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RVGS Events and Classes
UPCOMING EVENTS JANUARY AND FEBRUARY 2012
Sign up for all classes and workshops by calling 541-512-2340, by emailing info@rvgslibrary.org, or by visiting the library at 95 Houston Road, Phoenix OR. All events are held at Jackson County Genealogy Library, 95 Houston Road, Phoenix, OR unless otherwise noted.
JANUARY
CLASS: STARTING YOUR GENEALOGY PROJECT FROM SCRATCH
Charleen Brown will teach the basics to begin your family tree. Learn how to start your genealogy project. Put the fun in the fundamentals of genealogy and the information you learn along the way will help you succeed in compiling a commendable family history. This is a free class for beginners. When: Saturday, January 14, 10:30am – 12:30pm
GENERAL MEETING PROGRAM: “SARAH ANN” A JACKSON COUNTY MYSTERY Anne Billeter, Library Director shares her storytelling talents and research skills bringing richness and color into this delightful story. There are no names on a gravestone in the Jacksonville Cemetery, just the single word: “MOTHER.” Who was she? What was her story? How was her mystery solved? At the general meeting after the program, we will announce the beginning of the Annual Writing Contest, with deadline September 1, 2012. When: Tuesday, January 17, 1:30pm – 2:30pm Where: OEA/Uniserv Building located at 2495 S. Pacific Hwy. Medford, Oregon
WORKSHOP: DIGGIN’ IN THE DARK: GENEALOGY AFTER HOURS Join the Rogue Valley Genealogical Society volunteers for a free, full evening of 
family history fun. No previous genealogy experience is necessary. Bring your known family information, a USB drive for saving what we find, and your supper. When: Tuesday, January 24, 3 to 9 pm
CLASS: THE DO’S AND DON’TS OF GENEALOGY Betty Miller will teach you all the things you wished someone had told you in the beginning , to make your research more accurate and easier. A total of 50 points will help you start off on the right track for successful genealogy research. Cost is $10.00 for members-$20.00 for non-members. When: Saturday, January 28, 10:30 am to 12:30 pm
EARLY FEBRUARY
CLASS: PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS, PART 1 Ida Pruitt will teach the first in a series of four classes on Photoshop Elements. As you sign up please note what you want to learn in the class so that Ida can gear the class to meet your needs. Learn about photo-editing software to help you turn everyday memories into sensational photos you’ll cherish forever. Easily edit photos and make photo creations using automated options, share photos with your social network, and find and view all your photos and video clips. Class limited to 12 people. Price for each class is $10.00 for members-$20.00 for non-members. When: Thursday, February 2, 10:30 am – 12:00 pm Where: Jackson County Genealogy Library 95 Houston Rd., Phoenix, OR 
CLASS: GOOGLING YOUR GENEALOGY PLUS, PART I. Melinda Henningfield will help you learn how to search for your family using the most effective search engine available on the web, Google. Learn to search for surnames, given names, place names, and their combinations. Learn to narrow your search so that it results in records restricted to a given time period and/or of a given type, e.g., census, obituary, etc. Use of Google’s advanced search tools will be demonstrated including searching within a website or within a given geographic area, e.g., Germany, or for records of a given type, e. g, U.S. Government records. In addition to searching for surnames, use of Google Maps and Google Earth will help you visualize where your ancestors lived. Cost is $10.00 for members-$20.00 for non-members. When: Saturday, February 4, 10:30 am-12:00 pm.
CLASS: PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS, PART 2 Ida Pruitt will teach the second in a series of four classes on Photoshop Elements. As you sign up please note what you want to learn in the class so that Ida can gear the class to meet your needs. Learn about photo-editing software to turn everyday memories into sensational photos. Edit photos and make photo creations using automated options, share photos with your social network. Class limited to 12 people. Cost is $10.00 for members-$20.00 for non-members. When: Thursday, February 9, 10:30 am – 12:00 pm Mysteries in Our Backyard
It’s time! Click http://mysteries.jcheritage.org/ to claim your Jackson County mystery NOW.
Start your research at:
Jackson County Genealogy Library go to http://www.rvgslibrary.org
Southern Oregon Historical Society Research Library go to http://www.sohs.org/properties/library
Jackson County Heritage Association go to http://www.jcheritage.org/
Come to these workshops and presentations to learn more about solving Jackson County mysteries:
HOW TO BEGIN SOLVING A LOCAL FAMILY HISTORY MYSTERY
Sat, 01/07/2012 | 9:30 to 11:00 a.m.
