eNews February 2011, volume 5, number 2

The February 2011 issue of the eNews, volume 5, number 2,  has been published and emailed to members and friends. As always, the eNews features timely information about the California Genealogical Society and our upcoming events. Each edition also includes Suggested Links From the Blogosphere and a photo feature: California Ancestors.

In this month's edition, member Kay Speaks shares four generations of her family photos and sends greetings:
  

Gung Hay Fat Choy! Happy Chinese New Year!

Past issues of the eNews are available at the eNewsARCHIVE.

The March 2011 issue will be emailed on February 28, 2011. To receive a copy, please join our mailing list.


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

Workshop: Celtic Roots with Cath Trindle - March 19, 2011

Saturday, March 19, 2011
12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

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

Contrary to popular belief, the records of Scotland begin long before the advent of statutory registration in 1855. In some cases it is possible to trace families back to the sixteenth century using easily available records. Scottish research and retrieval of the records of Scotland is completely intertwined with the use of the Internet. We will look at some of the basic records – statutory registers, census, old parish records, and testaments – and navigate the Scotland government web sites to retrieve them. Even if you have no research in Scotland, the government web sites of Scotland provide a model for any government body or society to use when putting their documentation on the Internet.

Ireland government web sites are not quite as complete, but the selection of records available online is growing. We will again look at some of the basic records available both online and off and discuss the records hiding in repositories that might help you further your research.

The workshop will also explore other interesting genealogical and informational online sites for both countries and also touch of some genealogical resources online for those with Welsh ancestry.

This workshop is limited to forty participants and is one of the free benefits for members. Non-members fee is $20.00 (non-refundable) and can be applied towards membership on the day of the workshop. Preregistration is required.

Registration confirmations will be sent to the first forty participants who register. Additional names will be collected and placed on a waiting list in case of cancellations.


Register online.

Cath Madden Trindle is a certified genealogist in the San Francisco Bay area, and a national conference speaker. She earned a Certificate of European Research from BYU, and a Certificate in Genealogical Studies - Libraianship (NIGS.) Cath owned a bookkeeping consultation business for thirty years and is currently Treasurer of the CSGA and the FGS. She writes regular copyright and society strategy solumns for the CSGA newsletter. As Publication Chair for SMCGS, she has edited the San Mateo County Naturalization Index Series, the Schellens indexing project, and coauthored the SMCGS Tree Climbing Guides.

Cath, is a first generation Californian, and has limited her client research to Northern California, however, personal research and national speaking engagements also focus on the records of Ireland and Scotland, Canada, Minnesota, and Michigan, and on storytelling.


Photograph by Kathryn M. Doyle, Drumcliff, Co. Sligo, Ireland, 2008.

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

Strangers' Plot: A Potter's Field Just Down From Millionnaires' Row

I was so surprised to see Gaye Lenahan’s sad face on page C-1 of the San Francisco Chronicle on Monday, January 24, 2011. It was on the front page of the Bay Area section under the article Strangers’ burial ground: Hundreds of unknown lie in field at Mountain View Cemetery entrance. That got my attention. I’ve visited the cemetery dozens of times and had never heard of the place.

Gaye is a docent at the cemetery and an active volunteer at the library so I contacted her a get the backstory.

Chronicle reporter Carolyn Jones inquired after reading a piece Gaye wrote for the Friends of Mountain View Fall 2010 newsletter entitled “The Strangers’ Plot.” Lenahan agreed to meet reporter Jones and photographer Lacy Atkins at Mountain View Cemetery where Gaye has been a docent for fifteen years.

A couple of years ago Gaye "made it her business" to dig into the cemetery files for the history of the now defunct Stranger's Plot. She found that the early records refer to it as "Potter's Field" or "Poor Ground" and is the resting place of approximately 500 indigent and unknown persons.

Section S - Strangers' Plot, Mountain View Cemetery

Many of the graves are of men, women and children labeled “unknown.” Unknown infants number in the hundreds. A few burials appear to be removals from the old cemeteries in downtown Oakland. One entry specified “Twelve unknown bodies from 14th and Harrison.”There are a number of persons who died of drowning. The files record deaths due to suicide or gunshot wounds. Several “hanged” criminals are buried on this hillside.
– Gaye Lenahan

Michael Colbruno’s excellent Graveyard Rabbit blog, Lives of the Dead: Mountain View Cemetery in Oakland has a nice video of part of one of Gaye’s tours from 2007 as she describes the opulent gravesite of temperance leader Dr. Henry Daniel Cogswell (1820-1900). It's one of the many gravesites that make up Millionnaires' Row.

