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 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.

CVGS Spring Seminar Door Prize Winners

The CVGS Seminar Committee solicited door and opportunity drawing prizes from CVGS members, local businesses, and commercial genealogy companies.

The door prize winners were:

1)  National Institute for Genealogical Studies - one free course:  Marcia Mautner and Joann Bonner:

Marcia Mautner, CVGS President Virginia Taylor, Joann Bonner. 

(Photo courtesy of Karen Yarger)

2)  Mocavo Gold one-year subscription:  Jacquie Goodman

Note:  Two other Mocavo subscriptions were awarded to opportunity drawing winners.

3)  MyHeritage One-year Data and Tree Premium subscription:  Tim Williams

Note:  Two other MyHeritage subscriptions were awarded to opportunity drawing winners.

4)  Ancestry.com One-year World Explorer subscription:  Karen Smith

Karen Smith, CVGS President Virginia Taylor 

(Photo courtesy of Karen Yarger)

In addition, genealogical prizes were provided by:

*  FindMyPast one-year subscription and gift bag

*  GenealogyBank one year subscription

*  Geni.com one-year subscription

*  Legacy Family Tree Version 8 software from Millennium Corporation

*  RootsMagic family tree software and user guide from RootsMagic.

*  Family Tree Maker 2014 software provided by Ancestry.com

*   Family Tree Maker 2014 software provided by Randy Seaver

*  Tracing Your Colonial Ancestors magazine and InstaGuide

CVGS appreciates and thanks all of the prizes offered by all of the providers.  

CVGS Spring Seminar Review - Jean and Butch Hibben

The Chula Vista Genealogical Society Spring Seminar was Saturday, 29 March 2014 at the Chula Vista Golf Course in Bonita, California.  The featured speakers, Jean Wilcox Hibben and her husband, Butch Hibben, provided the genealogy education and entertainment to 49 attendees.

Jean and Butch Hibben (photo courtesy of Karen Yarger)

Jean made four presentations during the day, including:

1)  "This is not Your Grandma's Genealogy: Making the Transition from Paper to Electronic Record-Keeping."  Jean noted that most researchers are putting their genealogical information on a computer in family trees, word-processing documents or spreadsheets.  Library card catalogs are online, and there is so much to learn.  She discussed why researchers should put their information on the computer, with pros and cons of using a computer to add and revise data, different storage devices, providing information to other researchers, using digital images, computer costs, different equipment (desktop computer, laptop, netbook, tablet, printers, scanners, cameras, smart phones, storage media, etc.).  Computer backup, cloud storage and retrieval sites were briefly covered.  

Jean recommended that genealogists should learn how to use their computers and devices to make their research efforts more efficient, using the programs and websites that you feel comfortable using and to advance at your own speed.  

Butch Hibben provided information about smart phone apps for genealogy available on iOS and Android devices, highlighting family tree apps (RootsMagic, GEDCOMGTG, Ancestry), Evernote (for notes, photos, audio), CamScanner (photos of documents), and Cloud Storage/Retrieval (Dropbox, SurDoc and Google Drive).

2)  "Elisabeth: The Story of a German Immigrant."  In this talk, Jean was in the character of her ancestor, Elisabetha Huberta Thenee Mueller Wolbert (1828-1895), and showed images of records and places from Germany and America.  Elisabetha was born in Rath, Germany, married to Thomas Mueller and had five children by him.  She was abused by her husband, and decided to migrate to America, without her children who were raised by her sister, before the Civil War, with a family friend named Philip Wolbert, and resided in New York, New Jersey and Illinois.  He served in the Civil War, and married Elisabetha after he returned.  Elisabetha was reunited with one of her children and died in the home of a daughter in Illinois.  This is an example of how a skillful genealogist and story-teller can weave facts and family stories, along with social and world history, into a narrative that describes one person's life.  The entire story of Elisabeth is available as an e-reader book at www.lulu.com/spotlight/circlemending.  

Jean's handout included an extensive list of helpful reference books and websites that were used to learn about German research, and to find the records she displayed from Germany and America.

3)  "Reality Television: A New Perspective."  Jean was the lead researcher for the PBS television series Genealogy Roadshow, which aired 23 September, 30 September, 7 October and 14 October 2013.  Each hour-long episode had about ten segments where the subject was brought into the set, and was showed documents to connect them to an event or famous person.  There were three on-air hosts - D. Joshua Taylor, Kenyatta Berry, and Emmett Miller.  

