Saddleback Valley Trails - South Orange County California ...
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
Saddleback Valley Trails
South Orange County California Genealogical Society
Vol. 28 No. 3 P.O. Box 4513, Mission Viejo, CA. 92690 March 2021
Editor: Kathie Mauzey
The Society board has decided, for the safety of all members, to extend the use of virtual
meetings and webinars through June 2021. The Board will continue to evaluate the situation
and make adjustments as necessary to this policy decision. Please check our calendar for March
to see the upcoming meetings that we will be holding virtually.
March 20, 2021 – 10am
“Ten Ways to Jumpstart Your Eastern European Research”
Webinar Presented by: Lisa Alzo
Curious about your East European roots but don’t know where to begin?
This session will show you how to “jumpstart your genealogy!” Learn
the basics of how to investigate your family’s history using both
traditional and online sources. Discover which records to tap into to
identify your ancestral village, and how history impacts genealogical
research. Tips for contacting possible relatives and writing to foreign
archives, as well as strategies for overcoming the most common pitfalls
and problems will also be discussed.
About the speaker: Lisa A. Alzo, M.F.A., is a freelance writer, instructor, and internationally
recognized lecturer, specializing in Eastern European genealogical research, writing your family
history, and using the Internet to trace female and immigrant ancestors. She grew up in Duquesne,
Pennsylvania and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Nutrition from West Virginia Wesleyan
College in 1987 and a Master of Fine Arts degree in Nonfiction Writing from the University of
Pittsburgh in 1997. Lisa is the author of eleven books, including The Family Tree Polish, Czech and
Slovak Genealogy Guide, and the award-winning Three Slovak Women, and hundreds of magazine
articles. Lisa is a contributing editor for Family Tree Magazine and works as an online educator
and writing coach through her website Research, Write, Connect,
. She also developed the Eastern European Research
Certificate Program for the National Institute for Genealogical Studies. Lisa is a frequently
invited speaker for national conferences, genealogical and historical societies, and webinars. An
avid genealogist for more than 30 years, Lisa also chronicles her family history adventures on her
blog, The Accidental Genealogist . Visit
for more information.
We will be offering our speaker’s presentation by webinar.
A link to register for the webinar will be emailed to all SOCCGS members.
Page 1
President’s Message
By Harry Hansen
Here it is, March already. NCAA Basketball Finals, St. Patrick’s Day, the Ides of March, and new
things to announce:
Annual Seminar – At the February meeting and webinar, we announced that Judy Russell, The Legal
Genealogist, will be our featured speaker for the October Seminar. Sarita Simmons, our current
Seminar Chair, has provided an article later in this newsletter with more information.
The Mini-Class (the short 30-minute class before the monthly meeting) is back. It will be at 9AM
on the same day as the monthly meeting. We will send out a separate registration link for those
interested in attending. Melissa Cottrell, our Extra Classes Coordinator, has provided an article in
this newsletter with more information.
Volunteer Openings – We still have a few key positions in need of volunteers: Historian, Seminar
Chair, and Hospitality Chair. Please see the article in this newsletter for more information. Please
let me know if you are interested in any of the positions, president@soccgs.org.
The “Members Only Section” of the Society website (https://soccgs.org) is now available. You will
be receiving an email containing the login information at the beginning of the month. In this
newsletter, we have provided more information about logging in and what is/will be available for
Members. Currently, we have the Board Policies, the Newsletters Archive, the webinar handouts
from 2020, and the Webinar recordings for 2021. We will be adding previous records from 2020.
Future plans include: copies of the Board and General Meeting Minutes, Trip information, and an
online Members Handbook.
With the release of the “Members Only Section”, we are also introducing an online Brick Wall Help
Request section. Here you will not only be able to request help on a brick wall that you face, but you
will also be able to help other members with their brick wall. See the article in this newsletter for
more information.
Until next month, hope your genealogical searches and researches are interesting ones!
(Instructions to access the “Members Only Section” and ”Brick Wall Help” are at the end of the
newsletter.)
The Mini-Class is Back
Before the pandemic, when we would be able to meet in person, SOCCGS would have a half-hour
mini-class before the general meeting. If you have been missing them, the wait is over.
The March virtual mini class will be "Books, Books, Books." Come see what fellow SOCCGS
members recommend for leisure or for honing your research skills. Class will be March 20 from
9:00-9:30 am on Zoom with a separate signup and login from the general meeting at 10:00 am on
the same day. Invitations to register for the mini-class will be e-mailed
If you have a topic you would like to present, don’t be shy, contact Melissa Cottrell at
extraclasses@soccgs.org.
