The eBUD: RVGS (Society) and JCGL (Library) News: May 2013

JCGL News

Website Menu Update
1st Change: The website menu on patron computers at JCGL has been changed to reflect changes in the Family Search website. A few months back Family Search announced the release of New Family Search to the public. New Family Search has millions of names in family trees submitted by LDS members and others. In early May, these family trees were combined with the historical records collection and all now reside on the main Family Search website. In addition, the Family Search interface has been reconfigured to encourage the user to add photos and stories about family members and to enable users to share this information on social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Google+. You can view a video on You Tube about the latest controversial changes in the Family Search website, at the following url:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NK-h4nM3YDE&feature=player_embedded. Some have complained that introducing the social media aspect has made it much more difficult to find sought-for records on the website. One suggestion is to bookmark the record search portion of the website to make the task a little easier. You might consider doing this on your home computer.
2nd Change: Cyndi’s List has been added back in to replace the link to New Family Search. If you are not familiar with Cyndi’s List, here’s an opportunity for you to look at the extensive collection of links Cyndi provides for genealogists. If you cannot find what you are looking for on the sites listed on the Website Menu, you may be able to find it on one of the links Cyndi provides.

Continuing Renovations of the JCGL building
Carolyn Beron, Public Relations Director, submitted the following information to explain all the sawdust flying at JCGL:

Jackson County Genealogy Library’s ongoing building projects are close to completion.
After Charleen Brown and Nell Mathern designed the wall units and with donated plywood from Martin Toscano and Albert and Carolyn Beron, the storage cabinet project for the east wall of the Reading Room was started, and the outside patio storage room was demolished and rebuilt.
Al Beron and Tom Sayre have worked almost daily to measure, cut, and install the new cabinets. The center of the wall cabinets was designed to hold a wonderful, soon to be announced collection of very special donated quilts from the Jacksonville Museum Quilters. Al and Carolyn Beron donated the hardware, stain, lumber, molding, drywall and paint to help complete this project.
The cabinets are not quite complete yet. The display lights and locks still need to be purchased and installed, and the drawers need to be built. Outside, the siding on the storage room needs to be finished and painted. Rogue Pacific Lumber kindly donated the plastic wrap to insulate the outside of the room before the siding is installed. However, we will soon have a home for our office supplies, including supplies for computer printers and photocopiers, future genealogy project materials, including items to be indexed, donated books to be reviewed by the Book Committee, Society records, which we are required by law to keep for a certain number of years and ongoing genealogy project materials. The storage cabinets and quilt display are shown below. The quilt’s subject is Table Rock and its flowers.

Quilt Cabinet and Storage Area

Quilt Cabinet and Storage Area

The inside of the patio storage room has been insulated, dry-walled and painted. An outside door will be installed soon. This dry storage room will be used for table and chair storage or larger items like our patio furniture in the winter.
The new interior glass doors to the Meeting Room and the Reading Room were donated by Jack and Andrea Patterson. Al Beron with Tom Sayre’s help installed the doors and is putting trim around them. Marie Fulbright has graciously agreed to paint them when they are complete.
Charleen and Warren Brown have built and donated large frames to hold the names of the generous donors throughout the years who have contributed to building our society and library. Warren built and donated additional bookcases to match the others, to replace the older white bookcases and is building more bookcases to line the north hall for the ever-growing library collection.

Upcoming Genealogy Shows on TV

A Christopher Guest mockumentary, Family Tree, pokes fun at genealogists, e.g., wandering through cemeteries, finding lost cousins. The series began airing on HBO on May 12th and will also be shown on BBC at a later date. Who Do You Think You Are (WDYTYA) on TLC will resume later in 2013 and will cover Kelly Clarkson, Chelsea Handler, Christina Applegate, and other celebrities. Finding Your Roots on PBS will also cover celebrities, and will not begin until 2014. The “average Joe and Josephine” will get attention in the Genealogy Roadshow. An Irish import, this series will air on PBS and will be shot in US cities. To learn more, read Megan Smolenyak’s article on Huffington Post, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/megan-smolenyak-smolenyak/hbo-family-tree-genealogy_b_3196423.html

MyHeritage
MyHeritage recently announced that it now offers indexed images of all census years (1790-1940). If you have a subscription to MyHeritage historical records and have your tree posted online with them they will do SmartSearch for you, matching people in your tree not only to the census records but also to other historical records in their collection. SmartSearch also matches people in your family tree with people in other family trees on their site.  Their collection of international family trees is extensive and features many people in Europe and Asia as well as in the US. SmartSearch can match faces across trees –be certain to post photos of your family — and can also match records (across historical records and submitted trees). SmartSearch can save you lots of time. Go to http://www.myheritage.com to learn more about this innovative site. MyHeritage explains their new Record Detective system in a video posted on Dick Eastman’s blog, http://blog.eogn.com/eastmans_online_genealogy/2013/05/myheritage-launches-record-detective-to-accelerate-family-history-discoveries.html#more. MyHeritage is not available on patron computers, partly because it is more appropriately used with an individual, personal account.

RVGS News

Join the 5/60 Club:
Contributed by Barbara MacMillen, RVGS Finance Director
Have you seen members wearing bright green buttons with “5/60 Club Member” and wondered what it was? The 5/60 Club is a fund to which members contribute $5 a month, or $60 a year, to help pay our new mortgage payment. Money donated to this fund go into a special restricted account and are used only to meet the mortgage payment of $1675 each month. The mortgage payment is part of our operating costs. Buying the new building has added to our expenses; this fund was set up to help offset the additional monthly costs. If every member contributes $5 monthly, the fund would have more than enough to make the payment, plus make an additional payment toward the principle. So far about 11% of our members participate, which surely helps and is appreciated. We encourage you to contribute to this fund and grow the participation percentage! And you too will get one of those green buttons.

Members who have contributed March 18 to April 30:

Cara Davis-Jacobson
Roger & Nancy Roberts
Carl Shauger
Linda Carr
Roy Kimball
Sheila Kimball
Julia Hoskins
Barbara Hanel
Carol Wolf
Stacy Dawkins
Kevin Airrington
Margaret Shrader
Barbara Hanel
Martha Erickson
Norbert Leiberg

Annual Fund Drive:
Contributed by Barbara MacMillen, RVGS Finance Director
Annual Fund letters were sent out in April and thanks to those of you who have responded generously; we are at 45% of our goal of $30,000. So if you haven’t returned your annual fund envelope, we hope you will consider a tax-deductible donation that will be applied to our operating expenses. These funds help pay our mortgage, utilities, insurance, subscription websites, keep computers, printers, and copiers working, and maintain our collection and building. If you haven’t visited the new Jackson County Genealogy Library, we encourage you to come in and see your library and look up some of those elusive ancestors. More digital records are being uploaded daily, so if you haven’t looked for someone in a while, it may be time to look again. It is members like you that keep our doors open and provide a wonderful resource to the community.

Letter from RVGS President Charleen Brown:

Open letter to Jackson County RVGS Members,

As your RVGS President, I am writing to provide you with important information about the formation of the Rogue Valley Heritage District. A group of concerned citizens and the Jackson County Heritage Association, (JCHA, RVGS is a member) have formed the Our Heritage Political Action Committee (Our Heritage PAC). The purpose of the PAC is to sponsor a ballot measure to be submitted to voters in the May 2014 election. This measure would provide funding through a county-wide property tax, limited to 5 cents per thousand of assessed valuation. The owner of a $200,000 property would pay an additional $10.00 per year. These funds would be administered through the Rogue Valley Heritage District. Jackson County would never have access to these funds.

