SCGSGenealogical Society Blog

SCGS Featured in Burbank Leader -18 January

2012-01-17T22:38:00.000-08:00

It's Getting Easier to Find the Right Genes #genealogy

Bryan Mahoney, a charming young reporter (Irish roots) from the Burbank Leader spoke with Leo and me after our Jamboree meeting on Saturday. There were a few factual errors in his article (I'm not *the* Director, I'm *a* director; we don't own our building, all of our books are not old and Leo is now 5 years younger than he was yesterday), though he may have point about beige on beige.

I expect we'll see Bryan at the library one of these days. The seeds of his family history journey were planted in Ireland when he was just a youngster. Bryan and his brother were fidgeting to get outside and explore, or to do whatever serves as pub crawling when you're 8 years old. But instead of sightseeing, his father was more interested in poring over church registers in search of missing Mahoneys. He spent three days hunched over handwritten lines. Bryan, we have a strong Irish interest group. Come in for one of our workshops. Marge will help you find the Maloneys that eluded your dad.

I have one big question. How am I ever going to explain how Jamboree is like a combination of Woodstock and Comic Con? As far as that goes, how am I even going to explain Comic Con? Maybe this year's badge ribbons should read ... what? Jambostock? Woodology? GEE-nee-ah-Con?

Whatever.

Just stay away from the Brown/Browne/Braun brick walls.

Area Event: British Isles January 22

2012-01-17T07:46:00.000-08:00

Posting this for our friends at the British Isles Family History Society USA:

"Find A Grave: A Virtual Cemetery on the Internet"
by Cheri Mello will be the topic of the January British Isles Family History Society - U.S.A. general meeting on Sunday, 22 January 2012 at the Los Angeles Family History Library, 10741 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, California 90025, 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The FindAGrave website can be an invaluable tool for genealogists since its memorials may contain rich content such as photos, biographies, and dates. Cheri will tell us how to join FindAGrave, search, create memorials, add to other memorials, and create your own virtual cemetery! Cheri Mello is a family genealogist who has been researching for 19 years.

"Getting Ready to Travel with Your Genealogy" is the title of the workshop after the break. Nancy Carlberg will provide hints for organizing research before you travel to a Family History Library or any genealogy library.

Lydia Davis Jeffrey
President, British Isles Family History Society - U.S.A.

Area Event: San Fernando Valley Genealogical Society

2012-01-16T22:20:00.000-08:00

We are passing this along for our good friends at the San Fernando Valley Genealogical Society

"Crossing the Continent: Migration Between the Revolution and the Civil War (1783 - 1861)" will be the topic of speaker, Kathleen Roe Travena, at the San Fernando Valley Genealogical Society January 20, 2012 meeting at 7:30 p.m. at the Meeting Room at the Chatsworth Train Station,10038 Old Depot Road, Chatsworth CA 91311.

Kathleen Travena is a retired computer document writer and has been a genealogist for 30 years.She lectures on migration, naming patterns, occupations, money, crime and punishment, and other historical topics that illuminate our ancestors lives.

Join us for this interesting and educational presentation. Learn how your ancestors may have crossed the continent in those early years.

Visitors are welcome. Our programs are free, but donations are appreciated. You can also find us at the following web site: (http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~casfvgs/index.html)

For more information call John Lindsay at (818)349-0878.

REMINDER: Lunch and Learn with Brenda Danielson and Jean Wilcox Hibben, PhD, CG

2012-01-13T16:30:00.000-08:00

Gerald O'Hara: Do you mean to tell me, Katie Scarlett O'Hara, that Tara, that land doesn't mean anything to you? Why, land is the only thing in the world worth workin' for, worth fightin' for, worth dyin' for, because it's the only thing that lasts.

Don't forget tomorrow's (Saturday January 14, 2012) Lunch and Learn series.

Lunch 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m.
Sit, chat and share your genealogy stories and questions while eating your brown bag lunch

Learn: 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Using Land Records

Presented by Brenda Danielson

Land records can offer important evidence for your family. This entertaining lecture will provide details about why and how to find land records.

Brenda Danielson has been working on her genealogy for over 30 years. A retired elementary school teacher, Brenda is now a full-time genealogist and family historian. She has been teaching classes at the Corona Family History Center and brings a wealth of first-hand experience into the classroom. Her know-how will enlighten those who attend her classes with both practical and anecdotal information. She assisted with the SCGS Kids’ Family History Camp, 2011. Brenda is a member of the Southern California Chapter of the Association of Professional Genealogists.

Learn 2:15 p.m. to 3:15 p.m.

Sherlock Homes: Investigating Your Ancestor's House
Presented by Jean Wilcox Hibben

Frequently there are family history treasures to be found within the houses of our ancestors. Where was the house located in relation your ancestor's business and other buildings in the town your ancestor called home? This program takes a look at investigating ancestors by researching their dwellings and promises to provide a few laughs as well.

Jean Wilcox Hibben, CG, a national speaker with PhD (folklore) and MA (speech) degrees, is president of both Corona Genealogical Society and Southern California Chapter of the Association of Professional Genealogists, secretary of Genealogical Speakers Guild, and director of the Corona Family History Center. Jean assisted with the SCGS Kids' Family History Camp, 2011.

This double bill includes Using Land Records, presented by Brenda Danielson from 1:00 - 2:00pm.

The library will closed for research.
For questions please contact Charlotte rubymoon01@yahoo.com

Lunch and Learn: Your Ancestor's House - Jan 14

2012-01-03T22:36:00.001-08:00

SCGS presents its Lunch and Learn series on Saturday January 14, 2012

Lunch 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m.
Sit, chat and share your genealogy stories and questions while eating your brown bag lunch

Learn 2:15 p.m. to 3:15 p.m.

Sherlock Homes: Investigating Your Ancestor's House
Presented by Jean Wilcox Hibben

Frequently there are family history treasures to be found within the houses of our ancestors. Where was the house located in relation your ancestor's business and other buildings in the town your ancestor called home? This program takes a look at investigating ancestors by researching their dwellings and promises to provide a few laughs as well.

Jean Wilcox Hibben, CG, a national speaker with PhD (folklore) and MA (speech) degrees, is president of both Corona Genealogical Society and Southern California Chapter of the Association of Professional Genealogists, secretary of Genealogical Speakers Guild, and director of the Corona Family History Center. Jean assisted with the SCGS Kids' Family History Camp, 2011.

This double bill includes Using Land Records, presented by Brenda Danielson from 1:00 - 2:00pm.

The library will closed for research.
For questions please contact Charlotte rubymoon01@yahoo.com

Lunch and Learn: Using Land Records - Jan 14

2012-01-03T22:36:00.000-08:00

SCGS presents its Lunch and Learn series on Saturday January 14, 2012

Lunch 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m.
Sit, chat and share your genealogy stories and questions while eating your brown bag lunch

Learn 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Using Land Records
Presented by Brenda Danielson

Land records can offer important evidence for your family. This entertaining lecture will provide details about why and how to find land records.

Brenda Danielson has been working on her genealogy for over 30 years. A retired elementary school teacher, Brenda is now a full-time genealogist and family historian. She has been teaching classes at the Corona Family History Center and brings a wealth of first-hand experience into the classroom. Her know-how will enlighten those who attend her classes with both practical and anecdotal information. She assisted with the SCGS Kids' Family History Camp, 2011. Brenda is a member of the Southern California Chapter of the Association of Professional Genealogists.

This double bill includes Sherlock Homes: Investigating Your Ancestor's House, presented by Jean Wilcox Hibben from 2:15 - 3:15p.m.

The library will closed for research.
Any questions please contact Charlotte rubymoon01@yahoo.com

NARA Field Trip in April - Make Your Reservations Now

2012-01-01T14:31:00.000-08:00

Announcement from Charlotte Bocage, SCGS Education Chair

SCGS presents its Lunch and Learn series - Saturday April 7, 2012

A Special Behind the Scenes Field Trip to:
National Archives and Records Administration

Tour Space is Limited; Reservations Required (make reservations between 2 Jan and 31 Mar)
RSVP between January 2 and March 31, 2012 to
riverside.archives@nara.gov
subject line – Field Trip
Please specific at which time/group you'd like to attend.

Tour Times:
Group 1 8:00-9:00 am
Group 2 10:30-11:30 am
Group 3 1:00-2:00 pm

Twenty people per tour.

Please arrange your own carpool. See list at the SCGS front desk of others seeking to carpool.

Driving from downtown Los Angeles: 69 miles and 1 hour and 10 minutes.
Directions: Take CA 60 east toward Riverside, Take I-215 south toward San Diego, Take exit 22, the Cajalco Expressway exit westbound, left on Harvill Ave., right on Cajalco Road to end of street, turn left into the parking lot.

Meet Charlotte inside in the lobby 5 minutes before your tour time.

A lunch room is available at NARA with a refrigerator, and microwave.

There will be NO instructional lecture provide, only the tours. Attend the free SCGS Lunch and Learn lecture on February 11 for information about NARA and the March 12 Lunch and Learn lecture to find out how to prepare for this field trip.

The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is the nation's record keeper of all documents and materials created in the course of business conducted by the United States Federal government. Those valuable records are available to you, whether you want to see if they contain clues about your family's history, need to prove a veteran's military service, or are researching an historical topic that interests you. Sometimes you can get information from other regional NARA facilities at the Perris location.

The Regional Archives (formerly in Laguna Niguel, CA) has moved to a new facility in Perris, Riverside County, CA. This location will better preserve records for coming generations, at more affordable cost to the government and taxpayers. All holdings are open for on-site research at their new research room, and are available to the public. Bring your research, your brick wall problems, and see what you will find in the free computer room.Kerry Bartels will be available all day.

NARA
23123 Cajalco Road
Perris, CA 92570
(951) 956-2000

Open Monday to Friday and the 1st Saturday of most months - 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Bargain Alert: Ancestry.com for New Subscribers

2012-01-01T14:11:00.000-08:00

Ancestry.com is running a promotion for new subscribers only.

A 6-month subscription to the US Discovery membership, regularly $78, is on sale for $49. The World Explorer 6-month membership is marked down to $99 from $159.

US Discovery subscription provides access to US records; the World Explorer subscription opens the door to everything on Ancestry.com.

Caveat: The subscription will renew at its standard price after the first 6 months.

The offers are for new subscribers only and not for renewal of current memberships.

The offer ends January 4, 2012, at midnight.

View the offer online at http://p.p0.com/YesConnect/HtmlMessagePreview?a=PCv6S-v9BRqNN2ptqovRUDBq

2011-12-29T01:00:00.000-08:00

The 12th Annual Southern California Genealogical Society GENEii Family History Writing Contest is now accepting entries. The contest closes at midnight on December 31, 2011. That's just a little over 24 hours from now.

Each entry must be submitted via email. The cover letter should be included in the body of the email. It should include the author’s name, address, telephone number, and e-mail address; the title of the article; the word count; and the category entered (1 or 2).

The writing contest offers cash awards in two categories:

Category 1: Family history or local history articles of 1,000-2,000 words in length, published or unpublished. If previously published, entries must be accompanied by the written permission of the publisher allowing the article to be reprinted by SCGS.

Category 2: Family history or local history articles of 1,000 words or less, published or unpublished. If previously published, entries must be accompanied by the written permission of the publisher allowing the article to be reprinted by SCGS.

Entries must be received between November 1 and December 31, 2011.

Complete rules and FAQs can be found on the SCGS Website. This year's contest is dedicated to the memory of Beth Maltbie Uyehara, who founded the contest in 2000.

NGS Unveils Civil War Records Course

2011-12-20T14:20:00.001-08:00

As the 2011 commemoration of 150th Anniversary of the start of the US Civil War comes to a close, you may still be looking for more Civil War resources. We pass this on for our friends at NGS:

The National Genealogical Society proudly announces the release of its newest American Genealogy Studies course, Introduction to Civil War Records, developed by renowned military expert Craig Roberts Scott, CG.

Craig Roberts Scott is a nationally recognized lecturer, educator, and genealogical and historical researcher with more than thirty years' experience. He is a member of the Company of Military Historians and specializes in the diverse military records at the National Archives.

Besides being CEO and President of Heritage Books, Inc., a genealogical publishing firm, Craig coordinates the Military tracks at the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy and Samford University Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research in Birmingham, Alabama. He has authored The "Lost Pensions": Settled Accounts of the Act of 6 April 1838 and Records of the Accounting Officers of the Department of the Treasury, Inventory 14 (Revised).

Now, Craig brings his military expertise to NGS with the Introduction to Civil War Records. In this seven chapter course, Craig introduces numerous records including compiled service records, prisoner of war records, and pension files created for, during, and after the war. He provides strategies to identify and locate information on an ancestor living at the time of the Civil War.

This NGS American Genealogy Studies course is available on CD-ROM as a PDF file compatible for a PC- or MAC for $35.00 for members and $50.00 for non-members. For further information, or to purchase the course, visit the NGS website at http://www.ngsgenealogy.org and click on Educational Courses.

The NGS American Genealogy Studies are designed for both the beginner and the established genealogist. These busy individuals want to learn about a specific topic and put the ensuing knowledge to work quickly. NGS courses offer the convenience of completing a genealogy study at their own pace in their home.

Please visit the NGS Pressroom for further information.

Contribute Your Pacific Immigration Stories

2011-12-20T14:20:00.000-08:00

We pass this on for our friends:

The Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation (San Francisco, California) is pleased to announce a new oral history project. The project is actively seeking immigration stories, not restricted to those who passed through the Angel Island Station.

Browse through the stories or tell your own at http://www.aiisf.org/immigrant-voices.

For more information, contact Roy Chan, rchan@oacc.cc.

Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation (AIISF) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote a greater understanding of Pacific Coast immigration and its role in shaping America's past, present and future.

--Nancy MacKayOakland, Californianancymackay@gmail.com

RootsMagic User Group Meeting Dec 18 CANCELLED

2011-12-18T09:28:00.001-08:00

The RootsMagic User group meeting scheduled for this coming Sunday is cancelled.

We recommend that everyone take a look at the newly-released RootsMagic 5. You can download it for free and try it out if you're not quite sure whether you are ready to move up yet. Just make sure you make a backup copy of your RM 4 database and store it in a safe place before you begin using the new version which will convert your data to the RM 5 format.