Page 2
February Meeting
~Kathie Mauzey
Hal Bookbinder presented “Born in St. Louis, Naturalized in Newark, Why?”
Mr. Bookbinder took us through changes in the U. S. naturalization laws. One law instituted
between 1907 and 1922 stated that American women who married foreign males lost their
citizenship. His grandmother Sarah was born in 1895 in St. Louis, Missouri. In 1917 she married
his grandfather Edward, who had immigrated as a toddler, but had never been naturalized. At that
point she ceased to be an American citizen. Due to a change in the law in 1936, to regain her
citizenship, Sarah, who had never been outside the U. S., had to forswear allegiance to the Soviet
Union.
We were also alerted to USCIS records request fee increases currently at $65 increasing to $160-
265, depending on the request. Currently USCIS continues to accept the existing forms
at the pricing in effect before the intended rules change. The fee increases are on hold
for now. Send in your request before the fees increase.
G-1041 Genealogy Index Search Request www.uscis.gov/g-1041
G-1041A Genealogy Records Request www.uscis.gov/g-1041a
Membership
~Lynn Souers
As of the end of February, we have 314 members.
New Members:
Paul and Susan Hinman, Dana Point
Karen Dennis, Laguna Beach Sunday March 14th
Thank you to the 23 members who renewed their memberships. Just a quick reminder on renewals:
be sure to include the membership renewal form attached to your email (or print it out from the
membership section on our website). We want to be sure we have your current contact information,
especially your email address.
My quote for the month comes from Brad Henry, the former governor or Oklahoma: “Families are
the compasses that guide us. They are the inspiration to reach great heights and our comfort when
we occasionally falter.”
Beginning Genealogy
Our Beginning Genealogy classes for 2021 have all been so popular that even increasing the capacity,
they fill up quickly. A single, 2-hour class, is scheduled for the 3rd Thursday each month.
Registration is now open for these classes that meet from 5:30 – 7:30 PM. If you are new to
genealogy or know someone who is, please welcome them the opportunity to experience this class.
Registration is now open through our SOCCGS website under “Events”. Handouts are provided for
this “virtual” class! This is not a computer class, nor does it require any specific knowledge of
genealogy. Now, in the comfort of your home, learn why genealogy is such fun and (warning) may
be addicting! Enroll via www.soccgs.org. Next class March 18th.
Missing Newsletter
~Harry Hansen, Webmaster
We need your help to complete our collection of the Society’s Newsletters.
We are missing the issue for November 2002. If you have the missing issue,
we would greatly appreciate having it scanned so we can complete our
collection. Please let me know (webmaster@soccgs.org) if you find a copy.
Page 3
Thank You Letter
The Society received a letter from Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County for our
donation of $1,636.54 from our December food drive.
“Thank you for your support of Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County. In this unprecedented
time of need due to the economic impact of COVID-19, your generosity helped us feed those in need
in our community. You have our deepest gratitude.”
Volunteers Needed
Looking for a way to serve our Society and work with our friendly Board members? The following
positions are open and waiting for just the right person...you!
Historian - Responsibilities include collecting, preparing, and preserving the papers and artifacts
which account for the historical record of the Society.
Seminar Chair - Responsibilities include planning the annual seminar, lining up the speaker,
advertising, hosting the day, and coordinating volunteers. (Our speaker has been retained for
the October 2021 seminar. The rest will be easy)
Hospitality Chair - Responsibilities include signing up volunteers to
bring refreshments to general meetings, hosting and serving
refreshments, and cleaning up duties. (This position will become
active once we begin to meet in person again. It would also be
a perfect job for two people.) Please volunteer and work with a
great bunch of people.
Contact Harry Hansen: president@soccgs.org
New Leader for Legacy Users Group
By David Flint
This announcement is to inform you that I am stepping down as the leader of our Legacy
Users Group after nearly six years since we started the group for our members who were using the
Legacy Family Tree genealogy software. I announced this to the members attending our Legacy
meeting in February, which was my last meeting as leader of the group.
I reached the point where my personal schedule is too full to continue doing everything, and
I needed to cut back somewhere. I’m not going anywhere, and I will continue to be involved in our
SOCCGS activities, serving on the board, and leading the England SIG. But I will no longer be
leading our Legacy Users Group after the February meeting.
Donna Rathman has agreed, at my invitation, to take on the job of leading the group going
forward. Donna was one of the earliest members in our group, and she is very knowledgeable about
Legacy. I am confident that she will do a great job. She and I will work together for a smooth
transition, and I anticipate that our Legacy meetings will continue the same schedule on the third
Thursday each month.