To get the measure on the ballot, petitions of registered voter signatures will be required. Therefore, our RVGS Jackson County members will be mailed petition information in May, 2013. I urge you to watch for this and seriously consider supporting our effort. If you are a registered voter, please sign the petition, gather signatures from family or friends and return it to the PAC address or drop it at our library. Please return the petition even if you only have one or two signatures. Every signature counts and gets us closer to our goal of getting it on the ballot in 2014. If you aren’t a registered voter, consider registering to support this endeavor. Registration forms will be available at our library or there is a form in the front of DEX, page 49. If successful, RVGS as well as the other members of Jackson County Heritage Association will receive funding for their itemized operating expenses (RVGS $25,000) beginning in 2015. This additional annual support will help guarantee that we can keep our dues low and still provide the services members have come to expect.

Sincerely,

Charleen Brown
RVGS President.

To learn more about Our Heritage Pac, click on this link, Our Heritage Matters.

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The eBUD: Classes and Events May 2013

JCGL  Classes and Events May 2013

MINI-SEMINAR SATURDAY, MAY 4, 2013

Jackson County Genealogy Library; 3405 South Pacific Highway; Medford, Oregon
Classes are $10.00 each session for members and $20.00 each session for non-members. Please call the library at 541-512-2340 or email info@rvgslibrary.org to register.

Andi 242-281

ANDREA PATTERSON

9:00-10:30 AM: BEGINNING GENEALOGY II – Instructor: Andrea Patterson
A power point presentation that demonstrates beginning “tools” and emphasizes a few resources on the internet that are free and useful for the beginner.

10:45 AM-12:15 PM: CENSUS RECORDS – Instructor: Betty Miller
Developing a census record of your family using state and federal censuses. Census records can help you determine relationships, naturalization dates, occupations, birthplaces and much more in helping you determine your family history.

12:15-1:15 PM: – LUNCH BREAK
If you plan on attending all day, please feel free to bring your lunch. “ To go” menus from Debby’s Diner and Subway sandwiches will be available for those who wish to order and eat at the library.

1:15-2:45 PM: – FIND AND USE NEWSPAPERS TO AUGMENT YOUR GENEALOGY RESEARCH  Instructor: Carolyn Beron
Serving as daily (or weekly) diaries of local communities and their inhabitants, newspapers are excellent sources of family history. As such, they provide a wonderful, often untapped, resource for genealogists, providing accounts of events not recorded elsewhere. The determined genealogical researcher can use newspapers to not only find the expected birth announcements and obituaries, but also announcements of anniversaries, legal notices, letters to the editor, and social columns filled with local news of a more personal nature. Whether daily or monthly, urban or rural, newspapers can open a new window into the lives of your ancestors.

3:00-4:30PM: – YOUR ANCESTORS IN ENGLAND: RESOURCES FOR YOUR SEARCH
Instructor: Ruth Gerety
Ready to swim “The Pond”? You are there and ready for combat. Help is on the way for the “what”, “where” and “why”.

Genealogy Program for the Public

MURDER IN THE LOWER BERTH: A WARTIME EPISODELOWER BERTH
By Larry Mullaly

May 21, 2013, 1:30 pm
Jackson County Genealogy Library
3405 South Pacific Highway
Medford, Oregon

The stabbing death of a young Virginia bride in a Southern Pacific sleeping car near Tangent, Oregon in January 1943 exposed the raw nerve of Oregon race relations and was front-page news in newspapers across America. Using court transcripts, and Southern Pacific investigative reports, historian Larry Mullaly includes photographs and excerpts from trial records to review details surrounding the death of the beautiful young woman, and the fairness of the trail of a 20 year-old black railroad cook charged with the murder.

Larry Mullaly has written extensively on western railroad topics and is a member of the National Railway Historical Society. He is co-author with Bruce Petty of The Southern Pacific in Los Angeles, 1873-1996.

DIGGIN’ IN THE DARK

Immediately follows the Genealogy Program for the public at JCGL. The library will be open between 3:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Join the Rogue Valley Genealogical Society staff and members for a free, full evening of family history fun. No previous genealogy experience is necessary. Bring your known family information, a USB flash drive for saving what we find and your supper. Please register by phone 541-512-2340 by email to info@rvgslibrary.org or in person at Jackson County Genealogy Library, 3405 S. Pacific Highway, Medford

FAMILY TREE MAKER WORKSHOPS:

A  series of ten “hands on” classes will begin on Saturday, May 25. The  classes will be held every two weeks thereafter (June 8 and 22; July 6 and 20; August 3, 17 and 31; and September 14 and 28). Classes will run from 10:30-12:30pm. The cost is $10.00 per class for members and  $20.00 per class for non-members. THE FIRST CLASS IS FREE! Please register by phone 541-512-2340 by email to info@rvgslibrary.org or in person at Jackson County Genealogy Library, 3405 S. Pacific Highway, Medford. To learn more about each session please click this link, FTM Workshops.

Please bring your laptops with you as these will be”hands on” classes.
If you have not yet downloaded FTM (Family Tree Maker) to your computer and need assistance in doing so, please contact the library and we will attempt to provide you help in doing so. You will have to purchase the program and bring it with you.

HOW WAS THE RESEARCH TRIP TO SALT LAKE CITY?

Participants in front of Raindance Bus

Participants in front of Raindance Bus

Cara Davis-Jacobson wrote a brief description about the Workshop of Wheels trip to Salt Lake City in April:  ” It was so great sharing our recent trip to SLC with all of you! Wasn’t it a great one? I for one was thrilled to find my elusive 2nd great-grandfather’s connection family and sort out my Dutch relatives. I was also happy to meet so many of you for the first time and hear more about your families and research. I also enjoyed the beautiful setting of that city, eating all that wonderful food, and experiencing the desert terrain of Eastern Oregon, Northern Nevada, and Utah on our rainy and snowy ride to and from.”

Out of Medford Classes and Events

May 8-11

Building New Bridges, a Family History Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada sponsored by National Genealogical Society. Go to their website to learn more: http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/cs/conference_info

May 14

Grants Pass Genealogical Society monthly meeting at 1:30 PM. Solving a 40-Year Brick Wall, speaker Don Ness. A tutorial video will also be shown.  Meetings are held at the LDS Church, Relief Society Room, 1969 Williams Hwy, (corner of Harbeck) Grants Pass, OR  97527

Jun 7-9

44th Annual Southern California Genealogy Jamboree hosted by the Southern California Genealogical Society. Event to be held at Los Angeles Marriott Burbank Airport Hotel. This year’s theme is “Follow the Path to the Past.” More information can be found at www.genealogyjamboree.com.

Jun 11

Grants Pass Genealogical Society monthly meeting at 1:30 PM. Digital Photo Know-How. Guest Speaker Valerie Brown. Meetings are held at the LDS Church, Relief Society Room, 1969 Williams Hwy, (corner of Harbeck) Grants Pass, OR  97527

August 21-24

FGS Annual Conference, Ft. Wayne, IN.
More information is available to www.fgsconference.org.

WEBINARS

Webinars are a great way to learn how to do genealogy without having to leave your home or your pajamas.  Most are free and last no longer than 30 min.  What’s not to love?

Legacy Webinars: http://www.familytreewebinars.com/upcoming-webinars.php
Ancestry Webinars: http://www.ancestry.com/cs/us/videos
Family Tree Magazine Webinars: http://www.familytreemagazine.com/interactive/webinars

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The eBUD: RVGSociety News: BIG news this issue!

Big News: Sale of 95 Houston

The old library building at 95 Houston Road in Phoenix has been sold! Hallelujah! The 2012-4-4 building-cropseller is providing cash at a mutually agreed price of  $175,000.  Escrow opens on Monday, April 22nd. Watch for further details in the next eBud.   This is BIG news.

