Genealogy Collection Moved to Second Floor of Library

The Spokane library has been working on moving different collections to different places. We knew they wanted to move the genealogy collection from the third floor to the second floor, close to the northwest room. They cut down the space we had so many of the books were put in storage in the first floor. Problem with that is out of sight few people will know to ask. The genealogy desk and the file cabinet that was close to the genealogy desk are in the southwest corner of the second floor. They are still without power or phone connection, but that is supposed to be coming soon.
They have moved the newspapers and the microfilm readers by the stairs to the third floor, newspaper microfilm in the cabinet on left of photo.

 Microfilm readers for the newspapers.

 The Tuesday volunteers getting ready to work on collection.

They are going to make the north side of the third floor an area for meetings in front of the wonderful windows overlooking the Spokane River Falls, but right now it overlooks the construction

of the Combined Sewer Overflow tank.

First Meeting of 2016 a Fun Time!

EWGS member Sonji Rutan was the winner of a Kindle Fire at the January 2nd EWGS meeting! She won by having her name drawn from all of those who "found the acorn" in the most recent issue of the Digital Digest. Does she look happy???? Doug Floyd and Dani Lee McGowan presented the gift. 

That's John Ellingson in the left background..... at nearly 100 he still attends meetings and does email. What an inspiration to us all, eh?

Nearly 80 of EWGS members and guests gathered at the China Buffet for our 2016 kick-off meeting. A delicious lunch was enjoyed by all ( I saw lots and lots of desserts going by :-)  

EWGS has had 41 president since its beginning in 1935. Three past presidents were in attendance: Jeanne Coe, Bill Hire and Donna Phillips. 

I hope it is part of your New Year's Resolution list to make EWGS a bigger priority in your life and schedule. If you're a genealogist of any degree, EWGS exists to share knowledge with you.

EWGS 80th Anniversary Celebration ...... A Fun Event

Kudos especially to Barbara, Mary, Patricia and Dolly for doing such a great job on the project Paul Turner: Who Do You Think You Are?  They four took turns presenting information on one of Paul's grandparent's lines and all but Mary had wonderful tales to tell. Her part was the Turner line and even with all four of them working on this, Paul's Turner ancestry remains a mystery. Paul's interest was really piqued with Dolly's sharing that his ancestors were involved with Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys. Barb noted that his ancestors had rubbed elbows with Abraham Lincoln.

To finish the presentation, and because Paul is the Grand Poobah of the Marmot Lodge here in Spokane, Donna gave the Marmot Genealogy and presented Paul with a stuffed marmot of his very own. 

We all agreed: we want to be around in 2035 for the 100th anniversary of EWGS!

Come Join the Fun at the EWGS 80th Anniversary Celebration on June 6th!

EWGS turns 80 years old this year!  To mark this occasion, EWGS is offering to members and prospective members (anybody and everybody) an invitation to come attend our celebration party! We're calling it Your Story Starts Here! 

It's on Saturday, June 6th, our regular EWGS meeting date, but this is not a regular meeting. The day will run from 10:00 to 4:00. As you enter the library you will be given an EWGS Passport which you will take to Six Stations in the library to learn more about EWGS, about our genealogy collection, about how to fill out genealogy charts, how to tell your story. At each station, you'll get a stamp on your passport and a fully stamped passport puts you in the drawing for our prizes. 

There will be two feature presentations. The first one will be a Who Do You Think You Are? presentation to our Spokesman columnist, Paul Turner. He has no idea what our Tuesday Gals' sleuthing have uncovered about his ancestry. The second presentation will be by Garrin Hertel, of Nostalgia magazine who will give us a presentation on Spokane in the 1930s. (EWGS was founded in 1935.) 

There will be cake and punch, there will be free EWGS pencils, there will be all sorts of handouts and there will be Dorothy Dean recipes from 1935 as they appeared in the Spokesman-Review. 

Hope you plan to come, spend the day, and please bring a new-member friend. See you there!