Thanks to those members who were regular participants in our Legacy Users Group in recent
years, I enjoyed seeing our group come back together during the pandemic as soon as we could offer
meetings again using the Zoom technology. I wish the group continued success with Donna as your
new leader, and I wish Donna the best in taking on this new job. Thanks for your many years of
support.
Page 4
Page 5
Page 6
Meet the Members
David Flint - Parliamentarian
Where did you grow up?
Depending on what you consider the “growing up” years, I lived in many different
places in my early years. I was born in England and lived there until the age of ten,
when my parents left England in 1954 and moved our family to Canada. We lived
first in St. Marys, Ontario then in Dorchester, New Brunswick. In 1957 we moved
to Kent, Ohio where my mother’s sister lived since she left England with her family
before we moved to Canada. We later moved to South Bend, Indiana, and eventually to Santa
Barbara, California where I began high school.
College/Work Background
I started working in high school as a part-time delivery driver for a fancy foods and liquor/gift shop
in Santa Barbara and continued that job through college. I graduated from UCSB with a B.A. degree
in political science, planning to study law; however, that never happened. After college I began my
40-year career working for the County of Los Angeles in 1967. I held many different jobs with L.A.
County over the years, working in a total of seven county departments including the Museum of Art,
Consumer Affairs, Health Services and the County Library. When I retired in 2008, I was working
as the Assistant Director for Finance and Planning at the County Library, where we operated 81
libraries serving 52 cities and unincorporated county areas.
What brought you to California?
When we lived in England my father worked as a custom tailor at a top shop on Savile Row in
London. I believe that our frequent moves were related to his constant search for better work
opportunities. When we moved to Santa Barbara, he opened his own tailoring shop, eventually
moving it to Montecito. Once we settled in California, I completed high school and college, and
started work after graduating from UCSB. I have lived in California ever since my family moved here
in 1959. I moved to Irvine in 1983 to buy our fist house and improve school opportunities for our
son.
What got you interested in genealogy?
I like to say that genealogy found me, because I wasn’t looking for it at the time. I got started in
genealogy in 2002 after meeting two men in the vendor exhibits at a Public Library Association
conference in Phoenix, Arizona. I remember being dumbstruck when one of them was able to find
my mother’s family in County Durham, England after searching for just a few minutes. I later
learned that he was a British Isles research specialist for FamilySearch, and it was an easy find for
him. The other man was once head of the British Isles Reference Section at the Family History
Library in Salt Lake City. They were both very knowledgeable and they gave me a great introduction
to English genealogy. I was hooked immediately! We became friends, and they both offered me good
advice as a beginner on later visits to Salt Lake City where they worked. I now enjoy being retired
and having the time to devote to serving on the SOCCGS board and leading a couple of special
interest groups, especially the England SIG, which relates to my own heritage.
What is your best research tip?
I think my best research tip is to never forget the basics. One of my dumbest mistakes was to forget
the warning we all get as beginners that spelling doesn’t matter in genealogy -- not to get hung up
on the “correct” spelling for a name. I made that mistake and it cost me several years in finding the
birth certificate for my maternal grandfather, David Moorecroft. I kept searching for his name
spelled the way my mother spelled her maiden name – Morecroft, despite the fact that I had a
birth certificate for David’s father, William, with his surname spelled Moorcroft. I should have
Page 7
Meet the Members (con’t)
realized sooner that Morecroft was not the only spelling used in the family. However, I missed that
clue as a beginner. As soon as I tried other spellings, I found him. Lesson learned – tip shared.
Who is your most interesting/infamous relative?
I don’t have any notable ancestors, or maybe even any who are particularly infamous. However, my
favorite ancestor is Zilpah Bedford, a dress maker born in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire in
1824. I like her unusual biblical name, which often makes her easy to find when researching. She
married my second great grandfather James Flint in 1846. James worked as head gardener on the
Stanmore Park Farm in Middlesex. I am currently researching the farm more closely because
it was probably part of the Great Stanmore Manor, dating back to the 1100’s, and I would like to
know more of the manor’s history.
