2 January Saturday Workshop is Scanning Event

The CVGS Saturday Workshop on Saturday, 2 January is from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. in the Community Room at the Bonita-Sunnyside Library (4375 Bonita Road in Bonita).  

CVGS Webmaster Gary Brock will lead this event on "Scanning."  Different types of scanning devices and software programs will be discussed.  Help will be provided for attendees to learn how to scan items into their computer.

CVGS Holiday Luncheon is Thursday, 10 December at South Library

The annual CVGS Holiday Luncheon is on Thursday, 10 December, from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Chula Vista South Branch Library (389 Orange Avenue (southeast corner with Fourth Avernue, enter parking lot off of Orange Avenue) in Conference Rooms A and B at the west end (near Fourth Avenue) of the library.  

The luncheon will feature turkey, ham, and drinks provided by CVGS.   The pot luck breakdown for the rest of the meal will be coordinated by JoAnn Bonner (phone 619-421-3628, email jabonner13@gmail.com) and Ana Castro (phone 619-781-8441, email crcastro@cox.net) – please contact them by 12/3 to coordinate potluck dishes. The potluck schedule is:

• A to F Surnames: Desserts

• G to K Surnames: Salads, Rolls, Butter

• L to P Surnames: Snack trays, Condiments, Olives, Pickles, Cranberry Sauce, etc.

• Q to Z Surnames: Potatoes (Irish or Sweet), Veggies, Casseroles

There will be a free door prize drawing, and a bring one/get one gift exchange ($10 limit). Attendees are requested to bring non-perishable food and/or unwrapped toys for donation to the Salvation Army. 

November Program Review - "Heirloom Discovery Day" with Georgie Stillman

Georgie Stillman presented her "Heirloom Discovery Day" at the Bonita-Sunnyside Library on Wednesday, 26 November 2015, with about 30 in attendance.  See the description of Georgie's talents at November Program is "Heirloom Discovery Day" with Georgie Stillman.

Eight CVGS members brought heirlooms for Georgie to discuss, evaluate and appraise.  They included:

*  Virginia brought a homespun woolen blanket made by her great-grandmother in Indiana.  Georgie said that these types of blankets, and quilts, were made in rural areas using thread obtained from trade routes.  This blanket is typical from the 1830 to 1850 time period, is scarce and in beautiful condition, and may be valued at $250 to $350.

*  Karen S. has her grandmother's necklace from the 1870s.  Georgie indicated that it is "high Victoriana," has no marks, is gold plated, and very English in design and workmanship.  She valued it at $400 to $500.

*  Jane brought a candy dish, with a floral design, handed down from her mother.  Georgie found a mark for MWCo, which indicates it was made in Germany after 1923.  She said it was good quality, but I didn't catch an appraised value.

*  Joanna brought three rocking chairs from her family antiques.  One was a handmade colonial revival chair which may be from the 18th century made into a rocker.  The second was a machine made Grand Rapids rocker dating to about 1875.  The third was an American Eastlake style Victorian rocking chair dating to about 1875.  Georgie noted that none of these chairs were comfortable, and were mainly used to impress visitors.  She appraised them at $45 to $75 each.

*  John brought an eye-washing cup.  His grandmother was a registered nurse in Idaho.  Geogie said it was a curiosity piece of pressed glass, dating to the 1920s or 1930s, and was worth $5 to $20.  John also brought a small magnifying glass that was his grandfather's in the early 1900s.  Georgie indicated that it was German made from the mark on it.

*  Susan Z. brought a photo of a Civil War era wrought iron headboard, which was obtained at a DUVCW meeting.  It was subsequently donated to a Springfield, Illinois museum.  Georgie said it was probably from the 1890 to 1920 time frame, and can't say it was from the Civil War era.

*  Karen Y. brought an 1860 edition of the Three Musketeers book by Alexandre Dumas published in French.  Georgie said that it was in poor condition, but that books in good condition are sought after and could be worth $200.  Karen also brought a peanut or gumball dispenser.  Georgie said it was made of wood and plastic, was probably from the 1930s, was a country store item, and may be a reproduction.

*  Jean brought several silver spoons.  Georgie said they were from the late 19th century.

During the program, Georgie noted that the current appraised values for any heirloom items greatly depends on the demand for the specific item, especially from wealthy buyers and investors.  Some heirlooms are of no interest to these buyers, and are therefore of little value, except for the sentimental value to the owners.  

December 5th Saturday Workshop is on MyHeritage Website and Mobile App

The December 5th Saturday workshop is from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Bonita-Sunnyside County Library (4375 Bonita Road) in the Community Room. 

The workshop will be a discussion and demonstration of the MyHeritage (www.myheritage.com) family tree system, research databases, and mobile app, led by Shirley Becker and Randy Seaver.  Smart Matches, Record Matches and Instant Discoveries will be discussed.  

Attendees are encouraged to bring their laptops (logged into MyHeritage if possible) and mobile devices (with the free app installed) so they can follow along.  

Chula Vista Genealogy Days in December 2015

The Chula Vista Genealogical Society events for December 2015 include:

 ** Saturday, 5 December, 1 p.m to 3 p.m., Bonita-Sunnyside Library (4375 Bonita Road) -- 
CVGS Workshop in Ciommunity Room.  Shirley Becker and Randy Seaver will lead a discussion of MyHeritage.

** Wednesday, 9 December, 12 noon to 2 p.m., Chula Vista Civic Center Branch Library (365 F Street) -- CVGS Research Group meets in the Conference Room, led by Randy Seaver.  We will review the latest genealogy news, share success stories and information, and discuss members research problems, and potential solutions, based on the collective knowledge and wisdom of the group.  