Amazing Membership Growth

Back in April 2011, RVGS announced a milestone.   The Society celebrated that it had had enrolled 500 members; the result of slow but steady growth over the years.   Impressed?  Well… hold your hat! Membership in the society increased 30% in the past year.  We now have approximately 650 members!  Another piece of BIG news! Below is a list of new members added in February and March of 2013.  Welcome new members.

February 2013                                                             March 2013

Carol & Karen Knapp                                                        David O. Babbitt     

Nancy Mairs                                                                        Daryll Bailey

Sharon  Austin-Johnston                                                 Robert & Holly Bensel

G. Lee Jackson                                                                    Jack & Virginia Bird

Sharon L. Funk                                                                    Patrick Calkins

Gary Blair                                                                              Julia Haskins

Kay Teeters                                                                            Lynn Leissler

Pattie Busse                                                                           Harold & Gloria Lewis

Lynda C. Haghan                                                                  Sheryl Padilla

Jim Martin                                                                             Victoria Perlson

David & Mary Newell                                                           Erma & Summerfield Squire

Don & Linda Smith                                                               Laurie J. Tepley

Laura Franco                                                                          Harold & Barbara Tracy

Diane Tibbitts

Ronald Cole

Donor Lists and a Short History of Society/Library

In recognition of the wonderful support donors have provided for the Rogue Valley Genealogical Society since its inception in 1966, the RVGS Board decided that all those who have donated to the library be listed on the RVGSociety Website.   Please go to http://rvgsociety.org/Our History.html to read how we have progressed from a single book to a 5000 sq. ft.  library building housing about 20,000 catalogued items.  Interspersed in that history are links to the donor lists: 1st, Founders and Donors; 2nd, Donors over Three Decades (1980-2011); 3rd, Donors to the New Building Fund .Please forgive us if the records are incomplete and your name is not listed and do let us know if there has been oversight.  Note that the lists do not include donors to the Annual Fund Drives.  Please accept our thanks for your support and our hopes that you will continue to contribute in the future.

Are You Part of the 100%?

We want to thank those of you who have joined the 5/60 club in 2013 and encourage those of you who have not joined yet to do so. We are striving to get 100% of our membership to also be members of the 5/60 club. The 5/60 club is an additional $5/month or $60/year donated to RVGS to pay the mortgage. We all agree that we have a beautiful new library building, but it has come with a $325,000 mortgage. RVGS needs everyone’s help to offset this additional cost; $5 a month from every member would do this. So start putting your change in a jar daily (16¢) and at the end of the month, send $5 to RVGS and become part of the 100% we need to participate. How much has RVGS contributed to your family history? What is that worth?

5/60 club NEW members for April 2013:

Suzanne Schmitz                                                                       Karen Pendergast
Marie Fulbright                                                                         Verna Strickland
Warren Brown                                                                           Robert Pocan
Andrea Patterson                                                                      Ruth Pocan
John Kious                                                                                 Terry Fischer
David Hodson                                                                            E. Ken Clarke
Barbara Mumblo                                                                      Ann Horton
Bruce McGarvey                                                                       Ronald Cole
Barbara Hagen                                                                         Jennifer Bryan

A Marble Headstone Used as a Door Stop: A Successful Research Effort by RVGS Members

EDWIN E. MERRITT HEADSTONE By Steve Kious

The marble headstone of Edwin E. Merritt reads:  born Dec. 27, 1895, died Dec. 3, 1897.  MerrittIn 2011 Howard and Jerry Sollinger, who live in the vicinity of Wimer, Oregon contacted the Jackson County Genealogy Library (JCGL) seeking information about the headstone.  It was well-preserved and had been stored on their property since at least 1990.  The Sollingers had seen one of Ron Brown’s Oregon 150 shows on KDRV Channel 12.

The questions presented to JCGL researchers included:  who was Edwin E. Merritt, who were his parents, and where did his headstone belong?  Researchers Marilyn Ayres, Chuck Eccleston, and Roger Roberts began working to solve the puzzle.

Chuck and Roger went out to visit Mrs. Sollinger and took photos of the headstone, which had been used to keep a shed door open.

An item found in the December 9, 1897 edition of the Ashland Tidings stated:  DIED – MERRITT – in Grants Pass, Friday, Dec. 3, 8:30 a.m., Edwin E. Merritt, aged 1 year and 11 months.

Land records were searched to find any mention of a Merritt family living in the Wimer area in 1897 but without success.  A search of the 1900 census revealed several Merritts in the Rogue Valley area.  One family was headed by D.P. (Diah) Merritt, age 33, who lived with his father, Julius Merritt, and other family members in the precinct of North Grants Pass in Josephine County.  The census indicated that Diah’s wife, Ella, age 26, had given birth to three children and two of them were still living.  This family looked promising as the family of origin for Edwin E. Merritt.

It was learned that this family soon after moved to Seattle, where Marietta, Julius’ wife, died in 1905.  There is a family plot in Crown Hill Cemetery there where Julius, Marietta, Diah and his wife Ella, and other family members are buried.

Chuck Eccleston wrote to the Seattle Genealogical Society in March 2012 and provided a photo of Edwin’s headstone to them.  He had not received a response as of July 2012 so he asked Marilyn Ayres, an RVGS member who lived in Seattle, to do some research there and check cemetery records.

Marilyn and her husband Al visited the cemetery in July 2012 and were given information on plot ownership by the family services counselor on site.  With the names of all of the family members buried there, she researched the city directories, the censuses of 1910, 1920, 1930, and 1940 following the family members, and copied obituaries from the Seattle Times for Julius, Diah, and his wife, Ella, and looking for any reference to Edwin who had preceded them in death.  It was thought that Diah and Ella could be the parents of Edwin and that his siblings were Julia and Roland.  Roland Merritt and Julia Merritt Petersen lived in Seattle.  Julia married Lawrence Petersen and had a son, Lawrence Merritt Petersen.

Marilyn also searched on Ancestry.com and found a family tree for Maurine Smith which listed an Edwin Merritt in the family of Diah Merritt.  She contacted the tree’s owner, a Mesforbes, in October 2012, but did not receive a response until March 2013 because the owner did not realize she had a message until then.  Maurine Forbes and Alaina Forbes Nye replied that they were the living descendents of Diah Merritt.  Maurine is the granddaughter of Julia Merritt Petersen and Alaina is Maurine’s daughter.  They confirmed that Edwin was the son of Diah Merritt, with the additional information that Edwin died of diphtheria.

Finally, Marilyn called the listings in the Seattle city telephone directory for Merritts and Petersens in an attempt to locate relatives.  After several dead ends she called a Darcy Holmes and found she was the granddaughter of Julia Merritt Petersen.  In October 2012 Marilyn called Jerry Sollinger and told her that a relative of Edwin may have been found.  Marilyn then visited the property and took photos of Edwin’s headstone and the house next door.  The adjacent house was very old with an old smokehouse behind the house.  The neighbors gave permission for Marilyn to photograph their home.  She was also interested to learn if the Merritt family relatives might have any photos from the 1890s which would show that house as being theirs.

Ms. Holmes emailed Marilyn that Maurine Forbes was her cousin, which provided further corroboration that Edwin’s family had been found.

Jerry Sollinger and Ms. Holmes were provided with each other’s phone numbers so they could talk directly about the headstone.  Marilyn arranged to give copies of the photos to Ms. Holmes.

So some questions remain unanswered:  Where does the headstone belong?  No cemetery in Jackson County has a listing for Edwin.  Perhaps he was buried on the family’s property in Josephine County.  Will Darcy Holmes or anyone in her family recognize the old house or surrounding area in Wimer as being in the family?  Was the headstone somewhere else first and then brought to this place?

Unfortunately, the Crown Hill Cemetery in Seattle where Edwin’s parents are buried does not accept marble headstones.

