"Stuimp the Chumps" Problem Solving Panel on Wednesday, 28 September 2016

 WEDNESDAY, September 28th, PROGRAM MEETING

from 12 noon to 2 p.m.

At Chula Vista Civic Center Branch Library 

(365 F Street in Chula Vista) in the Auditorium

Program:  “Stump the Chumps Panel”

     Our September 28th General Meeting will feature four of our CVGS “expert researchers” – Shirley Becker, Ceasar Castro, and Randy Seaver.   Jane Strawn will moderate the program.

     The panel will answer general research questions submitted by CVGS members.  One example is: “How do I obtain military/pension records from the War of 1812?”  Another: “Where would I find death records from New York?”

     The panel will not be researching specific individuals or families this year.  Each question submitted has been assigned to one of the panelists for a response, and the other panelists may provide support or additional information. 

     The panel should be able to answer 8 to 12 questions in the 60 minute program.  There may be time for questions from the audience.

     There will be a short business meeting after the program, and refreshments will be served after the business meeting.  All CVGS programs are free for anyone interested in genealogy to attend.

September 2016 CVGS Newsletter is Published

The September 2016 newsletter of the Chula Vista Genealogical Society 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 - September 28th Program Meeting
page 2 - President’s Message 
page 2 - Register for Meetings on CVGS Website
page 2 - New CVGS Nametags Available
page 3 - Next Computer Group Meeting

page 3 - Lemon Grove Research Group News
page 3 - October 1st Saturday Workshop
page 3 - September 1st Saturday Workshop Review
page 4 - August 31st Program Review
page 5 - Save the Date: Family History Day

page 5 - SDGS/SDHC Genealogy Day on 15 October
page 6 - August Research Group Review 
page 6 - Recent Genealogy News
page 7 - August 24th Field Trip Review
page 8 - Legacy Family Tree Webinars

page 8 - New Genealogy.Coach Websitepage 9 - CVGS Society Information 
page 9 - San Diego Genealogy Events
page 10 - Genealogy Days in Chula Vista

14 September CVGS Research Group Review

The 14 September meeting of the CVGS Research Group had 15 in attendance.  

In the first hour, Randy highlighted some of the news from the previous month, including:

*  The Genealogy Rockstars were selected in a number of categories on John D. Reid's blog, by over 2,000 voters from around the world.  The winners of the U.S., International and Genetic Genealogy awards were the same three person:  Gold - Judy G. Russell; Silver -  CeCe Moore; Bronze - Blaine Bettinger.

*  The San Diego Genealogical Society and San Diego History Center Genealogy Day will be Saturday, 15 October.  The keynote speaker will be Anne Mitchell of Ancestry.com.  There will be other speakers during the morning also, plus exhibits.  CVGS will have an exhibit table.  

*  MyHeritage announced their DNA Matching service for users who submit their DNA raw data from either AncestryDNA, FamilyTreeDNA, or 23andMe.  Randy has heard from two matches in the two weeks since the announcement.

*  Ancestry.com updated their Member Tree index for the first time since February.

*  Randy demonstrated "stimulating" Record Hints in Ancestry Member Trees by clicking on a tree link attached to a tree person.  Just uploading or creating a new tree on Ancestry will provide Hints almost immediately.  He uploaded a 280 person GEDCOM, had 400 Hints within a minute, and then stimulated 400 more by clicking on a tree link for persons in the new tree.

In the second hour, the group discussed:

*  Karen Y. described a Scottish tartan article she found in the U.K. Guardian newspaper about an 1842 book that said that official tartans were made up and were not traditional.  She also looked at the Domesday Book at the San Diego Central Library, and looked at the Wikipedia article about it and the website http://domesdaybook.co.uk, which includes a search for English towns as of 1088 AD.

*  Diane has done research for her husband Ramon, and has been able to connect him to a famous person 24 generations back in Spain.  She challenged the group to guess who it might be.  Nobody could.  Don Quixote?  Miguel Cervantes?  Cristobal Colon?  King Ferdinand or Queen Isabella of Spain?  

*  Shirley found a line back to Maud Hastings, who is a gateway ancestor to the English royal line, and has gone back to King Henry II through his mistress Audrey Barlow.

*  Virginia has several 3rd cousin matches on MyHeritage DNA who share her second great-grandfather.  

*  Susi noted that Mary's cousin in riverside and his wife died recently, and a sister of the wife called Mary to say she has more Pentico genealogy information.  Susi also has a DNA match with a Benninghof person (Pentico is a derivative of Benninghof).

*  JoAnn visited a cousin who recognized a name on her family tree as the spy master for Queen Elizabeth I.  She also has a mystery John Sadler, born 1852 in England, on her 5 generation pedigree chart.

*  Karen S. has many English ancestors coming to colonial Virginia, who received lots of land but there is not much about their origins.  The group noted that many of these settlers were later sons of persons of quality, and there are books that may describe their origins.

*  Sylvia asked how to find "gateway" ancestors in colonial times that go back to the European royal and noble lines.  The best book is probably Gary Boyd Roberts book on the Royal Descents of 600 Immigrants.

*  Linda had a computer crash, has a new computer, and is cleaning up her genealogy files.  She had a brick wall ancestor - a paternal great-grandfather.  She found his birth record on Ancestry in an index and that led to finding the record on FamilySearch collections for Mexico.

*  Helen said that the ethnicity estimate for her brother's autosomal DNA had changed over time, and she wondered why.  The group noted that the estimates are based on reference groups, which can be relatively small.  Ancestry recently increased the size of the reference groups and that may be why the ethnicity changed.  All three DNA services have improved their autosomal DNA analysis tools.

The next CVGS Research Group will be the second Wednesday, 12 October, at 12 noon in the Conference Room at the Chula Vista Civic Center Branch Library.

Genealogy Days in Chula Vista - September 2016

The Chula Vista Genealogical Society events for September 2016 include:

 ** Saturday, 3 September, 1 p.m to 4 p.m., Bonita-Sunnyside Library (4375 Bonita Road) -- 
CVGS Workshop in Community Room.  Ken Robison will lead a discussion of "Family Tree Maker Review." Saturday Workshops are for hands-on experience with computers, software, websites, etc.

** Wednesday, 14 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, 21 September, 10:15 a.m. to 2 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 September, 12 noon to 2:30 p.m., at Chula Vista Civic Center Branch Library (365 F Street) -- CVGS Program Meeting meets in the Auditorium.  The program speaker will be a panel of CVGS Members on "Stump the Chumps" answering member-sublitted research questions.  The business meeting will be after the presentation.  Refreshments before and after the meeting.

**  Wednesdays, 7, 14, 21, and 28 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.