**  Thursday, 10 December, 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Chula Vista South Branch Library (389 Orange Avenue) -- CVGS Holiday Luncheon in Conference Rooms A and B.  Potluck Luncheon (CVGS provides meat and beverages) with member appreciation highlights.

** Wednesday, 16 December, 12 noon to 1:30 p.m., Chula Vista Civic Center Branch Library (365 F Street) -- CVGS Computer Group meets in the Library Computer Lab, led by Shirley Becker. Bring your laptops to sharpen your computer skills and investigate online genealogy resources.

**  Wednesdays, 2, 9 and 16 December, 10 a.m. to 12 noon, Chula Vista Civic Center Branch Library (365 F Street) --Research Assistance in the Family Research area.  John Finch will help you with your research problems.  Bring your laptop if you want to do online research.

The Chula Vista Civic Center Branch Library is located at 365 "F" Street in Chula Vista - between Third Avenue and Fourth Avenue, midway between I-5 and I-805 (take the "E" Street exit from the freeways).

The Bonita-Sunnyside (County) Library is located at 4375 Bonita Road in Bonita - turn north on Billy Casper Way, just west of the Otay Lakes Road intersection with Bonita Road, on the north side of Bonita Road.

We welcome guests and visitors to our CVGS programs and events - if you are in the greater San Diego area and want to attend our events - please come and introduce yourselves.  All CVGS events are FREE to attend, except for some seminars and picnics.

November Program is "Heirloom Discovery Day" with Georgie Stillman

 WEDNESDAY, November 25th PROGRAM MEETING

from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

At Bonita Sunnyside Library (4375 Bonita Road)

in the Community Room

Georgie Stillman, ASA – “Heirloom Discovery Day”

      Our November 25th program will feature Georgie Stillman, ASA, presenting an “Heirloom Discovery Day.” Georgie will evaluate, provide some historical background and estimate a value of family heirlooms brought in by CVGS members. Her expertise is in evaluating and appraising silver, china, glass ware, furniture, artworks, quilts and samplers.

     Georgie Stillman (http://georgiestillman.com/bio.htm) has worked as a professional appraiser in London, England, Phoenix, and San Diego since 1971. She has served as president of the American Society of Appraisers (ASA), vice president of the San Diego chapter, and was founding director of the International Society of Appraisers. Georgie has received numerous awards for her outstanding service, including Appraiser of the Year. Besides being a professional instructor at various colleges, she has made many radio/TV guest appearances and written articles for many publications, teaching audiences about antiques and art.

     If you would like your heirloom to be evaluated by Georgie, please contact Jane Strawn to get on the evaluation list -- there are a limited number of spaces on the list. Jane has a form for you to complete and return by November 18th.

CVGS November Newsletter is Published

The November 2015 issue of the Chula Vista Genealogical Society (CVGS) Newsletter was published last week.  

Society Members can read it online, in a PDF format - use the "Members" link (roll over "Members," and click on "Newsletters") at www.CVGenealogy.org.  

Non-members can read CVGS Newsletters two months after publication, per Board of Directors direction (on www.CVgenealogy.org, roll over "News" and click on "Newsletters").

The Table of Contents lists:

page 1 -- November 25th  General Meeting   
page 2 -- President’s Message  
page 2 -- Who's Due to Pay Dues? 
page 3 -- Getting Lloyd Home  

page 4 -- Next Computer Group Meeting
page 4 -- Lemon Grove Research Group News
page 4 -- CVGS at Genealogy Day
page 4 -- RootsTech 2016 Conference

page 5 -- Holiday Luncheon is 10 December
page 5 -- Finding Your Roots on PBS
page 5 -- Legacy Family Tree Webinars
page 6 -- October 14th Research Group Review 

page 7 -- October 28th Program Review 
page 7 -- Genealogy News for October and November
page 8 -- Recent Genealogy Blog Posts of Interest
page 9 -- CVGS Society Information 

page 9 -- San Diego Genealogy Events 
page 10 -- Genealogy Days in Chula Vista 

November 2015 Research Group Review

The November meeting of the CVGS Research Group was on Thursday, 12 November with 10 attendees.

In the first hour, Randy discussed:

*  AncestryDNA Circles and shared DNA estimates.  
*  GEDMatch.com, a third-party DNA analysis tool that reads the raw data provided by AncestryDNA, FamilyTreeDNA and 23andMe, and provides more analytical information, including a chromosome browser.
*  The FamilySearch Research Wiki (https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Main_Page) which has information about countries, states and counties, plus many record types.

In the second hour, the attendees discussed their research problems and successes:

*  Jane reviewed her trip to New York and Massachusetts to search for DelVecchio records.  She joined CVGS in March 2014 and has made significant progress with her Italian research.  Before her trip, she had found Jack via email, whose ancestor had married into Jane's family.  In Troy, New York, Jane visited St. Mary's Catholic Church Cemetery and found the DelVecchio gravestone, and a plot map with names of those buried there.  She also searched Albany diocesan records.  She determined that the house where her great-grandparents lived was destroyed to build a bridge over the Hudson.  Jane obtained death certificates for some of the family members, but the birthplace is listed only as "Italy."  She also met cousins Jack and Albert and got to know them better.

*  Jean said that some of her ancestors remains were "removed" for a road.  She wondered where the remains are at present.

*  Helen found an article on her Winkel family who traveled by wagon train to California in 1854.  The father was lost in a Utah river.

*  Shirley's ancestor, Lucius Plue, was found in the 1865 New York state census residing with the Goff family - he was age 12 and adopted.  That was a surprise for Shirley.

The next CVGS Research Group will be on Wednesday, 9 December, at 12 noon in the Conference Room in the Chula Vista Civic Center Branch Library (365 F Street).