Honoring Malbert Cooper, Pre-WWI Vet, thanks to Patricia Bayonne-Johnson

Under a blue sky with while billowy clouds, the ceremony today (27 May 2015) at the Spokane Memorial Gardens Cemetery was to render belated honors to Sgt. Malbert M. Cooper, a veteran who served his county from 1910 to 1917. Thanks to EWGS Vice President Patricia Bayonne-Johnson, who tackled this as a "cold case" genealogy project, and after a decade of wrangling with the various government departments, Malbert Cooper finally got a headstone and his well deserved military burial honors.

Pat was invited to share some remarks and did a fine job. It was hard for her to follow the ceremonial unfolding and refolding of the flag by the honor guard and the firing of three rifles and the playing of taps. 

EWGS members were there to support her:  Donna Potter Phillips, Patricia Ayers, Mary Holcomb and Patricia. 

EWGS Plans Big Celebration To Mark 80th Anniversary on June 6th.

I do hope everybody reading this post has June 6th marked on their calendar as EWGS day! That will be the day EWGS marks their 80th anniversary of our founding in 1935. Your Story Starts Here is our theme for the day.

We of the planning committee have been working diligently for months planning this anniversary celebration day. 

This is a special meeting on our regular meeting day and so will begin at 10:00 at the downtown Spokane Public Library and run until 4:00.  (Bring your sack lunch is okay.)

There will be prizes, cake and punch/coffee, six stations where you will learn a bit bout how to do genealogy, what's for you with EWGS and in the EWGS genealogy collection.

If you bring up to 5 photos, we will scan them in for you and put them on a flash drive (also please bring or available for purchase). The Tuesday Gals will help you find you family on the 1930 and/or 1940 U.S. Census and print out a copy for you. There will be Dorothy Dean 1935 recipes available too!

The highlights of the day will be a "Who Do You Think You Are?" type of presentation by the Tuesday Group spotlighing Paul Turner (of our local Spokesman newspaper) and his family history.

And Garrin Hertel, of Nostalgia magazine,  will share a visual presentation on Spokane in the 1930s. 

Prizes will be drawn from completed-submitted Passports. You will be given a passport when you enter the library and will be eligible for a prize when you have all six station stamps upon your passport. 

We do hope you are planning to come enjoy our celebration and with your presence make it a success!  Do bring a friend!

Patty Harrison & EWGS Civil War Project

Here's another spotlight on the EWGS meeting you might have missed on November 1st, 2014.

Patty Dana Harrison has been an EWGS member for a long time. A couple of years ago she launched a project to coordinate among EWGS members the companies or units that their Civil War ancestor might have fought with. Great idea, Patty!

At the meeting, Patty told us that of the EWGS members who have registered their ancestor's unit there has already been two matches! As this project is on-going, you can still add your ancestor's information into this database. To request the form, email Patty at customstitchesbypatty@hotmail.com .

Her handout for that meeting carried a nice list of Internet resources to use when searching for information on your Civil War ancestor. She brought to the meeting room a cart of books from the upstairs Genealogy Section that deal with the Civil War and are helpful to finding and documenting your Civil War ancestor's service. (Visit the downtown Spokane Public Library on a Tuesday when EWGS volunteers will happily assist your search.)

Thank you, Patty, for managing this project so thoroughly and so enthusiastically and we'll look forward to many matches in the future!

The database will eventually be accessible from our EWGS website.  Stay tuned. 

And did you notice that Patty is wearing her EWGS vest??? 

EWGS Turns 80 in 2015 !

It was back in 1935 (January 31st to be precise) that nine ladies met around a large table on the mezzanine of the Davenport Hotel to form the Eastern Washington Genealogical Society. Our wonderful society will turn 80 next year in 2015.

Not sure what those nine ladies wore but this is a good 1935 guess. Ditto for the Davenport.

At that organizational meeting, offices were established and officers elected..... certainly a gentleman for president! But Samuel Weaver, while he consented to be elected never really "was" president and never served, was elected for a 2-year term. Other position were filled by the ladies..... all listed as "Mrs. X.X. xxxxx" and not by their names. Initial dues were established at fifty cents.

