Wordless Wednesday

At the library

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Photograph courtesy of Tim Cox, Oakland, California.

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

Elizabeth O'Neal and Kathy Watson at the DAR State Conference

California Genealogical Society members Elizabeth O’Neal and Kathy Watson attended the 103rd annual State Conference of the California State Society Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) held March 17-20, 2011 at the Irvine Marriott Hotel in Irvine, California.

Elizabeth sent this report:

The conference began on Thursday evening with the opening night festivities, at which many awards were presented. The DAR Medal of Honor was awarded to Mike Conklin, founder and head of the San Ramon-based Sentinels of Freedom Scholarship Foundation, which assists severely wounded members of the armed forces to find homes, return to college, find employment, and connect with community resources to ease their transition back to civilian life. Mr. Conklin was nominated by the Anne Loucks Chapter DAR, of which Kathy is the regent. The DAR Medal of Honor is the most prestigious honor given by the DAR.

Friday and Saturday were filled with meetings and reports. Every state officer, chairman, district director, and chapter regent gave a brief report of the year’s activities.

The DAR Celebration Dinner and Debutante Presentation was held on Saturday evening. Young ladies in white dresses from all over California were escorted by fathers, grandfathers, boyfriends, and friends, as their many accomplishments were read to the audience. Elizabeth, who currently serves as the Senior State President of the California State Society, Children of the American Revolution (CAR), was honored to be one of the dignitaries greeting each debutante as she was introduced on stage.

Elizabeth also coordinated social media for the conference. For the first time, members were able to follow conference activities on Twitter and Facebook, as well as view photos and news on the society’s web site.

The conference concluded after the final business session on Sunday afternoon, as members rushed to get on the road to avoid the impending rain storm.

Elizabeth joined the DAR as a “junior” in 1996, and is a member of the Captain Henry Sweetser Chapter in Santa Maria. She presently serves the state society as the State Chairman, Children of the American Revolution (C.A.R.), State Vice Chairman, Volunteer Information Specialists, Social Media, and has served as the organization’s webmaster for 11 years. She is a member of the DAR Speaker’s Staff, and is available for presentations to DAR chapters and genealogical societies.

Elizabeth O'Neal and Kathy Watson

Besides her work as regent of the Anne Loucks Chapter in Martinez, Kathy is a talented web site designer who has helped create dozens of web sites for California DAR chapters. Kathy generously serves as chairs of both the website and computer committees at the California Genealogical Society.


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

eNews April 2011, volume 5, number 4

The April 2011 issue of the eNews, volume 5, number 4,  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.

This month member Laura Obergfell pays tribute to her ancestor, Dr. Josiah Andrus Gridley, a nineteenth century Massachusetts physician. Laura hasn't yet found his death date and is seeking additional information about this ancestor. Please leave a comment if you can help.

Josiah Andrus Gridley with third wife Myra and daughter Eva.

Past issues of the eNews are available at the eNewsARCHIVE.

The May 2011 issue will be emailed on April 30, 2011. To receive a copy, please join our mailing list.


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

Wordless Wednesday

Comparing Genealogy Software Workshop

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Photographs courtesy of Tim Cox, Oakland, California, 2/16/11.


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