Eastern Washington Genealogical Society Blog

Your Digital Digest committee works for YOU.

2012-01-24T09:32:00.000-08:00

This is the editorial committee for the EWGS Digital Digest: Gerry Gosche, Juanita McBride, Pat Bayonne-Johnson, Jeanne Coe, Diane Boyd (also our webmaster), Bill Hire (assistant webmaster), Bette Topp and Donna Phillips. We met on Tuesday, 17 January, to plan the next several issues of the Digest, working diligently to ensure that the content is of worth and interest to our members and to those living elsewhere coming to our website for their research needs. We work for YOU. All we ask is that you click to the www.EWGSI.org www.EWGSI.org website and take the time with our new digital publication as you did with our paper publication. And most certainly, we would welcome input and participation from YOU.

March 10.......... Is Your Calendar Marked????

2012-01-16T10:10:00.000-08:00

EWGS SPRING SEMINAR

10 March 2012

Spokane Public Library

We are very fortunate to have an All-day Seminar Featuring

THE ULSTER HISTORICAL FOUNDATION

With

Fintan Mullan & Dr. Brian Trainor

From Ulster, Ireland

Learn about Irish Emigration from Ireland to America

Irish and Scots-Irish Family History Research

Sources for Research by County

Check-in time 8:30 a.m.

Seminar: 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Your own brown bag lunch. Time for lunch break is 12:30–1:30

You may also choose from places

in the Riverfront Park Food Court

$20.00 for EWGS Members $25.00 for non-members

Number:______________ Number:______________

Dues are $25.00 __________

Total Payment: $_____________

Name:__________________________________

Address_________________________________

Phone:_________________________________

Email:_________________________________

Mail to: EWGS P. O. Box 1826, Spokane, WA 99210-1826

New Year's Resolutions???

2012-01-10T10:07:00.000-08:00

This is one of my favorite pictures. It is a painting by Norman Rockwell and appeared as a Saturday Evening Post magazine cover in the 1950s. Since this piqued my interest way back then, and I'm still interested in family history today, I count myself lucky! But on to New Year's Resolutions......... why make them only to ignore or break them by the end of January? How about just look at and analyze your days and see where and upon what are you spending the majority of your time? Will that something matter in 100 years? The thrift shops are (unfortunately) full of quilts and crocheted items and painted china. A thoroughly cleaned house will be messy again within a week. Your family, your ancestors, were, are and will be of interest continuing forever so why not concentrate on your family and your family history?? EWGS stands ready and willing to assist you; wouldn't you like to know if there was a one-eyed pirate in your family tree?

What You Missed January 7, 2012 Luncheon

2012-01-07T21:05:00.000-08:00

The January 7, 2012 luncheon started with the buffet line, good food.

After lunch the EWGS officers for the 2012 year were lined up so everyone can see them.

Announcements for the February, March and April meetings. The past presidents and distinguished service members were asked to stand, and then the speakers Doug Seibol and Mary Ellen Locke showed pictures of their trip to western Siberia to meet Doug's Seibol relatives that were still living in that area today. They had actually tracked him down as a Seibol uncle had migrated to Odessa, Washington in the early 1900s. Very interesting pictures.

Wordless Wednesday New Look at Library

2012-01-03T23:41:00.000-08:00

New look in the genealogy section of the library, three of the broken microfilm readers have been removed, then they swung the vertical file around where a couple of microfilm readers were before.

Spokane's Vintage Postcards

2012-01-03T10:45:00.000-08:00

Don't we all love old postcards? Especially of places dear or interesting to us? Our morning newspaper carried a bit extolling the appeal of old postcards of Spokane (Paul Turner, 3 Jan 2012, www.spokesman.com). We here in Spokane are so very lucky for there has been a book compiled of a great many of these wonderful old scenes. Vintage Postcards from Old Spokane, 2005, by Duane Broyles and Tony and Suzanne Bamonte, is a book we each can have (Google it) for our own enjoyment. And this makes me wonder.........have similar books been compiled about other places where I've lived or where my ancestors lived?? Hummmmm..........

Happy New Year

2011-12-31T19:53:00.000-08:00

This is a list of the top ten posts for 2011http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

1. Earthquake in Spokane? Yes Jan 25, 2011 230 page view
2. Roots Tech 2012 Mar 14, 2011 102 page views
3. Early Spokane Pictures online Jan 23, 2011 85 page views
4. Mozart Genealogy Jan 24, 2011 78 page views
5. EWGS Are you out there? Jan 16, 2011 71 page views
6. EWGSi Our new website explained Feb 7, 2011 71 page views
7. Walking with Ancestors 2011 Aug 27, 2011 58 page views
8. Images of America New Book Harrison, ID June 2, 2011 45 page views
9. Leonardo DaVinci at the Mac July 16, 2011 43 page views
10. 1940 Census more Details July 23, 2011 42 page views

Note None of these comes close to to most viewed post on the EWGS blog in 2011: Search Spokane Daily Chronicle July 2009 1839 page views (2011 count only)

New Year's Day Dinner in 1892 at the Davenport

2011-12-30T11:20:00.000-08:00

In the wonderful book by Tony and Suzanne Bamonte, Spokane's Legendary Davenport Hotel, is a reproduced menu from the hotel for their 1892 New Year's Day dinner offering.

COLD: fresh crab, veal, turkey, mutton, corned beef, beef, pork, sugar cured ham, fresh lobsters, goose and boned turkey with aspect jelly

RELISHES: Los Angeles comb honey; California grapes, new celery, C.& B. chow chow, pitted olives, imported anchovies in oil, spiced chicken, hamburger aale, Caviara Russe, pickled eels in jelly, imported pate de poissons, Scotch kippered herrings.

SALADS: chicken, potato, shrimp.

VEGETABLES: asparagus on toast, Schnittohnen string beans, boiled-mashed-baked potatoes, potatoes in cream, beets, sugar corn, stewed parsnips, boiled rice, green peas, stewed tomatoes, mashed turnips, bowl of rice and milk, baked sweet potatoes, Lima beans, succotash, string beans.

PASTRY: pies of all kinds, jelly tarts, homemade fruit cake, chocolate-coconut-pound-sponge cake, cream tarts, lady fingers.

DESSERT: English plum pudding with hard sauce, vanilla ice cream, strawberry or raspberry preserves, lemon ice, preserved pine apples, brandy peaches or cherries, peaches and cream, sliced pine apples and cream.

SOUP: clam chowder, macaroni.

FISH: fried herring, tom cod, fried smelts, boiled sea bass with anchovy sauce, broiled fresh Spanish mackerel, broiled fresh shad.

BOILED: capon with oyster sauce, turkey with egg cause, ox tongue with cream sauce, leg of mutton with caper sauce, brisket of beef with horse radish, sugar cured ham, pickled pigs head with sauerkraut, corned beef and cabbage.

ROAST: stuffed turkey with cranberry cause, saddle of mutton, domestic goose and apple sauce, loin of pork, prime roast of beef with brown gravy, stuffed chicken, duck with currant jelly, lamb with mint sauce, suckling pig and apple sauce, saddle of venison, shoulder of veal with dressing.

ENTREES: pillau of chicken a la creole, lobster cutlets a la Hollandaise, maccaroni a la cream, frog legs any style, pork chops breaded with sauce Robert, beef a la mode, tenderloin of beef larded with mushrooms, pate de foie gras aux truffles, venison steak with currant jelly, croquette of chicken aux petits pois, half grouse, fried calves brains with cream sauce, half pheasant, paupiette of veal with puree of asparagus, broiled quail on toast with bacon, pineapple fritters au rhum, half spring chicken on toast, antelope chops with jelly sauce, eastern and Olympia oysters every style.

My first thought was how could one restaurant on one day offer such a wide variety in 1892? And my next thought was total aversion to some of the things listed (like fried calves brains with cream sauce?). But there was enough choice that I surely could have enjoyed a wonderful meal. How about you?

2011: Some Highlights

2011-12-27T09:11:00.000-08:00

If a picture is worth 1000 words, then these two pictures show 1000 times how vibrant EWGS was in 2011. The top one is a Jerry Johnson photo taken on our fabulous Walking with Ancestors Day and the lower one is from our day with Dr. George Schweitzer learning Civil War causes and history. See yourself in either one (or both) of these photos??? Thank you, EWGS members and friends, for making 2011 such a great year and we all surely look forward to a surpassingly greater 2012! Honored to be your president, Donna

January Luncheon & Dues are now payable online!

2011-12-19T11:14:00.000-08:00

Our webmaster, Diane B., is doing a whiz-bang-great job with our www.EWGSI.org website. Have you clicked there recently??? When you do, you're in for a visual and educational treat.

Now would be a good time to click to our site for you can pick two flowers with one snip of the clippers...... you can pay your 2012 dues and register for the January luncheon right from the website using our PayPal account. Couldn't be easier!

PayPal new to you? Click to www.paypal.com and set up a free account. This is a really good and really secure idea. You register your credit card ONE PLACE and any online shopping or organization dues paying you do PayPal will pay them and bill your card........... PayPal is the only "one" with your credit card information.

So to conduct that EWGS business I mentioned above, click to our EWGS website, click to where you can register for the January lunch and pay your dues via PayPal. You'll be prompted to sign in to YOUR PayPal account to authorize this payment by them to your credit card. Viola and it's done. As they say on TV, "try it you'll like it," I promise.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you all. Donna

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays from EWGS

2011-12-17T10:30:00.000-08:00

In one week the day of the reason for the season will be upon us. To all who view this page, the Eastern Washington Genealogical Society wishes you warmth, comfort, security, health, happiness, family love and COOKIES wrapped and under your tree.

1940 census..... good news as far as I'm concerned.

2011-12-16T15:12:00.000-08:00

News Release

For Immediate Release

16 December 2011

Three Genealogy Powerhouses Join Forces to Publish 1940 US Census

SALT LAKE CITY—Three leading genealogy organizations, Archives.com, FamilySearch International, and findmypast.com, announced today they are joining forces to launch the 1940 US Census Community Project. The ambitious project aims to engage online volunteers to quickly publish a searchable, high quality name index to the 1940 US Census after it is released in April 2012 by the National Archives and Record Administration of the United States (NARA). The highly anticipated 1940 US Census is expected to be the most popular US record collection released to date. Its completion will allow anyone to search the record collection by name for free online. Learn more about this exciting initiative or how to volunteer at www.the1940census.com.

The 1940 US Census Community Project is also receiving additional support from leading societal organizations like the Federation of Genealogical Societies, National Genealogical Society, and Ohio Genealogical Society.

The population of the US in 1940 was approximately 130 million. NARA’s census images will not have a searchable index. The goal of the 1940 US Census Community Project is to create a high quality index online linked to the complete set of census images as soon as possible. The index will allow the public to easily search every person found in the census and view digital images of the original census pages. The collection will be available online for free to the general public at Archives.com, FamilySearch.org, and findmypast.com, the sponsors of the community project. This new collection will open access to family history research like never before for this period in the US.

“The 1940 Census is attractive to both new and experienced researchers because most people in the US can remember a relative that was living in 1940. It will do more to connect living memory with historical records and families than any other collection previously made available,” said David Rencher, Chief Genealogical Officer for FamilySearch.

The collaborative project will also pool the collective resources, know-how, and marketing reach of Archives.com, FamilySearch, and findmypast.com to engage and coordinate the volunteer workforce needed to deliver the ambitious project. Additionally, Archives.com and findmypast.com will make substantial financial contributions to make the 1940 US Census online name index possible and work with nonprofit FamilySearch to bring additional new records collections online—making even more highly valued family history resources available to the entire genealogical community.

Archives.com launched in 2009 with a focus on making family history research simple and affordable. Archives.com was recently awarded the opportunity to host the 1940 census for the National Archives as part of a separate project. Its involvement with the collaborative 1940 US Census project reiterates its commitment to the genealogy community and leadership in the space.

“As a forward thinking company, we understand the critical importance the 1940 Census will have on US family history research. We are proud to be a primary sponsor of this community initiative, giving us another opportunity to take a leading role in the genealogy industry. We’d like to encourage and thank volunteers in advance for their essential contribution to this project,” said Matthew Monahan, CEO of Archives.com’s parent company, Inflection.

FamilySearch has developed an impressive global online community of volunteers over the past 5 years to help create free indexes to millions of the world’s historic records. The scope and size of the 1940 US Census Community Project will require tens of thousands of additional volunteers.

findmypast.com is one of a series of leading family history websites owned by the online publisher, brightsolid, which hosts over a billion records across its genealogy brands. The company, which has been at the cutting edge of online family history since 2002, has a wealth of genealogy experience, including the recently digitized historic newspaper archive for the British Library (britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk

), which is set to digitize up to 40 million pages over the next 10 years.

“By supporting this ground-breaking initiative, we hope to capture the imagination of the public to bring millions of people together to create this remarkable document of, and tribute to, the Greatest Generation. At brightsolid we are committed to making family history accessible for all and believe access to these records will transform the family history market in the US,” said Chris van der Kuyl, CEO of findmypast.com’s parent company, brightsolid.

About Archives.com

Archives.com is a leading family history website that makes discovering family history simple and affordable. The company has assembled more than 1.5 billion U.S. and international historical records in a single location, including vital, census, newspaper, immigration, military, and more. Archives.com is free to try for seven days, allowing anyone to explore the benefits of membership without risk or obligation. Archives.com is owned and operated by Inflection, a fast-growing data commerce company, chosen by the National Archives to host the 1940 Census. Find more information at http://www.archives.com/1940census.

About FamilySearch

FamilySearch International is the largest genealogy organization in the world. FamilySearch is a nonprofit, volunteer–driven organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Millions of people use FamilySearch records, resources, and services to learn more about their family history. To help in this great pursuit, FamilySearch and its predecessor organizations have been actively gathering, preserving, and sharing genealogical records worldwide for over 100 years. Patrons may access FamilySearch services and resources free online at FamilySearch.org or through over 4,600 family history centers in 132 countries, including the main Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.

About brightsolid and findmypast.com

Since 1994, brightsolid group has been delivering online innovation and pioneering the expansion of the genealogy market with leading family history websites including the findmypast global network, ScotlandsPeople, GenesReunited, and britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk, together servicing over 18 million registered customers worldwide. The sites connect people via their innovative family tree software and deliver access to over a billion records dating as far back as 1200. Family historians can search for their ancestors among global collections, relating primarily to people with UK and Irish ancestry, of military records, census, migration, occupation directories, newspapers, as well as birth, marriage and death records.

News from Donna

2011-12-09T12:31:00.000-08:00

I am in Salt Lake City attending the 27th annual Salt Lake Christmas Tour (where 93 folks from all over the U.S. have come to use this library) and have attended classes taught by "the" Thomas MacEntee and boy have I learned some pearls of wisdom.

Did you realize that you cannot (or should not) just grab and use images from Google because of copyright restrictions? But WikiMedia Commons is a site having millions of images that you can use without worrying about copyright.