Download the new version of RM 5 here http://www.rootsmagic.com/Try/RootsMagic/

Also be sure to watch the webinar "What's New in RootsMagic 5" at
http://files.rootsmagic.com/webinars/2011-11-29-Whats-New-in-RootsMagic-5.mp4

Don't forget the Holiday Special - until December 22 RootsMagic owners can order as many copies of RM 5 as you wish for only $19.95. This same offer also applies for Personal Historian 2.
Use this link for the special offer http://www.rootsmagic.com/holidayoffer/

We will devote a significant part of our meeting on January 15 to reviewing RM 5 and its new capabilities and we encourage you to attend and share your experiences with using it.

Have a great holiday season and see you in January!

For further information about the RootsMagic User Group contact Jay Holladay: jholladay@ca.rr.com

Book Release: Californians in Colonial America

2011-12-16T01:56:00.000-08:00

If you are researching ancestors in Southern California, here are 9 essays that describe early life in several different voices.

We pass this on for our friends at the Huntington Library Press:

Alta California: Peoples in Motion, Identities in Formation, 1769-1850
Edited by: Steven W. Hackel

Spanish California—with its diverse mix of Indians, soldiers, settlers, and missionaries—provides a fascinating site for the investigation of individual and collective identity in colonial America. Through innovative methodologies and extensive archival research, the nine essays in this volume reshape our understanding of how people in the northernmost Spanish Borderlands viewed themselves and remade their worlds. Essays examine Franciscan identity and missionary tactics in Alta California, Sonora, and the Sierra Gorda; Spanish and Mexican settlers’ identity as revealed in mission records, family relationships, political affiliations, and genetic origins; and Indian identity as shown in mission orchestras and choral guilds as well as in the life of Pablo Tac, a Luiseño who penned his own remembrance of the Spanish conquest of Alta California. The concluding essays examine the identity and historiography of the field of the Spanish Borderlands as it has developed over the last century in North America and Spain.

Huntington Library Press
Established in 1920, the Huntington Library Press is one of Southern California's oldest book publishers. Its current publishing agenda includes a quarterly journal for scholars and a mixture of scholarly books, conference papers, exhibition catalogs, facsimiles from its collections, and visitor publications.

Bargain Alert: World Vital Records

2011-12-14T16:44:00.000-08:00

We received notice from our good friend Leland Meitzler, editor of Genealogy Newsline, about a substantial discount on World Vital Records. The offer, good through December 23, provides for a $69.95 price. WVR will toss in a free month, making the savings more than $79.

Here's a link to the offer.

Happy Hunting!

12th GENEii Writing Contest - 2 Weeks Remain to Submit Entries

2011-12-14T01:00:00.000-08:00

The 12th Annual Southern California Genealogical Society GENEii Family History Writing Contest is now accepting entries. Only two weeks remain in the submission period.

Each entry must be submitted via email. The cover letter should be included in the body of the email. It should include the author’s name, address, telephone number, and e-mail address; the title of the article; the word count; and the category entered (1 or 2).

The writing contest offers cash awards in two categories:

Category 1: Family history or local history articles of 1,000-2,000 words in length, published or unpublished. If previously published, entries must be accompanied by the written permission of the publisher allowing the article to be reprinted by SCGS.

Category 2: Family history or local history articles of 1,000 words or less, published or unpublished. If previously published, entries must be accompanied by the written permission of the publisher allowing the article to be reprinted by SCGS.

Entries must be received between November 1 and December 31, 2011.

Complete rules and FAQs can be found on the SCGS Website. This year's contest is dedicated to the memory of Beth Maltbie Uyehara, who founded the contest in 2000.

SSI Index Removed from Rootsweb.com

2011-12-12T17:22:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Heather Rojo and many others for pointing out that the Social Security Death Index (SSDI) has been removed from Rootsweb.com. The message reads,

"Due to sensitivities around the information in this database, the Social Security Death Index collection is not available on our free Rootsweb service but is accessible to search on Ancestry.com. Visit the Social Security Death Index page to be directly connected to this collection."

Randy Seaver of San Diego posted an update on his blog, Genea-Musings. His post includes alternate sites for the SSDI:

FamilySearch.org
GenealogyBank.com
Ancestry.com
WorldVitalRecords.com

Please note that some of these sites require you to sign up to be able to search the records. Others require a membership.

The other change you'll note is that Ancestry has stopped providing the Social Security Number for those individuals who have died in the past 10 years. The change may be in reaction to recent legislative efforts to curtail release of SSDI information to avoid identity theft. Ironic, because the SSDI was created explicity to prevent identity theft.

It's unfortunate that the Rootsweb SSDI file was removed. It was undoubtedly the easiest one to use.

We wish you good luck and successful searches in whatever you do.

SCGS at RootsTech Conference, February 2-4, 2012

2011-12-12T16:15:00.000-08:00

We are very pleased to announce that the Southern California Genealogical Society has been approved as an exhibitor at the widely popular RootsTech conference that will be held in Salt Lake City, UT, in early February.

We will be stationed at booth 629, across the aisle from the computer access area. In the area you will find other organizations such as the National Genealogical Society, Federation of Genealogical Studies, Association of Professional Genealogists, NEHGS, and the Utah Genealogical Society. It is an honor to be included among such organizations.

Thank you to the RootsTech planners who, in responding to calls from the community, adapted their vision of the exhibit hall to include genealogical societies as well book publishers and sellers.

Societies hold a pivotal role in transforming old school genealogy into the future's technology-driven solutions. The transition will not happen overnight but it is inevitable.

Societies help educate members about tools that can relieve some of the drudgery of collecting, evaluating, organizing and managing data. Already, a handful of societies have actively embraced technology and deliver services using these tools (webinars, web-based chapter meetings, offering online databases of information collected by the organization) for their members and genealogists around the world.

Be sure to stop by the booth to say hi, to pick up information about our Jamboree Webinar Extension Series, and to register for Jamboree.

We look forward to seeing you!

Bargain Alert: Free Webinar with Michael John Neill - Available till Dec 10

2011-12-08T08:33:00.000-08:00

You may remember Michael John Neill, who spoke at Jamboree 2010. He is is giving one of his webinars, plus the handout that goes with it, for free. He says, "We are giving away free copies of our "Genealogy Brick Walls from A to Z" webinar. Go here http://rootdig.blogspot.com/2011/10/recorded-copies-of-recent-webinars.html click on "Brick Walls from A to Z" (4th one down). Use coupon code PEARLHARBOR and the price will be 0."

The offer closes at midnight Central time on December 10th.

Thanks for the offer and your support of genealogy, Michael!

REMINDER: SCGS Annual Meeting and Potluck Lunch - Dec 10

2011-12-07T10:19:00.000-08:00

Don't miss Saturday's SCGS Annual Meeting, potluck and silent auction. This is a great opportunity to catch up with old friends, meet new friends, hear about the SCGS successes of 2011, and be the first to hear about the plans for Jamboree 2012. You'll have a chance to shop and bid on gifts in the silent auction.

Saturday, December 10, 2011
11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
SCGS Library
417 Irving Drive
Burbank, CA 91504
818-843-7247

Bargain Alert: WWII Military Records on Ancestry.com

2011-12-02T13:32:00.000-08:00

Ancestry.com is offering free access to its World War II records through Dec. 7.

The company says one in five Americans is a direct descendant of a World War II veteran while four out of five Americans are related to someone who served.

The documents include 33 million records from the Navy's Muster Rolls between 1939 and 1949. They detail all enlisted personnel who served aboard a Navy ship during that decade.

The company says nearly anyone with a family member enlisted in the Navy during this time should be able to find their records in this collection.

Ancestry.com Inc. said Friday it's offering free access in remembrance of the 70th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Attention Amazon Shoppers ...

2011-12-01T11:40:00.000-08:00


Click and Shop!

... and just in time for holiday shopping ...

SCGS has renewed its status as an Amazon Affiliate. Amazon had temporarily suspended all California affiliate accounts in response to our state's plans to assess sales tax to out-of-state purchases. Fortunately for all of us Amazon customers, that issue has been resolved and we are back in Affiliate business.

As an Amazon Affiliate, SCGS earns a few pennies of commission when you purchase items using a special link. Use the link every time you shop on Amazon, whether you're buying electronics, books, DVDs, clothes, toys, chocolates or even diamond rings.

Please help support SCGS's mission to help others discover the history of their family.

PS - If you saved the earlier SCGS link to Amazon, please bookmark the new link. The former link is no longer active.

The new link is: http://www.amazon.com/?&tag=southcalifgen-20

7 Days Left to Return Your Ballot

2011-12-01T01:00:00.000-08:00

SCGS ballots have been mailed - if you are a voting member, check your mailbox.

This year SCGS has a slate of four candidates for three Board positions. Ballots are due back to the SCGS Library by December 9th.

Winners will be announced at the 2011 Annual Meeting to be held at the Library on December 10th from 11 am to 3 pm.

Bargain Alert: All I Want from You this Year is Spit

2011-11-30T14:51:00.000-08:00

Are you looking for an unusual gift that could unlock the secret to a brand new branch of the family? Whether you're giving the kit to a family member, asking for a contribution of spit or a cheek swab, or upgrading your own test results, do we have a deal for you!

Family Tree DNA has just announced their Holiday Sale for new DNA kits and upgrades to existing kits.

If you already have a DNA kit and want to order an upgrade, please go to your FTDNA kit personal page and click on ORDER TESTS AND UPGRADES. Sale prices are already listed for each sale kit or upgrade.

If you've never tested before, order your new kit through this link: http://www.familytreedna.com/group-join.aspx?Group=SCGS

Here are the details from FTDNA:

Effective immediately through December 31, 2011.

Current Group Price SALE PRICE
Y-DNA 37 $149 $119
Y-DNA 67 $239 $199
mtFullSequence $299 $239
SuperDNA (Y-DNA67 and FMS) $518 $438

Family Finder $289 $199

Family Finder + mtPlus $438 $318
Family Finder + FMS $559 $439
Family Finder+ Y-DNA37 $438 $318
Comprehensive (FF + FMS + Y-67) $797 $627
Upgrades
Current Group Price SALE PRICE
12-25 Marker $49 $35
12-37 Marker $99 $69
12-67 Marker $189 $148
25-37 Marker $49 $35
25-67 Marker $148 $114
37-67 Marker $99 $79
Family Finder $289 $199
mtHVR1toMega $269 $229
mtHVR2toMega $239 $209

This promotion is not valid in conjunction with any other promotions or coupons. At this time, FTDNA will not be offering discounts for the Y-DNA111 new kits or upgrades. Those may be offered at a later time pending the lab volumes with the tests under promotion.

Family Tree DNA
www.familytreedna.com

Top Ten Holiday Gifts that Support SCGS

2011-11-26T01:00:00.000-08:00

Here's the SCGS top ten list .....

10. SCGS logo items (e.g., mugs, caps) from Cafe Press
9. Genealogical research by the SCGS staff
8. 2011 Jamboree Syllabus – CD Version
7. SCGS gift certificates
6. 1892 Los Angeles Great Register - Vols. 1 & 2
5. Spanish-Mexican Families of Early California - Vols. 1, 2 & 3
4. "My Heritage is Here" t-shirts
3. Who Do You Think You Are by Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak
2. Family Tree DNA test kits
1. SCGS memberships for all of your family members and friends

Our on-line store is full of great gift ideas that when purchased also help fill to our coffer.

SCGS at CafePress
SCGS Shopping Cart
SCGS discounts at FTDNA
My Heritage is Here t-shirt orders

The Civil War in California: The California Hundred and California Battalion

2011-11-24T01:51:00.000-08:00

Two articles about the California 100 and the California Battalion, both formed in San Francisco, can be found at the California State Military Museum's website on the subject. Written by Wayne Edward Sherman.

Volunteer Opportunity: Nov 29-30 Mailing

2011-11-19T02:30:00.001-08:00

What: Stuff and label SCGS Century Club letter

Date: Tues., Nov. 29th and Wed., Nov. 30th
Hours: 10am to 4pm
Where: SCGS library

We are looking for volunteers to assist with this large mailing activity. Please drop by. No RSVP necessary.

Thanksgiving Week Library Hours Update

2011-11-19T02:30:00.000-08:00

Library hours Thanksgiving week:

Special closures:
November 23 (Wednesday) CLOSED
November 24 (Thursday) CLOSED

Return to normal operating schedule:
November 25 (Friday) OPEN
November 26 (Saturday) OPEN
November 27 (Sunday) CLOSED

Don't Forget to Vote - SCGS Board Elections

2011-11-19T01:00:00.000-08:00

SCGS ballots have been mailed - if you are a voting member, check your mailbox.

This year SCGS has a slate of four candidates for three board positions. Ballots are due back to the SCGS Library by December 9th.

Winners will be announced at the 2011 Annual Meeting to be held at the Library on December 10th from 11 am to 3 pm.

RootsMagic User Group Meeting Nov 20

2011-11-18T21:13:00.000-08:00

The next meeting of the SCGS RootsMagic User Group will be held this
coming Sunday at the usual time and place:
Date: Sunday, November 20, 2011
Time: 2-4 PM
Place: SCGS Library
417 Irving Drive (near Glenoaks) in Burbank
Program - Topics to be discussed at our November meeting will include the following items:

- Sam Ward will follow up on a question that arose at our October meeting: How does the RootsMagic duplicate records merging function work? He has done some testing of this capability and the results were not what he expected. Come and hear about what he discovered and what changes to RootsMagic this might suggest.

- Bill Miller will tell us about his recent work scanning old photos and other documents to add to his media files. He will also tell us about the media file naming rules he developed for use in this effort.
Bill also suggested that a future meeting we discuss how to easily/quickly preview a "narrative report" on a portion of an RM database. What he has in mind is a Preview option such as one gets in a "print preview" screen with other software. This would allow you to quickly see what the narrative report would look like when printed after an addition or edit of an individual's information in the database.

At our last meeting Sam discussed some highlights of the newly-released Personal Historian 2 software package which will assist you with writing your own history or that of another family member. He highly recommends that you view the webinar "What's New in Personal Historian 2?", no. 25 in the RootsMagic Webinar series, to learn more about the program and how to use it. (See link to webinars below)

As always, we encourage you to bring your RootsMagic questions and problems for discussion by the group.

