Friday, July 29, 2011

Swedish American Genealogist Quarterly Now Online

The following news was posted on Upfront with NGS, the blog for the National Genealogical Society. Hooray for access to another great resource!

Swedish American Genealogist is a quarterly journal devoted to Swedish American biography, genealogy, and personal history. The journal was founded in 1981 by Nils William Olsson and is currently edited by Elisabeth Thorsell. This online collection is free to the public and contains issues published as recently as 2007.

This collection is part of the CARLI Digital Collections, established in 2006 as a repository for digital content created by member libraries of the Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois (CARLI) or purchased by the consortium for use by its members.

CARLI also includes a collection of Historical Society Newsletters as well as other collections.
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copyright © National Genealogical Society, 3108 Columbia Pike, Suite 300, Arlington, Virginia 22204-4370. http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/.
Posted by Denise Hibsch Richmond

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Online Ordering to Begin at the Sacramento Family History Center

The following announcement was received today from the Sacramento Regional Family History Center:

The On-Line Film Ordering Process begins JULY 27TH!

We have been advised that the date for ON-LINE FILM ORDERING has been moved up.  Effective July 27th, our Family History Center will no longer be taking film orders.  All orders for films and microfiche will be handled on-line in the comfort of your own home.

To view a demonstration of the ON-LINE FILM ORDERING and print out a handout, click on the following link On-Line Film Ordering .

The Sacramento Regional Family History Center
www.FamilyHistoryCenter.info

Posted by Denise Hibsch Richmond

Tuesday's Tip - “I’m Sorry, Those Records Were Lost” – California Genealogical Society Publication Gives Researchers New Hope

Good news from our neighbor society, the California Genealogical Society and Library in Oakland California:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Kathryn M. Doyle, Communications Director
510-663-1358, kdoyle@californiaancestors.org

“I’m Sorry, Those Records Were Lost”
California Genealogical Society Publication Gives Researchers New Hope


OAKLAND, California–July 25, 2011–The California Genealogical Society (CGS) announces publication of Raking the Ashes: Genealogical Strategies for Pre-1906 San Francisco Research, second edition, a guide to circumventing the enormous record loss in the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire. This authoritative book by Nancy Simons Peterson, Research Director at CGS, is a must have for researching San Francisco ancestors, providing invaluable guidance on which records were lost in the 1906 earthquake and fire, which records survived, and where to find them.

Peterson alerts the reader to lesser-known sources, recently published references, and newly discovered documents. Sources are clearly identified and evaluated, while graphics, statistics, and historical background enrich the text. Not limited to San Francisco, Peterson's solutions for working around lost records and her emphasis on casting a much wider net than is customary will be especially welcomed by researchers wherever natural disasters have destroyed historical documents. First published in 2006, the second edition has been substantially updated and expanded.

ISBN 978-0-9785694-5-7
Format: Perfect-bound paperback, 242 pages
Dimensions (inches) 8.5 wide × 11.0 tall
Retail Price:  $25.00
Publisher: California Genealogical Society
Additional information at: 
http://rakingtheashes.weebly.com

About the author:

Nancy Simons Peterson is a certified genealogist and author of numerous articles. She holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from Stanford University.


 About CGS:
The California Genealogical Society, founded in San Francisco in 1898, maintains a library, gathers and preserves vital records, and offers research services and online databases. CGS disseminates information through publications, meetings, seminars, workshops and its website, CaliforniaAncestors.org
Posted by Denise Hibsch Richmond

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Tuesday's Tip - Remove Text Formatting When Copying-and-Pasting - Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter

Today's tip reflects what genealogists do frequently - cut, paste and save after scouring the Internet for anything that will advance their family history research.  These actions also bring formating that you don't want or your computer program doesn't recognize.  I read how to Remove Text Formatting When Copying-and-Pasting - Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter and thought some Root Cellar blog readers may find it helpful.  Commenters on Dick's article also suggested "Paste Special-Unformatted Text" or "Keep Text Only" in some Office programs.

Based on another article I read last year on Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter, I started using Notepad to cleanse content before posting it on the Sacramento mailing list on Rootsweb.  The pesky question marks magically disappeared!

Dick has a free and premium newsletter.  Take a look.

Do you have a genealogy-related tip for the blog?  Send it to rootcellarsgs@gmail.com.