Did you know about Blog Talk Radio? This is an every-Friday-night free genealogy radio talk show that you listen to via your computer. Thomas is the host and has various guests and topics. But since you might be sitting at your computer on Friday night anyway you might as well listen to this show...... http://www.blogtalkradio.com/

Did you know that to copy an entire sequential list you use SHIFT + your mouse to highlight the entire list. To copy only selected entries you use SHIFT + CTRL and select the ones you want. Does that make sense? (I was doing it all wrong.)

Do you struggle to understand the online backup services? Click to Wikipedia and then "comparison of online backup services." This will take you to a chart comparing all the more popular ones. In the class, we all (including Thomas) pretty much agreed that Dropbox was our favorite.

Did you know that the heyday of city directories was 1840-1930, according to teacher Maureen MacDonald, "but the earliest one was in 1652 in New Amsterdam." Who would have guessed that?

Did you know, you MAC users, that Legacy says they are not and will never offer a MAC version of their program but RootsMagic developers are working on such a program??? Almost thou persuadest me to become a RM user........

Happy and Merry Christmas to you all and see you in January. Donna

Wordless Wednesday Jeanne Holder & Friend

2011-11-29T22:48:00.000-08:00

Former EWGS President Jeanne Holder at 2011 Ohio State Homecoming, with John Glenn

Spokane Falls 1883

2011-11-28T07:55:00.000-08:00

Spokane falls, Spokane County, is situated on the line of the N.P.R.R. 161 miles from Wallula Junction, and contains a population of about one thousand. The location of this little city, on the left back of the Spokane river, at the falls of the same, from which it derives its names, is magnificently beautiful. No language that I can employ would fittingly express the grandeur of its situation. The water power furnished by the river is only equalled, and not excelled, by two other cities in the United States, ..... Fall River, Mass., and Minneapolis, Minnesota, which will in the near future attract capital for investment in manufactories. Nature and nature's God ordained that a manufacturing metropolis would be built on the present site of this city. Spokane Falls possesses many other advantages, being in the center of a large agricultural and stock raising country, with an immense amount of timber of the best quality. Many attractions are offered to the pleasure seeker who delights in beautiful scenery, and the disciples of Isaak Walton will find here the best trout fishing on the habitable globe. Business of all kinds is represented here, and the merchant and tradesman never have cause to complain, for they are never overtaken by dull times. The city boasts of good hotels, churches and schools, and everything else that goes to make up a happy and prosperous people. The Spokane Falls Chronicle, a weekly newspaper published by the Northwest Publishing Company and edited by A.K. Woodbury, is doing herculean work in the interest of the section where it receives its principal patronage.

I found this in an 1883 city directory in the Joel E. Ferris Research Library, Eastern Washington Historical Society Archives & Library, next to the MAC Museum while I was researching something else. Since it was so interesting to me, I thought it might would be to you too. One note; in 1883 it was already SpokanE Falls??

Wordless Wednesday EWGS Programs & Classes

2011-11-22T22:23:00.000-08:00

Miscellaneous from Donna

2011-11-21T07:30:00.000-08:00

EWGS received a nice thank you card from the family of Agnes Harton. Agnes was a long time EWGS member and will be missed. The card is signed by her son, Dave, and he wrote: "I must have 6-8 bins of geney (sic) stuff in my garage...maybe I will get to it when I retire." My thought? Oh, Agnes, why did you leave a mess of 6-8 bins of stuff and not an organized legacy for Dave and your other posterity?????

An article on our Spokesman newspaper on 17 Nov 2011 explained that descendants of Stephen Liberty dedicated a marker at Liberty Lake that honors him. He was born Etienne Eduard Laliberte and moved to the west side of the lake in 1871; he had changed his name to Stephen Liberty sometime after 1862 when he emigrated from Quebec to the United States. Don't we enjoy these local history articles? Do we let our paper know that we do??

My eye caught a really sad bit in the "Found" want ads on 14 Nov; somebody found a box apparently containing the ashes of somebody! "Found: "Naomi" born 4-6-1954, date of death 2-5-2008. A memorial box." This was found way out on east Sprague; call Ana (509-315-9418) if this is from your family. Surely hope somebody does!

One of my favorite eating places is Azar's on North Monroe; their gyros are the bestest! While lunching there recently, I picked up a brochure to "Learn the Art of Bellydance." Humm...... I have the belly but not the ethnic heritage for this activity. But I'll bet there are many of Greek heritage or interest who might???

Be sure to attend the December 3rd EWGS meeting at the downtown Spokane Public Library. We'll be showing a brand new DVD on researching cemeteries. Coffee, cookies and conversation begins at 12:30. Nearly free parking west down the Main Street hill. Oh, and do bring your 2012 dues.

New Spokane Public Library Signs

2011-11-17T22:22:00.000-08:00

Thanks Eva, Steve and the maintenance people that made the stands for the signs.

Did you know: Spokane County Library Offers Civil War Information?

2011-11-14T14:53:00.000-08:00

Marking the 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War, the North Spokane County Library is presenting a long series of free programs pertaining to this topic. Mark your calendars so as not to miss the remaining programs (the first 3 will be given by Dr. David Conlin, Associate Professor of History, EWU):

Wednesday, Dec 7th, 7:00...... "The Secession Crisis." Why did Abraham Lincoln's victory in the presidential election of 1860 cause the seven Southern states to secede??

Sunday, January 15th, 2:00 ..... "Strategy & Politics in the Civil War." Dr. Conlon will show how politics on the local, national and international levels influenced strategy for both sides during the Civil War.

Saturday, March 10th, 2:00 ..... "Slavery in the Civil War: From Contrabands to the 13th Amendment." How slaves and the institution of slavery played important roles in the politics of the Civil War.

Wednesday, May 16th, 7:00 ..... "The Unending Civil War." How Americans in the North and the South have been fighting over the Civil War to this day.

Then there will be family events:

Saturday, November 12th, 2:00............ "The Civil War Reenactment Group Presentation." Members of the local Civil War Reenactment Group will come with their gear and their stories.

Wednesday, February 8th, 6:30 ..... "Civil War Genealogy." Our own Miriam Robbins (a direct descendant of 8 veterans!!) will demonstrate how to find and use a variety of primary documents and online resources to research the lives of your Union and Confederate forebears.

Saturday, April 21, 2:00 ..... "Angus Scott Pipe Band's Kenyon Fields: Civil War Music." In historic military costume, Kenyon will play Civil War drum and fife music and provide readings from the Civil War.

Now I don't know about you, but these programs sound fabulous to me! And I will be marking my calendar and planning to attend!

Spokane Area Legacy Users Group to Meet Wednesday, November 16th

2011-11-09T02:00:00.000-08:00

If you are a Legacy Family Tree genealogy software user, or are simply curious about this genealogy software program, you may be interested in the Legacy Users Group (LUG), which will meet next Wednesday, November 16th, from 1:30 to 3:30 PM in the meeting room of the Shadle Park Branch of the Spokane Public Library at 2111 W. Wellesley. This meeting is free and open to the public. Regular attendees will take turns in the role of moderator for each meeting. If you have more questions, please contact Donna Potter Phillips here.

View Larger Map

SPL offers FREE computer classes; did you realize?

2011-11-03T14:21:00.000-07:00

Are you struggling with basic, beginning Internet "stuff" and perhaps you're too proud to admit it out loud? Well, the Spokane Public Library has come to YOUR rescue. Yesterday I picked up a flyer the basic computer classes for November and December:

Tues, Nov 8 Computer Basics      South Hill   1:00-2:30
Wed, Nov 9      Beginning Internet Downtown 3:00-4:30
Sat, Nov 12 Beginning Internet East Side 1:00-2:30
Tues, Nov 15    Beginning Internet     South Hill    1:00-2:30
Wed, Nov 16    Email                        Downtown 3:00-4:30
Sat, Nov 19 Beginning Internet    Shadle        10:30-12:00
Sat, Nov 26      Smart Searching       East Side    10:30-12:00
Wed, Nov 30    Smart Searching       Downtown 3:00-4:30
Sat, Dec 3         Email                       Shadle         10:30-12:00 (better be at EWGS this day!!)
Sat, Dec 10       Email                       East Side    10:30-12:00
Sat, Dec 17       Smart Searching       Shadle        10:30-12:00

The only prerequisites are that you must be able to use a mouse, a keyboard, and scroll bars and be familiar with using a web browser. Space is limited, so it would be wise to call the branch and pre-register.

Think this might help YOU get over some of your fear of the Internet??

November 19th and Bits & Pieces

2011-10-31T10:10:00.000-07:00

Our own Miriam Robbins (photo taken last summer at her birthday party) has stepped up and will teach the computer class on November 19th. The subject will be "Civil War Research: An Overview." You must be an EWGS member and you must register by emailing Miriam at kidmiff@aol.com. Sessions are 10:15-11:15 and 11:30-12:30.

Interested in Spokane history? How about the history of the Spokan Indians? John Alan Ross's new book, The Spokan Indians, is the 892-page result of his four decades of work on the subject. Cost for the book is $30; can be purchased online or at local bookstores (like Aunties).

The Spokesman Review carried a blurb about the need for photos of Washington veterans to accompany their memorial in Washington DC at the new Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall. Photos are needed for: Air Force Col. Gallileo Bossio, or Deer Park; Marine Pvt.1st Class Rocky Hanna of Addy; Army Pvt. 1st Class Melvin East, of Colfax; or Navy Lt. Cmdr. Edwin Koenig, of Spokane. If you have photos of these men, or know somebody who might, you are requested to contact www.vvmf.org/pafwan or call (800) 562-0132, option 1.

EWGS Does Nothing For Halloween

2011-10-24T10:57:00.000-07:00

This is a Burning Bush in my back yard. It always "burns" about Halloween time and I call it my Halloween Bush. It has nothing to do, really, with genealogy, except that it reminds me, as does the Halloween holiday, that our "wonderful" Spokane winter is coming and is a dandy time to re-dedicate myself to doing some serious study on my genealogy. The yard and garden is put to rest, the number of have-tos involving travel slows way down and what else is there to do........that's fun?

I invite you to the EWGS meeting on November 4th, downtown Spokane Library, 12:30........ with almost-free parking down/west on Main street. The program will be "Researching A Place Online." All of us have the situation of needing research knowledge or help "there" (say Georgia) when we live "here" (say Spokane) and this presentation is planned to help you deal with that distance obstacle.

Then our EWGS comptuer class (for members only) on November 19 will be the last one for 2011. Email Miriam Robbins (kidmiff@gmail.com) to sign-up for this class.

EWGS is there to inspire you, to help you, to guide you..... all that is necessary to enable you to have the skills to find those rascally ancestors. And with knee-deep snow outside, winter is a good time to dig into your genealogy...........and with EWGS help, you'll find answers!

Civil War Follow-up for EWGS

2011-10-14T14:26:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, Oct 1st, at our annual Fall Workshop, Dr. George Schweitzer came from Tennessee to teach us all about the Civil War............ the causes, the depth of feeling on both the Union and Confederate sides, and then spent an hour teaching us how to research our Civil War ancestors. With this being the 150th anniversary of the Civil War (1861-1865) you will find that EWGS will be offering programs and emphasis on Civil War research. (And please don't whine that YOU do not have any Civil War ancestors..... help your neighbor! your son-in-law! your cousin! Bet they do.)

Internet Genealogy magazine for Oct/Nov 2011, page 6, had a nice, concise, blurb about Footnote.com's trasformatio to Fold3. "Footnote.com, a preer destination for discovering family history records, recently announced it will now focus primarily on offering the finest and most comprehesive collection of U.S. Military records available on the Internet. And why not? The records that they are making available come from our U.S. archives.

Fold3 is a "subsidiary" of Ancestry.com and currently offers a free basic membership...... give them a try! And, by-the-by, the name Fold 3 derives from "the third fold in a traditional military flag folding ceremony.........."

EWGS/SPL subscribes to Internet Genealogy and you can view this issue in the Genealogy Section of the downtow Spokane Public Library. Go down on a Tuesday whe EWGS helpers are volunteering.

ONE MORE THING: At the workshop, somebody mentioned this new (new-to-me?) website:
www.civilwarprisons.com . There were some 150,000 Civil War prisons and this website is proposing to find and post names from all of them . Currently, only Andersonville, Cahaba and those from the Sultana Disaster are posted there. But might put this in your list of favorites and check back????

Spokane Area Legacy Users Group to Meet Wednesday, October 19th

2011-10-12T02:00:00.000-07:00

If you are a Legacy Family Tree genealogy software user, or are simply curious about this genealogy software program, you may be interested in the Legacy Users Group (LUG), which will meet next Wednesday, October 19th, from 1:30 to 3:30 PM in the meeting room of the Shadle Park Branch of the Spokane Public Library at 2111 W. Wellesley. This meeting is free and open to the public. Regular attendees will take turns in the role of moderator for each meeting. If you have more questions, please contact Donna Potter Phillips here.

View Larger Map

NeWGS 30th Anniversary

2011-10-08T23:08:00.000-07:00

The 30th Anniversary of the founding of the North East Washington Genealogical Society was October 8, 2011. It was a nice sunny day and so I headed north on the new North Spokane Corridor, first time I have ever been on it. Arriving in Colville I stopped at the farmers market then headed for the Ambulance Shack near the north round about on 395. They started with a greeting from current president Karen Struve and then we headed for the cake and punch. They cut the cake in large pieces (not large enough as they had a lot left over) and we continued to talk to our fellow tablemates. Susan Dechant then did a power point presentation "Through the Years" on the history of NeWGS. Nancy Wright did a reading from the book the Last Bell (schools of Stevens County) and then we were to have a sing along, but time had run out by then, darn.

As the research person for EWGS I have interacted with a couple of people in the NeWGS on a regular basis, we try to help each other when the research moves to the area we each research in, so when I heard that the NeWGS was having a 30 year anniversary and that Susan Dechant was one of the founders of the NeWGS I decided I would go. Turned out another founder was Shirley Dodson the other person I regularly contact at Colville so I was thrilled that both Susan and Shirley and her husband Tom were honored with Lifetime Achievement Awards.

We at EWGS always complain that few people from the coast ever come to our meetings, and yet we do the same with other societies in our area.

EWGS 2011 October Workshop "The Yankees vs the Rebels"

2011-10-01T20:46:00.000-07:00

Saturday October 1, 2011 the Fall EWGS workshop. The speaker Dr. George Schweitzer and his subject the Civil War. The workshop was at the Country Homes Christian Church at 8415 N. Wall in Spokane, Washington.

The first session was on the background and causes of the Civil War. Almost everyone knows that slavery and preserving the union were important causes, but he told of one I don't think I have heard before. The election of 1860 elected Abraham Lincoln, but it also eliminated the majority of Senators that the south had enjoyed since the Revolution.

He then went on to talk about slavery and the Constitution and the views of the founding fathers, Most did not want slavery and they tried to get it eliminated in the Constitution, but the southern states refused to sign if it mentioned slavery. My favorite quote was from Benjamin Franklin in 1789: "Slavery is such an atrocious debasement of human nature, that it may sometimes open a source of serious evils", and of course 72 years later the Civil War starts "a serious evil".

Notice the hat above, this one is a Confederate cavalryman hat and now he is giving the Southern Interpretation for the Civil War. Dr. Schweitzer tells how god has made slavery in the south such an astounding commercial success he must approve of slavery. Also the slaves are much better off than the Negroes back in Africa, our slaves are guaranteed food, shelter, clothing, and care in their old age.
The south also said they entered the union freely and had every right to leave when they wanted.

