EWGS 80th Birthday 2015

January 8, 1935  Work continues on Grand Coulee Dam.

Local committee to study unemployment insurance legislation. Committee is composed of several local businessmen: Jesse W. Burgan, Charles Hebbard, William H. Cowles, Jr., William Triplett, and Walter Norton. The group thinks the theory of job insurance is correct but feasibility is questioned
Radio programs listed and a couple I recognize from much later than 1935. KHQ had Amos and Andy. KFPY had the Adventures of Gracie  (Gracie Allen and George Burns)

January 9, 1935  They forecast rivers to heat Spokane Homes. Roy Ward was building an all electric house at W. 24 Glass  so as to be ready for the power generated by Grand Coulee Dam.

Remembering As Year's End Approaches

As this year of 2014 draws to a close, we remember EWGS friends that we have lost this year and in years past. Alas, I do not have photos of them all but we do remember Bette Butcher Topp and Susan Hunsche Heil. We lost Judy Williams at the end of December.

We are thankful and blessed to have such a wonderful relationship with the Spokane Public Library. 

We offer free genealogy help to the public every Tuesday. Here are our Tuesday Gals with Spokane Mayor David Condon and Spokane Library Director Chanse. 

We've had some wonderful speakers. Here is our EWGS group with 

Dr. George Schweitzer in October 2011. 

We've had great fun volunteering to take pledge calls for KSPS our public TV station. 

Won't you continue to help EWGS become the best it can be for all the genealogists in Eastern Washington?  It takes "a village," you know. EWGS needs all the talents of all members.  Happy 2015!!

Is Your Genealogy Ready for a Do-Over?

Is Your Genealogy Ready for a Do-Over?

With each new year, many consider making changes in their lives such as losing weight, getting more exercise, etc. Even genealogists like to get in on the act and in 2015 there’s a special online educational program that can help you get rid of “bad research habits” and learn some new tricks.

The Genealogy Do-Over™ is the brainstorm of genealogy author and educator Thomas MacEntee and since its announcement in mid-December 2014, has attracted over 1,000 participants from around the world. And the best part? The entire 13-week program which starts on January 2, 2015, is FREE. Visit the Genealogy Do-Over at http://www.genealogydo-over.com to see the announcement and the latest news.

Genealogy Do-Over: A New Journey of Genealogical Discovery

Here is the short summary of Genealogy Do-Over as Thomas sees it:

I set aside everything* related to my genealogy research including notebooks, papers, and even digitized files and my genealogy database files and START OVER. I’m hitting the reset button. I’m allowing myself to have a do-over! (*certain items such as vital records ordered and paid for or research gathered on a long-distance trip will be retained).

Since genealogists started their research 10, 20 or 30 years ago (or more), much has changed in the areas of genealogy research methodology and education. Many now realize the need to collect facts and track them properly, including the use of source citations. Many understand the process of analyzing evidence and proving facts to reach a conclusion. In essence, as Thomas puts it: “I know a lot more about the ‘process’ of genealogical research and I want to put it to use.”


How Does the Genealogy Do-Over Work?

The Genealogy Do-Over journey is constructed of 13 mileposts or journey markers spread out over 13 weeks. Participants can choose any pace they want, and even spread the topics out over the course of a year. Or some may decide to drop some of the less important tasks and add different topics. The goal is to do whatever it takes to ensure that a firm footing to finding ancestors.

A synopsis of the planned route – the Schedule of Topics – can be found at http://www.geneabloggers.com/genealogy-doover-schedule-topics/. As each week progresses, participants will continue researching and add more and more skills and areas of focus including citing sources, tracking searches, building a research toolbox, creating an educational plan, researching offline as well as online, and more.

By the end of the 13 weeks – or 13 journey markers – the group will have covered a firm foundation in genealogy and family history research. For individual participants, some focus areas may differ; participants have the freedom to add or remove content from their own Genealogy Do-Over plan. As Thomas says, “This program has to work for you and not something that you dread each week or that you find you are working against.”


What’s the Cost? What’s the Catch

There is no price. A journey that could very well revolutionize the way you’ve been doing genealogy research is priceless. When you join the Genealogy Do-Over (see below), you’ll receive weekly updates about the current topics, you’ll be part of an active and passionate collaborative group sharing genealogy tips and tricks, and more. Legacy Family Tree is hosting a FREE webinar entitled My Genealogy DO-Over - A Year of Learning from Research Mistakes (http://legacy.familytreewebinars.com/?aid=461) presented by Thomas MacEntee on Wednesday, January 21, 2015.


Here’s How to Be a Part of the Genealogy Do-Over

Visit the following sites to get involved and set out on your own Genealogy Do-Over journey in 2015!

