It is the time of year when we think about setting goals for the New Year.   How many timeshave we resolved to lose weight, go to the gym regularly, call Mom every week, or any number of other things.   I always have a goal of reading 50 books a year.   Some years I do better than others.   This year looks like it will be about 31 or 32.   Not too bad, but I could do better.   I listed 19 things that I wanted to accomplish in 2019, and I must admit that I did not do very well.   As I reflect on this performance, or lack of same, I have resolved to take a different approach in 2020.   After setting my overall goals for 2020, I am going to break them into monthly goals and do a monthly review, so that I do not get so hopelessly behind that I just give up. I’m particularly thinking about my genealogy goals for 2020.   Many of you know that I want to become a Certified Genealogist.   Before the end of 2020, I will “go on the ...

Who Does Your DNA Think You Are? Save the Date! And get involved with the preparations! We've got a tremendous seminar coming up next June and the Seminar Committee members, headed by Winona Laird, are already working hard to make this a success.  Valorie Zimmerman is in charge of publicity.  Last May we mailed "Save the Date" postcards to nearly 100 genealogy societies, historical societies and other organizations. Linda Blais is in charge of the Silent Auction and Raffle.  She has a list of items she plans to put in baskets and bundles for either the auction or raffle.  You may have one of the items you would be happy to donate or procure.  Linda would love to hear from you. The flyer above is available on our website  skcgs.org   Please download it, print a few copies to hand out or email it to friends.    The seminar is eight months away but it will go quickly.   Between now and next June there will ...

By Barbara Mattoon The Society offers many opportunities to learn and develop genealogy skills in both large and small groups. We endeavor to offer activities at times and locations that will allow the largest number of members to participate.  March will  kick-off with the F amily T ree M aker U sers G roup meeting on Saturday March 2, at the Auburn Library from 10:15 – 11:45.  Winona Laird will teach us how to use Error Reports in FTM.  Please RSVP to Dave Liesse at ftm-group@skcgs.org as soon as you know you can attend.  We are outgrowing our space at the Auburn Library and may have to find an alternate location.  If that happens, we want to be able to let you know where to find us. ANNOUNCEMENT                          ANNOUNCEMENT                       ANNOUNCEMENT   Our long-awaited DNA Special Interest Group...

Dr. John Phillip Colletta Sept. 22, 2018 at beautiful Salish Hall on the Green River College Campus, Auburn The day began with coffee, tea, books, raffle items and a great Silent Auction John Philip Colletta, PhD., began the day by introducing us to archives, libraries and manuscript repositories, discussing who created the records or documents and where we might find them. After a thorough introduction, he dove into several research cases, which included the records and how he found them. This was very enlightening, because so often we find one piece of evidence but never follow up to find the records and story behind the notation in an index, or sentence in a book. Before lunch, we traveled through the Library of Congress, and what research one can do in each of the specialized Reading Room/Research Centers. After lunch, we learned of some Lesser Used Federal Record, which provide detail about our ancestor's lives and biographies, rather than lineage. The amount o...

By Barbara Mattoon To communicate with our members more frequently than a quarterly newsletter, the Board of Directors has decided to initiate a weekly blog post.  The blog will contain: Society news and announcements as well as current news items of interest to genealogists, Book reviews, interviews, suggestions for research, Articles about local locations of interest to those studying family history and Stories from our members and other Washington State Societies.   Most of you have already learned the benefits of belonging to a local society (or more than one).   However, I am sure that when you talk with others about the Society, they say “Why would I want to join the South King County Genealogical Society?   My family is not from this area”.   Here are a few things you could share to convince them to join: One of the most important reasons to join is to draw on the knowledge of a group of experienced genealogists.    I...