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Editor's Note
| Honoring our Matrilineal Lines
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As we begin the month of May, we're surrounded by reminders that Mother's Day is just around the corner. Whether it's the floral displays at the grocery store, the advertisements on TV, or a planned gathering of family members on May 11th, our culture tells us that this is the official time to celebrate our mothers.
As genealogists, we have a special way of honoring our female lines: researching and documenting them. We know it can be tough to find our distant female ancestors, and yet we persist. Thankfully, ever-expanding DNA research enables both men and women to approach their matrilineal research in new ways. That research has made enormous strides in recent memory -- and who knows where it will be 10 years from now? Imagine the possibilities!
A very Happy Mother's Day to all -- especially to those who gave us our mitochondrial DNA.
See you at the library!
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Special Notice: Library Access
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California Genealogical Society & Library
2201 Broadway, Suite LL2, Oakland
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On Saturday, May 10th, the Save a Kitten at OakCatVidFest will be held in Oakland -- right around the corner from our library. The events don't begin until 3 p.m., but 6,000+ people are expected to attend. Several surrounding streets -- and the parking lot behind our building -- will be closed. Our library will be open on the 10th -- thanks to our generous desk-duty volunteers -- but it may close early, around 3 p.m., if no one is using the resources. If you are planning to access the Stephen Harris City Directory Library, please call ahead to confirm that it will be open. We encourage you to take BART and to come early to the library. And of course, if you're a feline fancier and would like to end your day on a lighthearted note, you may want to visit the festival after your research day at the library. |
May Classes
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California Genealogical Society & Library
2201 Broadway, Suite LL2, Oakland
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Special Interest Group Meetings and More
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California Genealogical Society & Library
2201 Broadway, Suite LL2, Oakland
|  5/13: Book Repair Committee, 9:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
5/16: Stephen Harris City Directory Library, 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
5/17: San Francisco Special Interest Group; Topic -- "What Record Are You Looking For, and How Do You Find It?"; 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
5/20: RootsMagic Special Interest Group; Topic -- "Reviewing Lists and
Reports; Tagging Media Files'''; 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
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Meet Our Newest Volunteer
| A Welcome Addition to the Library Committee
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 Phil Hoehn, a retired map and earth sciences librarian, began cataloging our map collection in early March. About 80 titles now appear in the Library's online catalog. It should take another four to five months to complete the project.
Phil has an B.A. in geography from the University of California, Los Angeles, and a master's in library science from the University of California, Berkeley. He's worked at U.C. Berkeley, Stanford, and the David Rumsey Collection. |
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Ancestor Tribute: They Came from Everywhere!
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In Honor of My Mitochondrial DNA
By Lorna K. Wallace, member since 1994
I am taking a different spin on Mother's Day for my submission. Since I have photos of female ancestors in my maternal line going back six generations, I will present the images of those with whom I share mitochondrial DNA. Notice that I have used young, lovely examples of the grandmas. This is not to say that they never got old and wrinkly, but, a) I only have one or two images for the earliest women, and, b) when I had a choice, younger faces revealed visual similarities better.
From top to bottom: Anne Hatfield (1794-1867), Eliza L. Tredwell (c. 1820-1866), Sarah Ophelia Cook (c.1842-1909), Minnie A. Holmes (1865-1943), and Katherine H. Buckingham (1885-1938). They were all born in New York, except the last one, my own grandmother, who was born in northern California. My mother and I aren't included: I couldn't see our resemblance to the others in our own photos. (The Hatfield and Tredwell photos are from Janice G. Miller.)
Here are a few facts about some of the grandmas. One's husband went to find gold in California, but never returned to his wife and daughters in New York City. He was apparently murdered on his return trip. One married a Yankee soldier at the end of the Civil War and went with him and his family to California. One graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, in the early 1900s. While taking her own courses, she also attended classes with, and took notes for, her blind brother, thereby enabling his graduation, too.
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Please email us a photo of one of your ancestors! Send it to Lorna Wallace, along with a short summary about why the ancestor featured is important to you. Photos should be in .jpg format with a file size over 100 kb; photos and text may be edited for space.
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Monthly Poll
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What Do You Think?
|  We're interested in learning more about how you use the California Genealogical Society's resources.
This month's poll: How often do you visit our library? |
Save these Dates
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A Sneak Peek at Fall CGS Events & Activities
|  We've got two great events coming up this fall. Mark these dates on your calendar. We'll let you know when registration becomes available.
- The New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS) comes west to Berkeley, Saturday, September 13, 2014
- California Genealogical Society's Tour to NEHGS in Boston, the week of November 2-9, 2014
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Marcelle White, eNews Editor email me
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