Notice this hat above it is a Yankee artillery hat, and here Dr, Schweitzer was giving the Northern view, that the Union was meant to be perpetual and that god has done nothing to perpetuate slavery, but slaves in the bible were whites, so if slavery is in the bible it follows that there should also be white slaves owned by blacks. So the south fought believing god sanctioned slavery and the north fought believing god wanted a perpetual union.

This is after the break and while it is a bad picture of Dr. Schweitzer it is a good one of former EWGS President Ruby McNeil. In the Walking with Ancestors pictures I took all of those I took of Ruby were of her back

This uniform is a Confederate cavalryman, the yellow band on the hat signifies cavalry, he was a corporal two bars v shaped on the sleeve of the top. He explained companies of 100 men, regiments of ten companies and brigades.
He also talked about sources for researching your Civil War ancestor, and the fact that while the south lost the war they have won the records war, they have many more records microfilmed that the north.

Next was lunch, and a wonderful pot luck lunch, my sister and I brought a cherry-rhubarb pie and I guess it was well received as it disappeared quickly.

After lunch Dr. Schweitzer appeared as a Yankee Artilleryman, a sergeant. Three red stripes in a v on the sleeve signify an artillery sergeant. He then went on to tell about where to find information on your Yankee ancestor.

Dr. George Schweitzer comes to Spokane.

2011-09-26T16:45:00.000-07:00

Dr. George Schweitzer is coming all the way from Knoxville, Tennessee, to spend Saturday, October 1st, with EWGS members, family and friends. I once drove from Spokane to Vancouver, WA, to hear the Good Doctor; I've heard him speak half a dozen times and he is ALWAYS the best. He's been to Spokane twice before but it's been a decade. This being the anniversary of the Civil War, he's coming to teach us more about that era in U.S. history and the records created and where to find them for our ancestors who participated in this great and awful conflict. I do hope that you will be in the audience. Donna

WSGS 2011 Building Ancestral Bridges, Day 2

2011-09-22T22:28:00.000-07:00

Morning came quickly and we had cereal and juice before heading to the Baptist Church for browsing the vendors and looking for the rooms we were going to be in later in the day. The first session was Patricia Walls Stamm in the Sanctuary. We headed for the Sanctuary and found a seat near the middle, but there was a cold breeze from the back, so we moved to the side away from the cold breeze. Patricia's first talk was Death has Many Faces on finding various ways to document a death. Patricia moves a lot during her talks and I took many pictures of the side or back of her head before I finally got this good one of her looking towards me.

Now comes the hard part of the conference the breakout sessions. Why are they so hard? Well the first section had five topics and I really wanted to go to four of them, but finally settled on Carol Buswell from NARA in Seattle on Immigration and Naturalization Records in the National Archives. She had handouts for all the census including the 1940 census. Each sheet showed all the columns on the census and what was supposed to be in that column. The class was full and several people brought chairs from the hall to have a place to sit.

Next Back to the Sanctuary for the third section with Patricia Walls Stamm, this section was Elements of a Useful Research Road Map. This was an interesting section on how to do research and what to do when you have found the documents you were looking for.
Lunch was next and it was a buffet dinner where you made your own sandwich and some condiments and side dishes to go along with it. Lunch also includes the Annual Meeting of the Washington State Genealogical Society, so the minutes of the last meeting, the treasurers report, and then some awards to genealogical society volunteers. Juanita McBride was one of two from Eastern Washington Genealogical Society (below). Dorothy Braithwait was the second but she did not attend. There was supposed to be committee Reports next, but the volunteer awards took so long there was not time, so just a quick message about next years conference September 7-8, 2012 at Port Angeles, Washington.
My committee report was to be I finished three counties this year Whitman, Walla Walla and Whatcom counties so the only county not in the WSGS Resource Guides is Snohomish county.

This is a picture of the whole group of genealogical society volunteers, congratulations everyone.

After lunch was two breakout sessions, and while each had five selections, I really was not a lot interested in the first group of five, but I picked the one by Linda Lind on finding the War of 1812 Veterans that died in Washington Territory. You would think they would be easy to find but most records do not list War of 1812 veterans. Linda did give a clue on finding a War of 1812 veteran, by using the Government Land Office Records, and searching for the person in the list of Land Patents. They do not have to be from Washington to use this database, but since it is online it is a quick way to find a War of 1812 Veteran.
The next breakout I wanted to attend two sessions, but picked Margie Beldin; Google; The Genealogist's Research Assistant. Margie is an excellent teacher and her session flew by so quickly you hardly knew you were learning so much so quickly.
The last session by Patricia Walls Stamm was Discovering Your Ancestors Neighborhood, another good session on local records.
Well hard to believe it was all over except the door prizes and while I was close a couple of times I did not win anything, but Jacque won a $25.00 gift certificate.

WSGS 2011 Building Ancestral Bridges, Day 1

2011-09-21T23:40:00.000-07:00

My sister Jacque & I left Spokane about 8:30 a.m. September 16, 2011 heading for Richland, Washington and the 2011 WSGS Conference Building Ancestral Bridges. This was a fitting name for the Richland, Pasco and Kennewick area has many bridges crossing the Columbia River. We arrived about noon and leveled the mini-home so the refrigerator keeps working. We warmed up some frozen home made soup and some corn from our garden for lunch and then I headed for the WSGS board meeting at 3 p.m. since I am a committee chairman. After the meeting I picked up my registration paper sack with all the goodies the Tri Cities Genealogical Society had worked so hard to collect and put in all the bags.

This first picture is the Richland Baptist Church. I always thought the church I went to here in Spokane was pretty big, but this Baptist Church was really huge, the Sanctuary where Patricia Walls Stamm talked was bigger than my whole church.

When we arrived the vendors were busy setting up, and as these pictures show, were busy during the two days of the conference.

This was the opening Flag Ceremony by the SAR group from Spangle, Washington.

After the good buffet dinner, Patricia Walls Stamm gave the first of four talks; Social Networking for Genealogists where she briefly pointed out the major social working websites, Facebook, Linkedin, My Space, Twitter, YouTube and Flickr. While many of the WSGS board sat together I wanted to meet others so sat at a table away from the board and met Lee Smith one of the TCGS member volunteers that helped put on this conference. He also took many pictures of bridges around the area and they were used as centerpieces, and in the syllabus.

Spokane Area Legacy Users Group to Meet Wednesday, September 21st

2011-09-14T02:00:00.000-07:00

If you are a Legacy Family Tree genealogy software user, or are simply curious about this genealogy software program, you may be interested in the Legacy Users Group (LUG), which will meet next Wednesday, September 21st, from 1:30 to 3:30 PM in the meeting room of the Shadle Park Branch of the Spokane Public Library at 2111 W. Wellesley. This meeting is free and open to the public. Regular attendees will take turns in the role of moderator for each meeting. If you have more questions, please contact Donna Potter Phillips here.

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Dr. George Schweitzer coming to teach us about the Civil War on October 1st!!

2011-09-12T05:51:00.000-07:00

The above group shows some of the many faces of Dr. George Schweitzer (except for the right hand.... think that is his daughter). This brilliant teacher is coming to EWGS on Saturday, October 1st, to teach us about the causes and reasons for the Civil War and how it really was from the northern and the southern viewpoint. I certainly do hope that you are planning to attend.......... click to the EWGS website (www.ewgsi.org) and access the registration flyer there. See you there!

Mama Tau....... nothing to do with genealogy!

2011-09-03T03:19:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I visited Mama Tau, the white lion breeding farm here in Limpopo province, South Africa. It was like visiting Jurassic Park......... the lions are in 5 acre pens behind tall electric fences and you ride about in tall-barred carts. The skinny Afrikanner gent taught us all about their farm and the lions and it was most interesting. What has this to do with genealogy? Sorry, nothing........... don't think any of my ancestors were ever eaten by lions and certainly not white lions. Were yours????

Walking With Ancestors 2011 Red Tour

2011-08-28T07:25:00.000-07:00

I was not able to sneak away from the Blue Tour long enough to take the Red Tour, but I hope I got all the names correct with the pictures.
This is the first one Debra LeGrand as the Herman Family

This is Sidney Chittum in the Hat as Rose Wright

This is Donna Potter Phillips as the Austin J. Bender Family almost hidden by the Red Tour Guide.

This is Max Rice portraying David Ennis a small boy that died after a fire cracker went off in his hand causing an infection that eventually killed him. He was also interviewed by the reporter for KHQ TV and did a good job.

The next picture of Pat Bayonne-Johnson is a much better picture.
This is Pat Bayonne-Johnson as Elizabeth/Benjamin Bennett Family

This is Pat Bayonne-Johnson sitting and talking to Janice Bueckers. I almost did not get a picture of Janice as we were closing up when I took this picture.
Janice Bueckers was portraying the Hattie/Curtis Parson family.

My mom worked for the Buckley Department store in Hillyard when she got out of high school, but the Buckley's in this section are not related to the Buckley Department Store.
This is Actor Dean Ladd in the red cap as J. Edward Buckley

This was the last one on the Red Tour John Caskey from Fairmount Memorial Gardens as David P. Jenkins

Be sure to also check out Walking with Ancestors 2011, Walking with Ancestors 2011 Green Tour, and the Walking With Ancestors Blue Tour

Walking With Ancestors 2011 Green Tour

2011-08-27T23:52:00.000-07:00

I was able to sneak off of the Blue Tour long enough to take the Green Tour.
The first Actor was Jonathan Berridge as Seaton Mitchell a WWI soldier that died of influenza while in training camp seven days after WWI was over.
With Jonathan in this picture is tour guide Miriam Robbins. The other two Green Tour guides were Kristi Rice and Sarah Wasicek

The Second Actor was Bill Hire as John S. McWhorter.

The next actor was Carol Nettles as the Tanner family.

The next Actor was Jeanne Coe as Geraldine Critzer and a very interesting story about a murder.

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The next actor was Dolly Webb as Alice and Henry Benton, Alice was a doctor.

The last actor in this group was Sarah Hoover as Anna Edberg, but she had left by the time I was on the Green Tour.

Be sure to also check out Walking with Ancestors 2011, Walking with Ancestors 2011 Blue Tour, and Walking with Ancestors 2011 Red Tour

Walking With Ancestors 2011 Blue Tour

2011-08-27T23:02:00.000-07:00

The Blue Tour had four guides, Barbara Brazington, Bette Butcher Topp, Margie Beldin and me (Charles Hansen).
This first picture is Catherine Armstead as Henry and Kezia Brook.

About half way between the Brook's headstones and our next actor was the tombstone of Samuel Pool Weaver, the first President of Eastern Washington Genealogical Society. He served for two years and never attended a single EWGS meeting.
The next actor was Pat Meilbrecht as The Chaffee Family.

The next actor was Clair Brazington as Richard Mills a Minnesota soldier who's unit fought the Dakota Sioux in 1862 before heading for the Civil War.

I am really sorry I did not get a picture of John Wilson as Andrew Hallender.

This actor is Michael Chandler as Simon McLean. He was very lucky as the day he went to the cemetery to look at the grave a car with British Columbia license drove up looking for the grave of Simon McLean, turned out to be a grandson of Simon's brother, and he sent a lot of pictures and family information on the McLean family to Michael.

The last actor in the Blue Tour was Pat Ewers as Amanda W. Nichols.

Be sure to also check out Walking with Ancestors 2011, Walking with Ancestors 2011 Green Tour, and Walking with Ancestors 2011 Red Tour

Walking With Ancestors 2011

2011-08-27T22:09:00.000-07:00

The 2011 Walking with Ancestors started off at 8 a.m. with a group picture of all the guides and actors. I am in the back row.

This is the group from the Washington Civil War Association 1st Michigan Artillery Unit.

My dad had a Model A coupe like this one except his did not have the rumble seat. This was part of four cars from the local Hassie Auto Club.

The Eastern Washington Genealogical Society booth

Northeast Washington Genealogical Society Booth

Karen Struve from Colville demonstrating tombstone rubbing.

Two of the booths at Walking With Ancestors

Miriam's Classes....... Sign Up NOW!

2011-08-23T12:40:00.000-07:00

EWGS's very own Miriam Robbins (formerly Miriam Midkiff; new name, old smile) is again offering great genealogy classes through the IEL/Community Colleges of Spokane. There are three:

GENEALOGY-Military Records, 1 Nov, 6-9pm, $25, Centerplace (in the Valley); "Is there a veteran in your family tree or story about an ancestor who served in the Civil War or Revolutionary War?" Miriam will teach you how to find him and records about him. (Or her?)

GENEALOGY-Vital & Cemetery Records, 8 Nov, 6-9pm, $25, Centerplace; "Not sure how to go about tracing your family tree? Learn to use vital records and cemetery records for the basis of your research."

GENEALOGY-Who Do You Think You Are?, 4 Oct to 25 Oct, 6-8pm, $49, Centerplace; "What do you know about your ancestors or your heritage? In this beginning online genealogy class, learn to start your search, confirm family lore and use the different records along with Internet resources to trace your family tree."

Call 279-6030 to register for these classes or email Miriam with any questions (kidmiff@gmail.com). For the eager but timid beginner, Miriam will take you by the hand and you'll be confident in no time!

Good Reading: Civil War Diaries

2011-08-22T13:17:00.000-07:00

In this, the sesquicentennial of the beginning of the Civil War, you may wish to hone up on your history of that time period. And what better way than by reading diaries written by people who actually lived in those days? Harold Holzer of The Wall Street Journal recently recommended five titles:

Mary Chesnut's Civil War, edited by C. Vann Woodward (1981) - written in 48 notebooks by a Southern woman, whose father was a plantation-owning South Carolina governor, and whose husband was a pro-slavery U.S. senator from Virginia, later a military aide to Jefferson Davis. Often quoted in Ken Burn's classic PBS special, The Civil War, this title is available at the Spokane Public Library.
The Diary of George Templeton Strong, 1835-1875, edited by Allan Nevins and Milton Halsey Thomas (1952) - in four volumes, the third covering the Civil War period, it also is quoted by Ken Burns. Templeton was a lawyer who helped organize the U.S. Sanitary Commission.
Diary of Gideon Welles, edited by Howard K. Beale (1960) - As Secretary of the Navy, Welles was fondly referred to by Lincoln as "Father Neptune."
A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate States Capital, by John B. Jones (1866) - a popular fiction writer who was too old to volunteer, he joined the Confederate War Department as a clerk. His accounts, unlike many others from the South, were never rewritten or sanitized later after the cause was lost.
My Diary North and South, by William Howard Russell (1863) - Russell was a celebrated London Times war correspondent traveling through both sections of the country, who ended up making enemies on both sides of the war after sparing "neither salve-owning Southerners nor incompetent Union officers." His press credentials were revoked in 1862, and his diary was published the following year.

Look for these books at your local bookstore, at online stores such as Amazon.com, or order them through Interlibrary Loan at your local library.