Query:

Looking for relatives of Cochrans, Potters, or Obenchains that live in this area. Please contact me at 541-608-3904.

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THE EBUD: JCGL News Plus Additional Classes April 2013

Early May Mini-Seminar at JCGL

SATURDAY, MAY 4, 2013  Classes are $10.00 each session  for members and $20.00 each session  for non-members.  Please call the library at 541-512-2340 or email info@rvgslibrary.org or pre-register in person at JCGL.

family_tree

9:00-10:30 AM:     BEGINNING GENEALOGY  II   -   Instructor:  Andrea Patterson. A PowerPoint presentation that demonstrates beginning “tools” and emphasizes a few resources on the internet  that are free and useful  for the beginner.

10:45 AM-12:15 PM:     CENSUS RECORDS   -    Instructor:   Betty Miller. Learn how to develop a census record of your family using state and federal censuses.   Census records can help you determine relationships, naturalization dates, occupations, birthplaces and much more in helping you determine your family history.

12:15-1:15 PM:    -   LUNCH BREAK   If you plan on attending all day, please  feel  free to bring your lunch.  “ To go”  menus from Debby’s Diner and Subway sandwiches will be available for those who wish to order  and eat at the library.

1:15-2:45 PM:   -     FIND AND USE NEWSPAPERS TO AUGMENT YOUR GENEALOGY RESEARCH.  Instructor:  Carolyn BeronServing as daily (or weekly) diaries of local communities and their inhabitants, newspapers are excellent sources of family history.  As such, they provide a wonderful, often untapped, resource for genealogists, providing accounts of events not recorded elsewhere.  The determined genealogical researcher can use newspapers to not only find the expected birth announcements and obituaries, but also announcements of anniversaries, legal notices, letters to the editor, and social columns filled with local news of a more personal nature.  Whether daily or monthly, urban or rural, newspapers can open a new window into the lives of your ancestors.

3:00-4:30PM:   -  YOUR ANCESTORS  IN ENGLAND:  RESOURCES FOR YOUR SEARCH Instructor:  Ruth Gerety. Ready to swim “The Pond”?   You are there and ready for combat.  Help is on the way for the “what”, “where” and “why”.

Genealogy Software Workshops

Interested in Using RootsMagic Software?  Please call (541-512-2340) or email info@rvgslibrary.org or pre-register in person at JCGL for workshops providing training in the use of RootsMagic.   User groups are also available for Family Tree Maker (FTM) software.  Please indicate your interest in joining FTM workshops by calling or emailing JCGL.

April-May Programs in Grants Pass

April 9th  General Program Information:sar

Many of our members are curious about documenting their kin who fought in the American Revolution.  To answer these questions, long-time Grants Pass Genealogical Society Members  Barbara Johnson and Don Thomas will present an informational session at the April 9th meeting about both organizations.  Program at the LDS Church, Relief Society Room, 1969 Williams Hwy, (corner of Harbeck) Grants Pass, OR  97527.  Free.   Both the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) and the SAR (Sons of the American Revolution) have excellent websites:                                                                                                                  DAR  – http://www.dar.org;  SAR -   http://www.sar.org

May 14th General Program Information:       GPGS monthly meeting at 1:30 PM. Solving a 40-Year Brick Wall, speaker Don Ness. A tutorial video will also be shown. Program at the LDS Church, Relief Society Room, 1969 Williams Hwy, (corner of Harbeck) Grants Pass, OR  97527.  Free.

We Have Indexes to Josephine County Records on the JCGL Website!

We have indexes to obituaries from the Grants Pass Courier for the years: 1972-1974; 1990-2003; 2005-2008; and 2010-2012.   We added about a half dozen of these indexes last week if you haven’t checked recently.  We also have an index to the Hull & Hull mortuary records for 1961-65.   Requests can be sent and fulfilled by email.  Please go to http://www.rvgslibrary.org/Josephine.html.

Changes in the JCGL Website Menu

The Website Menu on patron computers has been changed.   We recently added two additional websites: one for Newspapers.com and another for New Family Search.

A. Newspapers.com is owned by Ancestry.com and plans are to expand its collection rapidly to include small-town as well as big-city newspapers.   JCGL now offers several sites on the menu that give you access to newspaper records.  The major ones are Genealogy Bank and Newspapers.com.  Newspaper collections can also be found on Ancestry.com, Fold3, and World Vital Records.  Funds to purchase Newspapers.com for library use were donated by Carolyn Beron, Public Relations Director RVGS.

B. New Family Search contains millions of names in family trees collected over the decades by contributors to Ancestral File, Pedigree Resource File, and paper files submitted by LDS members and others.   You can search for your ancestors on the library account. Please do not build your family tree on the library account.    New Family Search was only recently opened up for use by non-LDS users.  You can open a personal account on your home computer(free!) and build your family tree within that account.  New Family Search combines records about an individual that have been submitted by different persons and provides sources for entries that have been made.  It’s a wonderful resource.

Family Trees at JCGL:

Public Member Trees are again available on Ancestry Library Edition.   To find them on the website, click on the link  “More Databases” before you begin searching.   The first choice given you will be Public Member Trees.   Access to Public Member Trees has been intermittently available since February of 2013.  We trust that they will remain available for the for seeable future.   Don’t forget to check the family trees on New Family Search.  Here’s a block quote from and email from ProQuest about additional features in Ancestry Library Edition:

Thank you for subscribing to Ancestry® Library Edition through ProQuest®. While new content is added to or updated regularly in your genealogy database, the following new resources are especially noteworthy for 2013:

  • Public      Member Trees
  • U.S.      City Directories
  • School      Lesson Plans

Word Processing and Email on Patron Computers

Although Word is not installed on patron computers you do have access to WordPad (and NotePad)  if you need to take notes.   Click on the “Pearl” (the circle containing the Windows logo at the lower left corner of the screen), then select “All Programs” and then the folder labeled “Accessories”.  Both WordPad and NotePad are listed as accessories.

A Gmail account for patron use has been installed on all patron computers to help you send copies of documents to yourself via email   You can save documents, e.g., a 1910 census image from Ancestry.com, to the My Documents folder on a computer.  Then go to Google.com and open Gmail.   Send an email to yourself with the census image attached to your email message.   “Saving” is better than “Sharing” because sharing may require login information to open the document.   If you have a Google Account (i.e., Gmail) you can download Google Drive to your home computer and have access to 5 gigabytes of free storage.   If you login to your personal Google account at JCGL, you can save documents to Google Drive.  Google Drive also provides word processing (similar to Word) and spreadsheets (similar to Excel).  You do not have access to Google Drive through the patron accounts at JCGL.

A JCGL Library Treasure

Roll of Honor:  Names of Soldiers Who Died in Defense of the American Union, Interred in the National Cemeteries

Call Number: 355.125 Rol Vol. 1-10

Compiled by the United States Army Quartermaster’s Department, and initially published by the U.S. Government Printing Office between 1865 and 1871, this 27 volume set was republished by the Genealogical Publishing Company in 1994-1995 in 10 volumes, with an additional Index volume.  Following these is a book entitled Unpublished Roll of Honor.

The roll of honor is organized by cemetery, with multiple columns of information for each soldier, including:  name, rank, regiment, company, and date of death.  Within the listing for each cemetery the names are not in complete alphabetical order, although all of the surnames beginning with the same letter are grouped together.  Within each cemetery there are separate listings for “White” and “Colored” soldiers.

Call Number: 355.125 Rol  Index

The new index volume is important to the effective use of this complex set of books. It begins with an Index to Burial Sites, listed alphabetically by state, then by location.  This is followed by a name index for each soldier, with reference to the original volume number and page number.