JCLS Medford Library, Adams Room
205 S. Central Avenue, Medford
SARAH ANN, A JACKSON COUNTY MYSTERY
Presented by the Rogue Valley Genealogical Society
Tue, 01/17/2012 | 1:30 p.m.
OEA Uniserv Building
2495 S. Pacific Highway, Medford
THE INS AND OUTS OF GENEALOGY RESEARCH
Sat, 01/21/2012 | 9:30 to 11:00 a.m.
Jackson County Genealogy Library of RVGS
95 Houston Road, Phoenix
HOW TO ACCESS TREASURES OF THE SOHS ARCHIVES
Sat, 02/04/2012 | 9:30 to 11:00 a.m.
Southern Oregon Historical Society Library
106 N. Central Avenue, Medford
Watch for more to come! More RVGS News and Events
SLC TRIP SCHEDULED
The 2012 RVGS-Raindance bus trip to the Family History Library in Salt Lake City is scheduled for Monday April 9 through Monday April 16. We will spend Monday night in Winnemucca and will arrive in Salt Lake City around 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday. We will have Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and a full day on Saturday for research. We will leave on Sunday morning and spend Sunday night in Winnemucca, arriving back in Medford on Monday afternoon.
Rhonda at Raindance is working on our itinerary and will have it to us soon. In the past, trips included all baggage handling and frequent stops along the way to stretch or to grab a cup of coffee. We will stay at the Salt Lake Plaza Best Western hotel which is just a few steps from the Family History Library. NOW FOR THE REALLY GOOD NEWS! The cost of this trip will be $749.00 per person for double occupancy if 20 or more participate. Single occupancy will be approximately $300 more. The price will be adjusted if fewer than 20 sign up. Sign up on the list at JCGL or call (541)512-2340 if you plan to go so we can keep you personally informed as reservation details become available. You may also call Rhonda to reserve your spot at 541-479-8217. Please provide your email address when you sign up so that we can keep you informed about the full itinerary.
FAMILY TREE MAKER USER’S GROUP
Amy Spieler, who does computer tutoring and repairs in your home and has helped RVGS members out over the years will help us start a users group for Family Tree Maker. The FTM Users Group meetings will be free; we will just learn from one another. In mid-January look for a sign-up sheet in the book at the library for these classes or call (541)512-2340 to reserve a space.
CHRISTMAS FESTIVITIES
The RVGS annual Installation of Officers and Volunteer Recognition Christmas Luncheon, was held December 17, 2011 at the OEA Uniserv Building in Medford. This annual event is supported by the Genealogy Gift Basket Raffle. The three prizes were won by Bruce Duncan, Dorothy Throne, and Dee Dee Ross.
The following Officers for 2012 were installed by Installing Officer, Jean Maack:
President ————— Charleen Brown
Vice President———– Connie Miller
Secretary—————–Andrea Patterson
Treasurer—————–Colista Bailey
Trustee——————–Marie Fulbright
Emillee Brazill was inducted to Honorary Life Membership for her years of service since 1989. Outgoing Board Member Karen Asche was honored for her service as Financial Director. The Oregon Old Time Fiddlers presented a musical interlude which added to the festive spirit and a wonderful time was had by all.
2011 MEMORIALS TO THE ENDOWMENT FUND
In memory of Barbara Harley Zahnt:
Al and Carolyn Beron
In memory of Robert and Kathleen Lull:
Al and Carolyn Beron
In memory of Marion Gill:
Charleen Brown
In memory of Marjorie Sylvester:
Chuck and Colleen Eccleston
Roger and Melva Huffman
Marsha and Jim Markham
Andrea Patterson
Charleen Wilhelm
In memory of Frances Brown:
Chuck and Colleen Eccleston
In memory of Leona Borough:
Chuck and Colleen Eccleston More Lost Cemeteries
Chuck Eccleston writes: Over the past two years Roger Roberts and I have been tracking down reports of small unkempt cemeteries located mostly on private properties. Thus far 19 sites have been found, mapped, and kept in library working files. Of those 19 sites 9 were taped in the field by Channel 12′s Ron Brown. Another 8 sites have been identified with field visits underway. Reports of an additional 30 sites, yet to be verified, are maintained in a travelling file and marked on a study map. These 27 confirmed sites are in addition to the 45 known cemeteries recorded on the JCGL website.