If you have them, please bring to the meeting your laptop and/or your copy of Getting the Most Out of RootsMagic 4.

You are also encouraged to send us your suggestions for future meetings. At each meeting we try to cover topics of interest to both beginners and more experienced users.

RootsMagic Webinars - Do you have some favorites from among the 26 Roots Magic webinars that have been presented? See the RM webinar page at http://www.rootsmagic.com/Webinars/ for a complete list. At the meeting, please tell us about one you have found to be helpful. The first webinar of the series, "Getting Started with RootsMagic" (January 8) is an excellent introduction to the program. Whichever one you watch, we suggest you download it per their instructions so you can view it, pause, go back, etc. at your leisure. Let us know if you have any questions about accessing or using the webinars.

Next Month's Meeting - December 18, 2011 (Scheduling of this meeting will be discussed at our November 20 meeting.)
Future Meetings - January 15, 2012, February 19, March 18

Latest Version of RM4 - Version 4.1.2.1 (20 Sep 2011). For more information see the RootsMagic blog. (http://blog.rootsmagic.com/)

For further information about the meeting or the user group, contact Jay Holladay: jholladay@ca.rr.com

REMINDER: Photo Scanning Sunday November 20

2011-11-18T21:09:00.000-08:00

REMINDER

We wanted to remind you about the great event happening at the SCGS library this Sunday, November 20, from 11AM-2PM. 1000memories, a popular photo sharing and genealogy website, will be co-hosting "How to Go Home" with SCGS. This free event will include free photo scanning, a show and tell of great old photos, and a short class on family secrets hidden in your shoebox. 1000memories will also be demonstrating a fun new activity for sharing photos and stories with your family this Thanksgiving.

For your benefit, all photos scanned will be archived online at 1000memories.com under your secure account by the Internet Archive. Having your photos online will allow you to access them from your home computer and to share them with your friends or family if you choose to do so. You won't need to bring a thumb drive since the photos will be stored online.

A few reminders:
• Don't forget to bring your shoebox full of old photos
• If you have an iPhone or iPad, please bring them it. 1000memories will hold a tutorial on using Shoebox, their free app that turns iPhones into scanners.
• If you don't have an iPhone, we will provide scanning assistance

Please let us know if you have any questions in advance. We look forward to seeing you on Sunday!

We appreciate it if you would REGISTER in advance.

PS - stay for the RootsMagic interest group that starts at 2pm

The Civil War in California: SoCal Encampments

2011-11-17T01:16:00.000-08:00

According to the California State Military Museum's website, "When the {Civil War} erupted in April of 1861, the California Legislature declared the State for the Union {..} and pitched in with raising volunteers for the cause. By December of 1861, California had raised two regiments of cavalry and five regiments of infantry for the Union."

"Later, three more infantry regiments would be enlisted along with a battalion each of 'Mounted Infantry' and 'Native Cavalry' for a grand total of sixteen thousand plus Californians enlisting as volunteers during the war."

All the troops raised in California as volunteers served in locations in Southern California such as the Drum Barracks in Wilmington, Camp Fitzgerald (Imperial County), Two Harbors Isthmus, and Camp Latham on Ballona Creek in Culver City (intersection of Jefferson and Overland Boulevards).

See the Los Angeles Almanac(TM) Los Angeles Area Civil War Barracks for more information.

Annual Meeting and Silent Auction - Dec 10

2011-11-15T01:00:00.000-08:00

Date: 10 December 2011
Time: 11 am to 3 pm
Location: SCGS Library, 417 Irving Drive, Burbank (818-843-7247)

Annual business meeting

Newly elected will be announced

Long time members & past presidents will be honored

Year-end activity summary from SCGS leadership

Silent auction**

Bring your cash, checks and credit cards to shop

Food

Bring your favorite holiday potluck dish to share

Jamboree 2012 sneak preview

Breaking news about speakers and activities

Jamboree 2012 full conference registration raffle

**Note: we are looking for new or gently used donations for the Silent Auction

You are Cordially Invited: "A Guide for Going Home"

2011-11-11T16:25:00.000-08:00

Just as families everywhere drag carry-ons through airport terminals and merge onto construction-plagued highways to visit grandma's independent living condo, the Southern California Genealogical Society and website 1000memories.com have joined forces to help preserve and share your cherished memories - forever.

On November 20, 2011, from 11am to 2pm, SCGS and 1000memories.com will hold "A Guide for Going Home," an event to provide scanning of treasured family photos, videos, stories, letters and cards. The event is free and open to the public.

As SCGS president Heidi Ziegler noted, "This could be a great event for you and your family. In particular, it is a perfect opportunity to digitize old photos before Thanksgiving so that you can share them with family over the holidays."

The event will include free scanning, a "show & tell" of great old photographs, a short class on vintage photography, and instruction on using the 1000memories.com website and mobile app.

Bring a shoebox of your old photos and join us!

If you have any questions about the types of materials that can be scanned, please contact scgs@1000memories.com.

Thank you for your continued support of the programs and activities of the Southern California Genealogical Society. We look forward to seeing you on November 20th!

P.S. - If you are not in the Southern California area and would like information on digitizing your vintage photos or would like to sponsor a similar event in your area, please contact scgs@1000memories.com

Download the flyer here

Area Event: FamilySearch at SB Genealogical Society - Nov 19

2011-11-10T17:56:00.000-08:00

We pass this on for our friends at the Santa Barbara Genealogical Society:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Event Date Nov. 19, 2011

Dr. Richard D. McBride to present FamilySearch™ at SB Genealogical Society Monthly Meeting

The Santa Barbara County Genealogical Society holds its monthly general meeting on Saturday, November 19^th, at the First Presbyterian Church, 21 E. Constance at State Street, 9:30 am to 12:00 pm.

Dr. Richard D. McBride will discuss "Finding Records using FamilySearch.org."

Dr. McBride has been the director of the Los Angeles Family History Library for nearly seven years. He oversaw the multi-million dollar renovation that has made this state-of-the-art facility the largest Family History Library outside of Salt Lake City. He has been involved in family history research for more than 40 years.

FamilySearch™ contains records from countries all around the world and has almost 2 billion names indexed in its database. FamilySearch™ also has hundreds of audio and video research courses available online. It is an invaluable tool for anyone serious about family research.

Come join us. You do not need to be a member to enjoy this wonderful presentation. A calendar of genealogical events can be found at the Society web site.

Media contact: Glenn Avolio, PR Chair, glennavolio@gmail.com (805) 886-5438

LA Westside Genealogical Society Annual Show and Tell Potluck - Nov 15

2011-11-10T17:05:00.000-08:00

We pass this on for our friends at the Los Angeles Westside Genealogical Society:

Annual Show and Tell Potluck

This month members provide the program for our annual Show and Tell. Everyone is invited to participate by sharing a short family story or anecdote, showing a family heirloom or photo, or relating some research breakthrough or experience. If you would like to join in, feel free to get on the agenda by calling Tom Lane at 310-393-5574. Or see Tom first thing at the meeting if you would like to join in, or just put your family item on our special display table with a short note of explanation.

You don't need to bring a Show-and-Tell object or story to have a good time (although it really does help make friends with other attendees). Although everyone is welcome to bring a "pot" for the potluck, brand new visitors need not.

Members of the Board are bringing extra amounts to be sure everyone is covered. Long time members, we look forward to enjoying your food contributions and your stories! Let's learn, laugh, and visit with old and new friends.

Visitors Welcome!

Tuesday, November 15th

PROGRAM SCHEDULE
6:30 pm-9:00 pm
Potluck set-up 6:30–7:00 pm
Annual Potluck 7:00-7:20 pm
Society Business 7:20-7:30 pm
Show and Tell 7:30-9:00 pm

Family History Library
on the Westwood Mormon Temple grounds
10741 Santa Monica Blvd. @ Overland Avenue
Get directions from Tom Lane at (310) 393-5574
Check out their website at: www.lawgsweb.org

The Civil War in California: LA Mounted Rifles

2011-11-10T01:34:00.000-08:00

Did you know that there was a Confederate Militia in California? "They were members of a bona fide company of California Militia - the Los Angeles Mounted Rifles. As the only Free State militia unit that 'went Confederate,' their story is unique in itself." Maybe your ancestor was one of the 64 privates listed on the initial muster roll?

Assigned to: First Brigade
Location: Los Angeles, Los Angeles County
Organized: March 7, 1861
Mustered Out: 1861

Learn more at this wonderful site, California's Confederate Militia, hosted by the California State Military Museum. A link to the initial muster roll can also be found here.

SCGS Lunch and Learn, Civil War Records - Nov 12

2011-11-06T17:50:00.000-08:00

LUNCH AND LEARN
@
Southern California Genealogical Society and Family Research Library
417 Irving Drive, Burbank, California 91504
818-843-7247

Saturday November 12, 2011
Doors open at 12noon

Lunch - 12:00 noon to 1p.m.
Sit, chat, and share your genealogy stories and questions while eating your brown bag lunch.

Learn - Presented by Kim vonAspern-Parker
1:00 to 2:00 "Grand Army of the Republic" lecture
2:00 to 2:15 break
2:15 to 3:15 "National Civil War Association" lecture

"Grand Army of the Republic"

Do you know what it was, who was involved and where to find the records? Was your ancestor a member"

"National Civil War Association"

Have you looked everywhere? Really? This lecture will provide you with where else to look for Civil War military records besides NARA.

Kim vonAspern-Parker left the world the Journalism (she has a BA in Journalism) and took up chasing dead relatives more than 20 years ago. Kim now works with clients organizing and verifying existing research, and doing research to uncover new genealogy. An ardent attendee of genealogical conferences and other methods of learning genealogy she hopes to take all that knowledge and parlay it into a certification or an accreditation.

The library will not be open for research.

Any questions please contact Charlotte rubymoon01@yahoo.com

The Civil War in California: Seccessionists Right Here in LA

2011-11-03T01:25:00.000-07:00

In the 1860s, there were about 5,000 people in Los Angeles. It took 12 days for news of the start of the Civil War to reach LA. Did the Civil War affect their daily lives?

Read a fascinating article, by Nathan Masters, to find out that indeed the Civil War was front and center.

Civil War: How Southern California Tried to Split from Northern California
by Nathan Masters

Part of KCET's SoCal focus on history.

Ready, Set, Write! NaNoWriMo at SCGS Starts Nov 1

2011-10-31T23:00:00.000-07:00

Stop by SCGS all month long for a quiet place to write.
The official SCGS Write In is November 29 from 10am to 9pm.
Link to Los Angeles-based activities for NaNoWriMo.

2011-10-31T01:00:00.000-07:00

The 12th Annual Southern California Genealogical Society GENEii Family History Writing Contest is now accepting entries.

Each entry must be submitted via email. The cover letter should be included in the body of the email. It should include the author’s name, address, telephone number, and e-mail address; the title of the article; the word count; and the category entered (1 or 2).

The writing contest offers cash awards in two categories:

Category 1: Family history or local history articles of 1,000-2,000 words in length, published or unpublished. If previously published, entries must be accompanied by the written permission of the publisher allowing the article to be reprinted by SCGS.

Category 2: Family history or local history articles of 1,000 words or less, published or unpublished. If previously published, entries must be accompanied by the written permission of the publisher allowing the article to be reprinted by SCGS.

Entries must be received between November 1 and December 31, 2011.

Complete rules and FAQs can be found on the SCGS Website. This year's contest is dedicated to the memory of Beth Maltbie Uyehara, who founded the contest in 2000.

Volunteer Opportunity: Nov 2-3 Ballot Mailing

2011-10-29T17:08:00.000-07:00

What: Stuff and label SCGS ballots

Date: Tues., Nov. 1st and Wed., Nov. 2nd
Hours: 10am to 4pm
Where: SCGS library

We are looking for volunteers to assist with this large mailing activity. Please drop by. No RSVP necessary.

Novel Month Takes World by Storm

2011-10-29T16:48:00.000-07:00

Symptoms include flashes of brilliance, questionable plotlines, and blatant use of mixed metaphors.

Berkeley, California (Oct 10, 2011) - At midnight on November 1, armed only with their wits, the vague outline of a story, and a ridiculous deadline, more than 250,000 people around the world will set out to become novelists. Why? Because November is National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo, the world's largest writing challenge and nonprofit literary crusade. Participants pledge to write 50,000 words in a month, starting from scratch and reaching "The End" by November 30. There are no judges, no prizes, and entries are deleted from the server before anyone even reads them.

So what's the point? "The 50,000-word challenge has a wonderful way of opening up your imagination and unleashing creativity," says NaNoWriMo Founder and Executive Director (and 12-time NaNoWriMo winner) Chris Baty. "When you write for quantity instead of quality, you end up getting both. Also, it's a great excuse for not doing any dishes for a month." More than 650 regional volunteers in more than 60 countries will hold write-ins, hosting writers in coffee shops, bookstores, and libraries. Write-ins offer a supportive environment and surprisingly effective peer pressure, turning the usually solitary act of writing into a community experience. That sense of community even extends beyond the page—so much so that several dozen marriages and at least six babies have resulted from NaNoWriMo over the years.

Although the event emphasizes creativity and adventure over creating a literary masterpiece, more than 90 novels begun during NaNoWriMo have since been published, including Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen, and The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, both #1 New York Times Best Sellers. "Writing a novel in a month inspires incredible confidence in seasoned and first-time novelists alike," says NaNoWriMo Program Director Lindsey Grant. "Completing a draft of the novel they've been contemplating for ages gives participants a tremendous sense of accomplishment and leaves them wondering what else they're capable of."

For more information on National Novel Writing Month, or to speak to NaNoWriMo participants in your area, visit www.nanowrimo.org or contact press@nanowrimo.org.

SCGS is a participating library - so Come Write In!

The Office of Letters and Light is a California-based international non-profit organization. Its programs are the largest literary events in the world. Learn more at www.lettersandlight.org

RootsTech Conference Discount Oct 27-29 ONLY

2011-10-21T06:08:00.000-07:00

Subject: Special FGS Discount for RootsTech 2012 Available for Three Days Only!

Thanks to SCGS's association with the Federation of Genealogical Societies, RootsTech is extending a very attractive discounted rate of $99 for three days only to any SCGS members who would like to participate in this one-of-a-kind, dynamic conference in Salt Lake City, Utah.