1940 U.S. CENSUS TO BE FREE ON ANCESTRY.COM

2011-08-17T11:09:00.001-07:00

PROVO, UTAH (August 17, 2011) - Ancestry.com, the world’s largest online family history resource, today announced that both the images and indexes to the 1940 U.S. Federal Census will be made free to search, browse, and explore in the United States when this important collection commences streaming onto the website in mid-April 2012.

When complete, more than 3.8 million original document images containing 130 million plus records will be available to search by more than 45 fields, including name, gender, race, street address, county and state, and parents’ places of birth. It will be Ancestry.com’s most comprehensively indexed set of historical records to date.

Ancestry.com is committing to make the 1940 Census free from release through to the end of 2013, and by doing so hopes to help more people get started exploring their family history. As this census will be the most recent to be made publicly available, it represents the best chance for those new to family history to make that all-important first discovery.

“The release of the 1940 U.S. Census will be an exciting event for any American interested in learning more about their family history,” said Ancestry.com CEO Tim Sullivan. “By making this hugely important collection free to the public for an extended period, we hope to inspire a whole new generation of Americans to start researching their family history.”

“Ancestry.com is working to make the 1940 Census a truly unique interactive search experience...as well as the starting point to help new users easily get started on the world’s leading online family history resource. After finding that first family connection in the 1940 Census, we believe new users will be able to make amazing discoveries by searching our 7 billion digitized historical records, exploring the 26 million family trees created on Ancestry, and collaborating with our nearly 1.7 million subscribing members. We think that 2012 is going to be a great year of discovery for all family historians.”

About Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com)
Ancestry.com Inc. (Nasdaq: ACOM) is the world's largest online family history resource, with nearly 1.7 million paying subscribers. More than 7 billion records have been added to the site in the past 14 years. Ancestry users have created more than 26 million family trees containing over 2.6 billion profiles. Ancestry.com has local Web sites directed at nine countries that help people discover, preserve and share their family history, including its flagship Web site at www.ancestry.com.

Spokane Area Legacy Users Group to Meet Wednesday, August 17th

2011-08-10T02:00:00.000-07:00

If you are a Legacy Family Tree genealogy software user, or are simply curious about this genealogy software program, you may be interested in the Legacy Users Group (LUG), which will meet next Wednesday, August 17th, from 1:30 to 3:30 PM in the meeting room of the Shadle Park Branch of the Spokane Public Library at 2111 W. Wellesley. This meeting is free and open to the public. Regular attendees will take turns in the role of moderator for each meeting. If you have more questions, please contact Donna Potter Phillips here.

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World War I Memorial Museum

2011-08-04T15:15:00.000-07:00

I spent last week in Kansas City, Missouri, visiting family. We went to the World War I Memorial Museum in downtown KC and it was just fabulous. This tall tower is visible for miles; see the two sphinxes with their wings covering their faces? And then inside is a field of 9000 orange silk poppies..... one for every 1000 men who died. I did not realize that there were 38 different countries that participated in this "war to end all wars." I took many pictures........ anybody interested in a program of a tour of this museum? (It was 103o to 110o in KC while we were there. Aren't you glad you live in Spokane?)

1940 Census...... more details.

2011-07-23T15:16:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Charles for mentioning the need for knowing the ED (enumeration district) and address in order to find your people in the 1940 census when it first opens. The good news is that the 1940 census will be released to us on April 2, 2012. The bad news is that it will NOT NOT NOT NOT be indexed. The various folks who are geared up and ready to do the indexing (Ancestry, FamilySearch) cannot have access to it either (by law) until that very day. So it will take a few months to get the 1940 census indexed. In the meantime, if you're bound and determined to find your family, you must know the address where they lived or be prepared to browse. Thought you'd want to know "the rest of the story."

1940 Enumeration District Maps

2011-07-19T19:07:00.000-07:00

I saw this post on the Seattle Genealogical Society Presidents Blog. It pointed out that NARA has posted copies of the Enumeration District maps. Click on this link and click on search and then type in 1940 Census Maps [county name] [state name], so when I typed in Spokane County there was three hits and they also had a box that said Digital Copies so when I clicked on the first one I got thumbnails of Spokane County, the second one had 4 thumbnails of Spokane City, I downloaded the north east section of Spokane City since my mom and I think my dad were both living there in 1940. The Enumeration Districts are very hard to read as they are kind of faint, but it looks like my mom is in ED 10 and my dad in ED 25.

Leonardo DaVinci at the MAC

2011-07-16T15:09:00.000-07:00

One whole huge wall at Spokane's MAC museum has been turned into the Last Supper by Leonardo DaVinci. If you'll never afford to travel to Italy to see the original (which is crumbling fast) you can come see it here and now! And what does this have to do with genealogy, you're perhaps saying?

The Leonardo DaVinci exhibit currently at our MAC (Museum of Arts and Culture) is a wonder...... to see the drawings DaVinci made, and then to see the wooden models of that whatever-it-was........... Leonardo DaVinci, 1452-1519, was a man, an inventor and a true genius and his inventions show the vast imagination of man. You will be enthralled as you walk through this display of his creations.

And if you want to make Egg Tempera Paint and slather a wall with a creation of your own, you can pick up a flyer that will tell you just how to make that paint. (The exhibit is only there until September 5th, so hop to it.)

Military Records ONLINE....... EWGS July 16th class

2011-07-08T13:56:00.000-07:00

At our class on July 16th, 10:15 or 11:30, we'll be talking about more than just Civil War records...... we'll be discussing finding Military Records ONLINE......... all sorts of records from 200 years of American history. Miriam says there are still sign-up slots; email her today to reserve your chair in the computer lab, downtown Spokane Public Library. kidmiff@gmail.com

I'll be there.......hope you will too! Donna

Miscellaneous from Donna

2011-07-05T09:18:00.000-07:00

Hello EWGS!

Anybody remember our EWGS member Sue Soderstrom? Well, darnit, she's had a stroke and will be moving to Portland to be nearer her daughter; EWGS will miss her! You can send a message to her via her daughter, Diane, at dianegoff@mindspring.com

Cecily and Ed Kelly are finally grandparents! Cooper Charles Propes made his Texas appearance on July 1st. She should be home by the end of July. (Which also explains the "I'm behind" with our EWGS Digital Digest.)

How are you coming on your "story" for your person for Walking with Ancestors? The Big Day is just a tad over six weeks away............ please write up your story using the guidelines that Shirley sent to you because we do intend to use your story in a future Digital Digest. Reason I mention it: Just ran into our member Catherine Armstead and she told me she had NOT begun the research nor the writing for her person. Well, Catherine, only six weeks to get it done.

We're also a tad behind in the publicity for Dr. Schweitzer coming for our Fall Workshop speaker on October 1st. Have you marked your calendar? Have you been telling your friends and any/all acquaintances? Have you been handing out those little cards that Shirley made up for you to hand out??? We'll have the flyer for him up on our website ASAP, I promise.

Have you registered with Miriam for the July 16th "Military Records Online" class (that I will be presenting)?? Best hop to it........... only so many chairs in the room.

A committee met to discuss program ideas for 2012 and one really bang-up idea is to partner with SPL to have a "Welcome 1940 Census Birthday Party" as our April meeting. The 1940 census will be released by the government the Monday before our meeting, so it's a really good fit. Bette Topp and I are meeting soon with Pat Partovi (EWGS member and Library Director) so stay tuned for the details.........

Remember my words/plea/statement/admonishment at the June meeting. We will be needing a 1st VP for 2012; this person's main duty is programs. Well, if the programs are pretty well mapped out for 2012, it shouldn't be a too-ornerous job. And like I said, we will NOT be having an active nominating committee (will abide by our By-Laws) but I fully expect some one of you will step up and accept to serve EWGS in this capacity. Or we might just not have those programs. Really.

Hope your July 4th was a great one; now we march forward into the second half of 2011. Donna

Remember Dale Hastin (was Smith)??

2011-07-01T10:46:00.000-07:00

Dale Hastin was EWGS president way back in 1993; she has since moved to Colorado. She cared for her mother until just a month ago when she passed away, and now Dale is eager and ready to get back into genealogy........... she's headed east for her second research trip to Kentucky. I bumped into her at the Family History Expo in Loveland, CO, and it was great to see her and catch up. Doesn't she look good??

John Ellingson's 90th Birthday Party

2011-06-11T13:17:00.000-07:00

All of John Ellingson's EWGS friends are invited to come mark his Special Day with him on Saturday, June 18th, 3:00 to 5:00pm where he lives, Fairwinds Retirement Center, 520 E. Holland. (Go north on Division; take the right fork at the "Y"; look for Holland and turn right.) I'd suggest bringing a silly card for him and a big hug!

Images of America: New Book, Harrison, Idaho

2011-06-02T13:12:00.000-07:00

Some of my favorite books come from Arcadia Publishing, and are the Images of America series. These books follow a standard format...... same number of pages, same number of photos, sepia cover, etc. I just read in our paper that there is a new one out for our area, one on Harrison, Idaho. This book joins others on "our area" of Idaho: Moscow, Pullman, the Silver Valley, Latah County, and one for Farragut Naval Training Station. If northern Idaho is not your ancestral area of interest, click to www.arcadiapublishing.com and do a search for your state..... or place..... or county of interest. And they have singular titles, like for Castle Garden and Ellis Island. The cost for these books is a consistent $20 to $22. Try one...... you'll be hooked.

Couldn't find the cover/photo for Harrison (too new?) but here are three of the others.

Wordless Wednesday EWGS Events for 2011

2011-05-31T23:44:00.000-07:00

Memorial Day...... Go See the Flags!

2011-05-28T18:46:00.000-07:00

If you do nothing else this Memorial Day weekend, do take a short drive to your nearest cemetery. Then park the car and take a walk among all the flags and flowers. Each flag is donated and placed in memory of somebody and usually it is a veteran. Even if we have "filtered sunshine" it is a beautiful walk; go for it....... and pause to remember all who lie there.

Miriam Midkiff's classes......... don't miss out!

2011-05-21T15:32:00.000-07:00

"Genealogy Online---Who Do You Think You Are?" is the timely and catchy title of Miriam's upcoming classes. "What do you know about your ancestors or heritage? Join experienced researcher Miriam Midkiff in this beginning online genealogy class. Learn how to start your search, confirm family lore, and use vital, cemetery, and census records, along with Internet resources, to trace your family tree. Prerequisite: a working knowledge of the computer."

Class is number L135; cost is $49; dates are Tuesdays from June 28 through July 19th, 6:00 to 8:00pm; place is the CenterPlace, Discovery Place, Room 209. You can register online at www.ccs.spokane.edu/ContinuingEd or call 279-6030. What a great way to spend part of your summer!

Spokane Area Legacy Users Group to Meet Wednesday, May 18th

2011-05-11T02:00:00.000-07:00

If you are a Legacy Family Tree genealogy software user, or are simply curious about this genealogy software program, you may be interested in the Legacy Users Group (LUG), which will meet next Wednesday, May 18th, from 1:30 to 3:30 PM in the meeting room of the Shadle Park Branch of the Spokane Public Library at 2111 W. Wellesley. This meeting is free and open to the public. Regular attendees will take turns in the role of moderator for each meeting. If you have more questions, please contact Donna Potter Phillips here.

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Wordless Wednesday Patchen File

2011-05-10T22:06:00.000-07:00

EWGS First Annual Great SWAP MEET Is Coming!

2011-05-04T09:14:00.000-07:00

If your desk or your office looks anything like this poor soul's (great picture I found on Google Images) then SALVATION COMETH! Box up your no-longer-needed-or-used genealogy books, things and stuff and bring them to the EWGS meeting on Saturday, May 7th, 12:30, downtown Spokane Public Library. Then you can continue your genealogy with a clean work space............. well, maybe.

Daughters of Utah Pioneers Annual Convention

2011-04-29T11:42:00.000-07:00

The Daughters of the Utah Pioneers (DUP) is having their Annual Convention on Monday, May 2, 1011, at 10:00 in the Bowdish Bldg, 40th and Bowdish, Spokane Valley, WA. Call Pauline Quick for directions (509-924-5248).

Maureen Smith, the 1st Vice President from Salt Lake City, will be the guest speaker. Luncheon will be served following the meeting at a cost of $5.00, payable at the door.

The theme for the convention is Pioneer Handwork. "You are welcome to bring any pioneer handwork for display."

Id you are a DUP member or a prospective member, I hope you already knew about this and are planning to do, but if not, sounds like it's not too late.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-04-26T22:36:00.000-07:00

Up Coming Learning Opportunities from Miriam.

2011-04-25T15:57:00.000-07:00

Our EWGS shining star, Miriam Robbins Midkiff, is once again offering knowledge to us in the form of classes through the Continuing Education program here in Spokane. She will teach:

[The military records class has been cancelled.]

Who Do You Think You Are? - What do you know about your ancestors or your heritage? In this beginning online genealogy class, learn how to start your search, confirm family lore, and use all sorts of records to trace your family tree; prerequisite: a working knowledge of the computer.
Class #L154 -- Tuesdays, May 3, 10, 17, 24, 6:00-8:00pm, Centerplace, Room 209, Cost $49

Vital and Cemetery Records - Learn now to use birth, marriage and death and cemetery records for the basis of your genealogy research; discover where to find these documents onsite and online.

Class #L113 -- Tuesday, May 31, 6:00-9:00pm, Centerplace, Room 209, Cost $25

Register for any or all of these classes online at http://www.ccs.spokane.edu/Continuing Ed or call (509) 279-6030 (they will ask for a credit card number).

Meeting coming up..... May 7th

2011-04-20T18:39:00.000-07:00

The May 7th EWGS meeting will begin with the usual Coffee, Cookies & Conversation at 12:30 on that Saturday at the downtown Spokane Public Library, BUT then the fun will begin! The First Annual EWGS Great Swap Meet will happen! We all will bring our no-longer-needed genealogy related stuff, lay it all out on tables, and pick up to take home what stuff we want. Then Dick Jensen, of the Inland Empire Tours, will speak on Set in Stone about the historical monuments and markers of the Spokane area. He will have copies of his book for sale too. So hope you're planning to come on Saturday, May 7th for it promises to be an especially wonderful EWGS day.

FamilySearch FORUMS..... have you used this resource??

2011-04-15T09:10:00.000-07:00

I've spent this week in the Family History Library and share with you some wonderful new thing I learned about: http://www.forums.familysearch.org/

You've likely used GenForum or RootsWeb so you know about posting queries (asking questions online) and checking back for answers. The FS Forum (now in Beta stage) will be just that but bigger and better.

First you will have to have a Family Search account (both LDS and non-LDS folks). This is free and will not obligate you or infringe upon your privacy. How can folks reply to your query/posting if your email is not in the system??

Click to the above address and WAY UP IN THE RIGHT CORNER is sign in. Sign in with your FamilySearch account and scroll down to see the many forums currently availble.

Right near the top of the list was the Locality forum. I clicked on that, then selected Washington, and read about a dozen posted queries/questions about research and/or records in Washington. I even answered one!

THAT is the beauty of the FamilySearch Forums.....anybody with any amount of knowledge can post answers and don't we know that every little bit helps?

Take 30 minutes soon and click around on http://www.forums.familysearch.org/ and see if you don't agree that this might just could become a wonderful new research tool in your genealogy toolbox.

