Tuesday's Tip - NARA Video: Intro to Census Records

The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is on YouTube with a variety of channels that highlight its extensive holdings and provide instructive videos on how to find and use various records and record collections. 

A new video of interest to beginner genealogists was recently added to the line-up. "Genealogy Introduction: Census Records at the National Archives" is presented by Constance Potter, an archivist at the National Archives in Washington, DC, specializing in federal records of interest to genealogists. She is an expert on the U.S. census records. In this YouTube video, Connie delivered a talk on the intricacies of the U.S. Federal Census records from 1790 to 1930 and how they can be used for genealogical research.  

Watch the video here. 

I learned about this video from my free subscription to Dick Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter (EOGN).

Tuesday's Tip is one of several blogging themes suggested on Geneabloggers.  If you have a tip for beginning genealogists, please send it to fhdmailbox@gmail.com and I will post it here.

Family History Day 2012

It's official!

The date for the next Family History Day at the California State Archives has been set.

Saturday, October 13, 2012

Mark your new 2012 calendars now and please pass it on!

Genealogy for Beginners and More

It's been awhile since some 400+ attendees came to Family History Day 2011 at the California State Archives.  Hopefully, many of you have had an opportunity to start (or jump-start) your family history research based on what you learned in the 20 some classes.

In keeping with the theme of Family History Day - focus on beginners - I thought the following classes may be of interest to you, especially if you live in or near Sacramento, California.

Location: All of these offerings will be held at the Sacramento Public Library Central, 828 I Street, Sacramento, 916-264-2920.

January 2012

Sunday, January 8
Common Surname Search Strategies with Lisa Louise Cooke
1:30 - 3pm West Meeting Room
Discover tips and tricks to find your ancestors with common surnames. Lisa is a nationally known author and host of the Genealogy Gems Podcast. Her books and CDs will be available for purchase at the program. Registration not required

Sunday, January 15
Getting Ready for the 1940 Census with Stephen Morse
1:30 - 3pm West Meeting Room
The 1940 census will be released online on April 2, 2012. Find out what you need to know in this presentation by genealogist and One-Step Website creator Stephen Morse. Registration not required

Sunday, January 22
Naturalization: Rules & Records with Barbara Leak
1:30 - 3pm West Meeting Room
Learn about naturalization laws and see examples of the documents that were created by those who became Americans. Presented by genealogist and lecturer Barbara Leak. Registration not required

"Book a Genealogist"
The Sacramento Public Library Central has changed the times for this service. Starting in January 2012, the genealogy volunteers will be available to help you with your research on Tuesday afternoons and Thursday afternoons. These are 45-minute appointments. Appointment times on Tuesdays are 1:00, 1:45, 2:30 and 3:15 pm. Appointment times on Thursdays are 1:00, 2:00 and 3:00 pm. To meet with one of the genealogy volunteers, please make an appointment by calling the library at 916-264-2920, visiting one of the library branches in person, or by going to the library's website at www.saclibrary.org and clicking on the "Events" link. Please note that the Book a Genealogist service is only available at the Central Library - not at any other branch of the Sacramento Public Library system.

February 2012

Saturday, February 4, 2012
Beginning Genealogy - Using Records to Tell Your Ancestors' Stories with Karen Burney
1:00 - 2:30 pm, West Meeting Room
Registration required

Saturday, February 18, 2012
Introduction to Online Genealogy (Computer Class)
10:15 -11:45 am, 3rd floor Technology Lab
Registration required

Sunday, February 26, 2012
Beginning Genealogy with Janice Sellers
1:30 - 3:00 pm, West Meeting Room
Registration required

These are wonderful, free services of the Sacramento Public Library.  I hope you're able to take advantage of them.