With this organizational meeting in 1935, EWGS became the final form of three years of plans. The goals of the new society were: "to create interest in genealogical and historical research; to assist members in searching for an determining their own ancestral lines; to collect genealogical and historical materials; and to assist the Spokane Public Library in building up the Genealogy Section by securing books, magazines and manuscripts."

EWGS wants to plan their June program to be a celebration of our 80 years. We have already secured Garrin Hertel of Nostalgia magazine to give us a "What Was Spokane Like in 1935?" presentation. We need a committee and a committee chair. Won't YOU step up to help? Call Donna Phillips at 509-624-4118 or Donna243@gmail.com. 

Tony & Janette Birch explain how we can add our own surnames to the EWGS website.

Tony and Janette Birch have been supporters and helpers for EWGS for several years and (bless them!) they are still willing to participate. And they continue to be the official greeters (complete with purple badges) at our meetings.

Tony and Janette used to collect from EWGS members information on what surnames, along with dates and locations, that they were researching. They would then enter that data into our www.EWGSI.org website.

Now we have a new development! YOU can directly add YOUR OWN surname information to our website. Janette sent the instructions for doing so: 

When dealing with those pesky brick walls you need every trick in the book to take down that wall brick by brick.  One handy trick is to go to www.EWGSI.org and click on Members Only, put in  your Login Name and Password then click on Surname Research to look for family surnames.  If you haven't yet put in your family surnames then please share and put them in.  Directions are easy to follow.  Others will also be looking for their family surnames and may come across a family name that they have in common with you and can contact you with information.  If you're not a member then go to www.EWGSI.org and click on Join Us to become a member and be able to access all our website information, including over 600 surnames.  One of them may be yours.

Thanks, Tony and Janette!

EWGS November Program Will Have A Military Theme To Honor Veterans' Day

Did you realize that during the Civil War, 1861-1865, the Confederacy adopted three different flags?

This is a link to the website of the Museum of the Confederacy in Richmond, Virginia, and you can learn all about the different flags there.  http://www.moc.org/collections-archives/flags-confederacy  I do know that the one we see most often, and think it represents the Confederacy, is an incorrect assumption on our part. That one, the one we most often think of, was only the battle flag.

Dale Ryan, a member of the local SAR group, will be one part of our November 1st program. He'll be bringing examples of some different flags and teaching us about them.

A speaker from Honor Flight will be there, too, along with EWGS member Patty Harrison to explain our EWGS Civil War Ancestors' Units project.

Meeting starts at 12:30 with Coffee, Cookies & Conversation at the downtown Spokane Public Library. All interested genealogists are invited!

Speaker Steven Morrison & EWGS Writing Contest Winners

Saturday, October 4th, was a great day for EWGS. Steven Morrsion came from Olympia (with his lovely wife Gloria) to teach us the fundamentals of doing Irish Research both from home and if you go to Ireland.......... either to Dublin or Belfast. One very basic thing I learned was the meaning of the Irish flag. The green stands for the Catholics; the orange symbolizes the Protestants, and the white center means that there should be peace between them. Northern Ireland recognizes and uses the British Union Jack.

Steven also encouraged us by explaining that in the four provinces of Ireland, a bigger percentage of the parish records did survive the 1922 fire at Four Courts than you might have realized: In Ulster, 63% survived; in Connaught, 50% survived; and 39% each survived in Leinster and Muenster. That was encouraging news. "But make no mistake," Steven counselled. "Doing Irish research is hard." 

During the lunch break, Dani Lee McGowan and Doug Floyd announced the winners of the 2014 EWGS Writing Contest and presented certificates and checks to the winners:  

 Dani Lee McGowan and Doug Floyd

First Place Winner was Betty Ellis.

 Second Place winner was Charlotte McCoy Sullivan.

Third place winner, Patricia Bayonne-Johnson, was unable to attend to claim her prize in person.