Call Number: 355.125 Unp

The Unpublished Roll of Honor by Mark Hughes, published by the Genealogical Publishing Company in 1996, is based largely on materials discovered at the National Archives, including records of national cemeteries omitted from the original series, records of headstone requests (often for soldiers who were buried in private cemeteries), and records of post cemeteries that eluded the original compilers. Approximately 8,500 men are listed here with (usually) their rank, company, and unit.  (No date of death.) Following the lead of the original Roll of Honor, this work also includes the names of soldiers who were buried in post cemeteries on the western frontier, and it sometimes lists the names of civilians who were buried in post cemeteries (usually soldiers’ wives or children.)  For example, Fort Klamath is the only Oregon location, listing soldier burials between 1864 and 1884, and noting that these bodies were moved to the San Francisco National Cemetery.  (Women and children were not included in the Fort Klamath list.)

Submitted by Anne Billeter, JCGL Library Director

Resources of the DAR Librarydar

As many of you may know, the DAR Library recently began creating a new series of Revolutionary War research guides. These publications focus on research in each of the     original colonies during the period of the American Revolution. The series is designed to provide detailed information on the availability of manuscript and archival material that exists for each state during this time period. This includes materials identified by the DAR Office of the Registrar General that can be useful for establishing the Revolutionary     Service of individuals in military and civil records. Alongside this detailed information the guides also include listings of historical and genealogical studies that have been published and support the original sources.

The Source Guides will be most helpful for genealogists and historians; particularly, those trying to document the service of a Revolutionary War ancestor for membership or a supplemental. These guides will help them determine where appropriate records may be located. State and chapter registrars will also find the guides valuable in assisting     prospective members with their applications by being able to direct them to appropriate documentation.

The first of the series, New York  in the American Revolution: A Source Guide for Genealogists and Historians is the most extensive gathering of such information ever published. Researchers will find it to be an essential resource with which to identify materials and studies located in many scattered libraries and archives.

This New York Source Guide is currently available for purchase as a PDF download from the DAR Store.  Downloading the Source Guides from the store is a very easy process. After  purchasing the PDF you will receive an email with a link, once you click     this link you will be prompted to save the document on your computer to “My Documents” or whichever folder you choose. Saving the link itself will not download the book. Once you have the PDF saved you will be able to access  it whenever you want.

Submitted by Connie Miller, RVGS Vice-President

Finding Stuff about JCGL

Accidentally delete the eBUD?   You can visit our Blog (http://rvgslib.wordpress.com/) or our Calendar (http://www.rvgsociety.org/Calendar.html)  or go to Facebook or Twitter to access news about JCGL.   Like us on Facebook; Follow us on Twittertwitter

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CLASSES AND EVENTS APRIL 2013

CLASSES at JCGL :

All classes are held in the Meeting Room of the Jackson County Genealogy Library, 3405 South Pacific Highway.  The library hours are 10:00 AM to 3 PM Monday through Saturday.

Thursday, APRIL  4

10:30AM-12:30pm  GOOGLE TOOLS FOR GENEALOGISTS – Instructor:  Barbara Basden

In addition to Google tools, effective search strategies will be described.  Tools include  Google Alerts which tells you by email when new information about your ancestor has been posted on the internet and  Google Drive which provides free online storage complete with a word processor and spreadsheet, and others. All tools require a Google account  that’s free and easy to set up. Register in person at 3405 South Pacific Highway, Medford or call 541-512-2340 or email info@rvgslibrary.org to reserve your space. FEE:   Member:  $10.00;   Non-member $20.00

Saturday, APRIL  20

10:30AM-12:30PM  -  BEGINNING GENEALOGY -  Instructor:  Charleen Brown

Charleen  will teach the basic information you need to get you started on your family tree.  This class is designed for the true beginner who wants to learn how to start a genealogy project.  Save time by organizing what you already know by filling out an Ancestor Chart before going on the computer. Learn what types of documents will be useful in helping you trace your family.  The information you learn along the way will help you succeed in compiling a commendable family history.  This is a free class for those just beginning their genealogy project.   3405 South Pacific Highway, Medford;   Call 541-512-2340 or email info@rvgslibrary.org to reserve your space. FEE:   None

Friday, APRIL  26

10:00AM-12:00PM  -  USING THE LIBRARY EFFECTIVELY -  Instructor:  Ann Billeter

Library Director Anne Billeter will show you what’s where at JCGL as well as its  hidden treasures.  Learn how to use the library’s online catalog. Register in person at 3405 South Pacific Highway, Medford or call 541-512-2340 or email info@rvgslibrary.org to reserve your space. FEE:  Member :  $10.00;  Non-member:  $20.00

Early MAY

Watch for the JCGL mini-seminar coming up soon.  More information in the next post!

Events at JCGL:

Monday through Monday, APRIL 8 -15      

FAMILY HISTORY LIBRARY – SALT LAKE CITY TRIP  – IT’S NOT TOO LATE TO JOIN US!!

It’s a Workshop on Wheels — Join fellow RVGS members and board members to visit the BUSbest genealogy library in the world. Meet new friends, socialize over lunch and dinner, and get help with your genealogy problems. You do not need to be an expert to profit from this tour. Tour dates are April 8 through April 15th. The cost is $850/person double occupancy and $1175/person single occupancy and includes transportation, luggage handling, and lodging for the entire tour. If you are interested in going please call or email JCGL, 541-512-2340, info@rvgslibrary.org. The bus leaves from the Food4Less parking lot in Medford at 8:30 AM on Monday April 8, and picks up additional passengers at the Dollar Store in White City at 8:45. Lunch is in Lakeview and overnight lodging at Winnemucca Inn that evening. Arrive Salt Lake City at 3:30 PM on Tuesday April 9 to stay at the Salt Lake Plaza Hotel for five nights. The Family History Library is across the alley! The bus leaves the Salt Lake Plaza hotel at noon on Sunday, April 14. Arrive Winnemucca that night. Leave Winnemucca at 8:00 AM on Monday, April 15th. Arrive in White City at 3:45 PM, Medford at 4:00 PM.

Tuesday, APRIL  16

1:30PM-3:00PM  PROGRAM FOR THE PUBLIC:   CAPTURING ORAL HISTORY ON VIDEO  - Tips for Storytellers and Behind the Camera. Presenter:  Dan Shaw

What does it take to capture compelling video of personal stories?  Whether you are in front of the camera or behind it, you will find it useful to be familiar with some of the situations that often occur when capturing vidoe cameraoral history on video, and how to prepare and respond with ease and professionalism​.  Storytelling and film making are intimately woven together and both preserve historical and cultural knowledge.  Both also play a vital role in transmitting knowledge and values now and bequeathing these gifts to future generations.  Dan will speak a bit on the subject and then demonstrate by filming a story from someone in the audience. A how-to presentation. FEE:  Free

Tuesday, APRIL  16

3:00 PM – 9:00PM  -  DIGGIN’ IN THE DARK:   Genealogy After Hours

Tuesday after the Genealogy Program for the Public, JCGL will be open between 3:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.  Join the JCGL staff and members for a free, full evening of family history fun.    No previous genealogy experience is necessary.  Bring your known family information, a USB flash drive for saving what we find and your supper. Register in person at 3405 South Pacific Highway, Medford or call 541-512-2340 or email info@rvgslibrary.org to reserve your space.

REGIONAL CONFERENCES:

SATURDAY – April 27 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM 2013 Bend Genealogical Society ConferenceChristine Rose

At the Bend Golf & Country Club  Featuring Christine Rose, Certified Genealogist Fellow, American Society of Genealogists Certified Genealogical Lecturer

Christine Rose has extensive national lecturing experience and is the author of many acclaimed genealogy books, including: The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Genealogy; Military Bounty Land 1776-1855; & Genealogical Proof Standard.