Spokane Area Legacy Users Group to Meet Wednesday, April 20th

2011-04-13T02:00:00.000-07:00

If you are a Legacy Family Tree genealogy software user, or are simply curious about this genealogy software program, you may be interested in the Legacy Users Group (LUG), which will meet next Wednesday, April 20th, from 1:30 to 3:30 PM in the meeting room of the Shadle Park Branch of the Spokane Public Library at 2111 W. Wellesley. This meeting is free and open to the public. Regular attendees will take turns in the role of moderator for each meeting. If you have more questions, please contact Donna Potter Phillips here.

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April 16th and the EWGS Computer Class

2011-04-04T16:32:00.000-07:00

Susan Beamer will be the teacher for the April 16th EWGS computer classes (10:15-11:15, repeating 11:30-12:30). Her subject will be Researching the the American SOUTH. Classes are free to EWGS members but you must register with Miriam Midkiff (kidmiff@gmail.com) for the session you prefer.

And while I have your eyes, don't forget to come hear Dan Lynch teach us about using Google to find our family tree. It is too late to register and get lunch; you may bring your own sack lunch and pay the registration fee of $30 at the door.......... SFCC, Student Union Bldg. He's bringing his books to sell at a discount too!

Want to attend a free webinar????

2011-03-29T16:01:00.000-07:00

Thomas MacEntee was our speaker last October and he presented this very talk. If you weren't there or would like to hear it again, here is your chance. If this "register now" link does not work from my cut-and-paste, go to www.legacyfamilytree.com and sign up there. You MUST sign up but it is free. Then come the day, about 15 minutes before 11:00, click the link and sit at your computer and enjoy.......and learn.

Building a Research Toolbox with Thomas MacEntee

Are you overwhelmed with the number of online resources for genealogical research? Are you constantly working with unorganized bookmarks or favorites? Printing out lists of websites you use most? Learn how to build a research toolbox that is organized, easy-to-use, and can be accessed from almost anywhere.

Join webinar host Geoff Rasmussen and speaker Thomas MacEntee (author of Google for Genealogists and Backing Up Your Genealogy Data) for this 90-minute free webinar, Building a Research Toolbox. Participants will learn not only some of the most important online resources for genealogical research, but also how to organize these resources into an easy-to-access and portable virtual toolbox.
The live webinar is scheduled for Wednesday, April 6, 2011, so register today to reserve your virtual seat. Registration is free.

About the presenter
Thomas MacEntee is a professional genealogist specializing in the use of technology and social media to improve genealogical research and as a means of interacting with others in the family history community. Utilizing over 25 years of experience in the information technology field, Thomas writes and lectures on the many ways in which blogs, Facebook and Twitter can be leveraged to add new dimensions to the genealogy experience. As the creator of GeneaBloggers.com he has organized and engaged a community of over 1,800 bloggers to document their own journeys in the search for ancestors.

Webinar time
The webinar will be live on Wednesday, April 6, 2011 at:

2pm Eastern (U.S.)
1pm Central
12pm Mountain
11am Pacific/Arizona
6pm GMT

Schrag, Washington......... did you know?

2011-03-25T11:10:00.000-07:00

If we were asked to identify Schrag, Washington, we would think of it as a rest stop on I-90. But did you know that in 1911 Schrag had a post office and a general store stocked with merchandise for surrounding farms. The Northern Pacific Railroad line built a spur to connect with the huge Schrag grain elevators. The little town finally passed into dust in 1934. But as you zoom through the middle of Washington on I-90 and see the Schrag sign, pause to remember that there once was a town and no doubt a family named Schrag.

Miriam has a birthday party!

2011-03-16T18:54:00.000-07:00

Miriam Robbins Midkiff is the 1st VP of EWGS and a hard-working gal, teacher, mother and EWGS member. She richly deserved the surprise 44th birthday party given for her at the Cathay Inn and attended by some of her school co-workers and 15 or so EWGS member-friends. If you see her soon, feel free to give her a Big Birthday hug.......... but don't ask for any cake; we ate most of it and her Matt surely polished it off.

Roots Tech 2012

2011-03-14T09:28:00.001-07:00

Relive RootsTech 2011

Popular Conference Makes Select Presentations Available for Free Online

11 March 2011

SALT LAKE CITY—If you missed the popular inaugural RootsTech 2011 conference, you can now at least get a sampling of what all the excitement was about. The wildly popular new technology and family history conference held last month in Salt Lake City, Utah, made its keynote addresses and a few other popular presentations available online today free of charge. The six free presentations can be viewed at RootsTech.org.

“The scope of the RootsTech conference was unique. We wanted to try to fulfill a need to bring technology users (family history buffs and anyone interested in genealogy) and technology creators (developers, programmers, engineers) together in a unique, fun environment to collaborate and move the genealogy industry forward through technology,” said Anne Roach, RootsTech conference chair. And bring them together it did.

The inaugural conference, hosted by FamilySearch, was a runaway success. With over 3,000 in-person attendees and another 4,500 attending remotely over the Internet, it was arguably one of the largest genealogy-related conferences ever held in the country. In-person attendees hailed from 42 states and 15 countries. Some came from as far away as China, New Zealand, Australia, Namibia, and Israel.

Paul Nauta, RootsTech public relations chair, reported that there were over 40 bloggers in attendance. “Between online articles, blog posts, and nonstop tweets, the online community was buzzing 24 hours a day during the conference and for weeks following—and amazingly, articles and tweets are still going strong,” noted Nauta.

The new conference was pulled together quickly by industry standards—in about 6 months. “The fact that we were able to attract as many conference goers as we did in such a short amount of time testifies to the interest there is in technology and family history,” said Roach. “And we’ve put the videos of the keynotes and other presentations online for free to give others a chance to share in the RootsTech experience; to give them a taste of what they can expect for 2012,” added Roach.

A highlight of the conference was the extensive community networking—community zone (exhibit hall), collaboration stations, and unconferencing sessions. These integrated features produced an open conference atmosphere that seemed to be ideal to introduce technology creators to genealogy technology users and to foster discussions, learning, collaboration, and future industry developments.

Unconferencing sessions—impromptu, participant-driven discussion forums that promote brainstorming, the sharing of ideas, and innovation—were totally new to genealogy attendees, but were more familiar to the technologists. Attendees took advantage of unconferencing sessions to discuss user needs with technology developers and to brainstorm new ideas and solutions. “People emerged from these [unconferencing sessions] with eyes sparkling, and I overheard several people describing conversations between developers and genealogists that left both feeling validated and motivated,” said Polly FitzGerald Kimitt, an attendee and author of Pollyblog.

The RootsTech 2012 conference is scheduled for February 2–4 in Salt Lake City, Utah.

In addition to the six video presentations mentioned above, video interviews of other conference speakers and developers can be watched at Genealogy Gems YouTube.

About RootsTech

RootsTech is a new conference designed to bring technologists together with genealogists to learn from each other and find solutions to the challenges faced in family history research today. The conference’s activities and offerings are focused on content that will help genealogists and family historians discover exciting new research tools while enabling technology creators to learn the latest development techniques from industry leaders and pioneers.

The EWGS Blog is One of Family Tree Magazine's 40 Best Genealogy Blogs for 2011!

2011-03-12T13:13:00.000-08:00

Have you heard? Family Tree Magazine has named the EWGS Blog as one of its 40 Best Genealogy Blogs for 2011!

This site is all about community: It shares frequent news and information with a small but involved group based out of Spokane. Find a great page of links for those researching roots in eastern Washington state.

Our blog was listed as one of five in the Local and Regional Research category, along with distinguished blogs such as the Brooklyn Historical Society Blog, the California Genealogical Society and Library Blog (which also won last year), the New York History Blog, and the Sandusky History Blog out of Ohio. Other categories included Everything Blogs, Cemeteries, Technology Blogs, Heritage Groups, Research Advice, New Blogs, and My Family History. Go here to see the complete list and to add the entire 40 to your Google Reader account.

The EWGS Blog is written by a team of bloggers: Charles Hansen, Miriam Robbins Midkiff, and Donna Potter Phillips, each of whom writes at least one other genealogy blog of their own! We encourage you to check out the links and widgets in the sidebars of this blog (if you're viewing this message in a feed reader such as Google Reader, or have subscribed to receive posts in your email, you'll want to go directly to the blog to see these features) and also to visit our website. We'd also like to express our appreciation to the many individuals who nominated and voted for our blog and to the expert panel who made the tough decisions of whittling down the list to just 40 winners!

Spokane Area Legacy Users Group to Meet Wednesday, March 16th

2011-03-09T02:00:00.000-08:00

If you are a Legacy Family Tree genealogy software user, or are simply curious about this genealogy software program, you may be interested in the Legacy Users Group (LUG), which will meet next Wednesday, March 16th, from 1:30 to 3:30 PM in the meeting room of the Shadle Park Branch of the Spokane Public Library at 2111 W. Wellesley. This meeting is free and open to the public. Regular attendees will take turns in the role of moderator for each meeting. If you have more questions, please contact Donna Potter Phillips here.

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Genealogy Section Downtown SPL

2011-03-08T16:19:00.000-08:00

If you do not recognize this place, then may I politely say "shame on you?" This is our wonderful Genealogy Section in the downtown Spokane Public Library. I took this moments before the doors opened and a dozen folks, helpers and seekers, came happily into the area, all intent on learning more about their family's history. Helpers from EWGS are there on Tuesdays; perhaps you should come down for a visit?

EWGS enjoyed the "Bing thing"

2011-03-05T18:34:00.000-08:00

EWGS was well represented at the "Bing thing" today..... the Bing Crosby Family History event at Gonzaga, sponsored by our state library. I estimated that half the group was from EWGS. If you weren't there you missed a fun day.

Howard Crosby, Bing's nephew and former golfing partner, knew his uncle well and shared some great stories about Bing. In his day Bing was a much bigger sensation that Elvis, the Beatles or Michael Jackson ever were. But according to Howard, he was a really great guy.

Wanting to take a good class?

2011-03-03T13:06:00.000-08:00

Our very own Miriam Robbins Midkiff is offering 3 terrific classes in April and May:

Military Records -- Tuesday, April 26th, 6:00-9:00pm -- Centerplace, Room 209
Vital & Cemetery Records -- Tuesday, April 31th, 6:00-9:00pm -- Centerplace, Room 209
These two classes are $25 each.

Who Do YOU Think You Are? -- Tuesday, May 3rd through Tuesday, May 24th, 6:00-8:00,
Centerplace, Room 209 -- This class is $49.

Call 279-6030 or click to www.ccs.spokane.edu/ContinuingEd for more information or to register.

Miriam is a knowledgeable and enthusiastic teacher and you will enjoy and learn from any of her classes.

2011 Directory Now Available to Members in Hard Copy (and Online!)

2011-02-26T14:47:00.000-08:00

In today's mail, I received the brand new, lilac-covered 2011 Directory of EWGS members shown below. Every EWGS member will be receiving one in the mail very shortly. These are so handy to tuck in your genealogy notebook or your car when you're out and about working on EWGS projects!

Directory editors Rod and Darlinda Ramer did an excellent job on this project, inputting countless hours of work and careful checking, and working alongside Membership Chair Pat Ewers to ensure that the directory was as accurate and up-to-date as possible. As a member, if you see an error in your information, please contact Pat as soon as possible, so that we can get the word out to other members.

Also, if you are a member, you have access to the Membership Directory online on our website as well. This online information is private and secure, and only accessible to other members, not the public. To access this information, go to the EWGS website, http://www.ewgsi.org, and click on the Members tab in the left hand column.

Log in (if you don't know your login information, your user name is the first initial of your first name, plus your last name; in my case it is "mmidkiff". Your password is your five-digit zip code, and yes! you can change it to your own secret one later...I did!).

After you login, you will see a small menu of choices under the Members tab in the left hand column. Click on the Membership link and you will be brought to a database of member names, addresses, e-mail addresses and phone numbers.

You can browse through this list alphabetically, search for a specific member's name, or download the list as a .pdf file to your computer.

Thanks to webmaster Cecily Cone Kelly for all her hard work on our website!

NEWS FLASH!

2011-02-26T14:08:00.000-08:00

The flyer giving all the details about author Dan Lynch (Google Your Family Tree) is now posted to our EWGSI.org website! Thank you, Miriam, for doing all the leg work (and Maria for helping) and thank you, Cecily, for getting it posted. March and April are going to be banner learning months for EWGS!

You can also download the flyer here.

EWGS Attendees to RootsTech

2011-02-21T13:28:00.001-08:00

Donna Potter Phillips, Terri Merritt Rehmann, Cecily Cone Kelly and Margie Stein Beldin, all EWGS members, attended the RootsTech conference in February, 2011, in Salt Lake City. Next year perhaps the EWGS group photo will be of a larger group???

March 5th is before April 9th...... Do Both Now!

2011-02-18T08:26:00.000-08:00

Apologies that the registration details for our Dan Lynch seminar are not up on our website yet.......... please be patient and stay tuned. BUT you surely can register for the Bing Crosby Family History Day which will REPLACE our regular EWGS meeting on Saturday, March 5th. The event is free, but you do need to register.......... click the link in this advertising blurb:

https://www.sos.wa.gov/heritage/BingCrosbyRSVP.aspx

This promises to be a fun and different day and hope to see all of you there.
Donna

Google - Dan Lynch - April 9th

2011-02-16T08:59:00.000-08:00

Hope you all are signed up to come learn how Google can help you with your research from Dan Lynch on Saturday, April 9th, SFCC Student Union Building, Conference Rooms A and B. Click to our website for registration details: http://www.ewgsi.org/events.php or download the flyer here. This is going to be a fabulous day of learning!

What Did I Learn At RootsTech To Help EWGS?

2011-02-14T15:17:00.000-08:00

I learned that there are now at least three genealogy "worlds." The first is the traditional genealogy world where folks occasionally visit libraries and attend meetings and now and then work on their genealogy. The online world is where folks actively do research both in libraries mortar-and-brick AND online and are comfortable with the many online resources. The technology genealogy world is where the really geeky genealogist uses some of the new toys as bonafide tools.

So who and how many live in these various worlds? Randy Seaver in his Genea-Musings blog (13 Feb) was explaining this. He surmises that 85-95% live in the traditional world; maybe 5-15% live in the online world; and barely 2% live in the technology world.

Nothing wrong at all in where YOU, dear EWGS reader, live. We are "genealogically born" into the traditional world. But if the statistics coming out of RootsTech are valid, folks everywhere are eagerly transitioning into the online world...one little step at a time. And that's just great.

Just know this: that is where the future lies, where the most genealogy answers might/can be found, cheaper and quicker than ever before. Really, isn't that good news?

RootsTech benefits me and EWGS.

2011-02-11T16:30:00.000-08:00

Being able to attend the first annual RootsTech conference is a wonderful learning experience. The #1 buzz word is collaboration. There are more and more ways for more and more ancestor seekers to connect both with each other, with other family and with the information they seek. Would you EWGS good folks like to learn about some of the resources that I've learned about??

Here's a start: Click to www.familytech.familysearch.org ......... and learn about the new possibilities in your future!!