RootsTech is a leading edge conference designed to bring technologists together with genealogists, so they can learn from each other and find solutions to the challenges they face in family history research today. More than 3,000 people attended the inaugural conference in 2011 and their feedback on RootsTech was overwhelmingly positive. Don't miss out in 2012!

Take advantage of the special $99 registration rate and we look forward to seeing you at RootsTech 2012!

A new family history and technology conference
February 2-4, 2012
Salt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake City, Utah
FGS registration discount is available October 27 to 29
Use the promotion code FGS when registering to receive the FGS discount rate

At RootsTech, genealogists and family historians of all skill levels will learn technology-based solutions to accelerate their research. From the Expo Hall and participant-driven un-conferencing discussions to the RootsTech Playground, this conference is ground-breaking and unique. Check out rootstech.org for the most current information.

Be one of the thousands of RootsTech 2012 attendees to:

Experience hands-on workshops and interactive classes to accelerate your research
Help influence the future of genealogy
Learn and share new ways to adapt technologies to genealogy
Help leading-edge technology providers better understand your needs

Participate in panels, product demos and many networking opportunities

There will be sessions of interest to novices through advanced technology users, including:

Hands-on workshops
Sneak peek demonstrations of new products and services
Interactive presentations and panels
Un-conferencing discussions (last minute, on-the-fly sessions by attendees)

Go to RootsTech.org to see the full list of topics and sessions.

Register at RootsTech.org between October 27-29, 2011 and use the promotion code FGS to receive the $99 rate.

    $99 FGS promotion rate October 27-29, 2011
    $129 Early bird rate until November 30, 2011
    $189 beginning December 2011

RootsTech is sponsored by Microsoft, Dell, FamilySearch, Oracle, the National Genealogical Society, brightsolid, Ancestry.com, the Federation of Genealogical Societies, the New England Historic Genealogical Society, Archives.com, Brigham Young University, and the Association of Professional Genealogist

SCGS at the LA as Subject Archives Bazaar Oct 22

2011-10-20T06:56:00.000-07:00

Join SCGS at the 6th-Annual Los Angeles Archives Bazaar
hosted by LA as Subject

Saturday, October 22, 2011
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Doheny Memorial Library
USC University Park Campus

Located in the beautiful Doheny Memorial Library, this is a great event at which to learn about important archives in Los Angeles and meet like-minded archivists, historians and genealogists.

Event details are at http://www.laassubject.org/index.php/archives_bazaar. The program list was posted today (October 20) and it can be found at http://www.laassubject.org/index.php/archives_bazaar/program/2011

See last year's post at <http://scgsgenealogy.blogspot.com/2010/10/scgs-1890-project-sleuth-spotted-at-5th.html>

Time to Renew Ralphs Community Contributions

2011-10-20T06:06:00.000-07:00

At the turn of each year, September 1 to be exact, Ralphs asks the community to renew its commitment to the Ralphs Community Rewards program. Your donations serve as a valuable source of income that allows SCGS to offer member benefits.

To continue to earn rewards on behalf of SCGS, please go to ralphs.com and log in with your account information.

Then click "My Ralphs" and on the left side bar click "Community Contributions" and then the "Enroll" button

Type "Southern California Genealogical" and click the "Search" button

Select: Southern California Genealogical 417 Irving Drive, Burbank, CA 82966

Then click the "Save Changes" button

SCGS eNews and Notes Now Available Online

2011-10-19T17:19:00.000-07:00

The October/November issue of the SCGS eNews and Notes has been distributed and is available online.

The newsletter is sent to over 8500 readers and is designed to catch everyone up on the activities and programs of the Southern California Genealogical Society. You'll find items of interest to the general public as well as SCGS members.

If you didn't get your copy, you can read it here.

If you would like to receive the next issue delivered to your mailbox, just add your email address in the upper right corner of the SCGS website.

And The Nominees Are ......

2011-10-19T06:34:00.000-07:00

It is election season at SCGS. We have three (corrected) three-year board positions open. Ballots will be mailed to members in November.

Winners will be announced at the SCGS Annual Meeting on December 10th, 2011.

2012 SCGS Nominations

JOAN DEFATO
Joan DeFato was born in Brooklyn, NY, (Coney Island, in fact) and raised on Long Island. After receiving an A.B. in botany from Barnard College and an M.S. in library service from Columbia University, she worked as a librarian in a medical library and a botanical research library before moving to California in 1973 to become the librarian at the Los Angeles Arboretum in Arcadia. While at the Arboretum she was asked to borrow a census microfilm from the National Archives for a fellow worker. That was her introduction to genealogy. Although she did little or no research for a number of years, she is back in the hunt now that she is retired. With a mostly Irish ancestry, she is finding more information about her Italians and recently found the marriage of her great grandparents in 1882 in Genzano, Potenza, Italy. In the past she has been a librarian for SCGS and now does proofreading for The Searcher and is on the 2012 Jamboree raffle team.

ALICE FAIRHURST
Alice has been a genealogy researcher for over 40 years. Her areas of specialty outside the United States are Canada and Scotland. A member of the Southern California Genealogy Society, she has served on the Board for three years, is the DNA Interest Chair and the 2012 Jamboree Raffle Chair. She also coordinates the efforts for the International Society of Genetic Genealogy's Y-DNA Haplogroup Tree. A retiree from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, she served as Career Development and Mentoring Coordinator. She has spoken on managing creativity, organizational development, personality styles, career management and learning styles at conventions in various sites in the United States, Canada and Britain.

PAULA HINKEL
Within two hours of firing up an Ancestry.com fourteen-day trial, Paula Hinkel traced her paternal grandmother's family to medieval France, chevaliers and the Keeper of the King's Bread. The discoveries, while unproven and undocumented, were enough to ignite genealogy fever. She fortunately recognized the need to learn "the right way" and joined the Southern California Genealogical Society. Paula's professional experience includes marketing research, computer application usage, writing, and project management. She brings a unique set of skills to her roles as vice-president of SCGS and co-chair of the Society's annual conference, the successful and popular Southern California Genealogy Jamboree. Paula is a self-described technology instigator and helped implement many of the Society's technological advances. Her volunteer responsibilities at SCGS include:
·Vice President 2004-2005, 2008-2011
·President 2006
·Co-Chair of SCGS Jamboree 2006-2011
·Website designer and editor
·The Searcher (quarterly journal) contributor
·Marketing, Publicity and Promotion, Blog and Social Media Editor

She has photographed and transcribed over 15,000 headstones for the Findagrave.com website, researched the historic Los Angeles City Cemetery, developed a website to assist researchers in finding obituaries in Los Angeles County, and researched Civil War veteran burials in area cemeteries. Paula graduated with a BA in Business Administration from Briar Cliff College (Sioux City, Iowa) as a non-traditional student.

JOYCE ROBERSON
An employee of Pierce College for thirty-one years, she retired as the Assistant to the Vice-President of Academic Affairs. Always having a strong interest in writing, she joined the SCGS Writers Group and in 2011 was awarded first place in Category 2 in the GENII Writer's contest. Her essay Reprise was printed in the Summer 2011 The Searcher which was distributed to all participants at the 2011 Jamboree.

Joyce's lifelong interest in genealogy became an avid passion in 1995, when on a vacation trip back east she met her husband's cousins for the first time. They filled her in on the family back to 1800. She took the ball and ran with it, taking almost every line back to the late 1500s over time. She continues her work, fleshing out each precious ancestor's life with loving dedication.

She is a member of the SCGS Jamboree Planning Committee and a proofreader for The Searcher. She will be working on the Volunteer Recruitment Committee for the 2012 Jamboree.

Learn about Historypin Oct 21 2pm

2011-10-19T06:29:00.000-07:00

Historypin, (historypin.com), a Google-based application with slogan "Pin your history to the world", allows users to electronically "pin" stories, photos, videos, audio and more to a specific point on the global with an associated date in history.

We pass this on for our friends at the Glendale Public Library:

There will be a special presentation held by Historypin on Friday, October 21 at 2pm at the Glendale Public Library, Central Branch.

Historypin, created by We Are What We Do in partnership with Google, is a way for millions of people to come together to share glimpses of the past and build up the story of human history. The project, launched globally in July 2011, consists of the main online hub, Historypin.com, a Smartphone app and a series of dedicated social programmes, across education, community, archives and volunteers. Historypin is a non-profit, collaborative initiative, which is working with more and more libraries, archives and museums everyday to help them unlock their resources and reach new audiences.

Nick Stanhope, CEO of the non-profit organization that created Historypin, will provide an overview of Historypin and its current projects. Nick will also discuss how institutions and individuals with collections can get started with the project and answer any questions regarding workflow, content preparation, and selection.

When: Friday, October 21
Where: Glendale Public Library, Auditorium
222 E. Harvard St.
Glendale, CA 91205

Time: 2:00pm – 4:00 pm

More info about the location can be found here: http://library.ci.glendale.ca.us/central.asp

PARKING
- Library Visitors receive 3 hours FREE parking across Harvard at the Marketplace parking structure with validation at the Loan Desk.
- Parking spaces in front (east side) of the building are available for 30 minutes.
- Spaces on the south side are available for 1 hour.
- Metered parking is available on the west side of the building in Lot #10 and on Harvard Street. Handicapped parking is available at the front of the building.

About Nick Stanhope
After graduating from Oxford University in 2002, Nick spent six years working on the ground in communities, as a teacher, youth worker and fundraiser, before joining We Are What We Do in 2007 and becoming CEO in early 2009. Nick has gathered a team of more than twenty We Are What We Do-ers in London, Sofia and San Francisco, and significantly shaped the direction of the organization. His vision is for a non-profit company that puts a stream of desirable things into the world, in demand by a mainstream consumer audience and with positive behaviors built into them, incidentally helping people to do simple, good things and addressing major social and environmental issues.

Bargain Alert: FREE Ancestry.com Databases

2011-10-13T12:17:00.000-07:00

In celebration of its 15th anniversary, Ancestry.com is offering free access to several of its databases. The databases are listed at http://www.ancestry.com/anniversary and include US and international records.

You can also register for a grand prize of a trip to visit behind the scenes at Who Do You Think You Are.

Have fun! And good luck on your search. Let us know if you enjoy success using these great resources. We love to hear success stories. Just post a note using "comments" below.

Fall FCHSC Meeting - October 23

2011-10-13T01:15:00.000-07:00

Join the French Canadian Society of California for its Fall meeting.

Schedule of Events

11 a.m. - Noon "Quebec Notarial Records"
by Terri Carlson and Dorothy des Lauriers
Noon - 1:00 p.m. Social hour with potluck lunch
1:00 - 2:30 p.m. "Using Catholic Church Records in Your Research"
by Gena Philibert Ortega
2:30 - 3:30 p.m. “Hands-on” research assistance from our experts

Information: fchsc@scgsgenealogy.com or 818-843-7247 - Public welcome!

Special FTDNA 36-hour Sale!!

2011-09-26T13:39:00.000-07:00

For those of you interested in having a DNA test, FTDNA has announced a special sale. Great prices but the sale lasts only 36 hours and ends at 10:00 PM PDT on Sept. 27 - tomorrow night. Sample prices:
Y-DNA (37 markers) $129
mtDNA $ 59
Family Finder $199
These are only a sample, there are combinations of tests and mtDNA upgrades as well. If you have been waiting to test or to buy a kit for a cousin, now is your chance.
Full information available at the FTDNA site: http://www.familytreedna.com/

New Acadian Heritage Section Homepage

2011-09-19T20:00:00.000-07:00

We pass this on from our friends at the American-French Genealogical Society:

Acadian Heritage Section Homepage
Welcome to the Acadian Heritage section of the American-French Genealogical Society web site. We hope you will find the material here helpful in discovering a culture begun in North America. These hard working people, devoted to church and family, faced struggles unlike most others which created a unique cultural identity - Acadian.

Our aim is to highlight genealogical sources, historical events and places, language, food, music and joie de vivre typical of this group, to shed light on what may be a difficult area of your family history research.

Today, Acadia is not a country, but a common bond shared by people of it's heritage.

"In addition to the roughly 300,000 Acadians in the Maritime provinces, there are likely more than 1 million people of Acadian descent in Québec, 200,000 in Ontario and the western provinces, 400,000 in the northeastern United States, and 800,000 in Louisiana."(source: Encyclopedia of Canada's peoples; Paul R. Magocsi, editor)

The links provided here offer a wealth of information on this subject. We will be adding to this site regularly as more articles and references are submitted. Please feel free to contact us with comments and suggestions.

Area Event: A Family History Seminar

2011-09-17T17:21:00.000-07:00

We pass this on for our friends at the South Orange County California Genealogical Society:

A Family History Seminar

Saturday, October 15, 2011 - 9:00am to 3:30pm

Mission Viejo City Hall, Saddleback Room

100 Civic Center Drive (corner La Paz and Marguerite)

"An Ancestor's Life - Pulling It All Together"

featuring

Curt B. Witcher

For more information, go to the website

Jamestowne Society: First California Company

2011-09-14T18:01:00.000-07:00

We pass this on for our friends at the First California Company:

The Jamestowne colony was privately financed by the Virginia Company. 104 men and boys landed on the banks of Virginia's James River on May 14, 1607. There, over thirteen years before the Pilgrims landed in Massachusetts, they established the first permanent English settlement in America. They endured a struggle for existence against disease, drought, starvation and hostile native residents in which six out of seven perished. At that appalling cost, those newcomers left us some of our most profound and immutable national legacies. Links about Jamestowne, the first colony

Join us if you are a potential member wanting to establish your lineage to the Jamestowne Society's Qualifying Ancestors.

First California Company is one of 37 Companies of The Jamestowne Society. It is composed of members of the Society who are interested in associating with other members in California and participating in events and other activities that it sponsors.