SIG Meetings on Zoom
Pat Weeks - French Canadian SIG met on January 26th with 10 participants. This was the
first Zoom meeting for the group. The next meeting will be March 23rd at 10am. If you
want to learn more about your French Canadian ancestors, contact Pat at:
frenchcanadasig@soccgs.org
Sue Naegeli – Genealogy Research SIG had 20 participants
at the Feb 6th meeting. We get together and talk about genealogy -
discoveries, brick walls, etc. Join us for our next meeting on
March 5th at 10am. Contact: genealogyresearchsig@soccgs.org
Christianne Rottenberg -Writing Family History Stories
had 12 attendees. A new member joined us this month, Maureen
S. Welcome! Stories included a variety of topics: Christmas past
and present traditions with a French-Canadian spin by Brenda
H; another French connection and storyline about Robert Mc's
niece written and read by his wife Jeannie Mc. There were
connections to Lafayette, Davy Crockett, and the North Carolina family name of Costello-
turpentine, and timber and cotton mills in the early 1800's; Jane S. wrote about her
grandmother Hilda and her Southern CA upbringing, accompanied by amazing B/W photos dating
back to the early 1900's; Christianne R. read a story dedicated to the younger generation about their
3xgreat-grandfather who emigrated from Germany to Philadelphia in 1834. Jane S. finished off the
meeting with a review of her website for building family stories which group members watched
during a screen share. We welcome any new members to join in at any time. Contact Christianne
Rottenberg (moderator) at writingstories@soccgs.org for a Zoom invite to the next meeting on
March 10th at 10:00am-12:00pm.
David Flint - England SIG – In our Feb 8th meeting with
30 attendees, David Flint continued with part two of a
detailed review of The National Archives (the UK national
archive) and discussed using their website for England
genealogy research https://nationalarchives.gov.uk/ If you
are interested in learning about The National Archives, feel
free to join our next meeting on March 8 at 10am. You
can contact David Flint at englandsig@soccgs.org to request access to the online Zoom meeting.
Page 8
Gary Schwarz - German SIG – At the Feb 17 meeting with 13
participants we looked at "geogen.stoepel.net" which maps the number
graphically of a surname in different areas of Germany. The FamilySearch
Wiki lists many classes including a webinar on German Handwriting.
Christianne Rottenberg recommended DeepL Translate over
googletranslate. Next meeting March 17 at 10am Contact Gary at
germansig@soccgs.org
https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Germany_Online_Classes_and_Tutorials
David Flint - Legacy Users Group - For our Feb 18th meeting
David Flint completed the review of how to use the search function
in the Legacy software and ended with a discussion of how to
use hashtags, another Legacy feature that works closely with
searches. David also announced to the group that it would be his
final meeting as leader of the Legacy group. Donna Rathman
will take over as group leader at the March meeting. If you would
like to join our meeting on March 18, contact legacy@soccgs.org
to request access to the online Zoom meeting.
Gayle Meldau – Ireland Scotland SIG – 22 participants
joined us for the Feb 19th meeting . Wendy Goodall and
Metty Thomason discussed ways to use photos with our
ancestry research and Metty demonstrated the new "Compare-
a-Face" activity on FamilySearch, which we can use to help
identify ancestor photos.
https://www.familysearch.org/discovery/compare The
March/April issue of Family Tree magazine has a lengthy cover
article on "Discover Irish Ancestors.” (If you don’t subscribe, see article on page 10 re Mission Viejo
Library digital access) Our next meeting will be on Friday, March 19th, at
10am. Email irelandscotlandsig@soccgs.org to join us!"
Jay Culliney - DNA SIG Advanced Group Meeting held Monday, Feb 15th. Prior to the
meeting, we had suggested members view, if possible, Diahan Southard’s webinar “Me and My
1000+ DNA Cousins.” So, this became a topic of discussion in our meeting. In a follow-up to last
month’s conversation on DNA Painter, Kari offered a few comments on her own experiences. Jay
made a presentation of recent stories in the news regarding both China’s interest in America’s DNA
test results (possibly to leverage that information to become a leader in targeted pharmaceuticals),
and 23andMe’s impending merger and morphing into a public company (with similar goals in
mind). He also showed 23andMe’s “COVID-19 Hospitalization Rate Table” – where you enter a few
facts about yourself or loved one: e.g., height, weight, age, sex, exercise frequency, & health
conditions – and it responds with the likelihood that you would require hospitalization should you
become infected. Next meeting February 15th at 10am. Contact Jay at dnasig@soccgs.org
Jay Culliney - DNA SIG held on Feb 26th with 22
participants. RootsTech 2021 (this year’s virtual version
is called “RootsTech Connect”) was taking place on this
date and on the day prior and day after. So, much of the
discussion revolved around what people had been able to
find amongst the hundreds of hours of videos released on
genealogical and DNA topics. Many discounts and “freebies” were noted for others to potentially
take advantage of. Don Benefiel had a question regarding how to approach DNA testing for an
Page 9
SIG Meetings (con’t)
older relative living some distance away. And, subsequently, how to administer the relative’s
(results) account on Ancestry.com. Several other members were able to respond with ways in which
they addressed the same issue within their families. In the technology area, one member described
a newly popular approach to gravestones where scanning a QR code on the headstone with a
smartphone could launch access to websites or multimedia compilations of the life and memories
of the person laid to rest there. Apparently, this has been going on since 2011, but seems to be
gaining in popularity. The resulting product is called a “digital memorial” or “living gravestone.”
