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GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY OF NORTH ORANGE COUNTY CALIFORNIA

Volume 24                                             Issue 6                                                June 2008

MEETINGS
Held 3rd Wednesday
7:00 pm – YL Community Ctr. 

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

 

GSNOCC MEETING – June 18, 2008
presents

NATASHA CRAIN
Where on Earth Did They Come From?
(Finding the Towns of Origin of Your
Immigrant Ancestors)

If we can’t figure out where they originated, it’s pretty hard--yea, nearly impossible--to figure out how they lived, and why they emigrated, and who their ancestors were, and  . . .

To help us find these elusive places, Natasha Crain brings more than 17 years of diverse genealogical research experience.  Holder of a BA in economics from USC and an MBA in marketing and statistics from UCLA, Ms. Crain is founder and president of Family Storylines, Inc., a genealogical research firm which helps clients through an extensive network of professional genealogists with experience in more than 30 countries.  Prior to founding Family Storylines, Ms Crain held marketing positions with Taco Bell and 21st Century Insurance, and consulted on financial and statistical modeling for Arthur Andersen, LLP.

7:00 p.m.: Business meeting (really short!)
7:15 p.m.: Program (really interesting!)
At the end: Refreshments (really tasty!)

Yorba Linda Community Center
4501 Casa Loma Avenue
(at Imperial Highway)
Yorba Linda

  CALENDAR ITEMS...

 

June 16 – GSNOCC 2009 Seminar meeting at Ruth Govorchin’s – 7 pm

June 27-29 – SCGS JAMBOREE !!!  Go
online to jamboree@scgsgenealogy. Join us!

June 29 – 7:30 pm.  FREE Footnote.com Workshop on Sunday in the Relief Society Room (south side of the building), Orange Regional Family History Center, 674 S. Yorba, Orange.  Given by Beau Sharbrough from Footnote.  Beau will be in the area for the SCGS Jamboree and has graciously agreed to give this workshop.  It’s a great chance to get first-hand info and ask questions!  If members can’t attend Jamboree, it’s a great chance to get a free class!

July 12 – SCGS Open House, Burbank.  Read more SCGS calendar items on page 3.

August 7-9 – CANCELLED. The British Isles Family History Society-U.S.A. 3-day seminar, aboard the Queen Mary.  See note below.

August 9 – Special Meeting –An afternoon with Michael Gandy, from England, sponsored by The British Isles Family History Society - U.S.A.  More information on page 3.

Sept. 3–6 – Footprints of Family History, the
Federation of Genealogical Societies annual conference in historic Philadelphia, PA.  For info, go to www.fgs.org. 

Oct. 18 – So. Orange Co. Genealogical Society Annual Seminar with George G.Morgan.  More later.

Mark your calendars NOW!
2009 GSNOCC Seminar – Sat., March 14, 2009
Read the monthly GSNOCC newsletters for
up-to-date information....and don't forget to attend the monthly GSNOCC meetings.

* * *

Note from BIFHS President, Ivan Johnson:
Two weeks ago it was my unpleasant duty to announce that the British Isles Family History Society's seminar on the Queen Mary had been canceled.

Now it is my pleasure to announce that we are in the process of arranging a special meeting featuring MICHAEL GANDY.

The Society had already purchased Michael Gandy's airline ticket, which was non-refundable.  To our delight, when given a lemon, Michael chose to make lemonade.  He has very graciously volunteered to come anyway and give several talks.  Although there are details still to be worked out, I am writing to you now so that you can save the date – SATURDAY AFTERNOON, AUGUST 9th, 2008, when we can all look forward to an
extraordinary meeting with Michael Gandy as the guest speaker.  The event will be open to the public, but there will be a minimum suggested donation to help defray our costs.

The seminar cancellation has cost the Society dearly, but much less than it would have cost had we continued and had a low attendance.  Even though the seminar was still three months away, major financial commitments were coming due, and the low registration rate made continuing too high a risk for the Society to take.