For more information, visit this website

Area Event: 2011 Seminar Treasures, Travel and Technology

2011-09-14T17:27:00.000-07:00

We pass this on for our friends at the British Isles Family History Society - U.S.A.:

Treasures, Travel and Technology

featuring Darris G. Williams

Saturday, October 22, 2011 at Whittier Masonic Lodge
9:00am to 3:30pm

Topics include Hidden treasures in FamilySearch, FamilySearch Wikis and Forums, British Records Online: Past, Present and Future and Touring the British Isles Online: 18th - 19th Century Travel Accounts

For more information, visit the website

Area Events: It's about Timelines! September 20th

2011-09-10T10:38:00.000-07:00

We pass this on for our friends at Los Angeles WESTSIDE Genealogical Society:

Paul Lipinski has been a researcher for over thirty years and has traced most of his ancestral lines to the 1700s. As a member of the Polish Genealogical Society of California he has served on the board as President and Vice-President, and he is currently Editor of their quarterly publication, the Bulletin, and has also written articles for other societies’ publications. He has organized and chaired local and national conferences and has spoken to many local genealogical societies and other groups. The benefits of timelines to genealogists and what computer technology has meant to how we use timelines today will be illustrated.

Tuesday, September 20th, 2011
-- Admission is Free! Help for Beginners --

Program Schedule
7:00 - 9:00 PM
7:00 Pre-meeting activities - Announcements, Surprise Drawing (a different donated prize each month)
7:15 Business Meeting
7:30 Paul Lipinski’s Program
8:30 Q&A

Family History Library on the Westwood Mormon Temple grounds
10741 Santa Monica Blvd. @ Overland Avenue
Get directions from Tom Lane at (310) 393-5574

Check out our website at: www.lawgsweb.org

SCGS Research Teams: Solve Your Brick Walls Here

2011-09-06T17:38:00.000-07:00

The SCGS Research Teams are highly qualified volunteers who conduct specialized research for a fee for our members and patrons. Our resources include our library's 35,000+ books, manuscripts, microfilms, and CDs. To order hourly research please click here.

Among our specialized areas of research are:

Cornish
The SCGS collection of Cornish records include the celebrated Ross Collection of births, marriages, deaths and other official records from the Cornwall government and church. Many date back to the 1500s. We can also search Cornish miners of California, Michigan, and other areas.

French-Canadian
We are the home of the French-Canadian Heritage Society of California and one of the largest collections of French-Canadian resources in the USA. These resources include the Blue and Red Drouin, Jette, Tanguay, PRDH, and the marriage records of over 1000 parishes, just to name a few.

American
Our collection has materials for almost every county in the US. Special assistance is available in the following areas: Revolutionary War, American Colonial Wars, Massachusetts Town Records to 1850, California Gold Rush, 1852 California Census, California vital records.

Los Angeles County
Vital records (births, deaths, marriages), Los Angeles Times newspaper obituaries, selected cemetery indexes and 1892 Great Register of Voters.

Personalized
Let us help you knock down those brick walls. Tell us about your rearch puzzles and we'll help you find a solution.

SCGS Beginner's Genealogy Course

2011-09-04T21:49:00.000-07:00

Still time left to register -- Begins next week.

Summer left you feeling a little rusty in terms of your genealogical research skills? We've got just the solution.

Beginner's Four-Week Class
September 6, 13, 20 and 27

Tuesdays 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
at the SCGS Library

Week 1 - The Basics of Getting Started
Week 2 - Census Records and Their Substitutes
Week 3 - Church Records
Week 4 - Military and Land Records

Sign up by emailing - beginner@scgsgenealogy.com or call 818-843-7247

Area Event: Tracking One Family Across the Old Spanish Trail

2011-08-31T23:08:00.000-07:00

We pass this on from our friends at the LA Public Library and GSHA-SC:

We are pleased to welcome Donie Nelson of the Genealogical Society of Hispanic America - SoCal to the Central Library to give a genealogy presentation in September. Donie is also the coordinator for Hispanic Saturdays, a genealogy research group that meets the third Saturday of every month in the History & Genealogy Department at the Central Library.

Using a Timeline: Tracking One Family Across the Old Spanish Trail
Central Library, Meeting Room A
September 17, 2011, 1 pm

In this presentation you will learn how to create a timeline to organize facts, observe patterns, and achieve breakthroughs in your genealogy research. Donie Nelson of the Genealogical Society of Hispanic America - SoCal will walk you through the process as you study the family of Jose Joaquin Young and Ma. Josefa Moya, who were born in New Mexico and died in California, but traveled back and forth over the Old Spanish Trail, leaving bewildering traces for their descendants to ponder. You will discover how to create a basic timeline and how records other than baptismal, marriage and death can assist your search, adding nuance and depth to your family’s history.

Area Event: Oral History Workshop at Torrance Library

2011-08-31T11:03:00.000-07:00

We pass this on for the Friends of the Torrance Public Library:

Oral History
documenting your life stories

September 10th, 2 pm

Recording oral history life narratives is a great way to capture the extraordinary experiences of ordinary people. Many genealogists and family historians use oral history to give life and drama to family trees. Archived oral histories preserve people's memories of major events such as the Great Depression, wars, the Civil Rights Movement, or the Women's Movement, or the Women's Movement as well development and change in communities and families.

Join us for an afternoon with Karen Harper, Oral Historian, community historian, and Past-President of the Southwest Oral History Association (SOHA). Ms. Harper will provide an interactive practice based introduction to oral history including interviewing techniques, outline guides, information sources, ethical and preservation issues, and product possibilities.

This event is free
Seating is limited and is first-come, first-seated
Suitable for ages 10 and above and will last approximately 3 hours

Katy Geissert Civic Center Library Community Meeting Room
3301 Torrance Blvd

My Heritage Is Here T-Shirt from SCGS

2011-08-28T20:37:00.000-07:00

They were the hottest-selling item at Jamboree, and you can get yours today. What, you ask?

"My Heritage is Here" t-shirts are available for purchase from the Southern California Genealogical Society.

Personalize yours by affixing stars (silver or gold), or gold hearts (25 per package, purchase separately) or bedazzle them yourself.

All 50 US states are shown on this snazzy t-shirt. If you have ancestors in Canada or Mexico, it's okay to "bling" outside the lines.

Colors include royal blue, purple, navy, maroon, Kelly green, and red.

Sizes and costs include:
$13.00: S - M - L - XL
$15.00: XX
$17.00: XXX
$ 2.75: Silver or gold stars
$ 3.75: Gold hearts

All prices are plus tax and handling. No SCGS member discounts on this, sorry.

Download the order form HERE

Get yours today!

Patronymic Practices and Finding Foreign Records - Sept Lunch and Learn

2011-08-28T09:39:00.000-07:00

LUNCH AND LEARN
@
Southern California Genealogical Society and Family Research Library
417 Irving Drive, Burbank, California 91504
818-843-7247
Saturday September 10, 2011

Doors open at 12noon
Lunch - 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m. Sit, chat, and share while eating your brown bag lunch
Learn - 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. George Coulter, Patronymic Practices
Learn - 2:15 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. Richard McBride, Finding Foreign Records

Patronymic Practices - a Portal to the Past
Presented by George Coulter

The presentation covers the basics of naming practices utilized by various nations and ethnic groups, with emphasis on patronymic surnames. We compare and contrast patronymics, epithets, surnames of place, and occupational surnames, to illustrate how each surname can provide clues to permit determination of the national and/or ethnic background of the bearer. George P. Coulter, a genealogical writer, speaker, and consultant, honed his skills in those endeavors during his years as a California attorney, before becoming a professional genealogist. He attended UCLA under a Holloway Plan scholarship, and received his A.B. degree in Political Science from that institution in 1951, concurrently with a commission in the U.S. Navy. George is a Life Member of the National Genealogical Society, a member of the Society of Genealogists (London), the Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion, the Dyfed (Wales) Family History Society, and a number of local historical and genealogical societies.

Finding Foreign Records Presented by Richard McBride

The Family History Library’s have a treasure trove of microfilm and books at their disposal. Mr. McBride will show you how to find these treasures. Dr. Richard D. McBride is the Director of the Los Angeles Regional Family History Center. He has been involved in family history research for about 40 years. He was born and raised in Mesa, Arizona. After graduating from UCLA with a Ph. D. in Applied Mathematics he taught for 32 years at the University of Southern California. He currently is an Emeritus USC Professor of Management Science and Logistics. He is married to Georgia West and they have seven children.

The library will not be open for research.

Any questions please contact Charlotte rubymoon01@yahoo.com

Kings Daughters and Carignan Soldiers - August 28

2011-08-18T01:10:00.000-07:00

The French Canadian Historical Society of California is pleased to announce a joint meeting with La Société des Filles du roi et soldats du Carignan (SFRSC) to be held Sunday, August 28, 2011 at the SCGS Research Library in Burbank.

The SFRSC is dedicated to the women and men who played a major role in the growth and settlement of New France. The morning session will feature a presentation by Bill Kane, Vice President of SFRSC, entitled "Sent by the King: the Story of the Fille du Roi."

Sent to colonial New France by the French King, nearly 800 girls and women came to Canada between 1663 and 1673 with the promise of a dowry if they would marry there. Today nearly every person who can claim French-Canadian ancestry can trace his or her lineage back to more than one of these women (les Filles du Roi or King's Daughters).

Bill's discussion will address recruitment, getting to the port, the sea journey, arrival in New France, meeting prospective spouses, the contract signing, the marriages.

Following a potluck lunch, hands-on assistance will be provided for attendees who need to prove their Fille/Carignan descendancy or who need help in completing their documentation to submit to SFRSC.

Information: fchsc@scgsgenealogy.com or 818-843-7247 - Public welcome!

SCGS Beginning Genealogy Course - 4 weeks in Sept

2011-08-15T21:40:00.000-07:00

Summer left you feeling a little rusty in terms of your genealogical research skills? We've got just the solution.

Beginner's Four-Week Class
September 6, 13, 20 and 27

Tuesdays 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
at the SCGS Library

Transfer of Y-DNA Results to SCGS Project in FTDNA

2011-08-15T07:31:00.000-07:00

If you have tested your Y-DNA with AncestryDNA, GeneTree, or Sorenson's SMGF, you now have an opportunity to transfer your results to Family Tree DNA where SCGS has its DNA project. FTDNA has the largest database for matching so you have a higher possibility of finding cousins and comparing genealogy.

Transfer options are listed here in this FAQ and range from $19 to $58.

Since testers want to know who matches them in the database and should want the haplogroup prediction, it is best to pay the $58.00 fee for the Y-DNA46 and Y-DNA37 transfer.

--Alice Fairhurst, SCGS DNA Interest Group Chair, alicefairhurst@gmail.com

Area Event: Taking Your History to the Future

2011-08-10T16:55:00.000-07:00

We post this on behalf of our friends from the Los Angeles WESTSIDE Genealogical Society:

Taking Your History to the Future: Preservation care for family papers and photographs

Speakers: Brook Black and Jennifer Goldman

Date: Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Time: 7:00pm - 9:00pm
Place: Family History Library on Westwood Mormon Temple grounds
10741 Santa Monica Blvd @ Overland Ave

Admission Free

During this hands-on workshop, attendees will learn how their family peper and photographs can live on for future generations to enjoy. The workshop will go over techniques on proper handling, archival housing, and documentation for the most common of family papers such as letters, birth certificates, and pictures. The presenters, members of the Huntington Library staff, will also go over best practices for preserving digital material. Attendees are invited to bring along one item for a preservation evaluation.

For more information, go to the website http://www.lawgsweb.org/

30M manuscripts and 16M archives at Virginia Heritage

2011-08-07T00:16:00.000-07:00

VIVA, the Virtual Library of Virginia, is pleased to announce the availability of VIRGINIA HERITAGE (http://www.lib.virginia.edu/vhp/), a database of guides, or finding aids, describing archives and manuscripts in eleven repositories in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

"From the settlement at Jamestown in 1607, through the Revolutionary and Civil Wars and into the tumult of the 20th century, the Commonwealth of Virginia has stood at the center of America's history. Many of the priceless documents of American history, literature and political thought reside in the special collections of Virginia's colleges, universities, and other research libraries."

Founded in 1994, VIVA (http://www.vivalib.org/) consists of the libraries of the thirty-nine state assisted colleges and universities within Virginia, and an additional twenty-nine independent, not-for-profit educational institutions. VIVA's mission is to provide, in an equitable, cooperative and cost-effective manner, enhanced access to library and information resources for the Commonwealth of Virginia's research libraries serving the higher education community.

For more information about VIRGINIA HERITAGE, contact Edward Gaynor at gaynor@virginia.edu or at (434) 924-3138.

Relative Roots DNA Webinars for August

2011-08-04T07:03:00.000-07:00

We pass this on for our friends at Relative Roots as this series is endorsed by the SCGS DNA Interest Group. (Please note these webinars are not affiliated with the SCGS Jamboree Extension Series)

Thursday, August 4
Introduction to Genetic Genealogy at Family Tree DNA

Tuesday, August 9
Genetic Genealogy Demystified: Reading and Understanding Your Family Tree DNA Results,
Part 1: Y-DNA

Thursday, August 25
Genetic Genealogy Demystified: Reading and Understanding Your Family Tree DNA Results,
Part 2: mtDNA

Tuesday, August 30
Genetic Genealogy Demystified: Reading and Understanding Your Family Tree DNA Results,
Part 3: Family Finder

REGISTRATION
For complete details about these webinars and to register, please visit http://www.relativeroots.net/webinars/

Civil War - The Grand Review of the Troops

2011-08-04T00:38:00.000-07:00

We pass this on behalf of our friends at The Lincoln at the Crossroads Alliance (LATCRA):

Re-enactment Parade, Concert, Grand Ball, and Day-Long Conference
for the 150th Anniversary of
President Lincoln’s Grand Review of the Troops
in Baileys Crossroads
November 11-12, 2011

(Baileys Crossroads, VA)—Plans are complete for a major 150th anniversary commemoration of President Abraham Lincoln’s Grand Review of the Troops at Baileys Crossroads, VA. The Lincoln at the Crossroads Alliance (LATCRA), in partnership with the Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) Alexandria Campus and the Baileys Crossroads Revitalization Corporation (BCRC), have set a Re-enactment of the most important historical event in Baileys Crossroads history as the centerpiece for the 150th anniversary of the event.

The parade of 70,000 soldiers in 1861 signaled to President Lincoln that he had an army ready for the difficult years ahead. On November 12, 2011, the Commemoration Parade comprised of Civil War re-enactors and current-day military units will march on part of the route used in 1861. Staging for the parade will be at NOVA’s student parking lot and the parade will be on Leesburg Pike, part of the site of the 1861 Grand Review.