CVGS Fall Seminar Photographs - Post 2

Here are more photographs from the CVGS Fall Seminar on 7 November 2015 at Bonita Golf Course (courtesy of CVGS member Patricia Diane Godinez):

1)  Diane, Jean, Mary, John and Sam:

2)  Marie, Joanna, Marcia and ???:

3)  Ceasar, Hazel, Ralph, Tamara and Ana:

4)  Chuck, Ken, Sharon, Randy and Karen:

5)  Shirley, Kathleen and Steve:

6)  Judith, Jane, Mary and Toni:

7)  Jo Ann, Carole and Joan:

8)  Fran and Gary:

CVGS Fall Seminar Photographs - Post 1

Here are some of the photographs from the November 7th CVGS Fall Seminar (all courtesy of CVGS member Patricia Diane Godinez):

1)  Seminar Chair Susi Pentico and speaker Toni Perrone:

2)  Speaker Judith Brooks, CVGS President Virginia Taylor, and Seminar Chair Susi Pentico:

3)  The Door Prizes selected with the one-per-person door prize tickets:

4)  One of the Opportunity Drawing prize tables, managed by member Bethel Williams:

5)  Bethel Williams and Susan Hakala at the ticket selection table:

More to come!

CVGS Research Group is Thursday, 12 November

The Chula Vista Civic Center Branch Library will be closed on Wednesday, 11 November, so we have moved the CVGS Research Group to Thursday, 12 November at 12 noon in the Conference Room at the library (365 F Street, Chula Vista).

In the first hour, Randy will discuss the FamilySearch Research Wiki and the FamilySearch Family Tree.  In the second hour, the attendees will describe their research challenges and successes.

CVGS Fall Seminar Review - 7 November 2015

The CVGS all-day Fall Seminar, titled "Over the Pond," was held on Saturday, 7 November 2015 at the Bonita Golf Course, with about 42 persons in attendance.  

There were four presentations by two speakers - Judith Brooks and Toni Perrone.  The talks and a brief description of them were:

1)  "High Road or Low Road -- How and Why the Scots Migrated" by Judith Brooks.  This talk was an historical overview of the Scots - the topography and history of Scotland, from early settlement to present day, with information about religious strike, mercenaries, Treaty of Union, period of enlightenment, and migration from Scotland to Ireland, England, South Africa, North America, and other countries.  Reasons for migrating included civil strife, famine, adventurous spirit, religious turmoil, exiled as felons, prisoners or undesirables, trade prospects, and governments asking for colonists.

2)  "Italian Genealogical Research" by Toni Perrone.  Toni reviewed the different resources available to pursue Italian family history - oral histories, civil records, passenger lists, naturalization records, newspapers, census records, city directories, occupational records, vital records, cemeteries, etc. Local and national Italian genealogical and historical societies were mentioned.  Many Italian immigrants to the U.S. were from the south of Italy because they were poorer and more crowded than the North, where more people owned land.  The main ports of emigration were Genoa, Naples, Palermo, Messina and Marseilles.  From 1880 to 1886, migration was mainly from the North, and from 1887 to 1915 they were mainly from the South.  Chain migration was common - one person migrated initially, then family members and friends came.  They usually lived in Italian communities in large cities.

3)  "Marriage and Inheritance Customs in Germany" by Toni Perrone.  This talk covered marriage customs and records - minimum ages, soldiers, bonds, dispensations, permission to marry, marriage inventory, marriage contracts, and more.  It also covered Inheritance customs - types of impartible inheritance and partible inheritance, She also covered land terms and measurements.

4)  "Using Ancestral Religious Migratory Patterns to Find Church Records to Further Your Research" by Judith Brooks.  Topics included identifying where your ancestor lived, determining their religious denomination, factors affecting where they have gone to church, and then a review of many of the denominations and their records.  Information about Roman Catholics, Anglicans, Lutherans, Methodists, Presbyterians, Reformed, Huguenot, Congregational, Unitarians, Quakers, Baptsis, Moravians, Mennonites, Amish, Brethren, Greek Orthodox, 7th Day Adventists, Mormons, and Jewish beliefs and practices were provided.

In the 15 to 30 minutes between each talk, the attendees checked the prize board - there were over 50 different door prizes and opportunity drawing prizes - including Ancestry, Newspapers, Fold3, MyHeritage, Findmypast, Mocavo, and GenealogyBank subscriptions; there were also RootsMagic, Legacy Family Tree, Family Tree Maker, and Family Tree Builder genealogy software also; plus many local business and attraction prizes.  

The sit-down plated luncheon was satisfactory with chicken and beef, potatoes, broccoli and salad, with cookies for dessert.

Diane Godinez took many photographs of attendees and the setting, and I will post some photographs as time permits.

CVGS Fall Seminar is Saturday, 7 November 2015: "Over the Pond"

The CVGS Fall Seminar will be on Saturday, 7 November at the Bonita Golf Course (5540 Sweetwater Road in Bonita)  from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., including a catered lunch, door prizes, etc.  Please keep this date open. 

The seminar theme is “Over the Pond.”   Our ancestors came ACROSS the pond to come here, we are going OVER the pond to research their history.  The two speakers will be:

1) Judith Brooks:

*  High Road or Low Road - How and Why the Scots Migrated – This talk is basically a "big picture" history of the Scots and why they left Scotland starting in the 13th century through 19th and 20th centuries.  They migrated all around the world and this talk will present how and why they landed in fifteen or more countries by country. 

*  Using Ancestral Religious Migratory Patterns to find Church Records to Further Your Research – This presentation covers the major Christian Religions in the early years, their history, where the majority migrated to in America and why.  It recommends steps to locating potential churches based on these patterns.