She hired four other researchers to help her during the 12 weeks  of research before shooting the four shows in Austin, Nashville, Detroit and San Francisco.   Three of the researchers worked 10 to 12 hours a day for three months on this project.  They researched the ancestry of about 150 different persons chosen in or near the four cities, and had to find the persons that had the "best" stories from a genealogy perspective.  As lead researcher, Jean had to deal with the show producers and staff, who knew virtually nothing about the genealogy research process.  The organization chart for the production changed frequently and they all needed some education about genealogy in order to make the show work for genealogy.  

Jean shared many conclusions drawn from this experience.  The most interesting, to me, was that they didn't plan on having to consider document image copyright protection, and used many Library of Congress photographs which are in the public domain.  The research staff had no control over editing the segments and several inconsistencies appeared on the show.  They used the Association of Professional Genealogists mailing list to solicit help retrieving documents and research help in distant places.  For some reason, the production staff did not find "farming" to be an interesting occupation.

4)  "Up Close and Personal Doing On-Site Research."  In this presentation, Jean highlighted effective ways to use the time available to conduct research in a distant location.  She broke the talk up into three segments:

*  Before the trip, the planning (dates, places, transportation), people and places to contact (genealogists, librarians, archivists, cemetery sextons, church offices, vital record offices, courthouses, Family History Centers, possible relatives or neighbors), and the things to pack (research papers and records, technology equipment, graveyard equipment, etc.).  She noted that some courthouses and archives don't allow cameras on site, that researchers should contact repositories and determine open days/hours, make appointments, and that they should visit cemeteries at the end of a day.

*  During the On-Site visits to historical and genealogical societies, vital records offices, courthouses, and churches, be sure to mind the establishment rules and be considerate of staff and patrons.  If visiting  ancestral homes or cemeteries, be sure to have permission to be on private property.  Visit tourist attractions to learn local history, take photographs of the area, meet residents, buy some postcards.

*  After the trip, organize and transcribe your notes, file your findings, name and catalog photographs and transfer them to your computer, send notes or reports to contacts, and make a list of what to do next time you visit each location.  

The entertainment portion of the program was after the served lunch, when Jean played her guitar and sang folk songs, and Butch accompanied her on the saw.  The audience was intrigued by the sounds created with the saw, and how Butch changed notes by bending the saw and running the bow in just the right place.  

This was a very successful seminar for CVGS and the attendees learned a lot.  

Spring Seminar on Saturday, 29 March, Features Jean Wilcox Hibben - Register Now!

It’s not as far away as you think! Our Spring Seminar is open for reservations and we have an interesting ‘menu’ planned for you. 

Please mark Saturday, March 29 on your calendar and plan to attend and learn all sorts of ways to improve your genealogy research, have some fun AND enjoy a catered lunch. We’ll have drawings for great prizes, vendors and expert speakers. Popular and knowledgeable Jean Hibben will offer four presentations, with additional talks by her husband Butch Hibben.

 Jean’s first talk will be “This is NOT Your Grandma's Genealogy: Making the Transition from Paper to Electronic Record-Keeping.” Are you a bit intimidated by the thought of organizing and storing all your research on the computer or ‘in the cloud’? Are you still stuck with boxes and boxes of paper? Jean will give you tips to convince you that modern technology is, indeed, your friend. She’ll discuss the advantages and disadvantages of computer over paper and will cover what to you need to know to transition away from total paper record keeping. Butch Hibben will discuss how to use Smart Phone technology for those interested in portable genealogy. He will also present his popular Living Legacy Project and be will be available throughout the day to share more information.

 The second morning session will be Jean’s presentation of Elisabeth: The Story of a German Immigrant. Jean’s novelization of her great great grandmother’s life is full of drama, love and history. Her narrative is a compelling picture of American history and will deal with topics such as the Civil War, law, and immigration.  The book will also be for sale at the seminar.

After lunch, Jean will present Lessons Learned from Genealogy Roadshow. Remember how the TV show made genealogical research look so easy? Jean shares with us how developing stories for a television show means having a minimum of time to gather together a wealth of family history, and how we can use those methods to make an interesting narrative of our family. How does one record lead to the next, and what alternate resources are available when one is unable to travel to other locations? 

Jean’s final presentation will be Up Close and Personal, a discussion of suggestions for doing research where our ancestors lived and died. This will include travel tips, hints for cemetery visits, contacting libraries and societies in advance, planning interviews of living relatives, and post-visit “debriefing” and organization. If there is time, attendees will be encouraged to share their personal experiences.