Gaye will be leading a Black History Month Tour on Saturday, February 26, 2011, at 10:00 a.m.



Photograph by Kathryn Doyle, Oakland, California.

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

What you Missed: Annual Meeting 2011

Things were hopping at the library on Saturday, January 8, 2011, as approximately fifty members gathered for the annual business meeting, a used book sale and a reception to honor our volunteers.

Arlene Miles and Henry Snyder organized the book sale which was staffed by members of the library committee. The sale netted more than $700 for the library.

President Stephen Harris called his first annual meeting to order at 1:00 p.m. He welcomed the members and noted that the society has much to celebrate as we start another year. The minutes of the 2010 Annual Meeting were approved.

Nominating Commitee Chair Jane Lindsey presented the slate for the board of directors for 2011. Laura Lee Karp, Pat Magnuson and Jim Sorenson were nominated as new board members. Sandy Fryer, who was appointed to fill a vacated position in 2010, was nominated for her first term. All nominees for directorships were elected. Continuing on the board are Kathryn Doyle, Nancy Fike, Tom Gesner, Stephen Harris, Craig Manson, Christine Pattillo, Nancy Peterson, Lavinia Schwarz, Jeff Vaillant and Diana Wild. Jane Lindsey serves as Past-president.

 

Treasurer Sandy Fryer presented the 2011 budget which was approved by the membership. Laura Lee Karp, who is a Certified Public Accountant, will assume the duties of Treasurer. 

Activities of the various committees were reported by chairs Tim Cox, Kathryn Doyle, Sandy Fryer, Bill O’Neil, Chris Pattillo, Nancy Peterson, Lavinia Schwarz, Laura Spurrier and Lorna Wallace.

Of particular interest were statistics reported by Tim and Sandy. As Events Chair, Tim noted that the society held fifty-one events in 2010 with a total attendance of 746. Implementation of the online registration system has streamlined the process, saving time and greatly reducing the number of telephone calls coming into the front desk. Upcoming events scheduled for 2011 include sixteen confirmed lectures and workshops in addition to the bimonthly membership meeting programs.

Sandy Fryer shared statistics from the Membership Committee. This year the society added over 200 new members totaling a record number of 1,039. The overwhelming majority – 735 members – live in the Bay Area, 181 are from the rest of California and 127 live out of state. We have four international members.

Director Jeffrey Vaillant announced the acquisition of an additional 650 sq. ft. of space for the library. The new room will be used for media productions, seminars, webinars and membership meetings.

Past-president Jane Lindsey announced her new role as volunteer coordinator and displayed a poster with the names of 114 active volunteers contributing to the work of the society in 2010. The meeting adjourned to a volunteer appreciation reception.

Photographs courtesy of Tim Cox, Arlene Miles and Kathryn Doyle, 1/8/2011, Oakland, California.


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

Craig's Report From the Blogging Workshop

Craig Siulinski shared his blogging know-how in a recent Blogging class at the library.

January 15, 2011 marked an exciting day for a few folks eager to jump into the world of genealogy blogging. After a presentation of informational slides and a demonstration of how to write a blog post using Blogger, the participants proceeded to go live with their own blogs. Much thought and discussion was spent on the selection of blog titles and the creation of effective purpose statements. As the instructor of the workshop, I am proud of these new blogs since they will surely enrich the genealogy blogging community.

  Craig created Genealogy Jamming for demonstration purposes.
 

June Ralston Anderson's new blog is Stray Bones.

Lisa Gorrell created Mam-ma's Southern Family.

Janice Sellers started Ancestral Discoveries.

Peg Stewart is blog author of A Forest of Oakes.

Diana Wild's new blog is Kendricks of San Francisco.

As you can see, the workshop was a tremendous success. The participants expressed pride in their new creations and appreciation for Craig's help. One reviewer wrote that "the class was a wonderful mix of lecture, conversation and help from the instructor." Peg Stewart observed, "This workshop far exceeded my expectations. I thought I would take notes during class and think about my options later at home. Instead I came away with all my questions answered, my hesitations resolved, my blog created and my first post published."

Craig will be offering a more advanced blogging workshop on April 16, 2011. He will cover more posting topics and further use of the blogger platform.

Congratulations to our new bloggers! Links to all are in the right sidebar under "Member Blogs."


Photographs courtesy of Tim Cox, 1/15/2011, Oakland, California.

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