Wish you all could have been here too. Donna

Spokane Area Legacy Users Group to Meet Wednesday, February 16th

2011-02-09T02:00:00.000-08:00

If you are a Legacy Family Tree genealogy software user, or are simply curious about this genealogy software program, you may be interested in the Legacy Users Group (LUG), which will meet next Wednesday, February 16th, from 1:30 to 3:30 PM in the meeting room of the Shadle Park Branch of the Spokane Public Library at 2111 W. Wellesley. This meeting is free and open to the public. Regular attendees will take turns in the role of moderator for each meeting. If you have more questions, please contact Donna Potter Phillips here.

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What You Missed: EWGSI - Our New Website Explained

2011-02-07T12:29:00.000-08:00

What does this wonderful Norman Rockwell's painting from an old Saturday Evening Post cover have to do with our new EWGSI website? Nothing and everything.

Cecily Cone Kelly did a great job at the EWGS meeting on 5 Feb 2011 introducing and explaining our society's new website, EWGSI. I asked the folks, "what does the "I" stand for?" And they answered (correctly) for "incorporated." But not really, I said, "It stands for YOU-I-ME-EACH OF US as this website is unique and for each of us unique folks," just like those ancestors depicted in Rockwell's painting.

Our new website is designed and planned to give YOU, our EWGS members, more help, more answers and more information pointed towards doing more effective genealogy. Our EWGS-DD (catch that abbreviation for EWGS-Digital Digest) replaces our revered Bulletin and there will be a new "issue" posted quarterly.

And where will the information come from to be in the EWGS-DD? Just like always: FROM YOU. In the past you contributed stories, articles, and databases. We hope that you will continue doing this. Print-on-paper or print-on-digital, isn't it very much the same?? It is the content that matters. And our EWGS-DD and EWGSI website will have Gold-Plated, Wonderful content. Take a lookee for yourself.

Thank you, Cecily, for opening our eyes to the vast possibilities of www.EWGSI.org.

Come learn about EWGSI on February 5th.

2011-01-31T09:26:00.000-08:00

Is your understanding of (and excitement about) our new EWGS website as little as the above picture??

If so, do come to our regular monthly meeting on Saturday, February 5th, 12:30, downtown Spokane Public Library where and when Cecily Cone Kelly will demonstrate and teach us about our spanking-new website, www.ewgsi.org .

And Cecily will introduce us to our new EWGS Digital Digest, a prominent part of our new website.

Come for the Cookies, Coffee & Conversation at 12:30; the meeting begins at 1:00. Oh, and if you want to learn more, come down at 10:00 for Shirley Penna-Oakes regular beginners' class (main floor auditorium).

See you there!

Mozart Genealogy???

2011-01-27T10:55:00.001-08:00

Today on public radio I learned that today, January 27, was the birthday of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, who was born in Salzburg, Austria, in 1756. He married Constanze Weber on August 4, 1782. The couple had six children but only two lived into adulthood and those two had no children. Thus, Mozart's genealogy ended. If you want to see Mozart's ancestry, click to www.mozartproject.org/biography/tree.html and have a look. For a complete biography of the man and his music Wikipedia will tell you all about him.

Why this particular post on a genealogy blog? Well, it is his birthday today. And he did have ancestors (and I'm sure nieces and nephews as pseudo-descendants). And I'm guessing that most of us enjoy at least some of his music. And I loved the movie Amadeus. Genealogy can be learned in a wide variety of ways and places. Wouldn't you agree?

Earthquake in Spokane? Yes!

2011-01-25T14:16:00.000-08:00

Wanting today to show you that the past issues of our Bulletin are still viable, vital and certainly interesting. In the March 2008 issue I had an article about our area's earthquake zone and how on June 25, 2001, at 7:15 in the morning, a 3.7 magnitude earthquake rumbled through Spokane. And over that next week, and in the weeks to follow, a swarm (term used by seismologists to describe a bunch of smallish earthquakes that are close in magnitude) of 101 earthquakes occurred in Eastern Washington. That big one, on June 25th, was centered under Gonzaga University. Were you living in town then? Did you realize what had happened?

My point it, don't toss out all your old issues of the Bulletin. At least page through them and look for once-again interesting articles to read and share. Idea? (All the past issues are on the shelves in the Genealogy Room of the downtown Spokane Public Library.)

If you want to know more about that quake and any other in the area, Google Washington Geology, Vol. 29, Nos 1-2, September 2001. Very interesting read. In fact, the image used in this post (which I found in Google images) came from that book.

Early Spokane Pictures Online at Northwest Room

2011-01-23T21:41:00.001-08:00

The Northwest Room Blog posted an article on the pictures that they have posted on the internet and plans to add many more.

Larry Cebula comments on the pictures at his Northwest History Blog

I am working on an upcoming project where I needed some early pictures of Trent/Front Avenue in downtown Spokane and I found a couple there that really show what I was looking for.
Note: Trent in downtown Spokane is now named Spokane Falls Boulevard, but it was still Trent when the pictures I was looking for were taken.

They have posted pictures of Spokane Streets, Spokane Homes, Spokane Parks, Spokane Bridges, the Spokane Fire, Spokane River and Spokane Views.

March 5: EWGS & Bing Crosby Event

2011-01-18T10:32:00.000-08:00

News flash! Got some preliminary words today regarding the Bing Crosby Family History event planned for Saturday, March 5th, 2011. EWGS will cancel our regular meeting (REPEAT: OUR REGULAR MEETING AT THE DOWNTOWN SPL IS CANCELLED) so that all members can take advantage of this free event over on the Gonzaga campus. Planned are display tables, informational tables, computer lab demos and a program about Crosby's ancestry. More details will follow; for now, mark the change on your calendar and plan to come to something really interesting, productive and sure to be fun!

Update: You can register for this FREE event at http://www.heritagecenter.wa.gov/.

Memoral Grant to Assist Young Genealogists Attending 2011 SCGS Jamboree

2011-01-16T20:19:00.000-08:00

January 5, 2011 – Student genealogists interested in attending the 2011 Southern California Genealogical Society Jamboree are invited to apply for the 2011 Suzanne Winsor Freeman Memorial Student Genealogy Grant established by friends and family to honor Suzanne’s Freeman’s lifetime of service to young people and to assist young genealogists seeking to advance their genealogical education.

Suzanne Freeman was the mother of blogger and writer Denise Levenick, The Family Curator, and a lifelong volunteer who worked with many youth organizations in the capacity of leader, organizer, and administrator. She also developed a strong interest in family history, and enjoyed the growing number of young student genealogists. At the time of her death in Tucson, Arizona August 28, 2010, Suzanne was still searching for her elusive Winsor cousins.

Genealogy bloggers came to know Suzanne the past two years at the SCGS Jamboree where she enthusiastically joined the GeneaBlogger Welcome Bag project, assisting in the assembly and distribution of gifts to attending genealogy bloggers.

To honor her support of the SCGS Jamboree, the first Suzanne Winsor Freeman Memorial Student Genealogy Grant will be awarded to a student attending the 2011 Jamboree. The grant includes a check for $500 toward conference expenses.

Applicants need not be a currently registered student, but must have been a enrolled at a college, university, or secondary school within the last twelve months, and be between the ages of eighteen and twenty-five.

Complete guidelines and application are available online at The Family Curator blog http://www.thefamilycurator.com/suzanne-freeman-grant. Deadline for applications is February 15, 2011; the award recipient will be announced March 1, 2011.

Suzanne Winsor Freeman was born January 5, 1933 in Olathe, Kansas to Arline (Kinsel) and Frank Ammi Brown, and grew up in Orange and Santa Ana after her family moved to California in 1937. She purchased property in Green Valley, Arizona in 1982 and became a full-time Arizona resident in 1997.

The Suzanne Winsor Freeman Memorial Student Genealogy Fund honors her love of service and of family history. The purpose of the fund is to assist young genealogists by offering grants to advance their genealogical education, including funds to attend genealogy conferences and workshops.

Suzanne enjoyed researching family history online and frequently posted queries that resulted in new family connections. She supplied stories and anecdotes for TheFamilyCurator.com, the blog written by her daughter Denise Levenick, and also appeared as a guest blogger at ShadesoftheDeparted.com.

Donations to the Suzanne Winsor Freeman Memorial Student Genealogy Fund may be made at any Wells Fargo Bank c/o Wells Fargo Bank, Green Valley, Arizona 520/625-1222.

For More Information Contact: Denise Levenick, dmlevenick@gmail.com, 626/688-8974.
Suzanne Winsor Freeman Obituary: TheFamilyCurator.com and Green Valley News

Illinois State Genealogical Society Unveils New Website

2011-01-16T19:29:00.000-08:00

Illinois State Genealogical Society Unveils New Website

New Design Features Illinois Resources for Genealogy Researchers

January 15, 2011 – Springfield, IL. The Illinois State Genealogical Society (ISGS) announces the debut of its newly redesigned website available to the public on Saturday, January 15, 2011.

Located at http://www.ilgensoc.org, the new ISGS website features links to ISGS projects as well as links to other records and resources throughout Illinois including those individual genealogical home pages with an Illinois connection!

Visitors are invited to explore the new ISGS website and enjoy these features:

· The current issue of the ISGS Newsletter and archived copies back to 2008

· Listings of ISGS events and events for Illinois genealogical societies

· Highlights of various ISGS projects and initiatives

· Free databases filled with information on Illinois ancestors

· A list of Illinois research resources

New Members Section
One of the new features of the ISGS website is a members-only section which will be populated with access to Illinois-related databases for those researchers with Prairie State ancestors. Over the course of the next few months, additional members-only databases will be added.

Stop By and Visit ISGS!
ISGS encourages everyone – ISGS members and the public – to stop by and explore. In addition, visitors are encouraged to leave their feedback with the ISGS webmaster at isgswebmaster@ilgensoc.org.

About Illinois State Genealogical Society
The Illinois State Genealogical Society (ISGS) was organized in October of the Illinois Sesquicentennial Year, 1968, and is a non-profit, educational organization. ISGS was established for the following purposes:

· To stimulate an interest in the people who contributed to the establishment and development of the State of Illinois.

· To seek, preserve, and make available data pertaining to individuals, families, and groups who lived in Illinois and to events which took place therein.

· To inform people of the value of, and need for, preserving family and local history for posterity.

· To encourage the formation of local genealogical societies and to coordinate and disseminate information.

The ISGS genealogical collection is located in the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library in Springfield and an administrative office is maintained in the Illinois State Archives. For more information visit http://www.ilgensoc.org.

Follow us on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/ILgensoc), Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/ILgensoc) and on our blog at http://ilgensoc.blogspot.com.

EWGS: Are You Out There?

2011-01-16T09:58:00.000-08:00

Hello and Good Morning, EWGS. Would like to know how many of you are reading this? And reading it regularly?? This post appeared Sunday, January 16th. When did you see it? Would you let me know????? Reply to me or as a comment.

Spokane Area Legacy Users Group to Meet Wednesday, January 19th

2011-01-12T02:00:00.000-08:00

If you are a Legacy Family Tree genealogy software user, or are simply curious about this genealogy software program, you may be interested in the Legacy Users Group (LUG), which will meet next Wednesday, January 19th, from 1:30 to 3:30 PM in the meeting room of the Shadle Park Branch of the Spokane Public Library at 2111 W. Wellesley. This meeting is free and open to the public. Regular attendees will take turns in the role of moderator for each meeting. If you have more questions, please contact Donna Potter Phillips here.

View Larger Map

Tom Jones on Empathy and Analysis

2011-01-09T22:02:00.001-08:00

New from NGS Video Productions:
Empathy and the Analytical Process
Featuring Thomas W. Jones, PhD, CG, CGL, FASG, FNGS, FUGA

4 January 2011 – The National Genealogical Society’s latest video for members, Empathy and the Analytical Process, is a short conversation with National Genealogical Society Quarterly co-editor Tom Jones. In this three minute film Tom reflects on the role of empathy in the analytical process, how it transports him from the 21st century into the lives of his ancestors and leads to solving genealogical problems. Produced by Kate Geis and Allen Moore.

To view the film, log in to http://www.ngsgenealogy.org, click on the Members Only tab, and then click on NGS Videos in the sidebar menu.

Also showing for our members

Leslie Anderson, MSLS
Laura DeGrazia, CG
Elizabeth Shown Mills, cg, cgl, fasg, fngs, fuga
David E Rencher, ag, cg, figrs, fuga
Willis H. White, cg

Many other videos at http://www.ngsgenealogy.org are free for everyone, including:

Thomas Adams, 2009 Rubincam Youth Award Winner
Helen F. M. Leary, CG (EMERITUS), FASG, FNGS
Paths to Your Past
Home Study Course
NGS Conferences
Finding Your Family at the National Archives
NGS & NARA

NGS wishes you a successful new research year!

Society of Genealogists' Collection Now Online at Findmypast.co.uk

2011-01-09T09:52:00.000-08:00

January 5:

SOCIETY OF GENEALOGISTS’ COLLECTION NOW ONLINE AT FINDMYPAST.CO.UK

o Over 9 million family history records available online today

o Findmypast.co.uk to host Society’s collection in centenary year

Today the Society of Genealogists in London and leading family history website findmypast.co.uk have published online over 9 million records from the Society’s unrivalled collection at findmypast.co.uk.

Among the records going online today are:

Boyd’s Marriage Index containing over 7 million names from 1538 to 1840
Boyd’s London Burials 1538-1872 containing 240,000 names
Faculty Office Marriage Licence Allegations 1701-1850
St Andrew's Holborn Marriage Index 1754-1812
Vicar-General Marriage Licences Allegations 1694-1850
St Leonard Shoreditch Burials 1805-1858 and Workhouse Deaths 1820-1828, online for the first time
Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills Index 1750-1800

Today searchable indexes and transcripts have been added to the website, and customers will be able to order copies of the originals for some of the records from the Society of Genealogists.

In the coming weeks further records will be added to the website including Bank of England Wills Extracts containing 60,500 names, including images, and Apprentices of Great Britain containing 350,000 names.

Findmypast.co.uk has been working in partnership with the Society of Genealogists for a number of years to make the Society’s collection available to a wider, international audience. Earlier projects were Civil Service Evidence of Age and Great Western Railway Shareholder records.

Anyone with a full subscription to findmypast.co.uk will be able to access all the records within their existing package. Otherwise they can be viewed with PayAsYouGo credits.

Members of the Society of Genealogists will be able to view the records for free via their existing membership login to the Society of Genealogist’s own website at www.sog.org.uk . The records will be added gradually during 2011.

Debra Chatfield, Marketing Manager at findmypast.co.uk, said, “Findmypast.co.uk warmly welcomes the addition of these amazing records from the Society of Genealogists’ collection and looks forward to working with the Society on bringing these records to a wider, international audience in the Society’s Centenary Year and beyond. Family historians will find the records an invaluable aid to their research.”

June Perrin, CEO of the Society of Genealogists added: “The Society of Genealogists is delighted to be working with findmypast.co.uk in widening the audience for these wonderful resources. It is a great boost to the start of the Society’s 100th year. We hope the records prove extremely useful in the search for that ‘elusive’ ancestor.”

RootsTech News: RootsTech 2011 Early Bird Registration Ends January 15, 2011!