It will be an informative and entertaining day, so register now on our website (http://cvgenealogy.org/). You may pay by check or credit card - $45 for CVGS members, $50 for non-members – but there is a $5 discount if you register by March 8. 

So sign up now, before you forget! And remember, this is our big fundraiser for high school scholarships. We will have a drawing for a deluxe kitchen accessories basket too (have you bought your tickets yet?).   There will be door prizes and opportunity drawings also.

Come join us for our “Recipe for Genealogy” seminar!

CVGS Fall Seminar Review - "A Century of Service: A Genealogist's Perspective"

The Fall seminar of the Chula Vista Genealogical Society (CVGS) was on Saturday, 7 September at the Bonita-Sunnyside Library in Bonita, California.  There were over 40 attendees for this FREE day-long event.

Four presentations were made on the history and events of the War of 1812, the Civil War, the Spanish-American War and World War I, and a fifth on the records that are available to family history researchers.

CVGS President Virginia Taylor welcomed the attendees soon after 9:30 a.m., and introduced each of the speakers:

1)  Karl Zingheim, the historian of the USS Midway Museum, presented "The War of 1812: When the Navy Saved the Republic."  He called this war "a needless conflict" in four areas - a land war centered on Maryland and DC, another centered on New York and Ontario, a "fresh-water" engagements on the Great Lakes, and "salt water" engagements in the Atlantic Ocean.  Karl concentrated on the naval conflicts, which saw several isolated victories by the U.S. Navy in the Atlantic over the British royal Navy that had not lost a ship in 10 years. The U.S. Navy won the engagement on Lake Erie under Oliver Hazard Perry, and on Lake Champlain, but there was a two-year standoff on Lake Ontario.  Karl's presentation was entertaining and had many photographs, maps and other images depicting events, but did not note any genealogical record information.  The handout for this war provided a detailed timeline, some bibliograp

hic references, and some online web page resources.

2)  Margaret Lewis, past-President of the San Diego African-American Genealogy Research Group (SDAAGRG) presented "The Civil War Story: Transforming the Face of the Nation."  Margaret described the Civil War from secession to Appomattox without details of military movements and battles.  She described her ancestor's experiences.  Jacob Wilks was emancipated in 1863, and enlisted in the U.S. Colored Troops regiment in 1863 as a Private.  He was present at Appomattox and described his recollections in a memoir.  Margaret showed several of his records, and her handout listed different types of military records available at the National Archives and in online databases.

3)  Susi Pentico, past-President of the Chula Vista Genealogical Society, presented "The Spanish-American War: Remember the Maine."  Susi described the timeline for this relatively short war, noting that there were 10 weeks of fighting in Cuba and the Philippines, but a guerrilla war in the latter lasted until 1902.  She provided links to several historical websites in her handout, but did not highlight any online or archival record collections.  Gary Brock passed around his great-grandfather's Spanish-American War enlistment record.

4)  John Finch, past-President of the Chula Vista Genealogical Society, presented "World War I:  A Nation of Immigrants emerges as the World Power."  John provided a detailed history of the rival blocs in Europe existing in 1914 and during the war, the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand on 28 June 1914 in Sarajevo that sparked the war, the world events that occurred during the war, the battles in northern France and Belgium, and the peace treaty.  The highlight was a film clip from the movie, The War Horse, depicting the infantry and cavalry battles in northern France.  He  discussed the relative force sizes and casualties, and mentioned the 1918 influenza epidemic.  John recommended the book The War to End All Wars by Adam Hochschild.  John provided examples of several collections for World War I records, and his handout included lists of collections on Ancestry.com, Fold3, and FamilySearch.

5)  Susi Pentico closed out the seminar by providing an overview of genealogical resources and methodology for military records.  The handout included links to FamilySearch, USGenWeb, Fold3, Archives.gov (National Archives), Ancestry, GenealogyBank.  She noted that researchers should consult State Archives sites, county, university and state libraries, genealogical and historical societies, and local DAR and SAR chapters.

The Fall Seminar committee provided drinks and snacks for the attendees, there were several door prizes, and a historical timeline from 1809 to 1921 was provided to orient the attendees.  Attendees either brought their lunch, went out for lunch to a local eatery, or munched on the snacks.

CVGS Fall Seminar: Saturday, September 7th on "A Century of Service - A Genealogist's Perspective"

CVGS Fall Seminar - Saturday, September 7 2013 – FREE!!