• Website: http://www.genealogydo-over.com
• Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/genealogydoover/
• Email List (weekly updates): http://www.geneabloggers.com/gendo-over-emails 

Schedule of Topics – Genealogy Do-Over

Week 1 – 2-8 January 2015

• Setting Previous Research Aside
• Preparing to Research
• Establishing Base Practices and Guidelines

Week 2 – 9-15 January 2015

• Setting Research Goals
• Conducting Self Interview
• Conducting Family Interviews

Week 3 – 16-22 January 2015

• Tracking Research
• Conducting Research

Week 4 – 23-29 January 2015

• Managing Projects and Tasks
• Tracking Searches

Week 5 – 30 January-5 February 2015

• Building a Research Toolbox
• Citing Sources

Week 6 – 6-12 February 2015

• Evaluating Evidence
• Reviewing Online Education Options

Week 7 – 13-19 February 2015

• Reviewing Genealogy Database Software
• Digitizing Photos and Documents

Week 8 – 20-26 February 2015

• Conducting Collateral Research
• Reviewing Offline Education Options

Week 9 – 27 February-5 March 2015

• Conducting Cluster Research
• Organizing Research Materials – Documents and Photos

Week 10 – 6-12 March 2015

• Reviewing DNA Testing Options
• Organizing Research Materials – Digital

Week 11 – 13-19 March 2015

• Reviewing Social Media Options
• Building a Research Network

Week 12 – 20-26 March 2015

• Sharing Research
• Reviewing Research Travel Options

Week 13 – 27 March-3 April 2015

• Securing Research Data
• Reviewing the Journey

©2015, copyright Thomas MacEntee. All rights reserved.

Wheat in Washington ............. Did You Know?

Did you know that Washington helps feed the entire United States and the world? Wheat has been grown in Eastern Washington since the late 1800s when the first settlers arrived here.

According to Washington Wheat Facts, "about half of the U.S. wheat crop is exported, with 85-90 percent of Washington's wheat crop purchased by overseas buyers. (Japan is our #1 market.)  The U.S. ranks fourth among the world's wheat producing countries."   (We're after the EU-27, China and India..... bet you would have never guessed.)

Would you have guessed that one bushel of wheat would make:  (1) 42 pounds of white flour;  (2) 60 pounds of whole wheat flour;  (3) 90 one-pound loaves of whole wheat bread;  (4) could fill 53 boxes of cereal;  (5) could make 72 pounds of flour tortillas;  (6)  could roll into 420 three-ounce cinnamon buns;  (7) could make 5000 four-inch cookies???

And would you have known that Washington ranks fourth in the Top Ten Wheat Producing States (after Kansas, North Dakota and Montana)?

Our Washington history is closely entwined with the production of wheat. If you want to learn more about this heritage, click to www.washingtonruralheritage.org . This website has so much good stuff and so many wonderful pictures! Here is "Hauling Wheat Lincoln County." (In the smaller size it was in focus.)

Betcha you could find photos on the Washington Rural Heritage website that would be great additions to your family history stories. 

EWGS 80th Birthday 2015

January 3, 1935 This is a picture of the 7 women in Congress in 1935. 

January 4, 1935  Basketball at Gonzaga: The University of Montana vs Gonzaga at 7:45 p.m.
   Saturday Gonzaga vs Desserts 8 p.m.  Who are the Desserts??
   The Montana Grizzlies took a thumping from the Desserts, but Gonzaga is expected to to defeat the Grizzlies tonight.

January 7, 1935   President Roosevelt asked Congress to keep the 3 cent stamp past the July 1, 1935 date when the rate goes back to 2 cents.
The 3 cent stamp started in 1933 and first class postage remained at 3 cents till 1959 when the 4 cent stamp started.

EWGS 80th Birthday 2015

2015 will be the 80th birthday of Eastern Washington Genealogical Society, founded in 1935 at the Davenport Hotel. So what was happening in 1935. We all know it was during the depression, many out of work, and slowly coming back to normal. The big news story was the trial of Bruno Richard Hauptmann accused of kidnapping and killing the Lindbergh baby. The Chronicle carried the story on the front page every day of the trial and had a whole page of testimony, along with reporters notes on what was happening.

January 1, 1935   The Tournament of Roses was having their 46th annual parade with an expected crowd of one million expected. They were to have 67 floats with the spectacular one the Tournament of Roses Float "Fire Bird" with the queen of the parade riding on that float. The Theme for this year was Golden Legends in Flowers. Harold Lloyd was the Grand Marshall.

January 2, 1935  There was an article on The daughter of David Jenkins Emma Rue. Colonel David Jenkins had been a lieutenant in the 14th Illinois Cavalry at the close of the Civil War. He came to Spokane in 1879 and homesteaded 160 acres north of the Spokane River. The area today is from Howard to Cedar and from the River to Boone.He Gave $50,000 to Jenkins Institute a college located just about where the county Health Department Building is today, and the reason the street in front of the health department building is called College Avenue today. He also gave Spokane County the land to build the County Courthouse. Emma came to Spokane in 1881 and lived in the little house on the north side of the river, the only house on that side of the river you could see from downtown. Missionary Cushing Eels married Emma and W.H. Rue. He owned a machine shop on the "Big Island" and a sawmill in what is now Cocolalla, Idaho.  Their Daughter Mabel Rue Frederick was EWGS president part of 1958 and all of 1959 and 1960.

