membership meeting starts promptly at 1:00 p.m. Mr. Terzian's' talk follows at about 1:20 p.m. Please arrive early.

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

California Genealogical Society and Library
Ninth Annual Research Tour to the Family History Library
March 29 - April 5, 2009

Photographs courtesy of Cathy Paris.

Spring Intermediate Series Begins April 25, 2009

The California Genealogical Society and Library (CGS) and the Oakland Regional Family History Center (ORFHC) present a four-week Spring Intermediate Genealogy Series beginning April 25, 2009.

Eight intermediate topics will be presented in four sessions on Saturdays at the CGS Library and repeated on Tuesdays at the ORFHC. All sessions will be held 9:00 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. The fee is $15.00 to cover the cost of materials. Notebook and class handouts will be provided. Free parking at both locations.

Session I
Saturday, April 25 and Tuesday, April 28, 2009 – Marge Bell
Probate and Guardianship Records
Church and Cemetery records

Session II
Saturday, May 2 and Tuesday, May 5, 2009 – Jane Knowles Lindsey
Immigration, Passenger Lists
Naturalization, Passports
Using Newspapers for Genealogical Research

Session III
Saturday, May 9 and Tuesday, May 12, 2009
U.S. Military Records – Susan Goss Johnston
Land & Property, Maps, Gazetteers – Lavinia Schwarz

Session IV
Saturday, May 16 and Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Reading and Transcribing the Handwriting of Colonial America – Marge Bell
Other Resources, Solving your Biggest Genealogical Problems – Jane & Marge

Parking is free in the lot behind the Breuner Building at 2201 Broadway on Saturdays and there is adequate parking at the FHC on Tuesdays.

PLEASE NOTE:
• Class size is limited. Walk-ins allowed if space available.
• Nominal fee of $15 is charged for materials.
• Saturday classes: obtain a placard from lobby security for the lot behind the building.
• Visit the CGS website or the ORFHC website for complete class descriptions.
• $10.00 off a CGS membership if you join by May 19, 2009.

Download the registration flier and mail with a check for $15 to the ORFHC, Attn: Marge Bell, 4766 Lincoln Avenue, Oakland, CA 94602.

Internet Genealogy – It's Just the Tip of the Iceberg

CGS member Lisa Gorrell allowed me to share this fantastic graphic created by her daughter Elizabeth.

The idea sprang from a conversation at the society between Lisa and fellow CGS-member, Tim Cox. They were remembering the "old days" before the internet and Lisa was commenting that most of her work had been done the "hard way." She explains:

During the conversation I casually said that researching on the Internet was like the tip of an iceberg – that there was so much more out there in libraries, courthouses, cemeteries, etc. Tim thought a graphic would be an excellent way to explain the idea.

At Tim's urging Lisa decided to pursue the idea of a graphic and took the idea to her daughter Elizabeth, a sophomore studying Art and Graphic Design at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, California. Lisa reports that Elizabeth had fun with the concept and the result speaks for itself.

Lisa and Tim discussed using the graphic as a fundraiser for the society. Lisa shared this idea:

What would be nice is to have a poster of it in every research facility – especially those with computers – to remind them that so little of their research will be found on the internet.

I was so impressed with the outcome of this meeting of CGS minds that I asked if I could share it on the blog. Any suggestions out there for ways to spread the word and use the graphic? Please leave a comment.

Elizabeth Gorrell obviously has a bright future. Great job, Tim, Lisa and Elizabeth!

Graphic reprinted with permission of Elizabeth and Lisa Gorrell.