“A Century of Service – A Genealogist’s Perspective” 

     This year's Fall Seminar will focus on our military through four wars in our early history: the War of 1812, the Civil War, the Spanish American War and World War I. The FREE, all-day seminar will be held on Saturday, September 7 at the Bonita-Sunnyside Branch of the County Library (4375  Bonita Road) from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

     Expert speakers will cover the history and events of each war and how we can learn more about our ancestors' enlistments, service records and pensions and more.  

*  Karl Zingheim, the historian of the USS Midway Museum will address the War of 1812; 

*  Marti Lewis, former president of San Diego's African-American Genealogy Research Group (SDAARG), will cover the Civil War; 

*  Susi Pentico, CVGS Education and Seminar Chair and CVGS lecturer, will present the Spanish American War;

*  John Finch, U.S. Navy retired and past President of CVGS, will address World War One.  
    
     The schedule:

Check-in begins at 9:30 a.m.  Welcoming remarks
9:45 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. - Karl Zingheim presents "The War of 1812"
10:45 a.m. to 11 a.m.  - a 15 minute break. Door Prize drawing
11 a.m. to 12 noon - Marti Lewis presents "The Civil War"

12 noon to 1 p.m. - Lunch break. Please bring your lunch - or go to eateries nearby

1 p.m. to 2 p.m. - Susi Pentico presents "The Spanish American War"
2 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. - a 15 minute break. Door Prize drawing
2:15 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. -John Finch presents "World War I"
3:15 p.m. to 4 p.m. - Susi Pentico will provide an overview of genealogical and military resources and methodologies

     Coffee, water, and morning and afternoon snacks will be offered. But since this will be an all-day affair, we suggest you bring a lunch (or, take advantage of the numerous restaurants and fast food places close by).  

     This seminar is FREE for everyone to attend.  

     Please pre-register by August 25, as space is limited.  To register, or for more information, go to our CVGS website http://cvgenealogy.org/,  click on the “Click here” link for the Fall Seminar, and fill in the online registration form; or contact Susi Pentico at SusiCP@cox.net or (619) 623 5250,  or Karen Yarger at 
khy13@hotmail.com or (619) 426-0834.

     Look for updates and more information on our CVGS blog (http://CVGenCafe.blogspot.com), or see our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/ChulaVistaGenealogicalSociety).  The telephone callers will be phoning you to find out if you plan to attend.

CeCe Moore's "Do Your Genes Fit?" Seminar Summary - 30 March 2013

CeCe Moore provided an audience of about 80 cheek-swabbers and saliva-spitters with excellent information about DNA testing for genealogy, and how to analyze their results, at the March 30th Chula Vista Genealogical Society seminar at the Chula Vista Municipal Golf Course.  The seminar theme was "Do Your Genes Fit?  Discover Your DNA."

In the first hour, CeCe provided an introduction to DNA Testing for Genealogy.  She described the four different types of DNA testing (Y-chromosome, mitochondrial, autosomal, and X-chromosome), and showed what each type provides a person to help define their genealogy.  For instance:

*  Y-chromosome DNA (Y-DNA) testing provides information about the direct paternal "surname" line for males only (but females can have brothers of father's brothers take the test).  A specific Y-DNA test is required to identify a haplogroup that traces back thousands of years, and is defined by specific mutations over centuries.

* Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) provides information about the direct maternal lines (mother's mother's mother) for males and females.  This is passed from mother to child.  A specific mtDNA test is required to identify a haplogroup that traces back thousands of years, and is defined by specific mutations over centuries and millennia,

*  Autosomal DNA (atDNA) provides information about a person's total genetic makeup - all of their ancestral lines.  This test provides clues to the regions of the world where a person's ancestors were thousands of years ago.  Anyone can test, and the percentage of DNA in common with other testers determines relationship predictions.  This test can confirm or refute genetic descent from ancestors determined by traditional genealogy research, can help with brick wall tree problems, and can help with adoption research.  

*  X-chromosome (X-DNA, inherited from mothers by everybody, and from fathers by females) provides information about some of your ancestors, but is not very far advanced at this time.  CeCe did not explore this past the definition.

There are four major DNA testing companies for genealogists:

*  Family Tree DNA (www.familytreedna.com) offers Y-DNA tests (12 to 111 markers, $49 to $359); mtDNA at two levels ($159 to $299); atDNA "Family Finder" test for $289.

*  23andMe (www.23andme.com) offers only an atDNA "Relative Finder" test ($99 sale price currently), which also provides haplogroups for mtDNA and Y-DNA (males only), and health risks.

*  AncestryDNA (http://ldna.ancestry.com) offers Y-DNA tests (33 or 46 markers, $149 to $179); mtDNA tests ($179); atDNA test ($99) with matches to Ancestry Member Trees.