Christine will be presenting on four topics at the 2013 Spring Seminar:

• Genealogical Proof Standard

• Avoid the Crooked Path! Genealogical Problem-Solving

• Leaping to Erroneous Conclusions: What Did the Record REALLY Say?

• Solving the Problem Onsite in 25 Hours or Less

44th Annual Southern California Genealogy Jamboree

Friday through Sunday, June 7-June 9

The Southern California Genealogical Society is proud to announce the 44th Annual Southern California Genealogy Jamboree. The popular conference will be held at the home Jamboree%20191x247of Jamboree, Los Angeles Marriott Burbank Airport Hotel, 2500 Hollywood Way, Burbank, California. With about 1600 attendees, speakers, exhibitors, and volunteers, Jamboree is one of the largest genealogical events in the United States.

This year’s theme is “Follow the Path to the Past,” and our special emphasis is on military records and African-American research. As in the past, we are fortunate to have world-class speakers leading nearly 100 classes.

New to Jamboree this year is the introduction of thirteen 90-minute workshop sessions (Friday and Sunday) to allow our attendees to dig deep into the subjects of interest. Best of all, there is no additional charge for these workshops!

Of course, we will have a number of special events, including a behind-the-scenes look at Who Do You Think You Are, which is back in production for a fourth year to be shown on a yet-to-be announced cable channel. Allie Orton and other members of the team of WDYTYA will be on hand Friday evening to answer your questions during a Q&A session moderated by Lisa Louise Cooke.

This year’s innovative Family History and DNA: Genetic Genealogy in 2013, a joint production of the Southern California Genealogical Society and the International Society of Genetic Genealogy (ISOGG), will be held June 6. This is the first independently produced DNA event (that is, not sponsored by a DNA commercial company.) An outstanding slate of speakers, including Dr. Spencer Wells, will be on hand for this very special event.  For more information go to: http://www.genealogyjamboree.com/

NATIONAL CONFERENCES:

Wednesday thrNGS logoough Saturday, May 8-11

The NGS 2013 Family History Conference will be held at The LVH-Las Vegas
Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. From beginners to the experienced researcher who aspires to certification, the annual NGS Family History Conference has something for everyone. http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/cs/conference_info

Wednesday through Saturday, August 21-14 

The Federation of Genealogical Society presents:  2013 Annual FGS Conference

2013 FGS Conference Registration is Open     “Journey through Generations” – A FGS logoConference for the Nation’s Genealogists   Online registration is now open for the 2013 Federation of Genealogical Societies Conference in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Register at http://www.fgsconference.org by 1 July 2013 for an early-bird discount. This year’s conference theme is “Journey through Generations,” and the local hosts are the Allen County Public Library (ACPL) and the Allen County Genealogical Society of Indiana (ACGSI).   This year’s FGS conference offers an exciting opportunity for anyone interested in researching their family history. This conference will offer over 160 educational sessions on records, strategies, and tools for genealogists of all levels. Ten different sponsored luncheons will provide opportunities for networking.   Session sponsors include FamilySearch, findmypast.com, Ancestry.com, Archives.com, Fold3, Association of Professional Genealogists, Genealogical Speakers Guild, National Archives and Records Administration, and the Indiana Historical Society.   Conference Highlights  •Conference Sessions: A wide variety of genealogy-related lectures and workshops for all experience levels. Attendees will be able to learn about Midwest research, African American research, European research, military research, genetics, technology, migration, methodology and more.  •Focus on Societies: On Wednesday, August 21, 2013, sessions are jam-packed with ideas and tools to help societies promote themselves, increase membership, and develop sources of revenue.  •Librarians’ Day: On Tuesday, August 20, 2013, ProQuest will sponsor a full pre-conference day of sessions designed for librarians, archivists, and other information professionals serving family history researchers.  •Special Events: Include FGS Opening Social at the Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory and “Journey Through the Genearations with Our Veterans” at the Allen County Public Library.  •Exhibit Hall: The large exhibit hall will feature the latest software, books, maps, databases and gadgets on the market for genealogists and family historians, as well as information about genealogical organizations. Representatives of FGS member societies will staff their booths in the special Society Showcase area.  •Extended Hours at ACPL: The Genealogy Center at ACPL will open early and stay open late during the FGS 2013 conference week to help genealogist maximize their research time.  There are more activities and research opportunities too numerous to list. However, you can learn all about the 2013 FGS Conference and register for this exciting four-day event at http://www.fgsconference.org. Be sure to also visit or subscribe to the FGS Conference Blog at http://www.fgsconferenceblog.org for more information.

WRAPUP OF ROOTSTECH:    At RootsTech March 21-23 in Salt Lake City, there were 6,700 registered attendees making it the biggest genealogy conference in North America.   I was there and attended a lot of classes and workshops  and visited the Expo Center several times and all the Keynote Sessions.  You can learn about all that went on and you can listen to  the Keynote Addresses by clicking on this link, http://rootstech.org/?start=0&end=5880&id=K1&video=2243194494001.   I particularly enjoyed Dennis Brimhall’s presentation about what’s coming in genealogy (more collaboration, more family stories and photos) on Thursday and David Pogue’s very entertaining talk about smart phones (app phones) on Saturday’                                                                                Enjoy,  Barbara H. Basden, Editor

WEBINARS (FREE ONLINE CLASSES!)

Wednesday, April 3  11:00am Evidence: Guidelines for Evaluating Genealogical Evidence

Do you find it difficult determining what information you have found in reference to your ancestors is good or bad information? During this webinar you will be provided with suggestions that will help you sort out the evidence you are finding and how to careful analyze the sources and data.————————————– Linda Woodward Geiger. More Details and Registration: http://familytreewebinars.com/upcoming-webinars.php

Wednesday, April  10 11:00am That First Trip to the Courthouse

If there is one home truth in genealogy research, it’s this: not everything is available online. Sooner or later, every genealogist has got to make that first trip to the courthouse to check out the original records available there. Learn how to prepare for that trip.  Judy G. Russell. More Details and Registration: http://familytreewebinars.com/upcoming-webinars.php

Wednesday, April  17 11:00am  A Treasure Trove of Irish Websites

Julie Andrews sings about raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens being some of her favorite things. Judy will sing (not literally) the praises of some of her favorite things found in Irish genealogical websites. This will be an interactive class where you’ll be able to visit many of these sites yourself.————————————- Judith Eccles Wight. More Details and Registration: http://familytreewebinars.com/upcoming-webinars.php

Wednesday, April  24. 11:00am What’s New at FamilySearch

What are the latest tools from FamilySearch and how can I use them in my research? Come learn about new products and initiatives that are making a difference in the genealogy community. Learn how to save time and money in order to get the job done.—- Devin Ashby. More Details and Registration: http://familytreewebinars.com/upcoming-webinars.php

A LITTLE EXTRA FOR YOUR ENJOYMENT!

Paper is not Dead! <http://vimeo.com/61275290>

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vidoe-camera2.jpg

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RootsTech 2013 -- #Genealogy, #Conference, #Technology, #Apps

Reblogged from Stanczyk - Internet Muse™:

Click to visit the original post

RootsTech.org is a genealogy conference that combines two of my passions: Genealogy (Roots) and Technology (Tech). Stanczyk went to last year's conference and was impressed!

It is a Family Search International conference and is based in Salt Lake City at the Salt Palace Convention Center, not far from the Family History Library. It is a 3-day conference with a wide variety of topics covered.

Read more… 161 more words

Great event for tech-oriented genealogists!
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February 2013: RVG Society News and Events

Winners of the Annual Photo Contest Announced

The program for February 19th’s General Meeting and Program included the announcement of prize winners of the Annual Photo Contest.  Attendees had the opportunity to view the photos and meet the winners.   Shown below is one of the 11 prize-winning photos from that contest.  All photos are displayed in an online album with the category of the winner shown as a caption, click here to access that album. (You may have to click on the “i” in the album to see the captions.)