Tuesday's Tip is just one of the daily blog themes suggested on Geneabloggers. Get your ancestors noticed here - submit content to rootcellarsgs@gmail.com

Posted by Denise Hibsch Richmond


Monday, July 18, 2011

July 2011 Newsletter: The Sacramento Regional Family History Center

I just received the July 2011 newsletter from the Sacramento Regional Family History Center (SRFHC).  How convenient that it comes directly to my inbox.

Below are selected items from the current newsletter.  The newsletter also has Family History Tips, Favorite Websites and a newsletter Subscribe option.  Kudos to Linda Todd and Linda Lucky for this wonderful service to the genealogical community - I recommend readers go to SRFHC website for more information and subscribe.

On-Line Film Ordering Process begins AUGUST 2nd
There has been a change in the implementation date for ON-LINE FILM ORDERING. Our Family History Center is scheduled to start the on-line film ordering process on August 2nd.  Patron training classes are scheduled at the Family History Center as follows:
  • Tuesday, July 19th at 10am & 2pm in the Relief Society Room
  • Thursday, July 21th at 10am & 2pm in the Relief Society Room
Patrons are welcome to attend either class.  If you are unable to attend a training class at the Family History Center, you may print a handout and view a demonstration for ON-LINE FILM ORDERING.  Click on the following link: On-Line Film Ordering.

Family History Summer 'Walk-In' Public Classes
FamilySearch has provided many, many sources for training. Beginning Tuesday, July 19th the SRFHC will show a video class from the Research Online Training Courses that may be found at FamilySearch.org

The classes will be held in the Relief Society Room (public class location) and open for 'walk-ins' on Tuesday and Thursday of each week at 1pm.  Class handouts will be available for those who attend. The schedule of classes for the next 4 weeks is as follows:
  • July 19 & 21 at 1pm: Basic U.S. Military Records - 25 min.
  • July 26 & 28 at 1pm: Military Records- Civil War - 35 min.
  • Aug 2 & 4 at 1pm: Revolutionary War Research - 43 min.
  • Aug 9 & 11th at 1pm: WWI Draft Cards & More - 41 min.
German Ancestry Assistance
The Sacramento German Genealogical Society provides research assistance with tracing German ancestors every Thursday from 1:00pm-5:00pm in the Center.

Posted by Denise Hibsch Richmond

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Datebook Reminder

This is a friendly reminder to check out the upcoming July events on the Calendar tab:
  • Workshop, July 20th: How to use Facebook
  • Reunion SIG, July 27th: Brainstorming issues
Also note the Calendar tab for August - and the HOMEWORK - yikes!  No cramming the night before the workshop - our host John Jay needs your responses in advance of the workshop. 

See everyone there and bring a friend.

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Wordless Wednesday - Irwindale Citrus Association

Henry Martin (H.M.) Kendall was my great grandfather, a southern California citrus rancher under the Sunkist label and a blacksmith.  Contributed and posted by Denise Hibsch Richmond, member of Root Cellar Sacramento Genealogical Society.  Please send any leads on the history of the various citrus grower associations of southern California to me at rootcellarsgs@gmail.com .


Wordless Wednesday is just one of the daily blog themes suggested on Geneabloggers. Get your ancestors noticed here - submit content to rootcellarsgs@gmail.com

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Tech Tuesday - Wonderful World of Webinars

Webinars are plentiful.  The genealogy software you use probably conducts webinars on its website.  Numerous websites you visit or follow probably offer webinars.  Good news - many are free.


How do you find webinars?  Check out GeneaWebinars. According to the website,
"Thanks to Ol’ Myrt of DearMYRTLE who created GeneaWebinars, the [genealogy] community not only has a comprehensive directory of upcoming online genealogy education seminars, but also a way in which presenters and providers of these webinars can advertise their offerings."
Are you wondering how to attend a webinar?  Thomas MacEntee has written a helpful article for Archives.com titled "How to Attend a Genealogy Webinar". His topics include:
  • How webinars work
  • Where to find them
  • Preparing your computer
  • Getting the most from a webinar
  • Using webinars for genealogy society meetings
Have your calendar ready and let the learning begin! Oh, and remember, many of the webinars are available to view for a short period of time after the "live" program.

