Monday, March 30, 2015

Genealogy Days in Chula Vista - April 2015

The Chula Vista Genealogical Society events for April 2015 include:

 ** Saturday, 4 April, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., Bonita-Sunnyside Library (4375 Bonita Road) -- 
CVGS Workshop.  Susi Pentico will lead the discussion on "Facebook Genealogical Groups." 


** Wednesday, 8 April, 12 noon to 2 p.m., Chula Vista Civic Center Branch Library (365 F Street) -- CVGS Research Group meets in the Auditorium, 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, 15 April, 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, 22 April, 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., FamilySearch Library (4175 Camino del Rio South, San Diego).  John Finch will host a Research Trip to the FamilySearch Library.  Contact John (jan27@cox.net for details.


** Wednesday, 29 April, 12 noon  to 2 p.m., Chula Vista Civic Center Branch Library (365 F Street).  CVGS Program Meeting meets in the Auditorium.  The speaker will be Donie Nelson on "Family Stories - Secrets, Lies, and Surprises." Refreshments before and after the meeting.

**  Wednesdays, 1,8, 15 and 29 April, 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.



Friday, March 27, 2015

March Program Review - "Across the Prairie" with Jamie Mayhew

Jamie Lee McManus Mayhew was the program speaker at the March 25th CVGS monthly meeting in the Auditorium of the Chula Vista Civic Center Branch Library, with about 35 in attendance.

Her presentation was titled "Across the Prairie: Land Records in the Public Land States."  This was an excellent overview program about land records, particular those in the Midwest and West that follow the Public Land Survey System set up in 1785.


Jamie noted that land records exist for more people in America than any other record, and that very few have been lost over time.  You can learn many things from land records, including locating a person in a time and place, determining their neighbors and associates, and perhaps obtaining the maiden name of the wife and the children's names.  The records may provide information for family stories.

Jamie described the differences between State Land States (which generally use metes and bounds), Federal Land States (which use the public land rectangular survey system with meridians, ranges, townships, sections and aliquot parts of sections).  There are also several unique states which have both systems.  In the State Land States, the land was distributed prior to 1776 or before the state joined the USA.  The metes and bounds were denoted by markers (trees, rocks, streams, stakes), directions and distances in rods and chains and links.  The U.S. government set up the Federal Land States in order to raise money for the new government after the Revolutionary War, to compensate soldiers for their service, and to encourage western migration.

The process of obtaining land was covered, with descriptions of Bounty Land, Land Laws, the Preemption Act of 1841, and the Homestead Act of 1862.  The latter law provided up to 160 acres of free land to US born or naturalized citizens over age 21, or those who had filed papers to become naturalized.  They had to live on the land for five years, improve the land including a structure, and after six months could buy the land for $1.25 an acre.  Jamie showed several photographs of sod houses made from the thick prairie sod, and of families with their livestock and tools in front of their homesteads.

Lastly, Jamie provided information about where to find and how to obtain these records.  The National Archives has Land Entry Case Files; the Bureau of Land Management website has land patents and certificates;  FamilySearch has the Bureau of Land Management Tract Books online. In addition, there are several map companies and websites that offer state, county and township maps showing land ownership in the 1800s.


Sunday, March 15, 2015

March 2015 Research Group Review

We had 18 attendees at the March 11th CVGS Research Group.

In the first hour, Randy reviewed the genealogy news and his own experiences, including:

* Research at the Family History Center in Salt Lake City

*  RootsTech 2015 videos are available at http://rootstech.org/video/4050134760001

*  RootsTech/FGS Conference photos from the exhibit hall and social events - all from Randy's blog www.geneamusings.com 

*  Randy's Who Do You Think You Are? Story with family photos (see   http://www.whodoyouthinkyouarestory.com/timelines/1ljVI1l2FALXkqV7Wn0Cmw)

*  Genealogy Gophers is a new FREE genealogy book website - www.gengophers.com

*   MooseRoots is a new FREE genealogy data website (all US census records indexed, plus more) - www.mooseroots.com

*  Family Tree Now is a new FREE genealogy data website (including Public Record Index data by family) - www.familytreenow.com

*  Ancestry.com will modifty the look and feel of its website in May 2015.  The biggest change will be in Ancestry Member Trees with the addition of a LifeStory feature.

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

*  Virginia and Bethel went to FGS/RootsTech in Salt Lake City, and enjoyed the conference and the Family History Library.  

*  Virginia found an ancestral record at 4:30 p.m. on the last day she was there.  At dinner one night, she had a "Hank Jones moment" while talking about genealogy to others at the table.

*  Bethel found her 2nd great-grandfather's naturalization record on microfilm.  She found the books on the shelf for her ancestral county and found a book that listed teachers at the schoolhouse with her relative's name.

*  Shirley found a relative in the MyHeritage databases residing in Australia.  

*  Susan wondered if her great-grandfather David Richards (1867-1917), born in Wales, died in Ohio was the same person as the David Daniel Richards found in some records.  

*  Carole is still looking for information about her great-aunt, and found a California State Library mural depicting the Rose Parade in a book.

*  Susan attended the Escondido Family History Fair and found out she could join the DAR.

*  Ralph noted that there was great staff help and advice when he visited the Family History Library.

*  Sam found his family in a Hardin surname book.  The migration trail was from Wales to Canada to Virginia to Pennsylvania to Kentucky.

*  Mary Lou joined the Niagara County New York Genealogical Society for $15 per year.  Users can search their resources for free.  As a member, they will answer email requests for lookups in books, records and cemeteries.

*  Gary demonstrated how to find the CVGS Library Book titles in the Members section of the new CVGS website.  

The next Research Group meeting will be on Wednesday, 8 April in the Auditorium of the Chula Vista Civic Center Branch Library (365 F Street in downtown Chula Vista).


Friday, March 13, 2015

March 2015 Newsletter is Published

The March 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 - March 25th Program Meeting  
page 2 - President’s Message 
page 3 - March 14th Workshop 
page 3 - April 4th Workshop 

page 3 - Next Computer Group Meeting 
page 3 - Lemon Grove Research Group News 
page 3 - March 21st NSDCGS Seminar 
page 4 - Who Do You Think You Are? Information 

page 4 - RootsTech 2015 Livestreamed Videos
page 4 - Come to CVGS Beginners Group
page 4 - Genealogy Gophers Website Launches 
page 5 - Top 10 Online Genealogy Research Resources 

page 6 -  February 11th Research Group Review 
page 7 - February 25th Program Review 
page 9 - CVGS Society Information  
page 9 - San Diego Genealogy Events  

page 10 - Genealogy Days in Chula Vista 


Sunday, March 1, 2015

Genealogy Days in Chula Vista - March 2015

The Chula Vista Genealogical Society events for March 2015 include:

** Wednesday, 11 March, 12 noon to 2 p.m., Chula Vista Civic Center Branch Library (365 F Street) -- CVGS Research Group meets in the Library 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.  
**  Saturday, 14 March, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., Bonita-Sunnyside Library (4375 Bonita Road) -- 
CVGS Workshop.  Gary Brock and Sam Seat will lead the discussion on "Using the Wild Apricot Website."


** Wednesday, 18 March, 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 March, 12 noon  to 2 p.m., Chula Vista Civic Center Branch Library (365 F Street).  CVGS Program Meeting meets in the Auditorium.  The speaker will be Jamie McManus Mayhew on "Across the Prairie: Land Records in the Public Land States" Refreshments before and after the meeting.

**  Wednesdays, 4, 11, 18, and 25 March, 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.