Judith Brooks is a retired registered nurse and quality management professional. In the fifteen years since retirement, she has done extensive research on her husband's and her families.  She thoroughly researches to prove or disprove other researchers input and likes to focus on locating and reporting the history of the area in which these ancestors lived including society memberships as well as local stories. Her focus has been the colonial era, revolutionary war and the early settlement of the Ohio River Valley, as well as finding how and when these ancestors crossed the ocean. Judith is a long time researcher and member of the APG. 

2)   Toni Perrone:

*  Italian Research, Traditions, and Customs –  Call it culture, call it tradition.  How much do you really know about your family? This lecture will assist you in finding the resources to complete a genealogy report on your Italian family.

*  Marriage and Inheritance Customs in Germany--Archive Records –  The value of heritage and inheritance was very strong, marriage contracts were negotiated, and were usually based on Partible Inheritance --This will be discussed in depth. 

Toni Perrone is a founding member of the Immigrant Genealogical Society, the Immigrant Library in Los Angeles, CA, and the Temecula Valley Genealogical Society.  She is the present day Chair of the German Interest Group in Temecula. Toni serves as President of the Pommern Interest Group at the Immigrant Library and on the Board of Directors of the Immigrant Genealogical Society.  She volunteers at the Family History Center in Murrietta and has for many years. She has been a speaker to various genealogical societies since 1981. 

Toni has a background of 33 years of research in  German and Italian ancestry, has received numerous awards from genealogical groups, has published articles in genealogical publications, two books on family lines and is currently working on a third.

The fee for the seminar for CVGS Members is $45, and for nonmembers is $50; this includes a catered lunch and door prizes.  Note that this is the main fundraising event for the CVGS Scholarship program. 

Please register for this event on the CVGS website – https://chulavistagenealogysociety.wildapricot.org/event-1814401. 

Contact CVGS Education Chair Susi Pentico (susicp@cox.net) or CVGS President Virginia Taylor (irishdoll@cox.net) for more information.

October Program Review - "Tea With Mrs. Roosevelt"

About 40 attendees enjoyed the dramatic presentation by Annette Hubbell, as Eleanor Roosevelt, and Elaine Litton as reporter Lorena Hickok, in the program "Tea With Mrs. Roosevelt" on 28 October 2015 at Bonita-Sunnyside Library.

While sipping tea, Lorena Hickok interviewed Eleanor Roosevelt while seated at a small round table.  Lorena was Eleanor's best friend for years, the first woman with Associated Press.  Eleanor Roosevelt was born a Roosevelt, but her parents and siblings died while she was young, and she was Franklin D. Roosevelt's distant cousin.   The interview took Eleanor through her youth attending boarding school and studying abroad, learning three languages German, French and Italian, and into adulthood, describing her marriage, her children, Franklin's siblings, and Franklin's career.

Franklin proposed to her in 1902, and married her in 1905.  Her uncle, President Theodore Roosevelt gave Eleanor away.  They had a three month honeymoon, and when they returned to the States they lived with Franklin's mother, Sarah Roosevelt.  During their lives, they lived at Hyde Park in New York, the summer home in Campobello, Maine, a place in New York City, the Governor's mansion in Albany, in Washington D.C. when Franklin was Secretary of the Navy, and in the White House.  They bought property in Warm Springs, Georgia near a polio treatment center.

Eleanor took an active role in politics, volunteered for many social enterprises, including political reform, workers rights and childrens issues.  She wanted to help Franklin and become his partner in the government.  Franklin contracted polio in 1921, and learned to appreciate life more as he adapted and recovered.  They moved to New York City away from his mother's influence.  Lewis Howe became an advisor to Franklin.

When they entered the White House in 1933, Eleanor became active in the social circles, and eventually integrated the White House, and did fundraising for Negro schools.  After Franklin died in early 1945 before Germany surrendered, Eleanor became a delegate to the United Nations, and was the chair of the committee that wrote the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.  She considered that to be her greatest accomplishment.  She also resigned from the Daughters of the American Revolution when they would not accept singer Marian Anderson.

For more information about the Roosevelts, Annette and Lorena recommended the book No Ordinary Time by Doris Kearns Goodwin, and the Ken Burns PBS Series "The Roosevelts."

The meeting featured a classic afternoon tea with breads and cookies and fruit, along with tea, of course.   Refreshments were provided by Ana Castro, Jane Strawn, Caole Sobke and Jo Ann Bonner.  Several attendees wore hats and early 20th century dresses.

Genealogy Days in Chula Vista - November 2015

The Chula Vista Genealogical Society events for November 2015 include:

 ** Saturday, 7 November, 9 a.m to 3 p.m., Bonita Golf Course (5540 Sweetwater Road) -- 
CVGS Fall Seminar.  Judith Brooks and Toni Perrone are speakers.  $45 CVGS members, $50 Non-members,  catered lunch, door and drawing prizes.  

** Thursday, 12 November, 12 noon to 2 p.m., Chula Vista Civic Center Branch Library (365 F Street) -- CVGS Research Group meets in the Conference Room, led by Randy Seaver.  We will review the latest genealogy news, share success stories and information, and discuss members research problems, and potential solutions, based on the collective knowledge and wisdom of the group.  

** Wednesday, 18 November, 12 noon to 1:30 p.m., Chula Vista Civic Center Branch Library (365 F Street) -- CVGS Computer Group meets in the Library Computer Lab, led by Shirley Becker. Bring your laptops to sharpen your computer skills and investigate online genealogy resources.

** Wednesday, 25 November, 12:30 p.m.  to 2:30 p.m., at Bonita-Sunnyside Library (4375 Bonita Road).  CVGS Program Meeting meets in the Community Room.  The program speaker will be Georgie Stillman with a "Heirloom Discovery Day" appraising members heirlooms.  Refreshments before and after the meeting.