Teams of volunteers have conducted clearing and cleaning work on several sites throughout the county including the small Satterfield Cemetery surrounded by a farmer’s wheat field
in the Sam’s Valley area. This site came to attention in 2009 when the Antioch Cemetery sextants offered the loan of an old photo album. The album included a 1994 Medford Mail Tribune article by Paul Fattig titled ” The Forgotten Ones”. The stones at this site represent several early settlers in this area dating back to the 1870s. Three work sessions (50 man hours) cleared the grounds of this historic site and uncovered the 1882 headstone of baby Freddie Raimy. Other broken stones are being studied including the footstone of Zilpha nee Peele Satterfield ancestor of researcher Mark Davis of San Diego CA.. In September 2010 Mark was able to visit and honor the grave site of his missing Satterfield ancestors.
Internet News and Happenings
LATEST NEWS ABOUT THE 1940 CENSUS
From Dick Eastman’s genealogy blog: 1940 U.S. Census Hosting Awarded to Archives.com The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration long ago announced that the 1940 census records would be hosted online as digital images free of charge, beginning on April 2, 2012. However, until now, NARA did not mention WHERE the images would be found. Since the National Archives and Records Administration does not have enough web servers or personnel to do the hosting on the www.nara.org web site, the assumption has always been that NARA would contract with a commercial firm to provide the hosting.
Fierce competition has existed amongst four different genealogy services for the rights to be the first and the official hosting service. However, the contract for the hosting company was not awarded until this week.
The 1940 census will first be hosted at a new web site owned and managed by Archives.com
Keep in mind that NARA is releasing all the 1940 census records as free digital images. However, there will be no index on April 2. That is, you will not be able to enter a name and then be immediately taken to the page(s) where that name appears. Instead, you will need to search the online census images in the same manner that genealogists search unindexed records on microfilm: one page at a time.
FamilySearch.org and its partners will also publish the 1940 U.S. Federal Census for free on April 2, 2012, the day the census is released by NARA. However, FamilySearch.org states “and its partners” so we can assume the partnership will be between FamilySearch.org and Archives.com. In addition, FamilySearch.org will also provide digital images to tens of thousands of volunteers to start transcribing the records so they become searchable.
Complete publication of the index will depend on how many volunteers can help. In fact, this is an excellent opportunity for you to get involved with indexing.
The 1940 census included several standard questions, such as: name, age, gender, race, education, and place of birth. But the census also introduced some new questions. One example is that the enumerator was instructed to mark (with a circled x) who in the household responded to the census questions. Other questions included whether the person worked for the CCC, WPA, or NYA the week of March 24-30, 1940, and the income for the 12 months ending December 31, 1939.
As part of the census, 5% of respondents (two names per page) were asked supplemental questions, which included the place of birth of the person’s father and mother, the respondent’s usual occupation (not just for the week of March 24-30), and questions related to marriage for all women who were or had been married. The enumerators asked women if they had been married more than once, the age at first marriage, and the total number of children to whom they had ever given birth.
You can learn more about the data contained within the 1940 census at http://www.rigensoc.org/1940CensusCountdown.pdf
Steve Morse, who presented at talk about searching the 1940 census at the RVGS October Seminar in 2011, has added additional information to his website to help you search the unindexed version of the 1940 Census. This unified tool allows you to search for the enumeration district for you ancestor and then will link directly to the images of the 1940 census. Go to Steve Morse’s website to use this unified tool.
ADS ON THE JACKSON COUNTY GENEALOGY LIBRARY WEBSITE
You may now encounter ads for some genealogy subscription sites and for Amazon.com on the library website. Ad placements are on the home page and the Vital Records page and are clearly separated from library contents. Please do RVGS (and yourself!) a favor by placing your orders for subcriptions to the sites advertised by clicking on these links on our website. You can also help out be placing your orders on Amazon.com by clicking on the links to Amazon from our site. Placing orders by clicking first on our site costs you nothing but allows RVGS to collect a commission on any sales made. Commissions raised by these ads will be contributed to the new building fund.