The Sesquicentennial Commemorations will feature a Conference organized by NOVA at its Alexandria Campus examining the past, present and future of Baileys Crossroads. The Symposium, to be held on November 11th, will be followed by a Grand Concert at NOVA’s Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center from 7pm-9pm. Activities will culminate with a Period Grand Ball at the Hilton Hotel Alexandria Mark Center from 10pm-12am.

While the review Lincoln witnessed consisted of 70,000 soldiers in seven marching divisions, the Sesquicentennial will consist of approximately 5,000 soldiers/Civil War civilians, local citizen organizations and school groups divided into five marching divisions. Each marching division will be headed by a ceremonial detachment and marching band representing each of the five uniformed services (Army – Navy – Air Force – Marine Corps – Coast Guard). The Parade will include a large contingent of active personnel from the U.S. Armed Forces and Virginia National Guard. Registration forms for Civil War Re-enactors and others who would like to participate in the parade are now available. Please visit the Re-enactors page at www.latcra.org for more information.

The official hotel is the Hilton Alexandria Mark Center, 5000 Seminary Rd, Alexandria, VA 22311. Reservations must be made no later than October 1, 2011 to obtain the discounted price of $100, including taxes. The reservation number is 1-703-845-1010. The symposium, the concert and the parade are free to all participants, but reservations for the Period Grand Ball are $26.25 with payment required by October 1, 2011.

For additional information contact Maria Elena Schacknies at meschacknies@latcra.org or 703-820-1904. For a list of events with dates and times, see the LATCRA website.

The 1940 US Census is Coming ......

2011-08-02T00:26:00.000-07:00

In a little less than a year, the 1940 US Census will be released.

From the National Archives website on the subject, the 1940 Census will be released on April 2, 2012. Digital images will be available via Internet as well as at NARA facilities nationwide.

The census day was April 1, 1940. There are many standard questions in the census but also a few new ones such as whether the person worked for the CCC, WPA; what is the respondent's usual occupation, not just what he/she is doing currently; and identification of who is supplying the information for this census entry. For a detailed list of the questions, as well as the forms, visit the NARA site listed above.

What can you do now in preparation for the opening of the 1940 Census?

1. Make a list of all the people you want to look for in the 1940 census. Think broadly--ancestors, their siblings, cousins, etc.--anybody to whom you are related.
2. Collect addresses for these people for whom you plan to search.
3. Identify the enumeration district (ED) in which each address was located

(Suggestions from the NARA Start Your Research website on preparing for April 2, 2012)

Oral History Scholarship Applications due Aug 1

2011-07-31T12:42:00.000-07:00

We pass this on for our friends at the Oral History Association (OHA):

Scholarships for Non-presenters Available for the 2011 OHA Annual Meeting in Denver, Colorado, October 12-16 “Memories of Conflict and Disaster: Oral History and the Politics of Truth, Trauma, and Reconciliation”

OHA offers scholarships to persons who are not part of the formal program (aka attendees) at the annual meeting.

Completed applications for non-presenters must be submitted by August 1, 2011.

For more information, visit this site.

DNA Mishmash and In Search of the Meaning of Mozingo, Aug 6

2011-07-29T07:32:00.000-07:00

We pass this on for our friends at Pasadena Area African American Genealogical Society:

DOUBLE BILL 2:30pm- 5:45pm
August 6, 2011

“DNA Mishmash” By Cheri Mello
and
“In Search of the Meaning of Mozingo” By Joe Mozingo

Pasadena Public Library,
Lamanda Branch Meeting Room
140 South Altadena Dr., Pasadena, CA
91107 626-744-7266

Attendance is FREE
All are welcome

This month’s 1st topic: Bring your results so Cheri Mello will assist you in making sense out of your DNA results.

Biography: Professionally, Cheri Mello is a math teacher with degrees in psychology, sociology, human and child development, and master’s in education. She is a National Board Certified Teacher, the most prestigious and highest teaching credential in the educational world. The genealogy bug was planted in Cheri with the 5th grade history project. Her maternal grandmother gave her some material which she used for the project. She used it later for a Girl Scout badge. She pulled out the information many times and wondered about her family and how she could learn more. Some of this material is still incorporated into her current presentations. She has done research in many states, even taking a trip overseas in search of her Portuguese ancestry.

This month’s 2nd topic: Joe Mozingo, white for eight generations, will tell his fascinating story of how in searching for the meaning of his last name he traced his lineage to the 1600’s to Edward Mozingo, the African. His book is a work-in-progress.

Biography: Joe Mozingo has been a journalist for 12 years, working for the Miami Herald and the Los Angeles Times. Mr. Mozingo has been an investigative reporter, foreign correspondent and now he is a narrative writer. He has won several national press awards and was the lead reporter on a team effort that was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. He lives in Long Beach with his wife and two young children.

More info contact: Charlotte rubymoon01@yahoo.com or paaags@yahoo.com

Ventura County Genealogical Society Monthly Meeting, Aug 20

2011-07-29T07:22:00.000-07:00

We pass this on for our friends at VCGS:

The Ventura County Genealogical Society, Inc. (VCGS) will be holding its regular monthly meeting Saturday, August 20, 2011 at 1:00 p.m. The meeting will be held at the Ventura LDS Family History Center, 3501 Loma Vista Rd. (at Mills Rd.) Ventura, CA. Before the meeting begins and during the breaks, genealogy books and supplies are available for purchase. Guests are always welcome to attend our free meeting. For more information call Gwenda Tucker at (805) 485-7930.

Guest Speaker: Connie Moretti
Subject: Researching Your Civil War Ancestors
Date: August 20, 2011
Time: 1pm
Location: Ventura LDS Family History Library, 3501 Loma Vista Road, Ventura

Connie Moretti is a retired educator and is currently active as a historian, lecturer and writer. She is co-author of Stepping Stones to Genealogy and On the Road (a guide to Southern Los Angeles County genealogy libraries). Connie will talk to us about both online and print resources for building a profile of our Civil War ancestors.

Scheduled Workshops:
VCGS Library Collection......................................... Kay Engel DNA.......................................................................... Sandi Ruch
Computer Lab........................................................... FHC Staff

SCGS August Lunch and Learn, August 13

2011-07-29T06:40:00.000-07:00

LUNCH AND LEARN (Double Bill!)
at
Southern California Genealogical Society and Family Research Library
417 Irving Drive, Burbank, California 91504 818-843-7247
Saturday August 13, 2011
Doors open at 12noon

Lunch - 12:00 noon to 1p.m.

Sit, chat, and share your genealogy stories and questions while eating your brown bag lunch. Learn - 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. with questions and answers

What's is Social Networking - And Why Should a Genealogist Care?
Presented by Jay Holladay

Blogs, feed readers, wikis, webinars, Twitter, Facebook, social networking - what's this stuff all about? How will it help me in my genealogy endeavors? Jay Holladay will introduce these topics and give examples of how they can assist your research and facilitate the exchange of information with other family members. This presentation will be aimed at those who would like to learn about the new Internet tools, but members who are already users of blogs, wikis, etc. are also encouraged to attend and share their experiences and favorite sites. Jay Holladay leads the Information Technology Team at the SCGS Library and is a member of the SCGS Board of Directors. He has been doing genealogy research since 1993 and specializes in Kentucky research. He authors a blog about his Holladay family research.

What's is Google - And Why Should a Genealogist Care?
Presented by Sam T. Ward

Sam T. Ward will introduce all that is Google and show examples illustrating how all that is Google can assist your research and facilitate the interest and exchange of information with other family members. Since retirement from aerospace, Sam T. Ward has been aggressively researching his family history toward a goal of publishing a family memoir. Having started this task so late in his life, Sam is quite aware of the significant challenge he faces. He is meeting this challenge by applying skills that he honed during his military and aerospace careers to aid his genealogy efforts. He is a member of the Southern California Genealogical Society, the California African American Genealogy Society, the Pasadena Area African American Genealogy Society, and the Corona Genealogical Society. He is also a member of the Lowndes County Historical Society of Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia.

The library will not be open for research.

Any questions please contact Charlotte at rubymoon01@yahoo.com

Area Event: Genealogical Society of Hispanic America SoCal

2011-07-26T15:36:00.000-07:00

Here's an announcement from our good friends at the Genealogical Society of Hispanic America - Southern California Chapter. Please direct your questions to Donie Nelson (contact information below)

******

Four days in August with opportunities for assisted research--all FREE.

Wednesday, August 3, 3-9pm - Hispanic Wednesday at the West LA Family History Library If you need some assistance with your research, please join me Wednesday afternoon & evening , August 3, at the West Los Angeles Family History Library from 3-9pm. Our Mexico expert John Schmal will be on hand to give you personal attention. And if you need assistance with California research, let me know ASAP so that I can schedule Alex King or Joe Barnes.

Tuesday, August 16, 1-9pm - Hispanic Tuesday at the SCGS Library in Burbank If John Schmal's schedule permits, he will be joining us after 5pm to help Mexico researchers. California expert Alex King will be on hand after 6pm and I will be available for the entire session to assist you with getting organized, tours of the library, purchase of books, and New Mexico research.

Saturday, August 20, 11am-5pm - Hispanic Saturday at the LAPL Central Library Downtown Join me downtown and explore the fabulous genealogical collection at the Los Angeles Central Library. There are computers almost always available in the dept. where you can access the library's on-line collections, as well as the subscription services: Ancestry.com

Saturday, August 27, Noon-5pm - Hispanic Saturday in Orange County Patsy Vasquez will be on hand to assist you with your Hispanic research--and perhaps John Schmal will join her.

Please bring your laptop or your pedigree charts and family group charts whenever your research, but especially when you are seeking assistance. Our experts can best help you if all the information is legible and in one place--that is why the charts are so helpful--especially family group charts. If you need assistance with charts or getting organized, I can assist you.

Questions? Contact me.
Donie Nelson

Donie Nelson
Outreach Chair
310-204-6808
doniegsha@earthlink.net

Genealogical Society of Hispanic America-Southern California PO Box 2472 Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670-0472

Visit GSHA-SC on FACEBOOK
GSHA-SC¹s Facebook page updates all our programs
Here is the URL:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Genealogical-Society-of-Hispanic-America-Southern-California-Chapter/112545268755708.
You can also Google
"Genealogical Society of Hispanic America Facebook", to reach the link.

The Library of Congress - a C-SPAN documentary, 18 July

2011-07-15T23:45:00.000-07:00

Posted on behalf of our friends at C-SPAN:

The Library of Congress
A C-SPAN Original Documentary
Premieres Mon., July 18, 8 & 11 pm ET on C-SPAN

Join us this Monday evening on C-SPAN for the premiere of our latest original documentary, The Library of Congress. Founded in 1800 and sitting adjacent to the U.S. Capitol in the heart of America's capital city, the Library of Congress has collected nearly 150 million items, making it the world's largest library. This documentary explores the Library's 211-year history and the scope of its collection. Go behind the scenes and:

Learn the history of the institution as you tour the Library's iconic Jefferson Building.
See the treasures found in its collections of rare books, photos, and maps, as well as the thousands of pages of presidential and personal papers.
Learn how the library uses technology to preserve its holdings and expand public access to them.

For preview clips and more information about The Library of Congress,
visit www.c-span.org/loc

SCGS RootsMagic User Group - 17 July

2011-07-15T22:17:00.000-07:00

The next meeting of the SCGS RootsMagic User Group will be held this coming Sunday at the usual time and place:

Date: Sunday, July 17, 2011
Time: 2-4 PM
Place: SCGS Library
417 Irving Drive (near Glenoaks) in Burbank

Program - Our July meeting will feature an Introduction to RootsMagic session for those of you who are new to the program or have questions about building your genealogy database.

There will be plenty of time for questions and, depending on time and attendee interest, we will also discuss such topics as using GEDCOM files, RootsMagic webinars, and source citations.

New RootsMagic users are especially encouraged to download and watch the "Getting Started" webinar, the first of the series which began earlier this year. See below for more details. If you're not sure of how to view these webinars, we can demonstrate the process during the meeting.

If you have them, please bring your laptop and/or your copy of Getting the Most Out of RootsMagic 4.

You are also encouraged to send us your suggestions for future meetings. At each meeting we try to cover topics of interest to both beginners and more experienced users.

RootsMagic Webinars - Twenty one RoorsMagic webinars are now available for download; see the RM webinar page for a complete list. The first of the series, "Getting Started with RootsMagic" (January 8) is an excellent introduction to the program. It is suggested that you download the webinar of interest and then you can view it, pause, go back, etc. at your leisure. Please let us know if you have any questions about accessing or using the webinars.

Next Month's Meeting - August 21, 2011

Future Meetings in 2011 - September 18, October 16, November 20

Latest Version of RM4 - Version 4.1.1.5 (18 Jun 2011).

For more information see the RootsMagic blog

For further information about the meeting or the user group, contact Jay Holladay at jholladay@ca.rr.com

Relative Roots Webinar Schedule - July 12-26

2011-07-15T22:15:00.000-07:00

We pass this on for our friends at Relative Roots, with a recommendation from the SCGS DNA Interest Group:

Relative Roots is pleased to announce their webinar schedule for July:

Tuesday, July 12
Introduction to Genetic Genealogy at Family Tree DNA

Thursday, July 14
Genetic Genealogy Demystified: Reading and Understanding Your Family Tree DNA Results, Part 1: Y-DNA

Tuesday, July 19
Genetic Genealogy Demystified: Reading and Understanding Your Family Tree DNA Results,
Part 2: mtDNA

Tuesday, July 26
Genetic Genealogy Demystified: Reading and Understanding Your Family Tree DNA Results,
Part 3: Family Finder

REGISTRATION
For complete details about these webinars and to register, please visit http://www.relativeroots.net/webinars/

CAN'T ATTEND LIVE? ON-DEMAND RECORDINGS AVAILABLE!
Recordings of Relative Roots webinars are available for viewing on-demand to accommodate those who can't attend the live sessions. Recordings become available within 24 hours after each live webinar, and remain online for 7 days following the live session. There are two ways to register for on-demand access:

1) Pre-Register for On-Demand. Sign up as though you were going to attend live, then within 24 hours after the webinar ends, you will receive an email containing the link to the recording;
or
2) Visit the Relative Roots website at least 24 hours after the live webinar to sign up for on-demand.