Next meeting March 26th at 10am. Contact Jay at dnasig@soccgs.org.
Mission Viejo Library Digital Magazines
SOCCGS member George Bull looked into the digital magazines available through the Mission
Viejo Library and found that with your library card you can read for free online the Family Tree
Magazine as well as Who Do You Think You Are Magazine which is published in the UK. All of
them have some Irish and Scottish content and the Mar/Apr 2021 issue of Family Tree's cover
article is "Discover Irish Ancestors.” There are many magazines available. In the search box type
“magazines” and in the drop down click on “magazines.” Mission Viejo Library has a subscription
through OverDrive which replaces the RBDigital app. https://cityofmissionviejo.org/digital-books
If you have any questions contact the library: 949-830-7100, ext. 5105
or libreference@cityofmissionviejo.org For questions about your library account, dial extension 510
Missing Man Table
Emily Ricketts, granddaughter of SOCCGS member Donna Rathman, is continuing her
project to honor and raise awareness of our military veterans, POW/MIA/KIA soldiers. Emily is
working on the Gold Award in Girl Scouting. To see Emily’s infographic see page 18-19
8th Annual OCCGS Genealogy Bash Virtual Seminar
Saturday March 6, 2021, 11am to 4:30 pm
Research Reveals with Michael Strauss, AG
See flyer on page 15 occgs.com
North San Diego County 2021 Spring Seminar Webinar
Pajama Genealogy, or How I Spent My Pandemic
Saturday, April 10, 2021, 9am to 2:30pm
Case Studies by North San Diego County Genealiogical Society Members. Register online at
register.nsdcgs.org – There is no registration fee. See flyer on Page 16
National Genealogical Society 2021 Family History Conference
May 19-20, 2021
NGS 2021 Live! and NGS 2021 On-Demand! offer you the opportunity to develop
exceptional genealogy skills with a highly comprehensive set of sessions from NGS’s expert
conference speakers. Download the Family Histoy Conference Program for a list of
sessions.
Early Bird Registration by March 15th. https://conference.ngsgenealogy.org
Page 10Jamboree 2021
Two Online Virtual Conferences
Jamboree’s 51st Virtual Conference has over 60 webinars and is excited to offer a full conference
track tailored for researching the British Isles and Ireland Genealogy (flyer on pg 17).
June 4-5 – 8th Conference Genetic Genealogy 2021 – The Genes in Your Family
June 11-12 – 51st Conference Jamboree 2021 – The Stars in Your Family
June 7-10 – Mid Week Special Events – Show Specials, Product Q & A, etc.
For information: genealogyjamboree.com
International German Genealogy Conference
July 17-14-2021
Registration for the International German Genealogy Conference is now open! The theme is
“Researching Together Worldwide / weltweit gemeinsham forschen” Registration can be
completed at the following link https://playbacknow.regfox.com/iggp2021. A special Early-Bird
registration discount is possible until March 31, 2021.
Researching Catholic Ancestors
Link to FamilyTree Magazine article on researching Catholic Ancestors with online resources:
http://enews.familytreemagazine.com/q/KAWSk5Bm89RwSeCNpULFDQ231F-
yGtn4Op_ZwaMHX24nAkQwa4oPvT7S
March Free Webinars
Legacy
Mar 2 – 5pm – British Genealogy Online: The Top English & Welsh Family History Websites –
Rick Crume
Mar 3 – 11am – LaMadre Chiesa – Italian Catholic Parish Records – Suzanne Russo Adams
Mar 5 – 11am – The Ten Percent: Free People of Color – Nicka Smith
Mar 9 – 11am – Using different family tree views for your research = Uri Gonen
Mar 10 – 5pm – Researching Ancestral Locations in Prussian Genealogy – Nancy E. Loe
Mar 16 – 5pm – Reporting on Research: Standards Encourage Better Communication – Nancy
A. Peters
Mar 17 – 11am – FamilySearch.org – 10 Links You Have to Try – Devin Ashby
Mar 19 – 11am – Tracing Your War of 1812 British Soldier – Paul Milner
Mar 23 – 11am – See your ancestors like never before with MyHeritage’s photo tools – Webinar
Mar 24 – 11am – 20th Century Immigrants to the West Coast – Linda Harms Okazaki
Mar 31 – 11am – Fifty Overlooked Genealogical Resources in Fifty Minutes – Diane L. Richard
Apr 2 – 11am – In Their Own Words: Genealogy in the Slave Narratives – Renate Yarborough
Sanders
Register at www.familytreewebinars.com If you miss the live Legacy webinar, recordings are in the
archives and free to watch for the first 7 days after the broadcast.