*  National Geographic (https://genographic.nationalgeographic.com/) offers atDNA (Geno 2.0) test for deep ancestry ($199).

CeCe recommended using FamilyTreeDNA for Y-DNA and mtDNA, and 23andMe for autosomal DNA at $99, then transfer the atDNA results to FTDNA for $89.

In the second hour, CeCe discussed how to use the DNA test results that you have received.  She went through the Y-DNA, mtDNA and atDNA test results on the different web pages, and showed how to find matches with other testers, how to interpret those matches, and how to contact the other testers to share information.  Each test company permits an upload of a GEDCOM file of a person's genealogy, and they all find common surnames between a person and a matching person.  This portion of the talk also showed how to determine which DNA segments are shared with other testers (who have a common ancestor with the person).  

After a delicious lunch, and some door prize winner announcements, CeCe discussed in the third hour how a user can get the most out of their autosomal DNA results.  She discussed working with more distant matches, using spreadsheets for efficiency and accuracy, and using third party software or websites to share your DNA information.  Much of this hour was taken by attendee questions and CeCe's answers about specific tests and results.

In the fourth hour, CeCe showed DNA test results of attendees on the websites, analyzed them as necessary, and provided her opinion of what the tester should do next.  

This seminar went very quickly, and the audience was impressed and appreciated CeCe's knowledge and expertise in this subject.  CeCe is one of the "citizen scientists" around the world who are on the forefront of DNA testing for genealogy, and consults with the different companies on a regular basis.  

The final drawing for door prizes saw Susan Zimmer receive the 23andMe autosomal DNA test and Allet Rodriguez receive the 6-month Ancestry.com World Deluxe subscription.  CVGS also had an opportunity drawing for a number of local businesses and entertainment venues, and some genealogical and DNA prizes.  

The URL for this post is: http://cvgencafe.blogspot.com/2013/04/cece-moores-do-your-genes-fit-seminar.html

CVGS Spring Seminar is Saturday, 30 March: CeCe Moore on DNA

The annual Spring Seminar of the Chula Vista Genealogical Society will be on Saturday, 30 March 2013 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Chula Vista Golf Course clubhouse in Bonita (4475 Bonita Road, turn north onto Billy Casper Way from Bonita Road, the clubhouse is on the right).  The event includes a catered lunch.

The featured speaker for this event is CeCe Moore on the theme of "Do Your Genes Fit? Discover Your DNA."

Do you want to know all about DNA genetic testing and how it can help you learn about your ancestors?  Mark your calendars for March 30th, 2013. CVGS will present renowned genetic genealogist CeCe Moore for a lively and informative day-long seminar. We'll learn about the various DNA tests available, how to read and understand the results and how they'll apply to researching our family trees.

You are encouraged to take advantage of 23andMe's spectacular $99 deal for the genetic test and to bring your test results to the seminar so CeCe can help you interpret them. But do it soon - the results will take at least 3 weeks to return to you.

The fee for CVGS members is $35, $40 to non-members, and $40 for late registrants after March 22.  The Registration form is available on the our CVGS website at http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cacvgs2/page26.htm and on our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/ChulaVistaGenealogicalSociety).  You can register by filling out the form, printing it out, and sending it, with the registration fee to:

Chula Vista Genealogical Society
P.O. Box 3024
Chula Vista CA 91909-3024

Contact Gary Brock at gary@cyber.net or (619) 475-4054, or Karen Yarger at khy13@hotmail.com or (619) 426-0834 for more information.

CVGS Spring Seminar is Saturday, 30 March: CeCe Moore on DNA

The annual Spring Seminar of the Chula Vista Genealogical Society will be on Saturday, 30 March 2013 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Chula Vista Golf Course clubhouse in Bonita (4475 Bonita Road, turn north onto Billy Casper Way from Bonita Road, the clubhouse is on the right).  The event includes a catered lunch.

The featured speaker for this event is CeCe Moore on the theme of "Do Your Genes Fit? Discover Your DNA."

Do you want to know all about DNA genetic testing and how it can help you learn about your ancestors?  Mark your calendars for March 30th, 2013. CVGS will present renowned genetic genealogist CeCe Moore for a lively and informative day-long seminar. We'll learn about the various DNA tests available, how to read and understand the results and how they'll apply to researching our family trees.

You are encouraged to take advantage of 23andMe's spectacular $99 deal for the genetic test and to bring your test results to the seminar so CeCe can help you interpret them. But do it soon - the results will take at least 3 weeks to return to you.