Open Category

Open Category

Funniest Ancestor:  May S. Hoyt Gray and Merle Gray in Colorado 1902 submitted by Evelyn Weaver. Open category: Ashley Plummer Whipple 1901 and his friend on bicycles submitted by Anne Billeter, shown above. Most Handsome:  Joseph Clyde Stoker b. June 30, 1881 Cache, Utah, submitted by Colista Bailey. Oldest Photo of an Ancestor:  Three Small Town Dudes, Joe DeLoriea, Clark Nims and Ezra Sayre c. 1875 Corinth, Saratoga, New York submitted by Tom Sayre. Children:  Clarence Wallett c. 1887 Submitted by Flo Bohnert.  Occupation:  The George Washington Clemons Homestead, Daisy Washington 1910-1915.  He cut the homestead out of the forest, milled the logs, built the house, and made the fences, submitted by David M. Hodson. Best Group Photo:  The John M. Clemons family.  In this photo the family had just arrived from Kentucky and was headed to Daisy, Washington in 1902, submitted by David M. Hodson. Most Beautiful:  Anna Belle Clemons b. 1884 and was the only child to live out of four children born to Johan M. Clemons and 1st wife Sallie Tribue.  Her mother died in childbirth when she was born, submitted by David M. Hodson. Military: John Milton Hodson in Munich, Germany abt. 1945.  Standing on head of Adolf Hitler.  Submitted by David M. Hodson. Transportation:  Two men looking out the back, submitted by Steve Henry. Hats and Hair:  Five ladies with great hats and hairdos, submitted by Steve Henry. Photos are also on display at the JCGL.

Silent Auction

 Make a bid on the fantastic items offered for the ongoing “Endless Silent Auction” at the JCGL.  Some of the donated items for sale are pictured below, click here to see an album showing all the items on sale.  Make your bids at the library or call (541)512-2340. All proceeds go toward the mortgage!

Auction Table

Auction Table

Items include a bone Scrimshaw, a handcrafted hunting knife & scabbard, two bookcases, a CD stand, a beautiful vase and two hanging silk flower arrangements to mention just a few. This is a fun way to help meet our mortgage payments, so we hope you will participate by bidding and donating.  Bidding closes on March 10.   Items for the March Auction are being accepted.   Check at the library after March 10th for the next set of items to be auctioned. Thank You!

More Details about the Salt Lake City Trip

It’s a Workshop on Wheels — Join fellow RVGS members and board members to visit the best genealogy library in the world.  Meet new friends, socialize over lunch and dinner, and get help with your genealogy problems.  You do not need to be an expert to profit from this tour.  Tour dates are April 8 through April 15th.  The cost is $850/person double occupancy and $1175/person single occupancy and includes transportation, luggage handling, and lodging for the entire tour.  If you are interested in going please fill out and print the registration form and mail to Raindance Tours, PO Box 598: Wilderville, OR 97543.  You must mail the form and your check to Raindance by March 1 or call Raindance at 541-479-8217 or 800-825-4636 to make other payment arrangements.

The bus leaves from the Food4Less parking lot in Medford at 8:30 AM on Monday April 8, and picks up additional passengers at the Dollar Store in White City at 8:45.  Lunch is in Lakeview and overnight lodging at Winnemucca Inn that evening.  Arrive Salt Lake City at 3:30 PM on Tuesday April 9 to stay at the Salt Lake Plaza Hotel for five nights.  The Family History Library is across the alley! The bus leaves the Salt Lake Plaza hotel at noon on Sunday, April 14.  Arrive Winnemucca that night.  Leave Winnemucca at 8:00 AM on Monday, April 15th.  Arrive in White City at 3:45 PM, Medford at 4:00 PM.

Cancellations received after Friday March 1 are subject to a 50% cancellation fee of monies you have paid (per person).  Substitutions are welcome.  Please contact Betty Miller, millerba1@hotmail.com, for approval of substitutes and for any questions about the Workshop of Wheels, i.e., who is going, planned activities, availability of people to share a room, etc.

Model A’s Visit JCGL

On Saturday Feb. 16th, the Model A Association of the Rogue Valley led by Jerry and Nell Mathern toured JCGL.  Many members of that association also belong to the Rogue Valley Genealogical Society.  Please click here to learn more about the Model A’s and the event.

Model A's at JCGL

Model A’s at JCGL

Join the 5/60 Club

BE PART OF THE 100%                                                                             JOIN THE 5/60 CLUB

Our mortgage payments add $20,000 to our annual budget, so we need EVERYONE to step up and help.  If 100% of our membership contributes an additional $5 a month or $60 a year, the income generated would be $30,000.  That income would cover the payments and pay down the principal on the loan on the new building.  So start off the new year by making a much needed donation to RVGS through PayPal (go to http://www.rvgsociety.org/ to access the Donate button), mail (mail to RVGS; PO Box 1468, Phoenix, OR 97520), or in person.  Your family history is worth it.

THANK YOU to those who have joined the 5/60 Club

Leona Blankenship                 Gene Henry

                   Charleen Brown                      Barbara Johnson

                   Carolyn Craig                           Barbara Middaugh

                   Carita Culmer                          Connie Miller

                   Chuck Eccelston                     Sybil Russell

                   Colleen Eccelston                  Chloe Sternola

                    John Ferrell                           Janie Stewart

                   Sharon Hambly                      John Stewart

Melinda Henningfield          Barbara Shrewsberry

Charlotte Henry                    April Thomas

Help Wanted

For  March 16th and 17th of 2013  at the Annual Spring 2013 Antiques and Collectibles Show at the National Guard Armory, we are looking for volunteers to fill several two-hour shifts at the RVGS table,.  The signup sheet is at the front desk at JCGL.  You can stop by, call 541-512-2340, or email info@rvgslibrary.org to volunteer.  If you can sit and talk with visitors about the attributes of the Jackson County Genealogy Library, your services would be most appreciated.

News about the eNews

The eNews will be back in April.  For next month, read Classes and Events, JCGL News, and RVGS News in the Between Us Diggers newsletter.  The March issue of the newsletter will be posted on the RVGS website under the News link.   You will receive a reminder by email on or about March 1, 2013.

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Historic Map Wo…

Historic Map Works
Up until Feb. 28th, you will have access to Historic Map Works at Jackson County Genealogy Library. Follow the link provided on the Website Menu on each patron computer. Historic Map Works Library Edition is one of the most extensive digital map collections available, with over 200,000 antique and historic maps. It provides unprecedented access to high-resolution, full color maps spanning hundreds of years that help researchers trace the “residential genealogy” of families and locations over time. Use these to uncover clues about land ownership, historical structures, property boundaries, community growth, topography, and more.

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February 2013: Jackson County Genealogy Library News

Changes to the Website Menu

on Patron Computers at JCGL

Each patron computer displays the  website menu shown below that allows quick access to subscription ($$) genealogy websites and frequently used free sites.  At present,  the library provides access not only to Ancestry Library Edition (provided by ProQuest) but also to Ancestry.com (personal subscription).  Note that as of February 2013, Ancestry Library Edition provides access to Public Member Trees. At present only patron computers 3-8 provide access to Ancestry (Personal Edition).   The sites that are free for the home user are  Family Search and Heritage Quest as well as The Jackson County Genealogy Library and Rogue Valley Genealogical Society.

Website Menu Feb 2013

News from ProQuest

Heritage Quest

Heritage Quest can be accessed from your home through the Jackson County Library System website, http://www.jcls.org/, if you have a Jackson County Public Library card.  Heritage Quest is now loading the 1940 census, 35 states are currently available.  Soundex and wild card searches of the census records are coming soon.