Also check the Legacy catalog for FREE webinars to be viewed any time.
Southern California Genealogical Society:
Mar 6 – 10am – Alcoholics and Teetotalers: Finding Yours in America’s Temperance – Michael
Brophy
Mar 17 – 6pm – Find African American, French, Jewish & Spanish Revolutionary War Patriots –
Ellen Shindelman Kowitt
Apr 3 – 10am – Suddenly Scotland: An Introduction to Scottish Research – Sara Cochran
Register at www.scgsgenealogy.com
Page 11March Webinars (con’t)
New England Historic Genealogical Society
Mar 2 – 3pm – Author Event – Russell Shorto – Smalltime: A Story of My Family and the Mob
Mar 11 – 2:30pm – Kitchen Explorations with Chef Michael Leviton – Michael Leviton
Mar 12 – 1pm – Old House Do’s and Don’ts – Carissa Demore
Mar 18 – 1pm – Researching Urban Ancestors in the 19th and 20th Centuries – Danielle Cournoyer
Mar 23 – 3pm – Author Event – John Matteson – A Worse Place Than Hell: How the Civil War
Battle of Fredericksburg Changed a Nation”
Register at americanancestors.org/education/online-classes
The Family History Library in Salt Lake City has free ONLINE classes. March 17th is Irish
Research Day. To view the Family History Library Class Calendar for March and register for the
webinars offered by FamilySearch go to:
https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/img_auth.php/7/7b/FHL_Class_Calendar_03_2021.pdf
All classes listed are given in Mountain Time.
Eastman’s Online Genealogy Newsletter, 15 Feb 2021
LDSGenealogy.com Announces a Major Update to its Online U.S. Newspaper Listings
LDSGenealogy.com is pleased to announce that we just completed a large update to our online U.S.
newspaper listings. We're now cataloging the newspaper titles of 1,183 different websites with
digitized newspapers or newspaper indexes. The listings include all of the major newspaper sites, as
well as offline listings from WorldCat, the Family History Library, and the U.S. Newspaper Directory
from the Library of Congress.
The newspaper titles are arranged by county and city and include the year range of the digitized
newspapers. You simply find the county you're interested in and find all of the newspapers in one
easy stop. https://ldsgenealogy.com/newspapers-obituaries/
LDSGenealogy.com is a free website that is designed to help anyone quickly locate more record
sources for U.S. ancestors. The site catalogs over 1,500 websites so that rather than visiting all of
those websites individually, you can come to the U.S. genealogy records directory and find the record
sources in one place. There are currently over 1.1 million record sources listed in the directory which
are organized by state, county, city, and record type. The site also features dozens of in-depth articles
to help you learn to do genealogy research more effectively.
Note: The LDSGenealogy.com web site is privately owned and is not an official site of FamilySearch
International or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS).
Future Genealogy Events
See the Calendar at SOCCGS.org for a list of Special Interest Group meetings and
contact information. Also, under Events see conference keper.org for a list of
genealogy events online.
March– Los Angeles FamilySearch Library/Online Class Registration & Schedule
Monthly Calendar Class Schedule and Registration
March – British Institute - The link to register for any of these FREE webinars:
https://mailchi.mp/9c6930bed04a/2020-21-winter-webinar-series-confirmed-
3152550?e=7210dcb5ec.
March 13 – Emigration from Scotland – Christine Woodcock
March 27 – Emigration from Ireland – Fiona Fitzsimons
April 10 - Scotland Overview – Bruce Durie
Page 12Future Events (con’t)
Mar 6, 2021 – 8am – 3:30 pm - OCCGS Bash with Michael L. Strauss, AG occgs.com
Mar 13, 2021 – 1pm - SHHAR virtual meeting – The Cristero Rebellion – John P. Schmal
Shhar.org/events
Mar 13, 2021 – 10am – 12:15 – San Diego Gen Soc. virtual meeting – Toni Perrone
1) Journey to America 2) Prussia and Its Changing Borders. casdgs.org
Mar 17, 2021 – 7pm – GSNOCC Meeting – Thomas MacEntee – Facebook: A Tool for
Genealogy Research. For information: gsnocc.org
Mar 17, 2021 – 5:30-7:30pm – Evening Beginning Genealogy – Arlene O’Donnell
https://soccgs.org/event/beginning-genealogy-class-evening-virtual-5/?instance_id=4096
Mar 17 2021 – Irish Research Day at FamilySearch
https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/img_auth.php/7/7b/FHL_Class_Calendar_03_2021.pdf
Mar 20, 2021 – 1pm – WAGS virtual meeting – Dr. Penny Walters – Mixing DNA with a
Paper Trail. If not a WAGS member, send an email to program@wagswhittier.org and an invitation
will be sent to you.