SPECIAL OFFER FROM FAMILY TREE DNA!
Attendees of Relative Roots genetic genealogy webinars receive a limited-time discount on select new test kits and upgrades at Family Tree DNA. Full details about the discount are provided at the end of each live webinar.

FUTURE WEBINAR ANNOUNCEMENTS
Learn about Relative Roots webinars as soon as they're scheduled! Join our email announcements list, follow us on Facebook and/or follow us on Twitter:

Email List - http://www.relativeroots.net/webinars/
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/RelativeRoots
Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/RelativeRoots

Intermediate Genealogical and Health DNA - 30 July

2011-07-15T01:08:00.000-07:00

SCGS DNA Interest Group Meeting - Saturday, 30 July

Presenter: Alice Fairhurst, DNA Interest Chair

Program
10:00 - 10:30 Answering questions about DNA testing
10:30 - 12:00 Comparing autosomal testing at Family Tree DNA and 23andMe
12:00 - 1:00 Lunch
1:00 - 2:00 Individualized help

$5.00 donation is suggested for attendance. individualized help well be available after the formal presentation for those who want to order DNA tests or who have received DNA results and need help managing their personal pages or interpreting their results. A drawing will be ehld for a $30 discount certificate for ordering a DNA test. Brown bag or join us for pizza for an additional $5.00.

For additional information contact Alice Fairhurst at alicefairhurst@gmail.com.

From 2-4 pm, those who are Family Tree DNA Project Administrators or Project co-administractors are invited to remain to discuss how they are managing group grpojects. The Roundtable format allows people to share expertise and create solutions to issues.

Future meetings: 29 Oct 2011 (subject to change)

Traveling Virtually or Physically to a Civil War Site

2011-07-09T23:30:00.000-07:00

The main goal of the CivilWarTraveler.com site is to provide travel, historical and interpretive information to anyone planning a trip to a Civil War site or region. My armchair-based tour started with a review of the Civil War timeline which details important events from Lincoln's election on Nov. 6, 1860 to the final battles of the Civil War in May 1865.

I then moved on to the Multimedia section of the site. Here I found a set of guided tours for major battlefields narrated by National Park staff. I selected the Harper's Ferry podcast and clicked on the companion tour map and settled back to listen. Through the narrative, I was transported to the East Coast and back in time to the War. While clearly it would be best if I could have actually walked around the park, the podcast, map and other photos were sufficient to create a nice experience.

Last, I visited the In Print and Books sections. The on-line mock newspapers were fun to read and the list of recommended books was tremendous.

All in all, I recommend this site to any Civil War, travel, history and of course genealogy enthusiasts.

Staffing Change at the LA Public Library

2011-07-08T22:13:00.000-07:00

The current History & Genealogy Librarian, Mary McCoy, has accepted a new position within the LA Public Library system, effective July 16, 2011.

Please note that the July 16 genealogy tour will still be offered at 11am.

After July 16, questions you may have may be directed to the History & Genealogy Senior Librarian, Cindy McNaughton at (213) 228-7402 or cmcnaug@lapl.org.

The genealogy tour schedule for Aug. 20 has been cancelled.

Department tours for groups will still be offered by appointment.

Thank you and good luck in your new position Mary!

SCGS Open House - Sat. July 9

2011-07-05T20:08:00.000-07:00

You are invited to the
Southern California Genealogical Society
Open House

July 9, 2011
11am - 3pm

Tour the library and meet other Society members.

It is a great time to learn about SCGS Interest Groups and how to get involved. SCGS is an all-volunteer organization and we depend on your energy and ideas!

We will have light refreshments.

Area Event: British Isles Family History Society, Sunday, 26 June

2011-06-20T18:21:00.000-07:00

We are passing this along for our friends at the British Isles Family History Society

Peggy Wishon agreed to present Expecting the Unexpected Continued at the general meeting on Sunday, 26 June 2011, beginning at 1:00 p.m., at the Los Angeles Family History Library, 10741 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90025.

Peggy will explore, review, update and discuss some of the less used English resources and methods found online, filmed, and "in library" during her lecture, Expecting the Unexpected Continued. She is a Co-Leader of BIFHS-USA’s English Study Group. She became a part-time professional genealogist in 1994 after beginning her personal genealogy research in 1986. See the links that Peggy considers useful and important at http://gennotes.com/BritishResearch.htm

SCGS Featured on "FGS My Society" Internet Radio Program

2011-06-05T17:09:00.000-07:00

SCGS was honored to be the guest on the new Internet radio program, "My Society" on May 21. Drew Smith and George G. Morgan, The Genealogy Guys, conducted the interview, and they did such a great job. They made it fun and relatively painless, and I want to thank both of them for being such warm and reassuring hosts.

I hope it provides you an insight to the development of technology solutions at SCGS.

If you missed it, you can hear the interview here:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/mysociety/2011/05/21/bringing-technology-to-your-genealogy-society

SCGS is a member of the Federation of Genealogical Societies, which sponsored the "My Society" radio program.

Enjoy!

Paula

The Great Illinois Genealogy Scavenger Hunt

2011-06-02T09:10:00.000-07:00

We pass this on for our friends at the Illinois State Genealogical Society:

Help Find Illinois Genealogy Resources and Win Prizes!

June 1, 2011 - Springfield, IL. The Illinois State Genealogical Society (ISGS) announces The Great Illinois Genealogy Scavenger Hunt, June 1 - June 30, 2011 and invites all family historians to participate in this unique community effort.

ISGS, in partnership with FamilySearch , is hosting a virtual, online scavenger hunt and asks the public to submit their favorite Illinois genealogy resources to be included in the FamilySearch Research Wiki (http://wiki.familysearch.org). Described as "free family history research advice for the community, by the community," the research wiki contains a page for each of the 102 Illinois counties as well as many other subject matters related to genealogy.

Find Illinois Genealogy Resources and Win Prizes!

Between now and June 30, 2011, the public is invited to locate information on Illinois genealogy-related resources and tell us why a resource is worthy of inclusion in the FamilySearch Research Wiki. Examples include links to research websites and genealogy databases, as well as original articles on repositories, archives and other resources. A complete description of The
Great Illinois Genealogy Scavenger Hunt can be found on the ISGS website at http://ilgensoc.org/cpage.php?pt=135.

Prizes include a RootsTech 2012 conference registration and a one-year ISGS membership. In addition, a prize will be awarded each day between June 1 and June 30, 2011 to one lucky winner drawn at random. For complete details, please consult the contest rules at http://ilgensoc.org/cpage.php?pt=137.

How to Enter The Great Illinois Genealogy Scavenger Hunt

Participants should first visit the Illinois pages of the FamilySearch Research Wiki at https://wiki.familysearch.org/en/Illinois and consult the various pages, including the county pages, to see what content has already been added. Next, submit your original narrative article or Illinois genealogy-related hyperlink using the entry form at http://ilgensoc.org/cpage.php?pt=136.

Illinois Roots Run Deep . . . We'll Help You Dig For Them!

Through The Great Illinois Genealogy Scavenger Hunt, ISGS, together with FamilySearch, hope to provide genealogists and family historians with the best set of Illinois-related resources available.

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.

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

#####

Contact: Illinois State Genealogical Society
P.O. Box 10195
Springfield, IL 62791-0195
+1 (217) 789-1968

SCGS to Participate in Blue Star Museums this Summer

2011-05-23T01:10:00.000-07:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Heidi Ziegler
SCGS President
417 Irving Drive
Burbank, CA 91504
scgs@scgsgenealogy.com

SCGS TO PARTICIPATE IN BLUE STAR MUSEUMS

SCGS, one of more than 1,300 museums across America to offer free admission to military personnel and their families this summer

BURBANK, CA – May 23, 2011 – Today the Southern California Genealogical Society and Family Research Center (SCGS) announced its participation in Blue Star Museums, a partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, and more than 1,300 museums across America offering free admission to all active duty military personnel and their families from Memorial Day through Labor Day 2011. Leadership support has been provided by MetLife Foundation through Blue Star Families.

Both active-duty and retired/veteran military personnel and their families have FREE access to the SCGS Library's 30,000+ item research collection and a number of genealogical on-line databases including Ancestry.com Library Edition.

SCGS will officially launch the program as part of the 42nd Annual SCGS Jamboree - a genealogy conference - starting June 9, 2011 at the Los Angeles Marriott Burbank Airport. Upon pre-registering, military personnel and their families can participate in a number of the JamboFREE events to be held on Thursday and Friday such as a Kid's Genealogy Camp, beginning and advanced genealogy courses, and the Genealogy World Roundtables. The main conference sessions are available on a per fee basis.

“Blue Star Museums may be the program at the NEA of which I am proudest,” said NEA Chairman Rocco Landesman. “Blue Star Museums recognizes and thanks our military families for all they are doing for our country, and simultaneously begins young people on a path to becoming life-long museum goers.”

About Blue Star Museums
Blue Star Museums runs from Memorial Day, May 30, 2011 through to Labor Day, September 5, 2011. The free admission program is available to active-duty military and their immediate family members (military ID holder and five immediate family members). Active duty military include Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, and active duty National Guard and active duty Reserve members. Some special or limited-time museum exhibits may not be included in this free admission program. For questions on particular exhibits or museums, please contact the museum directly. To find out which museums are participating, visit http://www.arts.gov/national/bluestarmuseums/index2011.php. The site includes a list of participating museums and a map to help with visit planning.

Bargain Alert: Family Tree Magazine Webinar for California Records

2011-05-18T13:21:00.000-07:00

We are passing this along on behalf of our friends at Family Tree Magazine. This is not one of the SCGS webinars but if you have California roots, it should be a really great session.

Family Tree Magazine is hosting a California Genealogy Crash Course webinar, led by Kenyatta Berry, this Saturday, May 21. We'd like to offer your organization's members a discount on this event!

Your members can sign up for just $35 -- a savings of 30% -- when they use the coupon code CALGEN11. Here is the link for registration:
http://www.shopfamilytree.com/product/california-genealogy-crash-course-find-your-golden-state-ancestors-live-webinar-w5977

The live session will be this Saturday, May 21, at 11 a.m. Pacific time, but registrants are able to access a recording of the session and all the supplemental materials if they can't attend live. I hope you will share this special discount with your members!

Sincerely,

Grace Dobush
Online Community Editor
Family Tree Magazine
4700 E. Galbraith Road
Cincinnati, OH 45236
513-531-2690 x11274

http://familytreemagazine.com

RootsMagic Interest Group: Publishing Your Family History

2011-05-17T18:37:00.000-07:00

Family reunion time is coming soon. Our May Roots Magic program featured a short presentation by our own SCGS Sam Ward and Jay Holladay on Publishing Your Family History.

The duo covered the RootsMagic capability to combine multiple reports into a single document or family history book which you can share at your next family gathering. See page 207 of Getting the Most Out of RootsMagic 4 for more information.

RootsMagic Webinars - Seventeen RoorsMagic webinars are now available for download; see the RM webinar page at http://www.rootsmagic.com/Webinars/ for a complete list. The first of the series, "Getting Started with RootsMagic" (January 8) is an excellent introduction to the program. It is suggested that you download the webinar of interest and then you can view it, pause, go back, etc. at your leisure. Please let us know if you have any questions about accessing or using the webinars.

Next Month's Meeting - June 19, 2011

Future Meetings in 2011 - July 17, August 21, September 18

Latest Version of RM4 - Version 4.1.1.1 (17 Mar 2011). For more information see the RootsMagic blog (http://blog.rootsmagic.com/)

For further information about the meeting or the user group, contact Jay Holladay: jholladay at ca.rr.com

As always, your questions or suggestions for future meetings are welcome. At each meeting we try to cover topics of interest to both beginners and more experienced users.

SCGS Writers' Group: Voice and Point of View - May 22

2011-05-17T18:27:00.000-07:00

We’re delighted that two of our members, Joyce Roberson and Barbara Randall were prize winners in the 2010 GENEii Contest. Congratulations to both!

We’ve been analyzing our tales, thinking about voice and point of view, i.e., who tells this tale? Whether you’re writing a short tale, a memoir, or a longer family history, a strong "pull-the-reader-in" beginning, a suspenseful middle and a powerful and satisfying ending are needed. A story needs a point. Find out what your point is.

Sharon DeBartolo Carmack (You Can Write Your Family History) writes: "Who thought a family history had to end when everyone in the story died? Or that it has to have a happy ending? You can conclude with a tragic event– tragedies stick with us longer, have more of an impact. Do you have a document you can quote from as an ending? Make documents work for the story, so they become powerful openings, middles, or endings... To write a compelling family history, craft your facts into a nonfiction narrative, using fiction techniques."

The SCGS Writers Group meets twice monthly. The next meeting is Sunday May 22 from 1-3 p.m. If you’d like to join us, the only requirement is membership in SCGS. Please e-mail me, jcs2007 at snowstarjean.com, to let me know you plan to attend.

(submitted on behalf of Jean Snow, SCGS Writer's Group)

There is still time to register for the 1-day SCGS Family History Writers Conference, June 9, 2011. For more information, please follow this link.

Area Event: Finding Your Roots in Mexico, 20 May

2011-05-16T20:37:00.000-07:00

We post this on behalf of our friends at the San Fernando Valley Genealogical Society:

"Finding Your Roots in Mexico" will be the topic of speaker, John Schmal, at the San Fernando Valley Genealogical Society May 20, 2011 meeting at 7:30 p.m. at the Meeting Room at the Chatsworth Train Station,10038 Old Depot Road, Chatsworth CA 91311.

John Schmal is a genealogist and historian who specializes in tracing lineages in Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the Southwestern U.S.A. He is the coauthor of Mexican-American Genealogical Research: Following the Paper Trail to Mexico (Heritage Books, 2002) and has also coauthored several other books on Mexican-American themes.

Come and learn how to do genealogical research in Mexico. Join us for this interesting, exciting, and informative presentation. Visitors are welcome. Our programs are free, but donations are appreciated.

You can also find us at the following web site.

For more information call John Lindsay at (818)349-0878.

CA AB1053 Slated to Raise Cost of Certified Copies of Vital Records

2011-05-16T20:32:00.000-07:00

From: Legislative Watch Chair, CSGA

Assemblyman Gordon has introduced AB1053 and the bill has been referred to the Committee on Appropriations. Hearing will held on May 18, Wednesday. See links below to contact information for author and members of the Committee on Appropriations.