The fee for CVGS members is $35, $40 to non-members, and $40 for late registrants after March 22.  The Registration form is available on the our CVGS website at http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cacvgs2/page26.htm and on our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/ChulaVistaGenealogicalSociety). Or contact Gary Brock at gary@cyber.net or (619) 475-4054, or Karen Yarger at khy13@hotmail.com or (619) 426-0834.

CVGS Fall Seminar Summary - "Show Me Your Roots"

The Chula Vista Genealogical Society Fall Seminar was held on Saturday, 22 September 2012, at the bonita-Sunnyside Library.  The title of this event was "Show Me Your Roots."  There were two sessions with essentially the same planned events - one in the morning (10 AM to 12 noon) and one in the afternoon (1 PM to 3 PM).

The morning session had about 20 CVGS members and 12 non-members in attendance.  The non-members ranged from beginners with a pedigree chart to intermediate researchers with some research background.  

After CVGS President Gary Brock welcomed the attendees, CVGS member Sam Seat made a 30 minute presentation about how to begin and progress in your genealogical and family history research.  His points included:

• Buy a computer program for your family tree – Family Tree Maker (Win and Mac), RootsMagic (Win), Legacy Family Tree (Win), Reunion (Mac), MyHeritage (Win).
• There are many online video courses for Beginners and others – check out the FamilySearch courses/videos
• Fill out your pedigree chart – a skeleton of 5 generations of ancestors – with names, dates, and places
• Fill in the blanks on the chart – find records, family, local, repositories, online search
• Use free online searches and record collections such as Google, FamilySearch, USGenWeb, Rootsweb, Find-A-Grave
• Use online commercial subscription sites with record collections such as Ancestry, Archives, Fold3, GenealogyBank, etc.
• Be careful – don't believe everything you see, use “official” records to make sure data indexes and online trees are correct.
• What can you find – birth certificates, marriage certificates, death certificates, census records, city directories, wills/probate records, land records, military records, immigration records, SSDI, cemetery records, etc.

Sam provided some examples from his own research - images of vital record certificates, census records, wills, city directory pages, gravestones, draft registration, website story, etc.

Bonita-Sunnyside Librarian Hielde Kraus provided a short overview of the library genealogy holdings, including Ancestry Library Edition on the Catalog computers, access to local university libraries with a library card, and the use of Inter-Library Loan to obtain books from other libraries.

At this point, the CVGS Mentors were introduced - Bernice (French-Canada), Shirley (New York, Reunion), Sam, Randy (New England, RootsMagic), Susi (Mid-Atlantic, New England), Karen (Norway, Maryland), Bobbie (French Canada, Bavaria), Ken (Family Tree Maker), and Kevin (MyHeritage).

The plan was to have the mentors help the attendees to fill out their pedigree chart, but all of them had one already started, so the session quickly moved to helping the attendees with their software briefings and research questions.  

Shirley, Randy and Ken discussed and demonstrated the programs to several persons.  Other attendees had questions concerning genealogical resources and how to attack their research problems, and the CVGS members provided advice and went online using their laptops and mobile devices to find records that might help the attendee.

After lunch, the afternoon session had the same CVGS attendees, and five more C VGS members came to ask questions, see software demonstrations, and for help with their research problems.

Drawings were held after both sessions, with CVGS memberships and donations from local restaurants and attractions as door prizes.

FREE "Show Me My Roots" Seminar on Saturday, 22 September

The Chula Vista Genealogical Society Fall Seminar will be held Saturday, September 22 at Bonita-Sunnyside Library (4375 Bonita Road; take Billy Casper Way turnoff). 

The seminar theme is "Show Me My Roots." This seminar will be geared to beginners but we will be glad to help anyone who feels they need it. There will be two sessions. The morning session is 10 a.m. to 12 noon and the afternoon session will be from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Attendees are asked to bring whatever information they have on their parents, grandparents, etc. The attendees will be able to receive help filling out their pedigree chart.

The attendees will then be introduced to the three most popular genealogy programs to give them some idea which one they would like to use. We will be demonstrating Family Tree Maker, RootsMagic, and Reunion. We will also have two computers dedicated to going online to show the attendees how to do research on line, concentrating on the free websites they can use. 

Between the charts and the computers the attendees can have a short tour of the library to show them where they can find genealogy information and to let them know that they can order books through inter-library loan from any of the county libraries and have them delivered to Bonita.