I have heard from many of you, and I would like to thank you for your understanding of what was a very difficult situation.  Your kindness is very much appreciated -- and we hope to see you on August 9th.

Ivan C. Johnson, President
British Isles Family History Society - U.S.A.
president@bifhsusa.org

 

NOTES from SCGS – Southern California Genealogical Society, 417 Irving Drive, Burbank,
California   91504-2408

And how's this for long-range planning?  Plan to join JAMBOREE for 2009 and 2010.  We will return to the Burbank Airport Marriott Hotel & Convention Center on Friday-Sunday, June 12-14, 2009 and June 11-13, 2010.  Mark your calendars now!

Open House - Saturday July 12 - 10am - 3pm
for guided tours of the Library, meet the volunteers and leaders of the Society, and learn how to make the most of a membership in SCGS.  Open to the public, everyone's welcome. Light refreshments will be served.

Annual Used Book Sale, Sat. Oct. 4 - 9am - 3pm
The SCGS Annual Book Sale is scheduled for October 4, 9am-3pm, at the SCGS Library, 417 Irving Drive, Burbank. Now's a great time to make some room on your bookshelves at home and show your support for SCGS. Bring your book donations to the Library any time before October 4th.  Put this event on your calendar today so you don't miss it!  Stock up on fiction, nonfiction, biographies, how-to books, kids' books, books of all kinds.

Scrapbook Techniques for Genealogists with Pam Wiedenbeck - Lunch and Learn – Sat. Oct. 11 - 12noon - 4pm
She will present an introduction to techniques for creating scrapbooks for genealogy and family history use.  Scrapbooks supplement traditional genealogical names, places, and dates by providing pictures and physical artifacts related to the family history.  A Creative Memories consultant will be available after the presentation.

Appraisal Faire – Sat., Oct. 25 – 10-12 and 1-4pm
At one time or another, you've probably inherited a trinket or important family heirloom.  Although you would be hard-pressed to consider parting with it, you've been wondering about the insurance value, or want to know more about its history. You're in luck!  Bring up to 3 items per person to the SCGS Appraisal Faire and consult with our qualified appraisers on the value of your items.  $5 donation per item is requested. The Appraisal Faire will be held at the SCGS Library, 417 Irving Drive, Burbank, CA.  Open to the public.

Afternoon with Barbara Renick – Sat., Nov. 8 - 12noon - 4pm
1 - Making a List and Checking It Twice:  There are many different types of lists and tools.  This lecture covers making and using research summaries,
alphabetical name lists, geographic research interest lists, surname spelling lists, e-mail filtering, searching archived mail lists, and hard drive searching.
2 - How Computers Are Changing Genealogical Research:  Computers are changing the way we, as genealogists, do research.  This lecture covers
the four phases of genealogical research (survey, research, evaluation, and publication phases) from the era BC (Before Computers) to the era AD
(After Disks).

Other SCGS dates of interest – all at the Library.
Legacy Users Group - 7pm - 9pm
June 9, July 14, August 11

German Interest Group - 1pm - 4pm
June 21, July 19, August 16

German Research Group
Every Thursday 10am - 4pm

Family Tree Maker Users Group - 2pm - 4pm
June 22, July 27, August 24

Irish Interest Group
August 31 - 10am - 4pm

Genealogical Society of Hispanic America
August 2, 10am to 4pm
Hispanic Tuesday Research Group
June 17, July 15, August 12

French-Canadian Research Group
Every Wednesday 10am - 4pm

Unless indicated otherwise, the Library is open to the public for research on:
Wed/Thurs/Fridays - 10:00am - 4:00pm
Tuesdays - 10:00am - 9:00pm
3rd & 4th Saturdays - 10:00am - 4:00pm
1st & 2nd Sundays - 10:00am - 4:00pm
Closed Mondays

phone: 818-843-7247
email: scgs@scgsgenealogy.com
web: www.scgsgenealogy.com
www.genealogyjamboree.blogspot.com

* * *

TRACE TREKKERS –
We are going to Jamboree!!