This bill would raise the basic fee for certified copies of vital records by $9 from the current $3. In other words, $9 will be added to the current fee for vital records. Example: If a county currently charges $19 for a birth record, the new fee would be $28. This is an enormous increase!

For questions regarding various fee elements being charged for vital record copies, please reference the pie chart in the 2011 Jan-Feb CSGA newsletter. The basic fee is being increased and added to other surcharges and program fees. This increase would affect all vital records regardless of when the records were created.

It is unfortunate that the increase would also apply to records created prior to 1906. Today and tomorrow, you may wish to contact your Assemblyman, or Assemblyman Gordon, or members of the Committee to object to this proposed fee increase as 'unreasonable' before it goes to committee on Wednesday.

Assemblyman Gordon:
State Capitol
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0021
Tel: (916) 319-2021
Fax: (916) 319-2121

Assemblyman Gordon:
District Office
5050 El Camino Real Suite 117
Los Altos, CA 94022
Tel: (650) 691-2121
Fax: (650) 691-2120

Full Text of AB1053: http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/11-12/bill/asm/ab_1051-1100/ab_1053_bill_20110426_amended_asm_v98.html

Committee on Appropriation Members: http://www.assembly.ca.gov/acs/newcomframeset.asp?committee=43

Assembly Roster: http://www.assembly.ca.gov/clerk/MEMBERINFORMATION/memberdir_1.asp

Area Event: Pioneer Cemetery Memorial Day Observance

2011-05-11T12:30:00.000-07:00

The historic San Fernando Pioneer Memorial Cemetery in Sylmar will host a free Memorial Day Observance for the public at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, May 30, 2011.

Sponsored by the San Fernando Valley Historical Society for the 9th consecutive year, the event will include a U.S. flag-raising and 21-volley rifle salute and “Taps” performed by the All Veteran’s Burial Squad. Five Civil War veterans buried at the cemetery will be honored in a presentation about the Civil War, coinciding with the national 150th anniversary observance of the Civil War.

Visitors will also be given an update on the results of the recent ground penetrating radar survey conducted to find unmarked grave sites at the cemetery.

During the observance, the public will be invited to buy a memorial brick ($60) to help support the cemetery. A special brick will be installed in the cemetery entrance honoring Sylmar resident Marine Cpl. Julio Vargas, who perished in Afghanistan last July.

The old cemetery is located at 14451 Bledsoe St., Sylmar, at the corner of Foothill Boulevard and Bledsoe. (Directions: From the 210 Freeway, exit at Polk Street and go south to Foothill. Turn right onto Foothill and drive a half mile to the stoplight at Bledsoe. Parking in rear of cemetery.)

For additional information, please call 818-365-5860 or visit www.sfvhs.com.

FREE Genetic Genealogy Webinar Series

2011-05-03T07:23:00.000-07:00

These events are endorsed by the SCGS DNA Interest Group:

Relative Roots is pleased to announce our monthly FREE Genetic Genealogy for Beginners webinar (web-based seminar).

WHAT: Genetic Genealogy for Beginners: DNA is the "Gene" in Genealogy
DATE: Tuesday, May 3
TIME: Two live sessions!
1pm Eastern (5pm GMT) and 8pm Eastern (12am GMT)

What is Genetic Genealogy? What tests are available and which one should I order? How much does a Genetic Genealogy test cost? Do I need to be a geneticist to understand my results?

If you're a complete beginner to Genetic Genealogy and want the answers to these questions and more, this webinar is for you! Attendees will learn about the history of genetic genealogy, be introduced to DNA basics and inheritance paths, learn about the different types of DNA tests available for genealogy, and learn about resources that will help you make the most of your Genetic Genealogy experience. Focus will be on the products offered by Family Tree DNA.

SPECIAL OFFER FROM FAMILY TREE DNA!
Attendees of Relative Roots genetic genealogy webinars receive an exclusive discount on select tests offered by Family Tree DNA. Full details about the discount are provided at the end of each live webinar.

REGISTRATION
http://www.relativeroots.net/webinars/

ON-DEMAND NOW AVAILABLE!
Starting this month, recordings of Relative Roots webinars will now be available for viewing on-demand to accommodate those who can't attend the live sessions. Recordings will be available within 24 hours after each live webinar. There are two ways to access a recording: 1) sign up for the live webinar, then within 24 hours after the webinar ends, you will receive an email containing the link to the recording; or 2) visit the Relative Roots website the day after the live webinar and you'll be able to sign up for the recording there.

LOOKING FOR MORE?
We also have several intermediate-level webinars scheduled:

Tuesday, May 17
Genetic Genealogy Demystified: Reading and Understanding Your Family Tree DNA Results, Part 1: Y-DNA

Thursday, May 19
Starting and Managing a Family Tree DNA Project

Tuesday, May 24
Genetic Genealogy Demystified: Reading and Understanding Your Family Tree DNA Results, Part 2: mtDNA

Tuesday, May 31
Genetic Genealogy Demystified: Reading and Understanding Your Family Tree DNA Results, Part 3: Family Finder

For more details about these webinars and to register, please visit our website at http://www.relativeroots.net/webinars/

FUTURE WEBINAR ANNOUNCEMENTS
Learn about Relative Roots webinars as soon as they're scheduled! Join our email announcements list, follow us on Facebook and/or follow us on Twitter.

Email List - http://www.relativeroots.net/webinars/
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/RelativeRoots
Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/RelativeRoots

Bargain Alert: Win a Netbook or a Special Legacy Family Tree Software/Webinar Bundle

2011-05-02T16:03:00.000-07:00

Legacy Family Tree from Millennia Corporation announces a contest at its new Facebook page where contestants could win one of five special Legacy Family Tree software/webinar bundles and even a new netbook computer!

Contest Rules

Between May 2 and May 6, 2011, simply visit the new Legacy Family Tree page on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/LegacyFamilyTree and click the Like button. That’s it! And if you’ve already clicked the Like button, you’re already entered in the contest!

By liking the Legacy Family Tree page, you’ll automatically be entered in the contest. Winners will be drawn on May 7, 2011 from all those Facebook visitors who have hit the Like button for the Legacy Family Tree page. Winners will be notified via email or Facebook on Monday, May 9, 2011 and must claim their prize no later than Friday, May 13, 2011. See the Legacy Family Tree blog for complete contest rules.

Legacy Family Tree Expands Its Social Media Presence

You can now get the latest news about Legacy Family Tree software as well as its cutting-edge series of genealogy webinars, by following the Legacy Family Tree Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/LegacyFamilyTree. In addition, check out the Legacy Family Tree blog at http://news.legacyfamilytree.com for additional news.

SCGS - DNA Interest Group Meeting Saturday April 30

2011-04-26T22:58:00.000-07:00

Sat, April 30, 2011 – Back to Basics on DNA

Presenter: Cheri Mello, DNA Interest Team

• 10:00-10:30 Answering questions about DNA testing.
• 10:30-12:00 Understanding the connections between DNA testing and genealogy.
• 12:00-1:00 Lunch
• 1:00-2:00 Individualized help.

$5.00 donation is suggested for attendance. Individualized help will be available after the formal presentation for those who want to order DNA tests or who have received DNA results and need help managing their personal page or interpreting their results. A drawing will be held for a $30 discount certificate for ordering a DNA test. Brown bag or join us for pizza for an additional $5.00.

For additional information contact Alice Fairhurst, at alicefairhurst@gmail.com or call (626) 331-4791

Following the regular meeting from 2:00-4:00 p.m., those who are Family Tree DNA (FTDNA) Project Administrators or Project Co-administrators are invited to remain to discuss how they are managing group projects. The Roundtable format allows people to share expertise and create solutions to issues.

The meeting will be held at the SCGS Family Research Library, 417 Irving Drive, Burbank, CA 91504. Cross street is Glenoaks.

www.scgsgenealogy.com
818-843-7247

Anouncement: 2010 GENEii Family History Contest Winners

2011-04-21T23:01:00.000-07:00

April 21, 2011 - BURBANK, CALIFORNIA. The Southern California Genealogical Society announces the winners of the 2010 GENEii(sm) Family History Writing Contest which is sponsored by the Society.

Prizes are awarded in two categories. Category 1 is for articles between 1,000 and 2,000 words in length. Category 2 is for articles under 1,000 words in length. Both categories are for family history or local-history stories, memoirs, or character sketches. Submissions may be either unpublished or previously published. All submissions must be factual, honest, and as accurate as possible.

Complete details are found on the SCGS website.

Congratulations go to all of the 2010 winners! The winning entries are posted online and will be published in the Society's quarterly journal, The Searcher.

Category 1:
1st Place - Carla Garner: Farm Wife in the Great Depression
2nd Place - Janet Aird: Indian Princess
3rd Place - Ceferino Ahuero-Baca: Fur Trader: Pedro Jose' de Tevis
Honorable Mention: Barbara Randall: Meet My Great Grandpa Arthur
Finalist - Emily Cary: Perverse Roots
Finalist - Linda Wilson Barlow: My Pistol Packin' Grandma's Claim to Fame

Category 2:
1st Place - Joyce Roberson: Reprise
2nd Place - Judith Cole: Jersey Shore
3rd Place - Marsha Worth: Math Teacher and Mount Waffl
Honorable Mention - Carla Garner: Eva Continues the Family Tradition
Finalist - Carla Garner: Community Comes in Unexpected Forms

Contest winners will be recognized at the luncheon that will be held during the Family History Writers Conference. The Writers Conference will be held in conjunction with the Society's annual Genealogy Jamboree in June 2011. The conference and luncheon details are found at www.genealogyjamboree.com.

The 2011 contest submission dates are November 1 through December 31, 2011.

DNA Interest Group: Back to Basics Apr 30

2011-04-20T18:55:00.001-07:00

Presenter: Cheri Mello

Program
10:00 - 10:30 Answering questions about DNA testing
10:30 - 12:00 Connecting DNA to Genealogy

12:00 - 1:00 Lunch

1:00 - 2:00 Individualized help

A $5 donation is suggested for attendance. Individualized help available after the formal presentation for those who want to order tests or who have received DNA results and need help managing their personal page or interpreting their results. A drawing will be held for a $30 discount certificate for ordering a DNA test. Bring a brown bag lunch or join the pizza party for an additional $5.

Preservation Week April 24-30, 2011

2011-04-20T18:55:00.000-07:00

Here's a chance to observe Preservation Week 2011 by attending a free webinar presented by the Association for Library Collections and Technical Services (ALCTS).

ALCTS webinar: Preserving Your Personal Digital Memories Date: Thursday, April 28, 2011 All webinars are one hour in length and begin at: 11am Pacific, noon Mountain, 1pm Central, and 2pm Eastern Time

Description: Digital photos, electronic documents, and other new media are fragile and require special care to keep them useable. But preserving digital information is a new concept that most people have little experience with. As new technologies appear for creating and saving our personal digital information, older ones become obsolete, making it difficult to access older content. Learn about the nature of the problem and hear about some simple, practical tips and tools to help you keep your digital memories safe.

Presenter: Bill LeFurgy, Digital Initiatives Manager, has worked for the National Digital Information Infrastructure and Preservation Program at the Library of Congress since June 2002. He leads the NDIIPP Communications Team, which interacts with a broad range of people interested in preserving access to digital information. In former lives, LeFurgy dealt with electronic records at the National Archives and Records Administration and served as Baltimore City Archivist and Records Management Officer. While he has memories of punch cards, monochrome monitors, and 30-pound portable computers, he is also an enthusiastic creator and consumer of social media. He has a BA degree in History from McGill University, as well as an MLS and MA in History from the University of Maryland.

PLEASE NOTE: This is not an SCGS-sponsored webinar and it will not be archived on the SCGS website.

Area Event: Romance of the Ranchos Apr 30-May 1

2011-04-16T18:22:00.000-07:00

We pass this along from our friends at the Workman and Temple Family Homestead Museum

Romance of the Ranchos Festival

Spend the afternoon on the historic Rancho La Puente Saturday April 30 and Sunday May 1, 2011 1pm to 5pm

Just some of the features: Early California music, folklorico dance A visit with Pio Pico, the last Governor of Mexican California Demonstrations, including blacksmith, woodworking, food preservation, adobe brickmaking, rope making and gold panning.

For more information, please visit the Homestead Museum website

Bargain Alert: Family Tree DNA

2011-04-14T16:03:00.000-07:00

Family Tree DNA has posted this message to their Facebook page.

Because this is such a short run sale, please contact Family Tree DNA customer service right away with any problems.
Phone: 1-713-868-1438
E-mail: info@familytreedna.com

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=166119860113271
Coupon Code: DNADAY2011

Time
Today at 12:00pm - Saturday at 12:00am
Location
http://www.familytreedna.com
Created By
Family Tree DNA
More Info
DNA Day is April 15th! Starting at 12:00 PM on April 14th, join the celebration!

New customers:
Y-DNA12…… $59
Y-DNA37…… $129
mtDNA……… $59
Family Finder… $199
Family Finder + Y-DNA12… $258
Family Finder + mtDNA…… $258
Family Finder + mtFullSequence + Y-DNA67 … $657

Upgrades:
Y-DNA12 add-on … $59
Y-DNA12 to 37…… $69
Y-DNA37 to 67…… $79
Y-DNA12 to 67…… $148
mtDNA add-on …… $59
mtFull Sequence upgrade … $199
Family Finder add-on … $199

To take advantage of these promotional prices use the coupon code: DNADAY2011

The coupon code will expire on Friday at midnight (CST).

Please note, the Y-DNA67 to 111 upgrade will remain at the introductory rate of $101 (no coupon necessary) until the end of this promotion. The price will be $129 going forward.

Payment must be received at the time of the order. Valid only on products listed. No substitutions. This promotion was announced in advance, therefore no adjustments will be made on previous purchases. Offer valid from 12:00 PM CST on Thursday, April 14, until 11:59 PM CST on April 15, 2011.

This promotion is not valid in combination with any other promotions. Family Tree DNA reserves the right to cancel any order due to unauthorized or ineligible use of discounts and to modify or cancel these promotional discounts due to system error or unforeseen problems. Subject to change without notice.