Doug announced the EWGS Writing Contest theme for 2015. In honor of the 80th anniversary of EWGS, the contest theme will be "My Family In 1935."  Wherever they were, tell us about them and their lives during that year. Contest deadline is 30 May 2015. 

EWGS Fall Workshop Features Steven Morrison Teaching Irish Research

Are you registered? Are you coming? It's going to be a super great day!!

I surely hope to see YOU there!!

EWGS & KSPS .... again a successful partnership!

On Monday evening, September 8th, eleven EWGS members gathered at the KSPS-Public TV station on South Regal to take pledge calls for PBS and to enjoy each other's company for the evening.

Cheryl Beck is our "great leader" who coordinates all the arrangements between EWGS and KSPS.

Here is our official KSPS station group photo. Don't we look good in our EWGS vests? 

One of the programs airing that evening was a remembering music of the 1950s and 1960s. I polled the group asking their favorite singer:  Cheryl-Paul Anka;  Dani Lee- Tennessee Ernie Ford;  Janette-Ricky Nelson;  Pat-"too many to say!";  Tony-Roy Orbison;  Jeanne- "too many to say!"';  Dianne-Everly Brothers;  Evelyn-Elvis;  Doug-Kingston Trio;  Oweta-"too many to say!"  I would have to say that my favorite singer is from the 1970s:  John Denver.

We enjoyed a fun evening and I'm sure did a good job for our public TV station. I hope when Cheryl Beck puts out a call for volunteers for the next pledge-call-taking-event that you  will want to join the group.

EWGS First Fall Meeting

There was a goodly September crowd that turned out for the 6 September 2014 EWGS meeting. Speaker Ann Corwine explained her Family Heritage classes (offered through the local college's seniors program, Act 2) and gave tips and how-tos for preserving our family histories.

Several new EWGS members and many visitors were introduced and committee chairs gave reports on their groups' activities. EWGS is a triving, growing, most worthwhile group!

Visit the EWGS website:   www.EWGSI.org  and sign up (look to right of screen) to receive notifications of new posts to our EWGS blog.

EWGS Gets Kudos From New Mexico

Recently, our Researcher-In-Residence, Charles Hansen, did some searching and found information for Carole Gardner who lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Here is her nice reply:

Charles, Thanks very much. And, as an aside - your EWGS website and blog are both good. Looks like you also have an active group, and have some fun, too.  Carole

Ah, the warm-fuzzies are surely nice and directed to Charles they are most deserved. 

EWGS Members Receive WSGS Awards

At the recent Washington State Genealogical Society conference in Arlington, Washington, two members of EWGS were recognized first by EWGS and then publicly at the conference by WSGS. Shirley Penna-Oakes was present to accept her award. (My pix of her receiving the award was not good; I opted to share this better one of the two of us.)

Lola King McCreary was not present to receive her award but was also recognized by EWGS and then WSGS for her service to EWGS.

Members of the Eastern Washington Genealogical Society are great folks and are accomplishing great things!

Using IRAD.............. Reseaching In Illinois

A wonderful opportunity awaits those of us who have research to do in Illinois! 

Luana Darby will present a FREE webinar on Tuesday, September 9th, at 6:00pm our time, on understanding and using the Regional Archives of Illinois. You must click on the link below to register for this live webinar; I suggest you doing it today for even in the digital world only so many can attend these webinars. A confirmation email will come to you. Then all you have to do it at the appointed time have your computer turned on and plan to sit and "attend" this seminar presented as a webinar and take notes and learn! Easy as raking pine needles. 