We have a new name for our genealogy jaunts- Trace Trekkers! Watch the "Trace Trekkers" newsletter columns for announcements about upcoming trips to various genealogy repositories and events in the Southland.

And speaking of such...... we have a trip to Jamboree scheduled for Saturday, June 28th. This is THE premier genealogy event in southern California each year. If you haven't been to Jamboree, you need to go!  There are lectures throughout the day on a variety of topics and a great exhibit hall.  It is a mini-national conference in our own backyard. For more info you can check out the SCGS website at www.scgsgenealogy.com

Norma Keating, Education Chairman

Ralph’s Community Contribution Program -

What is it?  For all the expenditures that you
(or friends, family, etc.) make at any Ralph's store, GSNOCC will get a small percentage!

HAVE YOU SIGNED UP YET?????
DO IT NOW!!  The GSNOCC Treasury will love you!

If you still need information, read about it in the May newsletter, or drop a note to me (nilongmire@aol.com) and I’ll send you the information.  Flyers will be at the June 18 meeting.

 

BOY SCOUT PROJECT UPDATE –

Four of the Boy Scouts from Troop 93 have completed the requirements for their genealogy badges.  Our own Steve Adamson, Merit Badge Counselor, has signed off for them.

* * *

Using Census Records Effectively As a Genealogical Resource
Continued from May 2008
By Norma Storrs Keating

Continuing with the discussion regarding the development of census data in the United States, let’s take a look at the changes made in the information collected in 1880. This census was to be taken between June 1st and July 1st that year.  As the country grew and more people were being counted, the census became more organized. A new numbering system was developed to assist census takers. Areas of each state were divided into “Supervisor’s Districts” and “Enumeration Districts.”  Each census taker had a specific area in which he/ she was to work. The actual address of each dwelling was also recorded, in addition to the dwelling and family numbers.

For family historians, the biggest change in 1880 was that family relationships were recorded. Each person’s relationship to the head of the household was noted, thus making it much easier to create a family unit from the data.  Instead of asking if a person’s parents were foreign born, the 1880 census actually records the place of birth (state or country only) individually for the mother and father, another big change that can assist the researcher in tracing the family.

In 1880 the census taker began recording the marital status of each person counted: single, married, widowed or divorced.  One change that does not benefit genealogists is that if a couple married within the year, a notation was made only of that fact, instead of also noting the month they married as previously recorded in 1870.

The collection of health information was also changed in 1880. Instead of lumping everything into one column, health information was now collected using individual columns for each type of data: illness, blind, deaf & dumb, idiotic, disabled.  If a family historian is compiling a family health history, this change can contain valuable information. It can also explain, for example, why a person never married, didn’t work, etc.

The government was changing their focus about the kind of information needed. In 1880 no record was made of the value of a person’s real or personal property.  But the number of months a person may have been unemployed was noted.  Voting status questions were also dropped.

Taken together, the changes made in the information recorded for 1880 were a boon for family historians. The clues regarding family relationships, places of birth, and marital status can prove invaluable when tracing a family. The new organization for the census data also helps in locating the record for a person or family within the census itself. 
To be continued next month.

* * *

“Why waste your money looking up your family tree?   Just go into politics and your opponents will do it for you!”  - Mark Twain
Thanks to SOCCGS, Vol. 15, No. 4 – April 2008

 Tidbits –

From SCGS News & Notes, Vol. 5, No. 4 –
Helpful Internet Sites –

Volunteer Lookups –
The Genealogist Helplist:  www.helplist.org
Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness:
www.raogk.com

Last Name Meanings:
www.last-names.net

City Directories:
Distant Cousins:  www.DistantCousin.com

Old Directories Search: 
www.OldDirectorySearch.com

* * * * * *

Info from ORFHC –

You know!   The Orange Regional Family History Center, 674. S. Yorba St., Orange.  Directions:  Take the 55 Freeway, south to Chapman (in Orange) and go left, to first right (Yorba St.) and right, down a few blocks.   They have new books:

How to Trace Your Pedigree Ladies, by Arlene H. Eakle.
How to Search a Cemetery – by The Genealogical Institute, 1974.
Chronological Tables of American Newspapers 1690 – 1820, compiled by Edward Connery Latham.  It is intended to serve as an aid in approaching, on a chronological basis, available issues of American newspapers.  By consulting columns representing the year, users can readily determine what papers may exist as potentially helpful resources.
Breathe Life Into Your Life Story – How to Write a Story People Will Want to Read, by Dawn and Morris Thurston.
Search, A Handbook for Adoptees and Birthparents, by Jayne Askin.  Written to present choices and alternatives available to adoptees and birth parents that wish to search.
Mother Cumberland – Tracing Your Ancestors in South-Central Pennsylvania, by Raymond M. Bell.
Index to Marriages and Deaths in the NY Herald, 1871-1876, Vol. 4, compiled by James P. Maher.
Middle Tennessee’s Forgotten Children, Apprentices from 1784 to 1902, by Alan N. Miller.
The Surnames of Ireland. by Edward MacLysaght.
And a new CD: Colorado Marriages 1858-1939.

Check out these free ORFHC classes:
Wed., 6/18 – 1-2:30 pm – Legacy for Users at all Levels, by Joe Leavitt
Thurs., 6//19 – 7-8:30 pm – Self-Publishing Your Own Family History by Wynn Christensen
Tues., 6/24 – 7-8:30 pm – Digital Photography for the Genealogist, by Alice Volkert
Thurs., 6/26 – 7-8:00 pm – Beginning Your Genealogical Research by Wynn Christensen.
Wed., 7/2 – 1-2:30 pm – Legacy for Users at all Levels, by Joe Leavitt
Thurs., 7/17 – 12:00-2:00 pm – Success with Manuscript Sources by Barbara Renick.

They have oodles of information there: books, CD’s, computers, microfiche and film, and helpers to make a visit more productive.  Visit!!

* * *

Action Alert for Family Historians!

Urge your Representative to sign on to the "Preserving the American Historical Record" bill, H.R. 6056.

What is PAHR?

The Preserving the American Historical Record Act proposes to increase federal support for state and local archival records held by government agencies, historical societies, libraries, and related organizations.

This initiative would preserve and provide access to historical records through formula-based grants to states for re-grants and statewide services. It would support initiatives such as:

* the creation of archival finding aids, name indexes, and images of key records online;
* preservation actions to protect historical records and preserve them for public use, including digitization projects, electronic records initiatives, and disaster preparedness and recovery;
* programs to provide education and training to archivists and others who care for historical records,
ensuring that they have the necessary knowledge and skills to fulfill their important responsibilities.

The program, to be administered by the National Archives, will provide a total of $50 million per year nationwide. Each state would receive a portion of these funds for redistribution to government agencies and organizations within its borders.

The legislative news about PAHR: Congressman Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) and Congressman Chris Cannon (R-UT) have just sent a "Dear Colleague" letter to the members of the House of Represent-atives, inviting them to sign on as original sponsors for the "Preserving the American Historical Record"
bill.

What should you do?
* fax, email, or call your Representative and urge him/her to respond to the Hinchey-Cannon Dear Colleague Letter and sign on as an original sponsor for the PAHR bill, H.R. 6056.
* Tell your representative in a few sentences why PAHR is important to you as a family historian!

If you need help or more information:
We have posted information on the web at http://www.archivists.org/pahr.  You'll find:
* a PAHR fact sheet,
* a copy of the bill,
* draft letters and resolutions

Please take a few minutes this week to make a call or send a fax/email/letter to your Representatives in Congress. It's time to tell Congress that our family and community heritage matters a great deal to this country and its people.  Americans need and deserve the resources to ensure access to our heritage. We can do this-with your help!