**  Wednesdays, 4, 18, and 25 November, 10 a.m. to 12 noon, Chula Vista Civic Center Branch Library (365 F Street) --Research Assistance in the Family Research area.  John Finch will help you with your research problems.  Bring your laptop if you want to do online research.

The Chula Vista Civic Center Branch Library is located at 365 "F" Street in Chula Vista - between Third Avenue and Fourth Avenue, midway between I-5 and I-805 (take the "E" Street exit from the freeways).

The Bonita-Sunnyside (County) Library is located at 4375 Bonita Road in Bonita - turn north on Billy Casper Way, just west of the Otay Lakes Road intersection with Bonita Road, on the north side of Bonita Road.

We welcome guests and visitors to our CVGS programs and events - if you are in the greater San Diego area and want to attend our events - please come and introduce yourselves.  All CVGS events are FREE to attend, except for some seminars and picnics.

CVGS October Program: "Tea With Mrs. Roosevelt"

WEDNESDAY, October 28th GENERAL MEETING

from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

At Bonita-Sunnyside Library (4375 Bonita Road) 

in Community Room

Annette Hubbell and Elaine Litton Invite you to 

“Tea with Mrs. Roosevelt” 

     You are invited to tea with the First Lady, Mrs. Roosevelt, on Wednesday, October 28th at 12:30 in the Community Room of the Bonita-Sunnyside Library.  

    The presentation was written by Sherrie Colbourn, and performed by Annette Hubbell as Eleanor Roosevelt being interviewed by Elaine Litton as Lorena Hickok in an interview brimming with personal insights about her life and family.

     Did you know that Anna, the seventh Duchess of Bedford, is given credit for the invention of afternoon tea? It’s true. The English ate the evening meal about 8:00 at night leaving a very long time from the noon meal. Anna just couldn’t wait, I suspect, and asked for tea and a light meal to hold her over until the later meal. Thus, afternoon tea was born along with the traditions that have followed.   

     But remember these “rules:” pinky fingers are never raised, lift the saucer with the cup to your mouth, no slurping, and when stirring sugar or cream the teaspoon should never make noise. Tea foods are a snack not a meal, so one takes just one of each food item.  Know the difference between High Tea and Low Tea? It's just the height of the table, but that’s an explanation for another time.

     Wear your “Tea Party” clothes and bring your favorite teacup and saucer, not a mug!  See you on October 28th at 12:30 p.m.!

CVGS Research Group Summary - October 2015

The October 14^th meeting of the Chula Vista Genealogical Society Research Group had 18 in attendance.

In the first hour, Randy discussed:

• The FREE online National Archives Virtual Genealogy Fair on October 21-22 – 10 classes from 7 a.m. To 12 noon. See schedule at https://www.archives.gov/calendar/genealogy-fair/2015/
• Ancestry.com added Wills and Probates for every state and DC, which they obtained from FamilySearch, and indexed the primary person, but not every name. There are 170 million records, and 120 million names. The Ancestry collection is not complete – not all U.S. probate records are available, but it is a significant collection. He demonstrated finding a Wisconsin probate record and showed some of the pages that might be available for one person.
• MyHeritage searches historical newspapers on NewspaperARCHIVE. He found obituary and death notice articles for several cousins in Kansas using MyHeritage Record Matches and downloaded the newspaper page images, then transcribed the articles. This is one of the benefits of subscribing to MyHeritage – it saves $100/year on a NewspaperARCHIVE subscription.

In the second hour, the attendees discussed their research successes and challenges, including:

• Ana attended the 10/10 Genealogy Day and enjoyed the two DNA talks by CeCe Moore. She learned more about haplogroups, and the information on the ISOGG wiki (www.isogg.org).
• Ralph tested his autosomal DNA on 23andMe, and received little response until recently. A man contacted him noting that Ralph has 1.3% Ashkenazi DNA, and provided much more information about Hispanic descendants of Spanish Jews before the inquisition.
• Jean tested at AncestryDNA, and was told she was 1% Melanesian. She is trying to find possible ancestors who might carry that DNA. The group suggested that it might be a Polynesian woman who married an English or French colonist there.
• Arlene asked about the new free DNA analysis site, DNA.Land, which reads raw DNA data from AncestryDNA, 23andMe, and FamilyTreeDNA, and then analyzes it. Randy showed his results to date on the site.
• Virginia described a story she saw on TV about two Korean women adopted by American families, were friends, and worked in the same hospital. Through DNA, they found they were sisters 40 years later.
• Helen's maternal grandmother Mallory told the family “we are Irish.” Some cousins told her that it was really “O'Mallory,” which may be Scottish.  She also asked about how to preserve a tightly rolled document. The group recommended consulting a preservation expert and professional archivist, especially if the document is old and has been rolled for decades.
• Shirley has a 1944 picture of people in an Albany, N.Y. Neighborhood, which includes some of her family. She is trying to identify all of the people, and wondered where she should send the photograph to display and preserve it. The group suggested she contact an Albany historical society.
• Carole has published two stories in genealogical society publications. They were: “Where Lies John Wesley Akers?” in the 2015 issue of the Memories periodical of the Tehama County [Calif.] Genealogical and Historical Society; and “An Audience with a Future King” in the October 2015 issue of the Root Cellar Preserves periodical published by the Sacramento Genealogical Society.

The next meeting of the CVGS Research Group will be on Thursday, 12 November (note the date change because the library is closed for Veterans Day) at 12 noon in the Conference Room of the Chula Vista Civic Center Branch Library (365 F Street in Chula Vista).

September Program Review - John Finch and "The Civil War"

CVGS member John Finch was the CVGS program speaker on Wednesday, 30 September at the Bonita-Sunnyside Library with 36 in attendance (including 5 guests) - his topic was "Our Civil War -- the Sesquicentennial."