Posted by Denise Hibsch Richmond

Monday, July 11, 2011

Mystery Monday - Samuel E. Ford

Don’t give up! Over and over I hear brick wall stories and I have several myself. But…records are constantly being indexed, digitized, and published on the Internet. You need to continue to monitor the new entries. Keep a record of the names you checked, where and when.
My latest “great find” was William B. Cockern, a brother to my great-grandmother, Aramanda Adilue (Cockern) Creighton. I had found him in the 1850 census at age 6 and the 1860 census at age 17. I could never find any further record of him.
The family story was that he fought for the South during the Civil War while his older brother Lothaire Cockern fought for the North. He disappeared and was thought to be killed in the Civil War. My mother lived with her aunt and grandmother while attending high school. She often related how her grandmother lamented about how awful for brother to fight against brother. My great-grandmother was William B. Cockern’s youngest sister. He was born in 1843 while she was born in 1852, eleven years younger.
I entered William’s name in Ancestry and got a hit. He was listed in the U.S. Union Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865, as serving for the Union as a private in Company F, 7th Cavalry Regiment Missouri. That conflicted with the family tradition that William had fought for the South. His name appeared on Footnote in the compiled muster rolls of the Missouri 7th Cavalry. He mustered in from Carthage, Illinois, which was the home of his family.
Included with the 12 muster slips was the letter shown here and transcribed below: 
Carthage, Ills  June 2d, 1864
S. R. Holms
Depty Provo Marshall
Sir
I have reliable information that William B. Cockern a Deserter from the 7th Missouri Cavelry is now living in Kewanee, Henry County, Illinois. He is married and goes by the assumed name of Samuel E. Ford. You can investigate the matter as I can assure you that my information is correct.
Yours Respectfully,
Chas B. Bothum
This letter explains why there was no further record for William B. Cockern. Now the search begins for the mysterious Samuel E. Ford!  Also, does anyone know if information provided about alleged deserters was investigated, by whom and where those records would be located?
 
Written by Glenda Gardner Lloyd, charter member of Root Cellar Sacramento Genealogical Society. If you can help Glenda, drop her a note at rootcellarsgs@gmail.com.

Mystery Monday is one of many blogging prompts suggested on Geneabloggers.  Get your ancestors noticed here - send content to rootcellarsgs@gmail.com.


Posted by Denise Hibsch Richmond


Friday, July 8, 2011

Follow Friday: Sassy Jane Genealogy Blog: An Archivist Blogs about Family History

Sassy Jane is an archivist who blogs about genealogy from an archivist's perspective.  Her posts contain helpful information about preserving family documents and treasures.  I found her blog on Geneabloggers and added it to my reader service.  Now, I am "blogging forward" Sassy's recent Follow Friday post about the Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC) which has even more advice about preservation.  If the tip about NEDCC is helpful to you, consider following Sassy Jane Genealogy Blog.

Follow Friday is just one of the daily blog themes suggested on Geneabloggers. Get your ancestors noticed here - submit content to r rootcellarsgs@gmail.com.

Posted by Denise Hibsch Richmond

Thursday, July 7, 2011

July Geni Gram Now Online

The July issue of the Geni Gram is now available on the Root Cellar Sacramento Genealogical Society website.  Click the link on the home screen or access it via the Members Only link.

Posted by Denise Hibsch Richmond

Thriller Thursday - Edward Olson

Edward Olson, pictured on the right, was a professional photographer and talented musician who ran a skunk farm on the side. Bill Peterson was a family friend of whom little is known except that his photos always include booze, guns or cigars. This photo is one of many family photos captured by Edward during the early 1900s near Kanabec County, Minnesota.  Perhaps he is also known for his dark humor and talent for "staging" scenes?

Edward is the great-grand uncle of Richard Hanson, member of Root Cellar Sacramento Genealogical Society who contributed this photo.

If you share the Olson surname in your family tree, contact Richard at rootcellarsgs@gmail.com

Thriller Thursday is just one of the daily blog themes suggested on Geneabloggers. Get your ancestors noticed here - submit content to rootcellarsgs@gmail.com.

Posted by Denise Hibsch Richmond

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Wordless Wednesday - Mary Matilda MILLER

Mary Matilda Miller, wife of William Levi Travis.

This photo was contributed by Barry Travis,
member of Root Cellar Sacramento Genealogical Society.
Through his family history research, Barry learned that Mary Matilda was an orphan.
This discovery in turn led him into the broader area of orphan research.