Follow these easy steps to send an email to your U.S. Representative today:
1. Go to www.archivists.org/pahr, scroll down to the "Resources" heading, then click on "Your Representative."
2. This takes you to the Humanities Advocacy Network at HumanitiesAdvocacy.org/action_ctr.html.
3. Enter your zip code in the box under "Elected Officials" and click "Go" to locate your Congress-ional representatives.
4. Select the name of the Representative you wish to contact by clicking on his/her name.
5. On the Representative's page, click on the blue bar that says "Send Message" (located under his/her photo).
6. Select "Compose Your Own Letter" and then click "Next Step."
7. Create your own appeal to your member of Congress. Be sure to:
* Ask them to support the Preserving the American Historical Record bill, H.R. 6056, being introduced by Congressmen Hinchey (D-NY) and Cannon (R-UT). To do so, they can contact Anne Georges in Rep. Hinchey's office at 202-225-6335 or Matt Iandoli in Rep. Cannon's office at 202-225-7751.
* Tell your Representative how you will benefit from  better preservation of and access to historical records in your community, your state, and the nation.
* Click "Send Message" at the bottom of the screen to transmit it to your Representative.

If the PAHR bill is enacted, you might see:
* Researchers using online digital collections of historic photographs, documents, and maps;
* Family historians searching name indexes online for military service, land ownership, naturalization, and other vital statistics;
* Teachers and students using an online educa-tional site of archival records with lessons that support the teaching of Maryland is history and a host of other academic subjects, from kindergarten through graduate school;
* Historical repositories and local governments with disaster plans to ensure that records are protected in the event of both natural and human-caused disasters;
* Preservation of fragile historical records to ensure they survive and can be used by researchers;
* Identification and preservation of records from under-documented communities such as Native Americans, African-Americans, Latinos, Asian
Americans, and many other ethnic and racial groups in this country;
* Exhibits and public programs to share the excitement of historical records with community members, teachers, and students.

For further information, contact the PAHR Task Force at pahr@statearchivists.org.

* * * * * *

Don't be a Dog Barking Up the Wrong Tree
by Jan Alpert, NGS President

While I was attending the NGS Conference in the States, I received an email on the Priest-L@
@rootsweb.com which began as follows:

"A number of Rootsweb World Connect entries show that Degory Priest, one of the immigrants on the Mayflower in 1620 had a son John Priest,  b.1617, who also came to American in these early years...Sometime back my research showed in "Mayflower Families through Five Generations, Vol. 8, Family of Degory Priest," edited by Robert S. Wakefield Pub. 1994 that John Priest, b. 1617 was not the son of Degory Priest. However, the Rootsweb entries mentioned above do, in fact, indicate otherwise. Has someone found evidence that he is Degory's son? I would welcome comments about this. Dudley Richards"

Thank you, Mr. Richards, for questioning the information you found online. One of the experts on the Priest Family, George Ely Russell, CG, FASG, FNGS, promptly returned the following email:

"There is no evidence that would suggest that John Priest of Woburn and Lancaster, Mass., was related to Degory Priest of Plymouth, Mass. Degory's only children were daughters Mary and Sarah. Rootsweb World Connect is not an authoritative source of information."

In the days before the internet, my father found similar information in a Priest family history by Grace Dunlop in the Historical Society of Pennsyl-vania Library. Unfortunately, the family wanted to believe they had Mayflower descendants, so the story was repeated for generations. My father had heard the same story from his aunt Mabel Waters Hall, whose mother was a Priest. It took me several years of dead-end research before I found the documented Priest research by George Ely Russell.
Fortunately, Mr. Russell helped sort out the fact from fiction.

This recent series of emails demonstrates that the Internet can be both the cause of a research problem and part of the solution. It also has  prompted me to mention two important points. First, if you accept a false line as yours, you stop looking for the right answer and might even reject correct information that passes right before your eyes.