Mar 21, 2021 – 10am – OCJGS Virtual Meeting – Todd Knowles – What’s New at
FamilySearch You must register in advance for meeting: ocjgs.org
Mar 23, 2021 – 9:30am - NSDCGS Virtual Meeting – Getting the Most Out of the
FamilySearch Wiki – Jamie Lee Mayhew nsdcgs.org
Apr 10, 2021 – Spring Seminar Webinar. Pajama Genealogy, or, How I spent my
Pandemic, Case Studies by NSDCGS Members. nsdcgs.org Flyer on page 16
June 2021 – Jamboree 2021 – Two Online Virtual Conferences – Registration opens
For information: genealogyjamboree.com
May 19-20, 2021 – National Genealogy Society 2021 Virtual Family History
Conference featuring NGS Live & On-Demand Lectures conference.ngsgenealogy.org
July 17-24, 2021 – International German Genealogy Conference – Virtual event.
http://bit.ly/IGGCflyer
2021 Programs
February 20 – Hal Bookbinder – US Naturalization and Immigration
March 20 – Lisa Alzo – Eastern Europe Research
April 17 – Annette Burke Little – Records Bounty Land: It’s Complicated
Probate Records: Wills and a Whole Lot More
May 15 – Toni Perrone – Research Your German Ancestors: Rhineland Pfalz – State of Roots and
Vines
June 19 – Curt Witcher – Effective Use of the Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center
July 17 - Diahan Southard – How DNA Made a Family Out of Strangers
August 21 – Jill Morellie – Fire Insurance Maps: The Good Maps of Their Day
Genealogy Tip of the Day http://genealogytipoftheday.com
N is for...Nomenclature. Make certain you understand the nomenclature used by the
creator of a record you are using
Page 13Genealogy Search Tip of the Day http://searchtip.genealogytipoftheday.com
Presidential Papers Through Coolidge Digitized at the LOC 17 Feb 2021
2021-2022 SOCCGS BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President – Harry Hansen president@soccgs.org
Vice President/Program Chairman – Marilyn Sato vicepresident@soccgs.org
Recording Secretary – Metty Thomason recordingsecretary@soccgs.org
Corresponding Secretary – Roxanne Burg correspondingsecretary@soccgs.org
Treasurer – Frank Souers treasurer@soccgs.org
COMMITTEES
Historian – VACANT historian@soccgs.org
Hospitality - VACANT hospitality@soccgs.org
Librarian – Bunny Smith librarian@soccgs.org
Membership – Lynn Souers membership@soccgs.org
Newsletter Editor – Kathie Mauzey newsletter@soccgs.org
Parliamentarian – David Flint parliamentarian@soccgs.org
Webmaster - Harry Hansen webmaster@soccgs.org
Publicity – Gayle Meldau publicity@soccgs.org
Safari Chairman – Bill Bluett safari@soccgs.org
Seminar Chairman – VACANT seminar@soccgs.org
Ways & Means – Donna Rathman waysandmeans@soccgs.org
Extra Classes Coordinator – Melissa Cottrell extraclasses@soccgs.org
SOCCGS Website: www.soccgs.org
SOCCGS Research Center, located at the
Mission Viejo Library, Marguerite Parkway at La Paz, (949) 470-8498
SOUTH ORANGE COUNTY CALIFORNIA GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY
Membership/Renewal Application
( ) New ( ) Individual, $25.00 /1 year ( ) NEW Address or E-mail
( ) Renewal ( ) Joint Membership at same address, $30.00 / 1 year
Date__________________
Name(s) __________________________________________________________________________
Address: __________________________________________________________________________
City: ________________________ State: ______ Zip: _________________ Phone ______________
E-mail Address _________________________________________
Make Check payable to: SOCCGS
Mail check with application to: SOCCGS, P.O. Box 4513, Mission Viejo, CA 92690-4513
I do not wish to share my personal information with other members. 2-2020
Page 14Orange County California Genealogical Society announces
OCCGS 8th Annual Genealogy BASH 2021
with Michael L. Strauss, AG
Saturday March 6th, 2021
11 am to 4:30 pm PDT
Virtual Seminar includes Four Live Presentations with Q&A and Door Prizes from sponsors
Join Orange County California Genealogical Society ("OCCGS") and genealogy enthusiasts from around the
world as OCCGS presents our 8th Annual Genealogy BASH with forensic investigator and research
expert Michael L. Strauss, AG.