John noted that the Civil War ended in April 1865, 150 years ago, but the last surrender occurred in early November 1865.  During his presentation, John showed slides of books and movies that addressed Civil War topics, such as the PBS Ken Burns' "The Civil War" series, "Gone With the Wind," "Killer Angels, "Red Badge of Courage," and many more.

He started the presentation with the basic geopolitical background - in the 1860 time, the U.S. had 31.5 million people and the states and territories were either free or slave.  The border states of Missouri, Kentucky, Maryland and Delaware did not join the Confederacy although they were slave states.

During the War, which was fought almost entirely in the Confederate states, the Union strategy was to gradually separate areas of the Confederacy - by taking control of the Mississippi River, by Sherman's march through Georgia from Tennessee, etc.  Eventually, the Confederate Army was defeated, and the war ended at Appomattox Courthouse in Virginia.  During the war, the Confederate army went up the Rio Grande to New Mexico, but lost when their supply train was captured.  There was even a skirmish in San Diego County - the Affair at Minter's Ranch, and  some of the Confederates in San Diego County went to Texas.

3.26 million men served on both sides, with over 524,000 deaths (364,000 Union, 160,000 Confederate).  45% of the deaths were from battle action, 4% died from wounds, and 50% died from disease.

(photo courtesy of Diane Godinez)

This was the first "modern" war --  some firsts included:

*  first machine guns and repeating rifles
*  first use of railroad trains
*  first effective care of the wounded
*  first organized signal service
*  first use of ironclads and submarines
*  first draft, and first deployment of black troops
*  first combat photography
* first Medal of Honor - to William Pittenger, who is buried in Fallbrook.

John offered methods to find out more about your Civil War ancestors.  He has three - Charles Finch, Henry J. Lowe and Calvin Bentley.  Your pedigree chart may identify men born between 1820 and 1845 who may have served.  The 1890 U.S. Veterans Census is available for some states, and identifies veterans of all wars.  The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors website, run by the National Park Service (http://www.nps.gov/civilwar/search-soldiers.htm) provides resources to identify those who served on both sides, and researchers can find the battles fought by each regiment and persons who were in a specific company.

Service and pension records of Union soldiers are available at the National Archives, and many are online at Ancestry, Fold3, and other sites.  The records for Confederate soldiers are at State Archives, and some are online.  Civil War information may be found in a Homestead record; after the War, soldiers were eligible for 160 acres of free land.  Newspaper articles and obituaries may document a solder's service and family.

During the Civil war, women kept the home fires burning, not knowing whether their soldier would come home alive or not.  They also worked cooking, sewing, nursing and making bullets in many areas.  If a solder's bone was shattered, an arm or leg would be amputated if the soldier did not die of the wound.  Morphine was used for pain control.  Drug addiction, alcoholism and suicide were common after the War, as was "Soldier's Heart" - what we now call shell shock or PTSD.

John's handout listed free and subscription Civil War Websites.

Genealogy Days in Chula Vista - October 2015

The Chula Vista Genealogical Society events for October 2015 include:

 ** Saturday, 3 October, 1 p.m to 4 p.m., Bonita-Sunnyside Library (4375 Bonita Road) -- 
CVGS Saturday Workshop.  Ken Robison will lead the discussion of "Family Tree Maker 2014." 

** Wednesday, 14 October, 12 noon to 2 p.m., Chula Vista Civic Center Branch Library (365 F Street) -- CVGS Research Group meets in the Conference Room, led by Randy Seaver.  We will review the latest genealogy news, share success stories and information, and discuss members research problems, and potential solutions, based on the collective knowledge and wisdom of the group.  

** Wednesday, 21 October, 12 noon to 1:30 p.m., Chula Vista Civic Center Branch Library (365 F Street) -- CVGS Computer Group meets in the Library Computer Lab, led by Shirley Becker. Bring your laptops to sharpen your computer skills and investigate online genealogy resources.

** Wednesday, 28 October, 12:30 p.m.  to 2:30 p.m., at Bonita-Sunnyside Library (4375 Bonita Road).  CVGS Program Meeting meets in the Community Room.  The program speaker will be Annette Hubbell in a "Tea With Mrs. Roosevelt" dramatic presentation.  Refreshments before and after the meeting.

**  Wednesdays, 7, 14, 21, and 28 October, 10 a.m. to 12 noon, Chula Vista Civic Center Branch Library (365 F Street) --Research Assistance in the Family Research area.  John Finch will help you with your research problems.  Bring your laptop if you want to do online research.

The Chula Vista Civic Center Branch Library is located at 365 "F" Street in Chula Vista - between Third Avenue and Fourth Avenue, midway between I-5 and I-805 (take the "E" Street exit from the freeways).

The Bonita-Sunnyside (County) Library is located at 4375 Bonita Road in Bonita - turn north on Billy Casper Way, just west of the Otay Lakes Road intersection with Bonita Road, on the north side of Bonita Road.

We welcome guests and visitors to our CVGS programs and events - if you are in the greater San Diego area and want to attend our events - please come and introduce yourselves.  All CVGS events are FREE to attend, except for some seminars and picnics.

October 3rd Saturday Workshop is on "Family Tree Maker 2014"

The Saturday, October 3rd Workshop at Bonita-Sunnyside Library (4375 Bonita Road) is in the Community Room from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.  The workshop will be on “Family Tree Maker 2014” led by Ken Robison.  

Bring your laptops with Family Tree Maker installed and a working database available.  Ken will review the features of Family Tree Maker 2014 and will answer questions concerning the program.