Genealogy Tools

Ancestry® Library Edition

HeritageQuest Online™

Preserve the Pensions

The genealogical community organized  by the Federation of Genealogical Societies is in the process of preserving the 1812 pension records and making them available FREE for ever on the Fold3 subscription website.  Please help FGS and fellow genealogists accomplish this goal.  Go to http://www.preservethepensions.org.

Ancestry.com has generously stepped up and agreed to cover costs to digitize HALF of the War of 1812 pension records.  So every dollar donated will actually go twice as far. At a cost of $0.45 per digitized page, your tax-deductible gift of $45 would normally digitize 100 pages, but with the help of Ancestry.com it will digitize 200 pages.   Your contributions can be made in the name of your ancestor.

You can view pensions already digitized by gointg to http://go.fold3.com/1812pensions.

 

Little-Used Resources

from Michael Leclerc’s blog

1. Consulate Records

Many of us have ancestors who spent at least some time abroad. Perhaps they were seamen, sailing from port to port to deliver goods to foreign ports and bring others back to America. Perhaps they were serving as missionaries in far-off lands. Whatever the reason, you may find information about them, including records of birth, marriage, and death, in the records of the State Department. These records are housed at the National Archives. In order to find this information, you will need to know the date and place where your ancestor was. With that, you can discover the consulate or embassy that served that location.

2. Local Censuses

We often use federal and state censuses as part of our research. But how about local censuses? In Massachusetts, for example, the cities and towns (except for Boston) are required to “annually in January or February visit or communicate with the residents of each building in their respective cities and towns and, after diligent inquiry, shall make true lists containing, as nearly as they can ascertain, the name, date of birth, occupation, veteran status, nationality, if not a citizen of the United States, and residence on January 1 of the preceding year and the current year, of each person three years of age or older residing in their respective cities and towns.” Accessing those records at town hall could provide a gold mine of information.

3. Fraternal/Benefit Organizations

These can be a rich source of information, even more so when dealing with immigrants. In the days prior to the widespread availability of insurance, many organizations were founded as mutual aid/mutual benefit societies to provide assistance in time of need. Many of these were founded by immigrant groups (such as the Irish and the Catholic Order for Foresters), and their records may provide information on the immigrant’s origins. The same can be true of other groups, such as the masons, who recorded the lodge where incoming members first joined, and other lodges he had been a member of. This valuable information can help you track the movements of your ancestors.

4. Ear or Cattle Marks

In many times and places, livestock was allowed to wander in communal areas. This mandated that people be able to identify their own livestock from that of others. Marks were made in different ways. Sometimes a pattern of cuts would be made in the ear. Other times, brands were used in the animal’s hide. This allowed owners to cull their livestock from a communal herd. The marks were proprietary, and were often passed from father to son. They could also be sold as part of a person’s estate.

Pet license information from the city of Milton, Washington.

5. Dog Licenses

Dogs have been the pets of humans for centuries. By the nineteenth century, licensing was often required in populated areas. How can dog licenses help you genealogically? Think of them as a specialized form of tax list. Dog licenses can provide evidence of where a person lived. They might even provide you with an exact address, which is especially helpful in areas where city directories were sparse. And, of course, you can learn more about the family pet as well.

Lots of New Headstone Photos on the JCGL Website!

Dave Basden, JCGL and RVGS webmaster, finished posting over 8000 new headstone photos and vital records information about  people who died in Jackson County OR.   Vern Weaver heads the committee responsible for collecting photos and information about local deaths.   Under the JCGL Cemeteries link you will find first, last, and middle name of the deceased, date of birth, date of death, place of burial, source abbreviations, e.g., “O” for obituary, and photos when available.  Here’s a sample listing and photo:Mary Young Billings Headstone

Mary Young Billings Headstone

Mary Young Billings

Native American Ancestors?

American Indian Genealogy Websites

Submitted by Andrea Patterson  

Tracing your American Indian ancestors can be tricky, writes Jamie Anne Royce for Family Tree Magazine. Tribes rarely kept written records. Americanized names often usurped traditional ones, and light-skinned American Indians may have been documented as white. Most records, such as the DAWES ROLLS, stem from tribal removals, land grants and other attempts to assimilate Indians. These records mostly cover the Five Civilized Tribes—the Cherokee, Creek, Choctaw, Chickasaw and Seminole…during the late 19th century.  Despite these limitations, proving your tribal ties isn’t impossible says Ms. Royce, you just need to know where to look.

On your next trip to the library get a free handout of websites you can use to search Indian census schedules, removal rolls, photos, land records and more. The handout includes website subscription prices,  a list of free sites and a list of those with free indexes. One of the subscription sites is available at JCGL. The handout also describes site content and tips. Additional resources  at JCGL include a book and a CD on the Dawes Rolls. Handouts will be available through February 2013.   

 

Additions to the JCGL Book Collection

 Additions to the JCGL ending 19 January 2013

Please note:  Recent additions are also listed on the Library Website under the About Us link.  Here is the direct link: http://www.rvgslibrary.org/Library_Resources.html

Submitted by Betty Miller

Circ/929.2/Sage
Sage, Robert W.
Memories of a Table Rock Boy:  My Life and Times
 
929.2/Clemons
Edited by Daniel J. Clemons
The Northwest Migration:  The Origin and Stories of the William Clemons
Family (1819-1899)
 
929.2/Mulkey
Hunt, Philip Mulkey
The Mulkeys of Oregon
 
Circ/974/G242/And
Anderson, Robert Charles
The Great Migration Newsletter:  volumes 1-15 (1990-2006)
 
974/G242/And
Anderson, Robert Charles
The Great Migration Newsletter:  volumes 1-15 (1990-2006)
 
975.727/C242/Gre
Compiled by Greenville Chapter of South Carolina Genealogical Society
Greenville County, S.C. Cemetery Survey, volume five
 
976.941/M177/Naff
Naff, Philip A.
Harrison County, Kentucky:  General Index to Marriages No. 1; an every name (bride and groom) marriage records index for the first century of marriages in Harrison county, Kentucky (1794-1893)
 
977.789/H388/Pas/v. 1
Editor L. L. Taylor
Past and Present of Appanoose County, Iowa 
 
977.789/H388/Pas/v. 2
Editor L. L. Taylor
Past and Present of Appanoose County, Iowa
 
Atlas Case/978.673/H388/Pow
Compiled and edited by Powder River Portraits Committee
Powder River Portraits:  a pictorial history of Powder River County, Montana
 
979.5/G242/Len
Lenzen, Connie Miller
Research inOregon, second edition
 
979.527/C242/Mye
Compiled by Carl Shauger
Myer Cemetery:  research compilations of burial site names and locations
 
979.527/C242/Tal/v. 1
Compiled by Carl Shauger
The Talent Church of the Brethren Cemetery (AKA Dunkard Cemetery):  tracing its history; located at 5800 South Pacific Highway, Jackson County, Oregon; Book 1 of 2
 
979.527/C242/Tal/v. 2
Compiled by Carl Shauger
The Talent Church of the Brethren Cemetery (AKA Dunkard Cemetery):  tracing its history; located at 5800 South Pacific Highway, Jackson County, Oregon; Book 2 of 2
 
979.529/H388/Gar
Compiled by Patricia A. (Potter) Rhode, E. Lorraine Potter
Gardiner, Oregon, 1850-2000:  for Gardiner Station Sesquicentennial celebration
1851-June 30, 2001/history and pictures
 
Circ/979.527/H388/Tru
Truwe, Ben
Jackson County Looking Back, volume II:  the 1940s, ‘50s, and ‘60s; photo selections
 
979.527/H388/Tru
Truwe, Ben
Jackson County Looking Back, volume II:  the 1940s, ‘50s, and ‘60s; photo selections
 
 

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