Wordless Wednesday is just one of the daily blog themes suggested on Geneabloggers. Get your ancestors noticed here - submit content to rootcellarsgs@gmail.com

Posted by Denise Hibsch Richmond

Monday, July 4, 2011

Military Monday - George D. Marks

George David MARKS was born 22 August 1921 to Albert Joseph MARKS and Mary Iretta STICKLE in New Castle, Pennsylvania.  He was the seventh of twelve children.  He grew up in New Castle and was educated there.

George was drafted into World War II on July 7, 1942.  Induction occurred at Erie, Pennsylvania followed by basic training at Sea Girt, New Jersey.  From Sea Girt, the now Private First Class (PFC) Marks was sent to Fort Monmoth, New Jersey where he attended radio signal school.  His next stop was Fort Sam Houston, Texas where he became part of the 117th Radio Signal Intelligence Company.  He was in Texas from October 1942 to March 1943.  Then his company took a train to Fort Dix, New Jersey.

From Staten Island, the young soldier boarded the Santa Elena, a Grace Line ship, and headed across the Atlantic.  Four days later, the ship arrived at Oran, Algeria in North Africa.  In total, PFC Marks spent 32 months overseas.  After North Africa he was in Sicily and Corsica and was in Sarrebourg, France on Christmas Day 1944.  He served in Luneville, France; Darmstadt and Stuttgart, Germany; and Augsburg, Bavaria.  When George left Europe, he boarded a Bardstown Victory ship in Marseille, France and landed on Staten Island, New York where his journey had begun.  PFC Marks was discharged November 10, 1945 at Fort Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania.

Every Memorial Day is a celebration for George.  Donned in his original Army uniform, he along with members of the community, place the American flag on the graves of military veterans. On Memorial Day 2011, George posed for the photo (above) at Sylvan Cemetery in Citrus Heights, Sacramento County, California.

In November of 1946 George moved to California. In 1949 he met Sharon Loretta ANDERSON at a folk dance class.  They were married March 24, 1950 in Oakland, California.  The couple has two children and two grandchildren.

George attended school to learn to be an aircraft mechanic.  He received $75.00 a month on the GI Bill.  After he married he received an additional $30.00 a month to support a wife!  During this time the veteran had several jobs including driving a truck and working in a nursery with plants.  Later, while attending school in the morning, George worked at the Oakland Airport on swing shift as a tank sealer on DC-4 cargo planes from the Berlin Airlift. For 25 years, before his retirement in 1985, George worked at McClellan Air Force Base as a sheet metal worker.   Occasionally he worked on electric motors, aircraft engines, jets and gasoline engines.

Genealogy has been part of George’s life for many years. He is a charter member of Root Cellar Sacramento Genealogical Society.  Since it was established in 1978, George has participated in many Society activities.  He has served as Bulletin Board Chairperson and faithfully hauled the bulletin board and notices to every meeting.  George is the Society’s “raffle ticket salesman extraordinaire.”  He has sold raffle tickets for every event.  You will always see George with his “raffler’s hat” and lengths of tickets wrapped around his neck.

He has researched his STICKLE, NEWTON and HOUK lines back many generations.  His photographic memory and “computer brain” can recall the exact facts, details and relationships with amazing accuracy!

George loves folk dancing.  He became fascinated with dancing when he was in the Army after seeing an exhibition.  When he came to California he joined the San Leandro Folk Dance Club and then was asked to join the exhibition group.  He participated in the exhibition group for two years.  During the 60’s, George was an officer in his club, Pairs and Spares.  In the 70’s, he was President of the Sacramento Folk Dance Council.  He also was in the Folk Dance Federation of California, North, from 1975-1976.  George has been dancing for over 58 years! George’s other activities include selling various items for the Folk Dance Council such as pencils, t-shirts and tote bags.  He sells buttons for the Camellia Festival each year, and raffle tickets for various groups.  He likes going to “swap meets” and enjoys longs walks where he often finds coins and other objects.

Military Monday is just one of the daily blog themes suggested on Geneabloggers. Get your ancestors noticed here - submit content to rootcellarsgs@gmail.com.
 
Posted by Denise Hibsch Richmond

Friday, July 1, 2011

Calendar Update

The Calendar tab at the top of the screen has been updated with July and August events.