This is a free seminar. Please contact Virginia Taylor (irishdoll@cox.net, 619-425-7922) to register so that we can plan refreshments, handouts and volunteers. Attendees should provide their own lunch.

For this seminar to be a success, we need members of our society to volunteer to help either with the charts or demonstrating the programs. You can work either session or all day. Contact Virginia Taylor to volunteer. 

Genealogy Days in Chula Vista - September 2012

The Chula Vista Genealogical Society events for September 2012 include:

** Saturday, 1 September, 12:30 p.m.to 3 p.m., Bonita-Sunnyside (County) Library (4375 Bonita Road) -- Outreach Workshop meets in Community Room. Susi Pentico will lead a  "JSTOR Workshop."  

** Wednesday 12 September, 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.

** Wednesday, 19 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. Sharpen your computer skills and investigate online genealogy resources.

** Saturday, 22 September, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Bonita-Sunnyside Library (4375 Bonita Road) -- free Seminar/Workshop.  The theme of the Seminar/Workshop will be "Show Me My Roots."  There will be demonstrations of Family Tree Maker, Roots Magic, My Heritage, and Reunion.  Don't forget to register online at: www.rootsweb.com/~cacvgs2/ 

** Wednesday, 26 September, 12 noon to 2 p.m., Chula Vista Civic Center Branch Library (365 F Street) -- CVGS General Membership Meeting in the Auditorium.  John Finch will present "The Civil War and Onslaught of Modern Warfare."

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 left 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.

CVGS Fall Seminar Summary: Donna Bradley – “American Indian Research"

The afternoon presentation at the Chula Vista Genealogical Society Fall Seminar on 24 September was by Donna Bradley, titled – “American Indian Research."

This was a 90 minute lecture without notes, and without a syllabus.  Donna's ancestry and experience includes Scots-Irish and Native American in the southeast and Native American in California, and her presentation reflected that experience.

She noted that Scots Irish migrated to the colonies, then moved down through the Appalachians, Smoky Mountains, Blue Ridge. Indians lived in these places, and lonely white males found Indian wives. It was rare to find Indian males marrying a white woman. 

Where did the Indians come from? She said that they were here when the continents split apart, and those on the North American continent were always there. They stayed in approximately the same place for thousands of years. Indians didn’t keep written records. They lived mainly in hunter-gatherer societies as tribes, and their history was oral – told in stories, chants, etc. 

Donna defined these Indian groups:

*  Mestizo - in Mexico, Central America

*  Athabascan - in Alaska and North America
*  Navajo/Apache – in Southwest North America
*  Aztec/Mayan - in Mexico and Central America
*  Cherokees from Florida and Georgia – Trail of Tears to Oklahoma

She noted that tribes are specific groups with a distinct culture, but there are bands within tribes. Different tribes may have different dialects or linguistic characteristics.

To understand the history of Indians in North America, you have to understand the white man’s government. White men wanted land, but Indians had no concept of property. White men brought destruction to Indian tribes through war, annihilation, disease, broken treaties and servitude.  For example, there were two million Indians in Califronia before the white men came in the late 1700s, but only 16,000 were enumerated in the 1900 census. 

Donna said that American Indian research is not like any other genealogy research.  There are no cemetery plots - Indians usually cremated bodies rather than bury them. Indians were considered lower than black slaves by whites, and the 1863 emancipation did not apply to Indians.  In 1924, Indians were given U.S. citizenship, given the right to own land and to vote in federal elections, and were given the right to vote in state elections in 1932. State censuses show many Indians, but they often have only a first name (for example, the 1852 California census).  There were no California birth, marriage or deaths of Indians until 1924. There were many name changes as Indians moved between Indian culture and the American/Mexican government records.

Tribes work on a lineal descent. Each tribe has a blood quantum level to qualify for membership.   No tribe will help you do genealogy research – there is no cooperation because  the tribes don’t want you to be Indian – they will have to share their casino profits with you. A person needs to prove to the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs that they have Indian ancestry, and obtain a Certificate of Degree of Indian Blood. Once proven, the tribes may accept you, but tribal law is paramount.. 

Certain DNA markers mean certain things and are associated with certain races, tribes and/or certain locations. Look at the www.DNATribes.com website. 

If you think that you have Indian ancestry, follow these suggestions:

* Do a DNA test to determine if there is Indian haplogroups
* Check Indian school records
* Check Indian Rolls like Dawes roll and Miller roll.- here is a lot more nformation than what is on Ancestry.com
* Ask National Archives for records of tribe.
* Check Indian census rolls.
* Do census searches on Ancestry using no name, but in a place and an age range.
* Find history books and manuscript collections in libraries, local or state historical/genealogical societies or archives.