September 2014 

Treasures and Hidden Secrets of the Illinois Regional Archives (IRAD)

• Presenter:  Luana Darby, MLIS
• Date: September 9, 2014, 8:00 pm Central
• Description: If you research in Illinois, you don’t want to miss the resources held in the seven regional archive repositories of IRAD. From vital records to city directories, probate to local histories, each site has its own unique set of records. Learn tips and tricks for getting the most out of your visit, whether long-distance or on site. Come see some of the gems already gleaned from the vast resources of this amazing Illinois asset.
• Registration:  https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1778023905401548033
• This webinar is sponsored by FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org)

EWGS Program Chair, Barbara Jolly, Promotes Networking

Follow the Trail of Networking at EWGS

Barb Jolly became aware of the importance of networking during EWGS social time when Jennifer Saunders, her neighbor in Ritzville and new EWGS member, asked if anyone else was having challenges with the MAC doing family history.  Barb asked Donna Phillips to help.  Donna introduced Jennifer to Bill Hire who was an expert on the MAC.  Jennifer found answers.

The following skit is a true story of what can happen if you network during EWGS social  time.  Statistically what happened is about a zillion to one---but it did!

Scene 1: Barb Jolly visits friend John Timm whose cancer has put him in Hospice.  She asks John what he knows of his family history.  Answer-"My best friend Barney Streeter & I have always called each other "Cousin"--Are we?"  Barb goes to work on John's family history.

Scene 2: Evelyn Wilhelmson, EWGS member, is asked by Jan Parr to research her family history.  While researching, they find they are related on the Herrick line.  Jan is also the daughter of Jackie Streeter from Ritzville.

Scene 3: Evelyn & Jan visit Ritzville Chamber of Commerce in search of the Streeter line.  Jennifer Saunders, EWGS member, is in charge of that office & sets in motion their search which results in Jan's attending Barney Streeter's funeral and the chance to meet her relatives on the Streeter side.

Scene 4: EWGS social time.  Jennifer Saunders meets up with Evelyn.  Jennifer remembers that Barb is researching the Timm/Streeter line & introduces Evelyn to Barb.

Scene 5: Barb arranges for John, Evelyn & Jan to meet on John's front porch in Paha, WA, where they discover that all 3 of them are related on the Herrick line.  They spend an enjoyable afternoon sharing stories of their family history. 

What are the odds of these 3 meeting and finding out they are related?  How are you spending your time at EWGS?  Do you have questions that might be answered by someone in the room?  Networking works!

Barb Jolly

barbjolly@infowest.com

509-209-6755

July 4th Menu-Newspaper Ad

Last month when I was a guest in Muriel's home in Mount Vernon, Washington, she had a collection of old newspapers there that were her father's. I could not resist paging through them!

Sedro-Woolley is a small town near Mount Vernon (which, by the by, was named for the Virginia home of George Washington.... way out west, 3000 miles away...go figure). Reading the paper from that town for 29 Jun 1939, the grocery ad headline proclaimed:  "Everything you need for the 4th of July!" And then the items were posted with their prices:

Zee napkins, 5 cents;  pickles, 2-6oz jars, 15 cents;  marshmallows, #1 bag, 10 cents;  peanut butter, #1 1/2 jar, 21 cents;  Hormel Spam, 25 cents;  cantaloupe, 3 for 25 cents;  tomatoes, #3 for 25 cents;  lemons, 12 for 23 cents;  #10 of new potatoes, 17 cents;  cucumbers, each 5 cents;  watermelon, 2 1/2 cents per pound; and PorknBeans, 2-#1 cans, 9 cents.

Certainly the prices made me laugh, but then I looked again at what the items were.......... what do you buy for your July 4th BBQing and feasting? Not "Hormel Spam," I'd bet!

A inspirational note of trivia from my hostess, Muriel:  "Stick a geranium in your hat and smile;  pain in life is inevitable but misery is optional."  I agree, do you?

Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow............

Sharing some summer fun with you today. This photo of pink roses to me clearly illustrates the concept of born-living-dying......... the rose buds, blooms and dies. It's the natural, inevitable and unavoidable circle of life. We see that often in our flowers, don't we?

Have you taken interesting photos in your garden? Might can you apply that image to genealogy? If so, please share it with me to share with all of EWGS!

There are no EWGS meetings until September 6th. Hope you're using some of your summer time to work on your family history.