Last Book of Photo Memories for Family History Day 2011

Enjoy the last series of pictures taken at Family History Day.  Like the previous pictures posted, they truly capture the essence of the Day through the many examples of genealogical kindness.  Attendees received genealogical education in various forms - from speakers during and after classes to exhibitors in between classes. The photos of John Jay and Melinda Kashuba in their classrooms reflect scenes that were repeated throughout the day.  Verna Hazelbaker, directly below in period attire, was one of many representatives of genealogical, lineage and archival organizations who searched the internet for beginning genealogists. The juxtaposition of Ms. Hazelbaker in period attire using a computer was a phenomenal addition to the scenery!

Thank you to Charlene Eberwine, Lois Shumaker and Rick Hanson from Root Cellar Sacramento Genealogical Society for providing some of these pictures. 

Verna Hazelbaker, President, Daughters of the Utah Pioneers Sacramento Company,
shown helping an attendee with an internet search

Ed Lucky, Sacramento Regional Family History Center, helping an attendee



Pamela Dallas presenting her class on cemetery research.
Pamela also presented a class about finding female ancestors.





Glenda Lloyd presenting at her class on using vital records. \
 Glenda also prented a class about how to begin your genealogy.



Cath Madden Trindle presented a class about researching California
 using the csga.com website and about researching with Google



Pardon my embarrassment - I don't know the names of each of these
Root Cellar Sacramento Genealogical Society members...help!





From the left, Pat Hutchings (Sacramento Historic City Cemetery); Nancy Lenoil, State Archivist;
Verna Hazelbaker and Roberta Tanner (Daughters of the Utah Pioneers Sacramento Company) 





Katherine Weedman Cox (Cox Black and White Lab)
 helping an attendee with photographic preservation questions



This good-natured "Genealogist's Mate" came with his wife and sat in back while she attended class.
Denise Richmond "deputized" him once to guard the coveted handouts until ready for dispersing.
By the way, 'thanks again'!





John Jay (center) (Workshop Facilitator, Root Cellar Sacramento Genealogical Society)
answers questions after his presentation about the very basics of DNA testing for genealogy.



Sebastian Nelson (r) and another archivist at the State Archives caught in the act of helping an attendee. 
Sebastian also presented a class on heraldry and led a tour of the State Archives.  



Contact the Paradise Genealogical Society (pargenso.org) for copies of this comic book,
 a fun tool for introducing youth to genealogy

Barbara Leak presented a class about getting and keeping genealogical research organized.
Barbara also presented a class was about evidence, ensuring your facts are proven. 



Melinda Kashuba, shown here with an attendee, presented a class about using maps in genealogical research.
  Melinda also presented a class about Civil War genealogy.





Katherine Borges beginning her two-part presentation about DNA



Katherine Borges is showing DNA results

Members of the Genealogical Association of Sacramento (GAS)



Pat Johnson (r) (Center for Sacramento History) enjoying a visit
from Bob (Jewish Genealogical Society of Sacramento)



Members of the California Genealogical Society



More Photo Memories of Family History Day

Enjoy...and remember to send me an email with the identity of un-named people in the photos.

Pat Johnson, Senior Archivist at the Center for Sacramento History, helping a researcher



Jeremy Frankel, President, San Francisco Bay Area Jewish Genealogical Society,
helping a researcher with a lookup



Lois Dove (r) from the Sacramento City Historic Cemetery with attendees



Just Published - "Raking the Ashes" - a book about researching San Francisco
pre-1906 earthquake from the California Genealogical Society

 

An attendee gets help from a Sacramento German Genealogical Society member
Please email her name!