This was a challenging presentation.  It was California-centric, and some of Donna's historical facts and conclusions were curious to this reporter.  Many of the statements made conflict with the summary on Wikipedia in Native Americans in the United States.

CVGS FREE Seminar - Saturday, 2 April 2011

...
The Chula Vista Genealogical Society is sponsoring a FREE seminar on Saturday, 2 April from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Bonita Library (4375 Bonitra Road in Bonita, California) in the Community Room.


The seminar topic is: "Probates, Wills, Insurance Papoers and the Law: How It All May Affect Your Genealogy Research" presented by Michael T. Murphy (local attorney) and Del Stevens (local insurance broker).

The doors will open at 9:45 a.m. and the program will begin promptly at 10 a.m. Bring a sack lunch or visit one of the many nearby eateries.

There will be Opportunity Drawings, Two Door Prizes and Information Tables.

To Reserve your Seat:

Complete the reservation form online - type in your browser: www.rootsweb.com/~cacvgs2/page26.htm, or contact Virginia Taylor (619-425-7922, or irishdoll@cox.net).  Provide your name, street address, telephone number, email address and if you are a current CVGS member.

CVGS FREE Seminar - Saturday, 2 April 2011

The Chula Vista Genealogical Society is sponsoring a FREE seminar on Saturday, 2 April from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Bonita Library (4375 Bonitra Road in Bonita, California) in the Community Room.

The seminar topic is:  "Probates, Wills, Insurance Papoers and the Law: How It All May Affect Your Genealogy Research" presented by Michael T. Murphy (local attorney) and Del Stevens (local insurance broker).

The doors will open at 9:45 a.m. and the program will begin promptly at 10 a.m.  Bring a sack lunch or visit one of the many nearby eateries. 

There will be Opportunity Drawings, Two Door Prizes and Information Tables.

To Reserve your Seat:

Complete the reservation form online - type in your browser:  www.rootsweb.com/~cacvgs2/page26.htm, or contact Virginia Taylor (619-425-7922, or irishdoll@cox.net). Provide your name, street address, telephone number, email address and if you are a current CVGS member.

CVGS Seminar -- Where Do We Go From Here?

The Chula Vista Genealogical Society (CVGS) will celebrate National Family History Month in October by providing our Annual Fall Seminar. The program details include:

* Location: Norman Park Senior Center, 270 F St., Chula Vista

* Seminar Theme: Where Do We Go From Here?

* Date and Time: Saturday, October 2nd, 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

* SCHEDULE:

*** 8:30 a.m. -- doors open, Registration

*** 9 a.m. -- Keynote address, "Graveyard Gumshoe: Lessons Written in Stone," by Jean Wilcox Hibben, Ph.D., M.A., CG.

*** 9:30 a.m. -- "Introduction to Chula Vista Genealogical Society" - Gary Brock


*** 10:15 a.m. -- Session 1 - “Deliveries in the Rear: Getting Family History Information Through the Back Door” by Jean Wilcox Hibben, Ph.D., M.A., CG.

*** 11:30 a.m. -- Catered lunch (provided by CVGS)


*** 12:30 p.m. -- Session 2 - “This is Not Your Grandma’s Genealogy: Making the Move from Moving from Paper to Electronic Record Keeping” by Jean Wilcox Hibben, Ph.D., M.A., CG.

*** 1:30 p.m. -- Break: book sales, computer research.

*** 2:30 p.m. -- Session 3 - "Coming to the New World After the Conquest, 1600-1900" by Alfredo Pena, head genealogist for CorGoMiUri.

*** 4:30 p.m. -- end of seminar.

This program is designed to help people just getting started in Genealogy, New Members of our Society and Oldtimers who want to catch up on new resources.

Opportunity drawings will take place throughout the day, and a door prize will be awarded.

Used Genealogy books will be on sale and speaker's materials will be available for purchase.

* Registration Fee: Registration includes refreshments and catered lunch. $25.00 per Person until September 20, and $30.00 per person thereafter.

* To register, please print out flyer Click here, fill out the form and mail to remittance address on bottom of form.

* A confirmation packet will be returned by email if you include an email address, or by US Postal Service with last-minute parking and shuttle information.

For further information, contact Susi Pentico at (619-690-1188), or email at http://www.blogger.com/susiCP@cox.net

Or contact Virginia Taylor at (619-425-7922) or email at http://www.blogger.com/irishdoll@cox.net