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November 2014, Vol. 8, No. 16
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Editor's Note
| Giving Thanks
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Now that the holiday season is in full swing, and carved pumpkins give way to pumpkin pies and plans for family gatherings, it's a good time to reflect on what you're especially thankful for this year, especially, of course, as it relates to your family history! Life may seem hectic, and you, like I, may not have much time to work on your own research, but I'll bet when you think back to this time last year, you'll find you've made some progress in your genealogical pursuits. And each step forward -- a new record, a new research skill, a new approach to analysis -- is worth celebrating and something to be thankful about. So whether you'll be sitting across the Thanksgiving table from your dad, making pies with your niece Marissa, talking to Aunt Maureen on the phone, or thinking about how your great-grandparents might have celebrated the occasion, this time of year we can be grateful for those close and distant family connections. Those connections fuel our passion for genealogy. On behalf of the California Genealogical Society, I wish you the very best this Thanksgiving season. 
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Thanksgiving Holiday Closure
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California Genealogical Society & Library
2201 Broadway, Suite LL2, Oakland
|  Our library will be closed for the Thanksgiving holidays starting Thursday, November 27, 2014, and it will remain closed through Saturday, November 29, 2014.
The library will be available to members and visitors once again starting Thursday, December 4, 2014.
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November, December, and January Classes
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California Genealogical Society & Library
2201 Broadway, Suite LL2, Oakland
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Class Spotlight: Federal, State, & Local Vital Records and the Calendar Act of 1752
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California Genealogical Society & Library
2201 Broadway, Suite LL2, Oakland
|  There's a wealth of information in birth, marriage, and death records -- often much more than a name and a date. Professional genealogist Janice Sellers will help you learn how to obtain the different vital records created at the various levels of federal, state, county, and town governments.
Join Janice on Saturday, November 22, 2014, 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., as she covers not only the usual places researchers look for vital records, but also some unusual sources you probably wouldn't think of. She'll also discuss the Calendar Act of 1752 (and similar changes in other countries) and how it affects genealogical research. Register now.
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Special Interest Group Meetings and More
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California Genealogical Society & Library
2201 Broadway, Suite LL2, Oakland
|  Tuesday, November 11: Book Repair Committee, 9:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Saturday, November 15: San Francisco Special Interest Group, 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Saturday, November 15: CGS Board of Directors Meeting, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Friday, November 21: Stephen Harris City Directory Library, 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Save the Date! The official annual meeting of the California Genealogical Society will be held Saturday, January 24, 2015. Details to follow in the December eNews.
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Did You Miss These Posts?
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Highlights from the California Genealogical Society Blog
Blog Editor, Ellen Fernandez-Sacco
These are our October and early November posts. If you haven't yet read them, here's your chance!
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Volunteer Opportunity: Editor of the eNews
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Serving the CGS Community
Would you like to write for or serve as Editor of the California Genealogical Society's monthly eNews? To learn more about the skills needed and the time commitment involved, please reach out to me, Marcelle White, or Kathleen Beitiks, the CGS Volunteer Coordinator. We'd be happy to talk with you about it.
This opportunity is available only to members of the California Genealogical Society.
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Save the Date! Scots-Irish Family History Research Seminar, March 2015
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California Genealogical Society & Library
2201 Broadway, Suite LL2, Oakland
|  We're excited to announce our March 2015 Scots-Irish Family History Research Seminar. The event, scheduled for Sunday, March 29, 2015, will feature Fintan Mullan and Gillian Hunt from the Ulster Historical Foundation in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Fintan and Gillian will be presenting seminars throughout the U.S., and we we're lucky we could find a spot on their calendar for a Bay Area visit.
Our last Scots-Irish seminar was held in March 2009, with speakers from the Ulster Historical Foundation, and it was hugely popular. We're thrilled we can offer this opportunity to our members and others again.
We're still finalizing the details -- lecture topics, location, etc. -- so stay tuned for updates about this event. Registration will be available once all of the details have been set.
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Seeking Family Stories from Members
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Pay Homage to Your Ancestor
We enjoy honoring members' family histories in our eNews and we'd love to feature an image and story about someone -- or a family group -- in your "tree." Story ideas:
- The first California or U.S. ancestor in your family line
- A family member's involvement with or connection to a historical event in California, U.S., or world history
- A fond memory you have about a family experience, such as hearing grandparents talk about family roots
- Family legends -- has your research supported them or debunked them?
If you haven't yet submitted an ancestor photo and story to the eNews, we'd love to hear from you. Please email a photo and your short summary to CGSphototribute@gmail.com. Photos should be in .jpg format and approximately 200 kb to 1 Mb in size; text should be under 200 words. Photos and text may be edited for space.
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Lost and Found at the CGS Library
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Are You Missing Research Papers? Personal Items?
Our library's Lost and Found box is sadly filling up. If you've visited over the past few month, and now you can't figure out where your research documents (or sunglasses!) have gone, check with one of our  Desk Duty volunteers.
Research items left behind include:
- Photocopies of information about Dr. Samuel Merritt
- Photocopies of information about ancestors and descendants of Stanley Alexander Chester and Ethel Bell Peppard
- Handwritten notes on surnames such as Aram, Colton, Guerra, Hartnell, Semple, Sherwood, Vermeule, Willey
Do these clues ring any bells? If they look or sound familiar, contact deskduty@californiaancestors.org.
We sure hope these items find their way home!
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Marcelle White, eNews Editor email me
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