2011-01-08T19:09:00.001-08:00

January 5, 2011

The $99 Early Bird Registration for RootsTech 2011 in Salt Lake City Ends Soon!

· $99 early bird registration ends January 15, 2011 ($150 afterwards)
· Only $35 for students!
· February 10–12, 2011
· Salt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake City, Utah
· Walking distance from the Family History Library

SALT LAKE CITY—The $99 early bird registration for the RootsTech 2011 Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah, ends January 15, 2011. RootsTech is a completely new conference focused on bringing technology creators together with genealogy technology users to learn together and identify solutions to family history research challenges. Genealogists and family historians will discover exciting new research tools while technology creators will learn the latest development techniques from industry leaders and pioneers.

The registration fee includes three full days of conference attendance, conference materials, entry to the Clarke Planetarium dinner event, extended access to the Family History Library, admission to the closing reception event, eligibility for prize drawings, and admission to the Community Zone (exhibition hall).

Advancing technology is becoming an integral part of the future of genealogical research. Whether a person is new to genealogy or is an experienced researcher, RootsTech is the ideal place to discover the latest family history tools. In addition, technology creators will learn the skills needed to deliver innovative applications and systems, and they will have the opportunity to receive instant feedback from peers and users on their ideas and creations.

Keynote speakers at the conference include Shane Robinson, Hewlett Packard chief strategy and technology officer; Brewster Kahle, founder of the Internet Archive and digital librarian; Jay L. Verkler, CEO of FamilySearch International; and Curt Witcher, Historical Genealogy Department manager for Allen County Public Library.

About RootsTech

RootsTech is a new conference designed to bring technologists together with genealogists to learn from each other and find solutions to the challenges faced in family history research today. The conference’s activities and offerings are focused on content that will help genealogists and family historians discover exciting new research tools while enabling technology creators to learn the latest development techniques from industry leaders and pioneers.

New Video Lecture by Elyse Doerflinger

2011-01-08T19:03:00.000-08:00

CONQUERING THE PAPER MONSTER LECTURE IS NOW AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD

Learn to Organize Your Genealogy Papers

5 January 2011 - Los Angeles, CA. Elyse Doerflinger - author of the popular e-book Conquering The Paper Monster Once and For All - has released a video recording of the Conquering The Paper Monster Lecture. Elyse has presented this lecture at various genealogy societies and has finally recorded it for all the world to see!

This video lecture includes the presentation slides synced with Elyse’s voice audio to create a lecture that can be listened to in the comfort of your home. Along with the video, customers will receive a .pdf copy of the handout. Conquering The Paper Monster Video Lecture is available here for the price of $7.99.

In Conquering The Paper Monster Video Lecture, you’ll learn how to create a custom organizational system that is unique to your needs, wants, and personality. This lecture will walk you through the easy step-by-step process of organizing your genealogy papers. Organization is something nearly every researcher needs help with - and this lecture is perfect to help you finally “conquer the paper monster”.

About Elyse Doerflinger
Elyse Doerflinger is a rising young genealogist with a speciality in organization and technology. She is the author of Elyse's Genealogy Blog, where she shares her knowledge and family history. Her love of sharing knowledge with others has inspired her to write for lecture for various genealogy societies and write for genealogy magazines. Connect with her through email, Facebook, or Twitter!

Ancestry.com Releases Family Tree Maker for Mac on the Mac App Store

2011-01-08T18:54:00.000-08:00

ANCESTRY.COM RELEASES FAMILY TREE MAKER FOR MAC ON THE MAC APP STORE

Downloadable Version of the #1-Selling Family History Software Available Today

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., January 6, 2011– Ancestry.com today announced the launch of Family Tree Maker® for Mac on the Mac App Store. Family Tree Maker for Mac provides an easy way to save and organize your family tree conveniently on your Mac and has a variety of tools that can help you share your discoveries with family and friends.

“We are excited that Family Tree Maker for Mac is now available for download on the Mac App Store,” ,” said Eric Shoup, Senior Vice President of Product for Ancestry.com. “We’re committed to making our Family Tree Maker products easily accessible to everyone and this is yet another resource available from Ancestry.com to enable everyone to discover, preserve and share their family history.”

Family Tree Maker for Mac combines intuitive tools with robust features and flexible options, making it ideal for family history novices and experts alike. A dynamic user interface and integration with Ancestry.com makes it simple to create family trees, record memories, and organize photos, videos and audio clips, plus share ancestors’ stories. It’s even possible to explore family migration paths by viewing timelines and interactive maps that highlight events and places in ancestors' lives.

Family Tree Maker for Mac is built on the functionality of Family Tree Maker 2010 , and is constructed from the ground up to take full advantage of the Mac platform in terms of technology and user experience.

System requirements for Family Tree Maker for Mac include:

Mac OS X 10.5.8 or later
Intel-based Mac
Hard Disk Space: 500MB for installation
Internet access is required for all Web integration

Family Tree Maker for Mac is now available for purchase and electronic download online on the Mac App Store for $99.99. The program is also available at http://www.familytreemaker.com and in select retail stores, including Apple’s retail stores, Amazon, Office Depot, and Office Max.

About Ancestry.com

Ancestry.com Inc. (Nasdaq: ACOM) is the world's largest online family history resource, with nearly 1.4 million paying subscribers. More than 6 billion records have been added to the site in the past 14 years. Ancestry users have created more than 20 million family trees containing over 2 billion profiles. Ancestry.com has local Web sites directed at nine countries that help people discover, preserve and share their family history, including its flagship Web site at www.ancestry.com.

NEHGS--Upcoming Research Tours

2011-01-08T18:40:00.000-08:00

I received this from Alessandra Magno of the New England Historic and Genealogical Society:

Dear Miriam,

I just wanted to reiterate that NEHGS is hosting several exciting Research Tours. Here is a list that you and your readers may find interesting:

Winter Weekend Research Getaway - Effective Use of Technology
NEHGS Weekend Research Getaways combine personal, guided research at the NEHGS Research Library with themed educational lectures to create a unique experience for every participant. Personal consultations with NEHGS genealogists throughout the program allow visitors to explore their own genealogical projects, under the guiding hand of the nation’s leading family history experts.

Our Winter Research Getaway, “Effective Use of Technology,” offers a variety of lectures surrounding “best practices” in using technology including researching online, software, and other topics relevant to any genealogist.

January 27, 2011 9:00AM – January 29, 2011 5:00PM

New England Historic Genealogical Society
99-101 Newbury St.
Boston MA, 02116
www.AmericanAncestors.org

English Heritage Long Weekend
Discover the rich heritage of London with NEHGS in February 2011. This unique long weekend will feature memorable events led by renowned scholars George Redmonds and John Titford, including talks, a guided tour of historic London churches, a visit to the College of Arms, optional side visits, special guests, and dinner at an exclusive private club. The weekend also includes up to three full days at Who Do You Think You Are? LIVE! — the largest family history event in the world. Space is extremely limited. In addition to events, the NEHGS English Heritage Long Weekend includes six nights lodging at the Hilton London Kensington Hotel, located at 179–199 Holland Park Avenue, London, daily coach service, and daily English breakfast for five days, and two additional group meals. Participants are responsible for their own travel arrangements to and from the Hilton London Kensington Hotel and optional activities and all other meals not included in scheduled tour events. Refer to AmericanAncestors.org for more information about the trip and accommodations.

February 22, 2011 – February 28, 2011 12:00PM

London, England

Washington, D.C. Research Tour
Research in the repositories of the nation’s capital with NEHGS as we return to Washington, D.C. Researchers will visit the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Library, Library of Congress (LOC), and the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) during this intensive week of guided research, individual consultations, lectures, and group meal events. Featured consultants include Henry B. Hoff, David A. Lambert, and Rhonda R. McClure. Refer to AmericanAncestors.org for more information about the trip and accommodations.

March 6, 2011, 3:00PM – March 13, 2011, 12:00PM

Washington, D.C.

Allen County Public Library Research Tour—Fort Wayne, Indiana
Join NEHGS for our inaugural visit to Fort Wayne, Indiana, as we explore one of the world's largest genealogical collections at the Allen County Public Library (ACPL). Fort Wayne has been dubbed the “Best Read City” by Places Rated Almanac as ACPL holds more than 350,000 printed volumes and more than 513,000 items of microfilm and microfiche. Consequently, ACPL is a destination for every genealogist. The tour includes individual consultations, group meals, lectures, and other events. Please refer to our website, AmericanAncestors.org, for more information about the trip and accommodations.

May 22, 2011 3:00PM - May 29, 2011 11:00AM

Allen County Public Library
900 Library Plaza
Fort Wayne, IN 46802
For additional information contact education@nehgs.org or call 1-888-286-3447

Weekend Research Trip to Albany, New York
Searching for ancestors from New York State? Join NEHGS as we explore the vast resources of the New York State Archives. The weekend includes individual consultations, lectures, and a group dinner. Featured consultants include Henry B. Hoff, editor of the Register, and Christopher C. Child, Genealogist of the Newbury Street Press. Please refer to AmericanAncestors.org for more information about the trip and accommodations.

July 13, 2011 3:00PM - July 17, 2011 11:00AM

Albany, NY
For additional information contact education@nehgs.org or call 1-888-286-3447

What You Missed The January 8, 2011 Luncheon

2011-01-08T17:00:00.000-08:00

The January luncheon is usually a fun meeting where the EWGS past presidents and the distinguished service members are honored, but they skipped that part this year since both groups were honored last June and will be again this June.

The speakers were Tony and Suzanne Bamonte talking on their book Life behind the Badge: The Spokane Police Department's Founding Years, 1881-1903.

This first picture is Doris Woodward intoducing her friends Tony and Suzanne Bamonte.

This is Suzanne Bamonte talking with Tony waiting to talk. They did a great talk on the book on the founding of the Spokane Police Department, but then they went into a tribute to Doris Woodward and all the work she has done on several books the Bamonte's have published. They even showed her list of FIVE books she has written.

This is Bette Topp giving her tribute to Doris Woodward.

This is Jeanne Coe and her tribute to Doris Woodward.

This is Ruby McNeill giving her tribute to Doris Woodward. Note my camera jammed when Dottie Braithwait was giving her tribute, and I got it working just in time for Ruby so did not get a picture of Dottie.

This is the gift for Doris Woodward: a large coffee cup that says Maine on the side. Note Doris' family is in Maine and her ancestors there were some of the very first to settle in Maine. Donna Philips is explaining the gift.

This is Doris thanking everyone for all the tributes. Hard to believe we will not have Doris for our Bulletin editor anymore; for the last 23 years she has made the EWGS Bulletin into an award-winning genealogical society newsletter. She was always asking for articles from me and with her expert editing my poor grammar turned into wonderful articles. Thanks, Doris, we will miss you and the paper Bulletin as we join the digital era with an online bulletin in 2011.

A few years ago I got a letter from the Family History Library asking for help in updating the Washington State Resource Guide they had in paper form. I asked for volunteers to help me and Doris Woodward was the only one that volunteered, so together we added many Washington Resources to the Washington State Resource Guide and explained some resources better than they had. Soon after we submitted our letter, they put the resource guides online and today they are in the Family Search Wiki.

FamilySearch Indexing Update: First Polish Project Now Available

2011-01-03T19:02:00.000-08:00

29 December 2010

First Polish Indexing Project Now Available

FamilySearch Indexing now has projects available in 11 languages, with the addition of the first project in Polish. If you would like to help index Polska Ksiegi Metrykaine Diecezja Lublin, 1902–1945, please contact FamilySearch to learn more.

Recently completed projects that will soon be available to search on FamilySearch.org include records from the Czech Republic, Spain, Nicaragua, and the United States.

New Projects in the Past Three Weeks

België Burgerlijke Stand, 1851–1900 [Deel 3A] (Belgium Civil Registration, 1851–1900 [Part 3A]) (In partnership with Algemeen Rijksarchief en Rijksarchief in de Provincien)
Canada, Ontario 1861 Census Records [Part 2]
Polska Księgi Metrykalne Diecezja Lublin, 1902–1945 (Poland, Lublin Diocese Church Books, 1902–1945) (In partnership with Lubelskie Towarzystwo Genealogiczne)
U.S., Colorado 1885 State Census (In partnership with Colorado Council of Genealogical Societies)
U.S., Illinois 1930 Federal Census
U.S., Mississippi 1930 Federal Census
U.S., New York 1892 State Census [Part 2]
U.S., Ohio Tax Records, Post 1825 [Part 4] (In partnership with Ohio Genealogical Society)
U.S., Oklahoma Land Allotment Records, 1899–1907 [Part B]
U.S., Texas 1910 Federal Census [Part B]
U.S., Texas Birth Records, 1903-1934 [Part D]

(See the chart below for a complete list and current status of all indexing projects.)

Recently Completed Projects

Česká republika, Litoměřice Matriky, 1552–1905 [část 1] (Czech Republic, Litomerice Parish Registers, 1552–1905 [Part 1])
España, Avila, Madrigal y Garganta Registros Parroquiales, 1530–1935 (Spain, Avila, Madrigal y Garganta Church Registers, 1530–1935)
Nicaragua, Managua Registros Civiles, 1879–1984 [Part 3B] (Nicaragua, Managua Civil Registration, 1879–1984 [Part 3B])
U.S. Index to War of 1812 Pension Application Files, 1812–1905
U.S., Connecticut WWII Draft Registration Cards, 1942
U.S., District of Columbia Deaths, 1874–1959
U.S., Iowa 1930 Federal Census
U.S., Maine 1930 Federal Census
U.S., Ohio Tax Records, Post 1825 [Part 3]
U.S., Texas Birth Records, 1903–1934 [Part C]

(Note: Recently completed projects have been removed from the available online indexing batches and will now go through a final completion check process. They will be published at familysearch.org in the near future.)

