How Will You Celebrate Family History Month?

For more than a decade, October has been celebrated as Family History Month among genealogy enthusiasts. As always, the society library will open its doors to the public during the month of October. We waive the library usage fee for non-members and invite everyone to come and explore the library's resources.

Member volunteers have been busy gearing up for a month of special events and exciting classes. Celebrate Family History Month at one of our October events:

The California Genealogical Society is a co-sponsor of Angel Island Family History Day on Saturday, October 5, 2013, 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Pam Miller will be teaching our First Saturday Intro to Genealogy class on October 5, 2013, 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.

The Book Repair Committee will hold its monthly work session on Tuesday, October 8, 2013, 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

The October Membership Lunch and Meeting will be held on Saturday, October 12, 2013, 12:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. This month's theme is: Our Ancestors and World War I.

The RootsMagic Special Interest Group will meet Tuesday, October 15, 2013, 6:30 p.m. - 8:15 p.m.

Book Repair Chairman Bill O'Neil is teaching an encore of the Create Your Own Document Box workshop on Friday, October 18, 2013, 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.,

Ron Arons will present a new lecture Understanding Our Families, Understanding Ourselves: Genealogy Meets Family Systems Theory on Saturday, October 19, 2013, 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

The San Francisco Special Interest Group just celebrated its first anniversary. They will meet on Saturday, October 20, 2012, 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Support the library and attend our special fundraiser – Their Roots Are Showing! – Saturday, October 26, 2013, Del Valle Theater, 1963 Tice Valley Blvd., Walnut Creek, CA 94602. The silent auction of celebrity memorabilia starts at 7:00 p.m.; curtain up at 8:00 p.m. sharp.

For a full listing of all Bay Area genealogy events in October, check the San Francisco Bay Area Genealogy Calendar. Plan to spend some time with your family history!

Copyright © 2013 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library.

Their Roots Are Showing Flier

Event flier by Therese Hart-Pignotti.

Copyright © 2013 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library.

San Francisco Bay Area Genealogy Calendar: October 2013 Published

October 2013 events have been published on the San Francisco Bay Area Genealogy Calendar – a collection of local genealogical society classes, workshops and meetings within a 75 mile radius of San Francisco.

Genealogical societies traditionally celebrate Family History Month in October and most groups sponsor additional classes and events. This month's calendar lists fifty events at various venues around the Bay Area, sponsored by thirty societies, libraries and archives.

Be sure to cross-check the information at the website of the sponsoring group for updates and changes.

If you would like to add your group's events to the calendar, please email the information by the 15th of each month. (Please include "SFBA Calendar" in the subject line.)

Copyright © 2013 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library.

Ancestry Day - San Francisco 2013

Discover a Bridge to Your Past

Saturday, November 9, 2013
8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Hyatt Regency San Francisco
5 Embarcadero Center

San Francisco, CA

The California Genealogical Society (CGS) and Ancestry.com are partnering again to present Ancestry Day – San Francisco, Saturday, November 9, 2013, at the Hyatt Regency Embarcadero Center. Join us for a full day of family history classes designed to help you with your research. Explore the world of genealogy, listen to engaging lectures, meet with expert staff and learn about the incredible resources available at Ancestry.com and at the California Genealogical Society Library.

The day will include:

• Tips & Tricks on Ancestry.com 
• One-on-one consultations with genealogists 
• An opportunity to personally speak with Ancestry.com experts 
• Classes for beginners new to ancestor searching 
• Guidelines for locating ancestors and discovering their stories

Experienced researchers will also have the opportunity to learn about new features available on Ancestry.com such as: a mobile phone app for easy family tree access; the ability to sync one Family Tree Maker tree and one online Ancestry tree using Tree Sync; new organizational tools in Family Tree Maker 2012.

Download the class schedule.

The “early bird” price (through October 9) is $38 for the all-day event. The price will increase to $48 on October 10, 2013.

Register online.

Copyright © 2013 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library.

Wordless Wednesday

Mad about Maps Genealogy Seminar with Melinda Kashuba

Saturday, Sept 14, 2013

Photograph by Kathryn M. Doyle, Oakland, California, 9/14/2013.

Copyright © 2013 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library.

2013 Nominating Committee

President Jeffrey Vaillant has announced the reappointment of last year's Nominating Committee. Director and Corresponding Secretary Karen Lemelin will continue to chair the 2013 committee with general members Linda Okazaki and Jane Lindsey.

The committee is seeking nominees for several anticipated openings on the board of directors. Chairperson Lemelin stated, "We are looking for candidates who have the passion and commitment to participate in the future direction of the California Genealogical Society."

Nominees must be members of the society. If you are interested in exploring this opportunity or can suggest someone who may be a good candidate, please email Karen Lemelin.