Secondly, if you find research online that is undocumented and questionable, find the appro-priate list and post a query, as Mr. Richards did. Don't waste your time or money barking up the wrong tree.
* * *

Research in the States E-Books

As you research family lines in different states, you may not know where to search in a particular state. At the same time, you want to take advantage of every available resource. NGS offers a number of
publications that can help. E-books on the following states are available from the National Genealogical Society, Research in the States Series at the NGS website:
* Genealogical Research in Arkansas by Lynda Childers Suffridge, 2008
* Genealogical Research in Illinois by Diane Renner Walsh, 2007
* Genealogical Research in Maryland by Patricia O'Brien, 2007
* Genealogical Research in Michigan by Shirley M. DeBoer, 2008
* Genealogical Research in Missouri by Pamela Boyer Porter and Ann Carter Fleming, 2007
* Genealogical Research in Nebraska by Roberta "Bobbi" King, 2008
* Genealogical Research in North Carolina by Jeffrey L. Haines, 2008,
* Genealogical Research in Ohio by Diane Vanskiver Gagel, 2008
* Genealogical Research in Oregon by Connie Miller Lenzen, 2007
* Genealogical Research in Pennsylvania by Kay Haviland Freilich, 2007
* Genealogical Research in Virginia by Eric G. Grundset, 2007
* Genealogical Research in West Virginia by Barbara Vine Little, 2007

Each publication includes a section on archives, libraries, societies, and other research facilities in the respective state, as well as a discussion of the major family history resources available, such as
maps, cemetery records, census, city directories, newspapers, military records, tax records, and vital records. In addition, each state includes a discussion of which records are available at the local, county, and state level.

Each publication is 8 1/2 inches by 11 inches, slightly larger than our previous Research in the States publications. The average length is 42
pages, but it varies by state. Each is currently available as a PDF file, an "e-book" that you can download from the NGS website and then either read on your computer or print. Prices are $8 for NGS members and $10 for non-members. You can safely purchase and download any of these e-books:  http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/bookstore/ListItems.cfm?CATID=32

Series Editors, Ann Carter Fleming and Kay Haviland Freilich, are continuing to work with various authors to complete research on new states, so check the NGS website periodically for new releases at http://www.ngsgenealogy.org.
Preceding three articles are from UpFront with NGS (National Genealogical Society), Vol. 8, No. 6 – 1 June 2008, thanks to Norma Keating.

Canadian Search Engine
http://www.voicimafamille.info

A new search tool searches genealogy and family history databases hosted by Canadian federal, provincial or territorial archives centres and libraries, as well as those of several commercial partners.  “That’s My Family,” or “Voici Ma Famille,” is free of charge and available in both French and English.  It was launched and is maintained by Bibliotheque et Archives nationals du Quebec (BAnQ) with support from Library and Archives Canada (LAC) and the Council of Provincial and Territorial Archivists (CPTA) of Canada.

“That’s My Family” hosts no data of its own.  It is a search engine, similar to Google, that indexes data found on other sites.  The difference is that “That’s My Family” looks only at Canadian sites that contain genealogy information.  As such, it can save you a lot of time; you do not have to search each site individually.

The databases that have been indexed include both free and for-pay sources.  In the case of for-pay sites, clicking on a link in “That’s My Family” may take the user to a sign-in page that asks for payment of a fee.  The titles of these databases are marked with a dollar sign ($).  The searches are always free, but some sites may charge a fee before displaying all the details.
From Eastman’s Online Genealogy Newsletter of 24 April 2008 at http://blog.eogn.com.  Copyright © 2008 by Richard W. Eastman, and thanks to Questing Heirs Newsletter, Vol. 41, No. 5, May 2008.

* * *

Canadian Genealogy Center –

For those of you who are interested in Canadian genealogy, try this site run by the Library and Archives of Canada.
www.genealogy.gc.ca
Thanks to the Pomona Valley Genealogical Society, Vol. 35, Issue 8, April 12, 2008

***

Shake any family tree and you’re bound to get a few nuts!     Or...  Every family tree has its sap!

 

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