CVGS Program on Wednesday, 30 September is on "The Civil War"

 WEDNESDAY, September 30th GENERAL MEETING

from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

At Bonita-Sunnyside Library (4375 Bonita Road)

 in the Community Room

John Finch on “The Civil War”

John Finch has been a member of the Chula Vista Genealogical Society since 1999 and has served as Library Coordinator, Program Chair and President (2004 -2006 term).  He is also a member of genealogy societies in his areas of his research.  He retired from the U.S. Navy in 1980, and from the San Diego County Probation Department in 1999.

John developed an interest in his own family history at a very young age, but did not begin an active pursuit of research until after retiring in 1999. Now, he spends several hours each week researching his family and volunteers, at the Chula Vista Civic Center Branch Library, every  Wednesday morning to assist new and seasoned researchers.

John’s topic today, The Civil War, is of special interest to him.  He has three direct ancestors that fought in this conflict and he is very proud of their service in this momentous event in our history.  It is his goal that you may learn how to identify your veteran ancestor and learn details of his service enhancing you’re family experience.

CVGS Research Trip on Wednesday, 23 September 2015

John Finch has arranged a research trip to the Genealogy collection on the 9th floor of the San Diego Central Library (330 Park Blvd in downtown San Diego) for Wednesday, 23 September 2015.

The library opens at 10 a.m. on this day.  Attendees can take the Blue Line trolley from Chula Vista (get off at the Park and Market station and walk two blocks south).

John will organize a car pool if enough persons participate - contact him at jan27@cox.net.  The car pool will leave the downtown Chula Vista parking structure (second level) at 10 a.m. and will park in the pay lot opposite the library (enter on K Street between Park and 14th).  There is a Padres game that evening, so cars will have to be out of the parking lot before 3 p.m. 

September Research Group Summary

The September 2015 Research Group of the Chula Vista Genealogical Society on Wednesday, 9 September had 15 in attendance.

In the first hour, we had a guest speaker - Dave Keene, the Chief Technology Officer of everyStory (http://www.everystory.us/), a cloud-based story sharing website and mobile app.  At present, it is available for iOS devices - iPad and iPhone - with iOS 8 and later;  an Android version is in the works.  In everyStory, the user can upload photographs from their camera or from their computer, and then narrate a story about the photograph in their mobile device.  The audio recordings are attached to selected photographs.  Users can invite family to share their photographs and stories also.

Dave demonstrated how the program works, using his iPhone, his iPad and his laptop computer all hooked up to the projector.  everyStory is FREE to use for up to 500 photographs and unlimited audio recordings, and for an unlimited number of photographs and recordings, the cost is $3.99 per month or $39.99 per year.

In the second hour, the attendees discussed:

*  Randy described and demonstrated searching and finding for probate records in several states in Ancestry.com's new Wills and Probates collection.  He noted that not ALL probate records are included yet for every state, but some states are fairly complete.  He also described the latest MyHeritage video concerning the seven unique technologies that they have developed since 2012, including Smart Matches, Record Matches, Instant discoveries and more.

*  Gary's distant cousin Sheryl has copies of letters from John Tyler Roff, an 1850s California gold miner, which mentions Uncle Solomon, who is Gary's ancestor.  The letters also mention Philip Roff, the father of John and Solomon.

*  Karen Y. reviewed how CVGS responded to an inquiry about Mount Olivet Cemetery in South San Diego, which has graves from 1868.  We were able to provide contact information so that he could visit the cemetery.  Another correspondent, Karl, wanted information about a great uncle and aunt who were who lived here in 1942.  He wanted to find cousins or friends or neighbors who knew Warren and Myrtle Wirth, and what records could be found for them.  

*  Diane G. signed up for an Ancestry.com free trial, and found lots of information about some of her families.  Her oldest son has Fuller ancestry from the Mayflower.  Diane made a notebook for him with her findings.

*  Shirley received a box of papers for her Sypher/Seibert family in New York from a lady in Wisconsin, who had done research in the 1930s.  She noted that "this is how we used to do research."  She passed it around - it had pedigree charts and family group sheets.

*  Susi received a book on a Jones surname line who migrated from New York to Michigan via canals and lakes.

*  Susan put cemetery photographs on Find A Grave for her Indiana grandparents.  She had just returned from a research trip to New York and visited Ellis Island and New York Public Library.

The next CVGS Research Group meeting will be Wednesday, 14 October 2015, at 12 noon in the Conference Room at the Chula Vista Civic Center Branch Library (365 F Street in Chula Vista). 

CVGS Newsletter for September 2015 is Published

The September 2015 issue of the Chula Vista Genealogical Society (CVGS) Newsletter was published this week.  

Society Members can read it online, in a PDF format - use the "Members" link (roll over "Members," and click on "Newsletters") at www.CVGenealogy.org.  

Non-members can read CVGS Newsletters two months after publication, per Board of Directors direction (on www.CVgenealogy.org, roll over "News" and click on "Newsletters").

The Table of Contents lists:

page 1 -- September 30th  General Meeting   
page 2 -- President’s Message  
page 2 -- General Meeting Format Changes 
page 3 -- October 3rd Saturday Workshop  

page 3 -- Next Computer Group Meeting
page 3 -- Lemon Grove Research Group News
page 3 -- Chula Vista Library Auditorium Closed
page 3 -- Carlsbad Library Closed

page 3 -- CVGS Research Group on 23 Septemberpage 3 -- FamilySearch Library Photo Scanning
page 4 -- Save the Date: November 7th for Seminar
page 4 -- Future Program News

page 5 - San Diego Genealogy Day -- October 10th
page 5 -- Top 101 Genealogy Websites
page 6 -- August 12th Research Group Review 
page 6 -- MyHeritage Video of Unique Technologies

page 7 -- August 26th Program Review page 8 - CVGS at Family Discovery Day
page 8 -- Mt. Olivet Cemetery -- A Success Storypage 9 -- CVGS Society Information 


page 9 -- San Diego Genealogy Events 
page 10 -- Genealogy Days in Chula Vista 

September 5th CVGS Workshop is about German Resources

The Saturday, September 5th Workshop at Bonita-Sunnyside Library (4375 Bonita Road) is in the Community Room from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. 