The California Genealogical Society's bylaws specify the annual creation of a Nominating Committee in Article VII, Section 1: Nominations and Elections.

ARTICLE VII: NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS 

Section 1. The Nominating Committee shall consist of at least three (3) members to be named not less that ninety (90) days prior to the Annual Business Meeting. The President shall appoint the Nominating Committee. The chairperson of the committee shall be from the Board of Directors and additional committee members from the general membership. 

Section 2. The Nominating Committee shall submit its report to the Board of Directors and the Board shall give timely notice of nominations to the general membership prior to the Annual Business Meeting. 

Section 3. Following the Nominating Committee’s report to the membership at the Annual Business Meeting, the floor shall be open to additional nominations, provided nominees have given consent to serve if elected. 

Section 4. Nominees shall be members in good standing in the Society. 

Section 5. Members in good standing who are present at the Annual Business Meeting shall elect the Directors. A plurality vote shall elect. 

Section 6. If there is only one candidate for an opening, the ballot may be dispensed with by general consent and the election held by voice vote.

Copyright © 2013 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library.

Understanding Our Families, Understanding Ourselves: Genealogy Meets Family Systems Theory

Saturday, October 19, 2013
1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

California Genealogical Society Library
2201 Broadway, Suite LL2
Oakland, California 94612

Genealogy is more than building family trees with names, dates, and places. By looking at families at a "systems" level, you can learn how generations have an impact on one another. Join Ron Arons for a fascinating look at ancestry through the lens of Family Systems Theory. Ron will discuss a different kind of family trees – genograms – diagrams to map behavioral traits through multiple generations.

Register online.

The class is limited to thirty participants and is a free benefit of membership. Non-member fee is $20.00 (non-refundable) and can be applied towards membership on the day of the class.

Preregistration is required. Walk-ins will not be admitted. Registration confirmations will be sent to the first thirty registrants. Additional names will be collected and placed on a waiting list in case of cancellations.

Over the past twelve years, Ron Arons has given more than 200 talks internationally. While his specialty is researching criminals, his lectures cover a wide variety of genealogical topics. He has published two books: The Jews of Sing Sing and Wanted! U.S. Criminal Records: Sources and Research Methodology. In 2006, Arons won a New York State Archives grant to continue research about Jewish New York City criminals. In 2008, he appeared on the PBS television special "The Jewish Americans." Ron is working on a third book which will cover the topics of genealogy and family systems theory. Ron earned his degrees from Princeton and the University of Chicago.

Copyright © 2013 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library.

Encore Workshop! Create Your Own Document Box - Friday, October 18, 2013

Friday , October 18, 2013

9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

California Genealogical Society Library
2201 Broadway, Suite LL2
Oakland, California 94612

Bill O'Neil is back with an encore presentation of Create Your Own Document Box.

Learn how to create a custom-sized and beautifully decorated box for a book or personal item(s). When registering, let us know the dimensions of your treasure: height, width and depth, so Bill may prepare your materials. Size should be no larger than 8 1/2" x 11" x 2". Bill will provide all the tools you will need: pencils, rulers, glue, and exacto knives. 

The workshop is limited to ten participants. The materials fee is $35 for members and $55 for non-members. ($20 of the non-members fee may be applied towards society membership on the day of the workshop.)

Register online.

Registration confirmations will be sent to the first ten who register and pay the materials fee. Additional names will be collected and placed on a waiting list in case of cancellations.

PLEASE NOTE:

• Workshop is limited to ten.
• Materials fee must be pre-paid.
• Walk-ins will not be admitted.

Linda Okazaki at the 2012 workshop.

Linda Okazaki sent this review of the 2012 workshop:

The box workshop was active and interactive with a lively group. Where else can you learn to create an archival box that is beautiful and functional, and have fun in the process? It was also nice to meet some new people, both members and non members. Thanks, Bill!

Copyright © 2013 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library.

eNews September 2013, volume 7, number 9

The September 2013 eNews, volume 7, number 9, has been published and emailed to members and friends. As always, the eNews features timely information about the California Genealogical Society and our upcoming events. Each edition also includes Suggested Links From the Blogosphere and a photo feature: California Ancestors.

This month we honor former slave, Cherokee Freedman, pensioned veteran of the Civil War, and U.S. Deputy Marshal Isaac "Ike" Rogers, great-great grandfather of director Nicka Smith.

Captured outlaw Crawford "Cherokee Bill" Goldsby (center) and United States Deputy Marshals, including Ike Rogers.

Past issues of the eNews are available at the eNews archive.

The October 2013 issue will be emailed on October 1, 2013. To receive a copy, please join our mailing list.

California ancestor photograph courtesy of Nicka Smith.

Copyright © 2013 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library.