Ulster Historical Foundation News Flash

Ulster Historical Foundation
Telling the story of the people of Ulster since 1956

Tracing Your Irish Ancestors                                                            

Since the website for our September 2015 family history conference went live, we have been delighted by the response and the number of registrations received. The extensive and innovative programme of Tracing Your Irish Ancestors is clearly striking a chord with people and we are looking forward to meeting all the participants. For more information please access www.ancestryireland.com/family-history-conference/ or email enquiry@uhf.org.uk.

Publications                      
www.booksireland.org.uk takes the stress out of Christmas shopping with books to suit a variety of interests at very competitive prices including Dr William Roulston’s magisterial history of the Hamilton family, Abercorn: The Hamilton’s of Barons Court (including the leather bound limited edition) and Dr Kathleen Rankin’s critically acclaimed, The Linen Houses of the Bann Valley (currently reduced to only £19.99). Furthermore, in addition to our existing selection of many special offers (and don’t forget the great reductions on most of our Ordnance Survey Memoirs ) we are pleased to include the following:

• Researching Scots-Irish Ancestors: The Essential Genealogical Guide to Early Modern Ulster, 1600-1800, was £11.99 now just £5.00
• George Sigerson: Poet, Patriot, Scientist and Scholar, was £16.99 now just £5.00
• Feis na nGleann: A Century of Gaelic Culture in the Antrim Glens, was £9.99 now just £5.00
• The Strabane Barony during the Ulster Plantation, 1607-41 was £9.99 now just £5.00
• John Henry Biggart: Pathologist, Professor and Dean of Medical Faculty, Queen’s University Belfast, was £9.99 now just £5.00

Our facsimile reprint of Patrick Woulfe’s Sloinnte Gaedeal is Gall (Irish Names and Surnames) has now become available and thanks to the many of you who placed pre-publication orders. Sloinnte Gaedeal is Gall is priced at £8.99. If you are also interested in the popular, The Book of Ulster Surnames, both books are now available at the special price of only £10.00.

Please note all online book orders are subject to postage and packing charge.

In addition to great books at great prices you might consider investing in an Ulster Historical Foundation Gift Certificate, (from £30.00) which may be used to buy a family history report, family starter kit or books. The ideal present for the novice or more experienced family history researcher.

Support the Foundation
The Foundation is a registered self- supporting educational charity. We are proud that over the years, support from members and friends and the proceeds from our range of services has proved sufficient to meet the many challenges of operating in a difficult economic environment. However we must acknowledge the fact that the imminent substantial cuts in public spending announced recently by the Northern Ireland Executive are a major cause for concern and will certainly have a significant impact on our project work, educational and community outreach and historical consultancy services. While we are confident that our experience, expertise and the diligence of our staff will continue to stand us in good stead, we would be most grateful if you would feel able to make a donation (of whatever size) to help ensure the continuation of our work. Your assistance can make a real difference, as was evident in our successful Scanner and Buy A Brick campaigns. For details on how to donate, please click on the donate button located on the top right hand side of our home page, www.ancestryireland.com. Thank you for your consideration.

Upcoming Events:
"Winter Solstice Talk" in Waterman House, 5-33 Hill St., Belfast

Eamon Keenan, a storyteller from Belfast with a passion for the ancient irish mythologies, will entertain and surprise us with stories that relate to Yule traditions. For more information contact hmenquiries@doeni.gov.uk or phone 02890543159.

Spokane, Washington High School Yearbooks Available Online

June 1915 edition of North Central High School's Tamarack

The Spokane Public Library recently announced that a free new digital collection of historical Spokane-area high school yearbooks is now accessible through their website. This collection is made available with the cooperation of the Spokane Public Schools and the Internet Archive. All the yearbooks are full-text searchable. Each is available in a variety of formats, making it viewable on many devices, including your laptop, Kindle, or phone. They can be downloaded to your computer or other device as well.

The following is a current list of yearbooks available, with the high school it features and the years that are covered. Note that in the early twentieth century, it was not uncommon to have two yearbooks per school year, to highlight seniors who graduated mid-year, as well as those who graduated at year's end.

Hillyard High School (no longer in existence): 1930-1931

Lewis and Clark High School: June 1920 - 1977

North Central High School: May 1912 - January 1915

Spokane High School (no longer in existence): January and June 1911

The yearbooks can be accessed through the Spokane Public Library website at http://beta.spokanelibrary.org/yearbooks/.

WWII Enlistment Records Online at NARA

Dick Eastman's column today had an article on the WWII Enlistment records that NARA has just transcribed and put online (http://www.archives.gov/aad ). Click on WWII records when you get to this website. I found the enlistment record for both my dad and his younger brother. I knew most of the information on the record for my dad, and parts of the information on my uncle.