The workshop will be on “German Resources at the Immigrant Library” led by Toni Perrone. and will include the history of the Library, the Immigrant Genealogical Society (http://www.immigrantgensoc.org/) and some of the many German Resources found there.

Genealogy Days in Chula Vista - September 2015

The Chula Vista Genealogical Society events for September 2015 include:

 ** Saturday, 5 September, 1 p.m.to 4 p.m., Bonita-Sunnyside Library (4375 Bonita Road) -- 
CVGS Saturday Workshop.  Toni Perrone will discuss "German Resources at the Immigrant Library." 

** Wednesday, 9 September, 12 noon to 2 p.m., Chula Vista Civic Center Branch Library (365 F Street) -- CVGS Research Group meets in the Conference Room, led by Randy Seaver.  We will review the latest genealogy news, share success stories and information, and discuss members research problems, and potential solutions, based on the collective knowledge and wisdom of the group.  

** Wednesday, 16 September, 12 noon to 1:30 p.m., Chula Vista Civic Center Branch Library (365 F Street) -- CVGS Computer Group meets in the Library Computer Lab, led by Shirley Becker. Bring your laptops to sharpen your computer skills and investigate online genealogy resources.

** Wednesday, 30 September, 12:30 p.m.  to 2:30 p.m., at Bonita-Sunnyside Library (4375 Bonita Road).  CVGS Program Meeting meets in the Community Room.  The program speaker will be CVGS Member John Finch on the "Civil War." Refreshments before and after the meeting.

**  Wednesdays, 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30 September, 10 a.m. to 12 noon, Chula Vista Civic Center Branch Library (365 F Street) --Research Assistance in the Family Research area.  John Finch will help you with your research problems.  Bring your laptop if you want to do online research.

The Chula Vista Civic Center Branch Library is located at 365 "F" Street in Chula Vista - between Third Avenue and Fourth Avenue, midway between I-5 and I-805 (take the "E" Street exit from the freeways).

The Bonita-Sunnyside (County) Library is located at 4375 Bonita Road in Bonita - turn north on Billy Casper Way, just west of the Otay Lakes Road intersection with Bonita Road, on the north side of Bonita Road.

We welcome guests and visitors to our CVGS programs and events - if you are in the greater San Diego area and want to attend our events - please come and introduce yourselves.  All CVGS events are FREE to attend, except for some seminars and picnics.

CVGS Program Review - Problem Solving Panel on 26 August 2015

There were 32 attendees at the Chula Vista Genealogical Society program meeting on 26 August 2015 at the Bonita-Sunnyside Library in Bonita.

The program was a "Problem Solving Panel" answering research questions submitted beforehand by CVGS members about a specific research topic.  

The panel members were CVGS members Shirley Becker, Ceasar Castro, John Finch and Randy Seaver.  They divided the questions between themselves and created short presentations to answer the questions for the questioner and the audience as a whole.  They discussed the genealogical resources found, and provided suggestions for solving a specific research problem.

The questions included:

1)  Where can I find newspaper articles for the early 1800s in Ohio and Connecticut?  Arlene asked the question, and Ceasar provided research guidance for her in both free and subscription websites and onsite repositories.

2)  What passenger lists are available for colonial Virginia (1607-1776)?  Karen S. asked the question, and John listed books, websites and online databases that provide these records.

3)  How does one obtain military pension records?  Susan Z. asked this question and Randy responded with ways to obtain available records online, from NARA by mail on paper or CDROM.

4.  How do I access 19th century naturalization records in New York?  Jean asked this question, and Shirley provided suggestions of online websites and databases, and information from the New York Family History Research Guide and Gazetteeer book.

5.  Why have DNA testing done?  If testing is beneficial, is there a company that is better than others?  The question was asked by Marcia, and Ceasar responded with information about the three types of DNA tests (Y, mitochondrial and autosomal) and the test providers, along with examples of results from 23andMe.  

6.  Where can I find Orphan Lists for all states during 1860-1870?  Bethel asked the question, and John provided information about adoption and orphan articles, websites and databases.

7.  How do I access 19th century Quaker records in England?  Jean asked this question, and Randy reviewed FamilySearch Wiki articles, online databases, and places to get help to obtain these records in England.

8.  When I have exhausted available online data, how can I find out what paper or microfiche information is kept in a particular area?  Karen S. asked this question, and Shirley provided ideas for informational articles, FHL microfilm and microfiche, travel to locales (to visit genealogical and historical societies, courthouses, town or county offices, etc.), write letters, and post messages on Facebook and message boards.

9.  What are the best sources to find passenger lists for ancestors arriving into Canada?  Karen Y. asked this question, and Ceasar reviewed FamilySearch Wiki articles and website links to find the available databases.

10.  A Civil War soldier's records are not in NARA because he died in 1832 and the cutoff was 1928, I believe.  Where could his records be?  Susan Z. asked this question, and John responded with suggestions for the Soldiers and Sailors system, Fold3, and NARA to search for records.  He sent a query to NARA which has not been answered yet.

11.  How do I find records from Alsace-Lorraine (French or German)?  Jean asked this question, and Randy provided historical, geographical and genealogical information from Wikipedia, the FamilySearch Wiki, websites, the Family History Library Catalog, and published book suggestions.  

The program lasted about 80 minutes, and the attendees responded afterwards with many questions and comments about the research problems.  They also enjoyed the dessert goodies provided by Marcia Mautner and Patricia Diane Godinez!