Current FamilySearch Indexing Projects, Record Language, and Percent Completion

Argentina, Balvanera Registros Parroquiales, 1833–1934 [Parte B] (Argentina, Balvanera Church Records, 1833–1934 [Part B])	Spanish	71%
Argentina, Cordoba Registros Parroquiales, 1722–1924 [Parte B] (Argentina, Cordoba Church Records, 1722–1924 [Part B])	Spanish	91%
Argentina, Santa Fe Registros Parroquiales, 1634–1926 [Parte A] (Argentina, Santa Fe Church Records, 1634–1926 [Part A])	Spanish	42%
Brasil Registro Civil, 1852–1914 [Parte 2A] (Brazil Civil Registration, 1852–1914 [Part 2A])	Portuguese	1%
Brasil, Florianópolis Registros da Igreja, 1751–1954 [Parte A] (Brazil, Florianópolis Church Records, 1751–1954 [Part A])	Portuguese	15%
Brasil, Pernambuco, Recife Registro Civil, 1900–1920 (Brazil, Pernambuco, Recife Civil Registration, 1900–1920)	Portuguese	3%
Brasil, Rio de Janeiro Matrimonios, 1900–1910 [Piloto] (Brazil, Rio de Janeiro Marriages, 1900–1910)	Portuguese	54%
Canada Passenger Lists, 1881–1922	English	5%
Canada, Bas-Canada Recensement de 1842 (Canada, Lower Canada 1842 Census)	French	1%
Canada, New Brunswick Deaths, 1815–1938 [Part B]	English	39%
Canada, Ontario 1861 Census Records [Part 2]	English	(New)
Canada, Ontario Marriages, 1869–1927 [Part B]	English	6%
Chile Registros Civiles, 1885–1900 (Chile Civil Registration, 1885–1900)	Spanish	32%
Chile, Concepción Registros Civiles, 1885–1903 [Parte 2B] (Chile, Concepcion Civil Registration, 1885–1903 [Part 2B])	Spanish	41%
Colombia, Bucaramanga Registros Parroquiales, 1649–1959 (Colombia, Bucaramanga Church Records, 1649–1959)	Spanish	13%
Colombia, Marinilla Registros Parroquiales, 1815–1959 (Colombia, Marinilla Parish Records, 1815–1959)	Spanish	70%
Deutschland, Baden, Achern Kirchenbücher, 1810–1869 [Part D] (Germany, Baden, Achern Church Books, 1810–1869 [Part D])	German	26%
El Salvador Registros Civiles, 1835–1910 (El Salvador Civil Registration, 1835–1910)	Spanish	28%
España, Andalucía Registros Civiles, 1837–1870 (Spain, Andalucia Civil Registration, 1837–1870)	Spanish	6%
España, Lugo Registros Parroquiales, 1530–1930 [Parte 1] (Spain, Lugo Parish Registers, 1530–1930 [Part 1])	Spanish	42%
France, Cherbourg Registres Paroissiaux, 1802–1907 (France, Cherbourg Parish Registers, 1802–1907)	French	44%
France, Coutances Registres Paroissiaux, 1802–1907 (France, Coutances Parish Registers, 1802–1907)	French	63%
France, Paris Registres Protestants, 1612–1906 [Partie D] (France, Paris Protestant Registers, 1612–1906 [Part D])	French	88%
France, Saint-Lo Registres Paroissiaux, 1802–1907 (France, Saint-Lo Parish Registers, 1802–1907)	French	61%
Guatemala, Guatemala Registros Civiles, 1800–1900 (Guatemala, Guatemala Civil Registration, 1800–1900)	Spanish	11%
Guatemala, Guatemala Registros Civiles, 1877–1900 (Guatemala, Guatemala Civil Registration, 1877–1900)	Spanish	31%
Ireland Tithe Applotment Books, 1824–1840	English	3%
Italia, Napoli, Castellammare di Stabia Atti di Morte, 1809–1936 [Parte B] (Italy, Napoli, Castellammare Deaths, 1809–1936 [Part B])	Italian	80%
Italy, Trento Baptisms, 1784–1924 [Part 2A]	Italian	47%
Jamaica Civil Births, 1900–1930 [Part C]	English	12%
Mexico, D.F. Bautismos, 1536–1900 [Parte A] (Mexico, D.F. Church Baptisms, 1536–1900 [Part A])	Spanish	3%
Mexico, Oaxaca 1930 Federal Censo (Mexico, Oaxaca 1930 Federal Census)	Spanish	46%
Mexico, Puebla 1930 Federal Censo (Mexico, Puebla 1930 Federal Census)	Spanish	90%
New Zealand Passenger Lists, 1871–1915 [Part 2A]	English	9%
Nicaragua, Masaya Registros Civiles, 1879–1984 (Nicaragua, Masaya Civil Registration, 1879–1984)	Spanish	1%
Norge Tinglysningskort, 1640–1903 (Norway Probate Index Cards, 1640–1903)	Norwegian	3%
Perú, Lima Registros Civiles, 1887–1921 [Parte A] (Peru, Lima Civil Registration, 1887–1921 [Part A])	Spanish	82%
Portugal, Setúbal Registros da Igreja, 1581–1910 (Portugal, Setúbal Church Records, 1581–1910)	Portuguese	25%
República Dominicana Nacimientos Civiles, 1828–1906 (Dominican Republic Civil Births, 1828–1906)	Spanish	1%
Russland, Sankt Petersburg Kirchenbuchduplikat, 1833–1885 (Russia, Saint Petersburg Parish Register Duplicates, 1833–1885)	German	4
South Africa, Cape Province Church Records, 1660–1970	Afrikaans, Dutch, English	67%
Sverige, Södermanland Kyrkoböcker, till 1860 [Del 1] (Sweden, Södermanland Church Records, to 1860 [Part 1])	Swedish	72%
Sverige, Uppsala Kyrkoböcker, till 1860 [Del 1] (Sweden, Uppsala Church Records, to 1860 [Part 1])	Swedish	78%
Sverige, Örebro Kyrkoböcker, till 1860 [Del 1] (Sweden, Örebro Church Records, to 1860 [Part 1])	Swedish	32%
U.K., Essex Parish Registers, 1538–1900 [Part A]	English	15%
U.K., Manchester Parish Registers, 1813–1925 [Part B]	English	38%
U.K., Warwickshire Parish Registers, 1538–1900 [Part 2 Adv]	English, Old English	34%
Uruguay Registros Civiles (Nacimientos), 1879–1930 (Uruguay Civil Registration (Births), 1879–1930)	Spanish	8%
U.S. Naval Enlistment Registers, 1855–1891	English	30%
U.S., Alabama County Marriages, 1809–1950 [Part A]	English	63%
U.S., Arkansas County Marriages, 1837–1957 [IX]	English	79%
U.S., Arkansas WWII Draft Registration, 1942	English	42%
U.S., California County Marriages, 1850–1952 [Part B]	English	88%
U.S., District of Columbia County Marriages, 1811–1950 [Part A]	English	57%
U.S., Illinois 1930 Federal Census	English	(New)
U.S., Illinois County Marriages, 1810–1934 [Part A]	English	74%
U.S., Indiana, Bartholomew County Marriages, 1811–1959	English	75%
U.S., Iowa County Births, 1880–1935 [Part A]	English	17%
U.S., Iowa County Marriages, 1838–1992 [Part A]	English	53%
U.S., Minnesota County Marriages, 1860–1949 [Part A]	English	63%
U.S., Mississippi 1930 Federal Census	English	(New)
U.S., New Jersey County Marriages, 1682–1956 [Part I]	English	26%
U.S., New Jersey WWII Draft Registration Cards, 1942	English	54%
U.S., New York 1892 State Census [Part 2]	English	(New)
U.S., New York Marriage Licenses, 1908–1938 [Part A]	English	41%
U.S., New York Marriages, 1908–1935 [Part A]	English	36%
U.S., North Carolina County Marriages, 1762–1959 [Part B]	English	26%
U.S., North Carolina Freedmen Letters, 1862–1870	English	16%
U.S., Oklahoma Allotment Records, 1899–1907	English	93%
U.S., Oklahoma County Marriages, 1891–1959 [Part B]	English	50%
U.S., Oklahoma Land Allotment Records, 1899–1907 [Part B]	English	(New)
U.S., Puerto Rico 1910 Censo Federal (U.S., Puerto Rico 1910 Federal Census)	Spanish	16%
U.S., Puerto Rico Nacimientos Civiles, 1836–1930 [Parte B] (U.S., Puerto Rico Civil Births, 1836–1930 [Part B])	Spanish	6%
U.S., Tennessee County Marriages, 1790–1950 [Part B]	English	29%
U.S., Tennessee County Marriages, 1790–1950 [Part C]	English	52%
U.S., Texas 1910 Federal Census [Part B]	English	(New)
U.S., Texas Birth Records, 1903-1934 [Part D]	English	(New)
U.S., Texas County Marriages, 1837–1977 [Part B]	English	33%
U.S., Wisconsin 1930 Federal Census	English	58%
Venezuela Nacimientos Civiles, 1873–1909 (Venezuela Civil Births, 1873–1909)	Spanish	2%
Venezuela, Mérida Registros Parroquiales, 1654–1992 [Parte 2] (Venezuela, Merida Parish Registers, 1654–1992 [Part 2])	Spanish	29%
Österreich, Wiener Meldezettel, 1890–1925 (Austria, Vienna Population Cards, 1890–1925)	German	35%
Россия, Самара Метрические книги церкви, 1869–1917 (часть 1) (Russia, Samara Church Books, 1869–1917 [Part 1])	Russian	83%
Украина, Киев Метрические книги русской православной церкви, 1843–1845 [Часть B] (Ukraine, Kiev Orthodox Consistory Church Books, 1843–1845 [Part B])	Russian	22%

Current FamilySearch Partner Projects, Record Language, and Percent Completion

België Burgerlijke Stand, 1851–1900 [Deel 3A] (Belgium Civil Registration, 1851–1900 [Part 3A])	Dutch, Flemish	(New)
Belgique Registres Civile, 1851–1900 [Partie A] (Belgium Civil Registration, 1851–1900 [Part A])	French	66%
Brasil, Minas Gerais Church Records, 1706-1952	Portuguese	1%
Canada, Ontario, Toronto Trust Cemeteries, 1826–1935	English	19%
Deutschland, Westfalen, Minden Volkszählung, 1880–1900 (Germany, Westphalia, Minden City Censuses, 1880–1900)	German	12%
España, Avila, Barroman Registros Parroquiales, 1550–1930 (Spain, Avila, Barroman Parish Registers, 1550–1930)	Spanish	14%
España, Malaga Registros Civiles, 1846–1870 (Spain, Malaga Civil Registration, 1846–1870)	Spanish	54%
France, Quimper et Leon, St. Louis Registres Paroissiaux, 1722–1909 (France, Quimper et Leon, St. Louis Church Registers, 1722–1909)	French	85%
Norway 1875 Census [Part B]	Norwegian	68%
Philippines, Lingayen, Dagupan Registros Parroquiales, 1615–1982 (Philippines, Lingayen, Dagupan Church Registers, 1615–1982)	Spanish	77%
Polska Księgi Metrykalne Diecezja Lublin, 1902–1945 (Poland, Lublin Diocese Church Books, 1902–1945)	Polish	(New)
U.K., Norfolk Parish Registers, 1538–1900	English	52%
U.S., Colorado 1885 State Census	English	(New)
U.S., Ohio Tax Records, Post 1825 [Part 4]	English	(New)
U.S., Utah, Salt Lake County Birth Registers, 1890–1908	English	67%
U.S., Utah, Salt Lake County Death Registers, 1848–1940	English	33%

FamilySearch International is the largest genealogy organization in the world. Millions of people use FamilySearch records, resources, and services to learn more about their family history. To help in this great pursuit, FamilySearch has been actively gathering, preserving, and sharing genealogical records worldwide for over 100 years. FamilySearch is a nonprofit organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Patrons may access FamilySearch services and resources free online at FamilySearch.org or through over 4,600 family history centers in 132 countries, including the main Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Press Release: Call for Papers, NGS 2012 Family History Conference, Cincinnati, Ohio

2011-01-03T18:11:00.001-08:00

ARLINGTON, VA, 3 JANUARY 2011

The National Genealogical Society announces the Call for Papers for the 2012 Family History Conference, “The Ohio River: Gateway to the Western Frontier,” to be held 9–2 May 2012 in Cincinnati, Ohio. The deadline for submitting proposals is 1 April 2011.

The Ohio River has served as a major passageway for travelers and goods going west since the eighteenth century. It played a major role in the development and progress of Cincinnati, one of the early settlements on the river. Cincinnati overlooks northern Kentucky just across the river, and southeast Indiana is only a few miles to the west. There is an abundance of family history to discover in Cincinnati, "Queen City of the West": explorers, frontiersmen, pioneers, and immigrants. We are looking for lectures about the early migration into and out of the area, river travel, regional land and military subjects, nineteenth century ethnic immigration groups, and topics pertaining to African American research and the Underground Railroad. Lectures are also requested about the history, records, repositories, ethnic, and religious groups of Ohio, Kentucky (especially Northern Kentucky), and Indiana (especially southeastern Indiana).

Other general topics needed for the conference include methodology, skill building, problem solving, record analysis, federal records, family history writing, and technological innovation in genealogy.

Sessions are generally limited to fifty minutes plus a ten-minute question-and-answer session. Syllabus materials (PDF files), due in early 2012, are required for each lecture or workshop presentation.

Proposals should include

$ speaker’s full name, address, telephone, fax number, and e-mail address;

$ lecture title, not to exceed fourteen (14) words, and a brief but comprehensive outline;

$ short summary of the lecture—word count not to exceed twenty-five words—to be used in the program, if selected;

$ identification of the audience level: beginner, intermediate, or advanced;

$ brief speaker biography, not to exceed twenty-five (25) words; and

$ résumé of recent lectures the speaker has given (those who have not spoken previously at a regional or national conference are encouraged to submit an audio or video tape of a recent lecture).

Speakers are expected to use an electronic presentation program and provide their own digital projectors. NGS will provide the VGA cable, cart, and power strip projector support.

Individuals may submit up to eight (8) proposals. NGS members will be given first consideration. Speakers will receive a complimentary conference registration with CD syllabus. Honorarium, travel allowance, hotel accommodations, and per diem compensation are based on the number of lectures given. See the NGS website, http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/cs/call_for papers, for more details.

Interested individuals should submit proposals online through the NGS website at http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/cs/call_for_papers from 1 January to 1 April 2011.

Organizations wishing to sponsor a lecture or track of lectures at the 2012 Family History Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio, please see the details and sponsor requirements at http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/cs/sponsor_a_session. Deadline for submission is 1 April 2011.

Founded in 1903, the National Genealogical Society is dedicated to genealogy education, high research standards, and the preservation of genealogical records. The Arlington, Virginia-based nonprofit is the premier national society for everyone, from the beginner to the most advanced family historian, seeking excellence in publications, educational offerings, research guidance, and opportunities to interact with other genealogists. Please visit the NGS Pressroom for further information.

Missouri Volunteers Needed

2011-01-01T08:51:00.000-08:00

A few of my followers know I have been helping index Washington State Records for many years from the Washington State Library, but today I received this request from a Missouri mail list I subscribe to. All of my mothers family were from Missouri before moving to Washington, so I hope they get a lot of volunteers. This is the same format the Washington State Library is using to digitize their records. Here is the message I got:

Hello All,

Were almost to the start of a new year, and you know what that means 1960
death certificates!!! Instead of transcribing the relevant information
from photocopies of the index, this year the Missouri State Archives is going
to try something a little different. Our IT department has set up an
application allowing volunteers to log in to a website to view actual death
certificate images. They will then be asked to transcribe the required
information from the images, directly into an online form found directly
below. This new process is set up as a double blind system, meaning each
certificate will be transcribed at least twice. If the first two
transcriptions match, the record will be approved. If not, the certificate
image will go to a third volunteer. If the third transcription does not
match either the first or second, it will automatically be sent to me for
review. Hopefully this new process will allow us to get an index online
faster and with greater accuracy than we have in the past.

If the above process sounds interesting and you would like to take part in
the project, send me a quick message and I'll add you to my list of
volunteers to contact once the website is live (likely sometime during the
second week of January). In the meantime, please feel free to contact me
with any questions or concerns.

Best Wishes,

Brian Rogers
Missouri State Archives
600 W. Main St.
Jefferson City, MO 65101
573.526.6711
archvol@sos.mo.gov