Session Descriptions
Session 1 - Women's Suffrage: Their Rights, Roles, & Limitations
Life for early American woman was often burdened with setbacks. Limited by society without voting rights and
inadequate educational opportunities, and virtually no legal identity, women sought to be equals in society. This
lecture focuses on the history of women and the Suffrage Movement from the colonial times to the early
twentieth century by covering Women and the Legal System, Women and Crime, as well as Women and
Voting Rights.
Session 2 - Reconstructing the Past: Dealing with Military Record Loss
Over time the United States military has lost large numbers of records due to several major fires and
catastrophes. Beginning with the War Department Fire in 1800 to the July 1973 fire that ravaged the National
Personnel Record Center in St. Louis, Missouri, our government has sought to reconstruct these lost records.
Many substitute records are examined that will add depth to your military ancestors' stories.
Session 3 - Influenza: The Twentieth Century's Deadliest Pandemic
With war raging in Europe in 1918, a silent deadly killer traveled with the soldiers from the United States over to
the war zones in France. Considered America's deadliest pandemic, the so-called Spanish Flu epidemic killed
more American civilians than US soldiers who lost their lives fighting. Many unique genealogical and historical
records document our ancestors who died or survived this period of history.
Session 4 - Decoding Secret Societies: Researching your Fraternal Ancestors
Were your ancestors members of the Freemasons? Or did they join the Order of the Eastern Star? Discover
the rich history and genealogical material that awaits in membership records, historical research, and
photographs of families who may have belonged to one or more of these secret societies.
For information: occgs.com Register online by March 5, 2021
Registration for OCCGS Members $25.00 Registration for Non OCCGS Members $35.00
Non-Members incl 1 year OCCGS Membership $57.00
Page 15Page 16
Page 17
Page 18
National Medal of Honor Day will be observed on Thursday, March
25, 2021. The Medal of Honor is awarded only to military members; it is
awarded by Congress and is also known as the Congressional Medal of
Honor. National Medal of Honor Day is a time to remember the
sacrifices of men and women in uniform who have earned this
highest of military honors
National Vietnam War Veterans Day Vietnam War Memorial
On March 29, 2012, President Barack Obama proclaimed March 29, 2012, as
Vietnam Veterans Day. The proclamation called "upon all Americans to observe
this day with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities that
commemorate the 50 year anniversary of the Vietnam War."[1]
On March 28, 2017, President Trump signed the Vietnam War Veterans
Recognition Act of 2017. This act officially recognizes March 29 as National
Vietnam War Veterans Day. The Act also includes the day among those days on
which the US flag should especially be displayed.
March 29 was chosen as National Vietnam War Veterans Day because on March
29, 1973, Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (MACV) was disbanded and
the last U.S. combat troops departed the Republic of Vietnam. The last unit was
elements of MACV's Infantry Security Force (Special Guard), actually special
couriers.
Page 19Instructions for “Members Only” Area of the Website
1) To Log In, click on the “Members Log In” button on the menu bar below the Logo.
2) This will bring you to the Login Page, where you type in the username ‘soccgs’, and the password that has
been provided to you.
3) Once you have logged in, you will be returned to the HOME page.
4) Now, you have access to the “Members Only Section”
Page 205) If you hover the mouse over the “Members Only Section” menu item, you will now have access to the new
sections available.
Page 21Or if you click on the “Members Only” menu button, you will be brought to the main Members Only page,
and you can then select the specific information you are interested in.
Currently, we have the Board Policies, the Newsletters Archive, the webinar handouts from 2020, and the
Webinar recordings for 2021.
Page 22Brick Wall Help Request
With the introduction of the “Members Only Section” of the website, we are also adding a “Brick Wall
Help Requests” section. The idea is to provide a place where a member can request help, for other
members, on a brick wall that is in search of a solution.
Once you have logged in, you will see the “Brick Wall Help Requests” on the menu.
Page 231) When you select this item, you will be taken to the main page of the “Brick Wall Help Requests”
Here you will find a list of Brick Wall Help Requests that have been made by members. If you can help,
you will be able to reach out to that member to provide assistance.
If you would like to Post a request, click on the “request form” link, and you will be taken to a form to
provide information on your Brick Wall.
Page 24Fill out the form to submit your request. It will be reviewed and then posted to the website so that other
members can provide help.
Please note: Brick Wall requests may be edited for clarity and length. Any responses will be forward to
the submitter.
Page 25You can also read