The Society of California Archivists provides education about preservation techniques




Stephanie Hamashin, an Archivist at the State Archives,
cheerfully provides assistance to a caller



Researchers getting assistance from Jerry Unruh,
President of the Placer County Genealogical Society and Audrey Meyers



Denise Richmond (l) from Root Cellar Sacramento Genealogical Society, 
with Lois Bakar, President, Fresno County Genealogical Society 



From the left: Verna Hazelbaker, Roberta Tanner, Denise Richmond,
Esther McAllister and Lois Bakar

(l-r) Lois Bakar, Karen Hillman, Nad Bakar, David Hillman

Aerial cam lookups - (r-l) Marilyn Parker and husband Ron,
Denise Richmond and Bev Colgin (seated)



Another aerial cam lookup - Denise Richmond* and Ron Setzer, editor of Preserves,
a publication of Root Cellar Sacramento Genealogical Society



Pat Johnson's lookup caught by the aerial cam



More lookups - members of the Genealogical Association of Sacramento;
Bev Colgin, Elisha and Marilyn Ulbricht (far right)
Please email names!



Great lookups from John Jay and Marilyn Ulbricht (foreground) with
Jerry Haag and Sammie Hudgens referring attendees to the Root Cellar Library (background) 



Looking good Darleen (middle background)
assisting attendees signing up for the Archives tour

Jessica Herrick, Archivist at the State Archives, presenting
tips for using archives and other repositories

Janice Sellers (above and below) presenting an overview about 
using newspapers as a genealogical resource

A happy Carolee Jones from Root Cellar Sacramento Genealogical Society
shows her latest discovery found in the Root Cellar Library



Root Cellar Sacramento Genealogical Society emporium



*I wore a prairie dress and straw hat rented from Capital Costumes, Inc., 8121 Madison Avenue, F-1 (at Fair Oaks), Fair Oaks, California, Phone (916) 961-2769.  I highly recommend this family owned business for your costume needs.  They have a variety of period costumes for rental and sales with accessories.  Thank you Capital Costumes for your assistance in selecting a comfortable costume.



Photo Memories of Family History Day 2011

Below are pictures taken at Family History Day 2011. Thanks to Rick Hanson from Root Cellar Sacramento Genealogical Society and the Sacramento German Genealogical Society for providing some of these pictures. Click on photo to enlarge.  Email blog subscribers may want to view photos from the blog - click on the title of the article to go to the blog.



Signage facing P Street at 10th in downtown Sacramento



Reconfiguring the Archives Research Room for Family History Day




Bev Colgin, President of the Paradise Genealogical Society arranging the exhibit table



Steve Harris, President of the California Genealogical Society, unpacks boxes of materials



David Drake and Marcy Goldstein from NARA San Bruno assist a researcher

 

Jerry Unruh, President of the Placer County Genealogical Society with
 Barbara Leak, President of the Genealogical and Historical Council Sacramento Valley talk to a researcher 



Sammie Hudgens, Librarian for the Root Cellar Genealogical Society Library (background)
with member Jerry Haag



Paradise Genealogical Society member Alicia with exhibit visitor Denise Richmond



Don Littlefield (r), President, Sons of the American Revolution Sacramento Chapter,
with member ready to assist atttendees



Three chapters of the Daughters of the American Revolution
generously shared an exhibit table. Note classroom in background.



Joy Huskey and a member from the United Daughters of the Confederacy chapter



Joy Fisher (l) with volunteers from the USGenWeb Project
 ready to do lookups for attendees



Full classroom wth eager students





Beth Daugherty, Librarian for the Genealogy Section at the
Sacramento Public Library Central Branch, with an attendee





Barbara Leak, President of the Genealogical Council of Sacramento Valley and
Kathy Burrow, member of  the California State Genealogical Alliance, help an attendee 



Marilyn Parker and her Ron with the California Pioneer Hertage Foundation, and Glenda Lloyd



Busy exhibit hall between classes; Beth Daugherty in foreground





Dan Burrow demonstrated the FlipPal portable scanning device



The Yolo County Archives welcomes researchers to its local historical treasure trove



Karen and David Hillman (foreground) with Nad and Lois Bakar.
Lois is the President of the Fresno County Genealogical Society



I

Verna Hazekbaker (l), President of the Sacramento Company,
Daughters of the Utah Pioneers, with Barbara Leak

Send me an email if you can add names to the photos.