How would you like to have free genealogy lessons? On random topics? Once or twice a month? At your convenience--weekday, weekend or evening? With free access to Ancestry Library Edition and other online sites? All this can be yours if you take advantage of this opportunity: Become a Genealogy Research Volunteer at the library! SKCGS Genealogy Reference Collection at Auburn Branch of King County Library System The SKCGS collection of historic and genealogical books and periodicals has been located at the Auburn Branch of the King County Library System for many years.  During that time, society volunteers have provided free research assistance with the collection in particular and with genealogy in general. In March, 2020 the Covid lockdown interrupted our volunteer service. Many of our members have helped out over the years; and we  have loved it, wishing we were able to use the libraries during lockdown. Our  recent,  most faithful volunteer, Jan Emerson has chosen a much deserved ret

Another Value of Records My Dad was listed at college in Eugene, Oregon. He had a part time job as a janitor for the Oregon State College of Education (U of Oregon now). It listed his address (College St) and his roommates and their part time jobs. The fun continues--I took pictures of what I found; I was doing the Family Review so I could see all of the fields! I sent pictures to my parents and went to visit them yesterday.   Art Sperber Dad remembered many things about that time and his time on the basketball team, cut short by the Korean War, his roommates (even his sister remembered his roommates) and that led into stories he remembered about his summer jobs; one playing as a pitcher for a logging mill baseball team, coupled with a job at the mill. But when the regular pitcher came home from National Guard and Dad felt really homesick for home cooking, he quit and went home to "the farm" in Tillamook for the rest of the summer.   My Dad is 93 and is sharp in some ways, bu

Stories Behind the Records Editor's note:  this week's blog contains stories of searches in the 1950 census.  What is your story?  Submit to m.strickland@skcgs.org Finding my parents in the 1950 Census I thought I was ready for release day. I had my parent’s address from 1949 in the Billings, MT, City Directory – 301 S. 32nd St. But when I searched that Enumeration District, the name didn’t show up. So I widened the area to Billings and put in his name again (Naylor). Now something came up – Maylor Thomas K. So clicking on that name took me to the Census page in a different ED and on that name I found my parents, Thomas K. Naylor and Merle R. Naylor. I was there too, but again a mistake. This mistake was in the first letter of my name. The census taker spelled it Sheri instead of Cheri. I was 2 years old. The address was 132-l/2 Terry Avenue. I remember the place through photographs but didn’t know the exact address. It was the back half of an older house. A good friend of the

Chance and Skill Intertwine Editor's note: Recently this story was submitted to society@skcgs.groups.io and several of you read it and commented.  It is such a great example of stating the problem, showing the methodology and resolving with that touch of serendipity we all desire, we felt it needed to be presented here. I had an unusual story to share that I thought this group would appreciate. Research Question: Find a Missing Half-Sibling My mother knows of my interest for genealogy and research and mentioned to me in February her friend has been searching for a half-sibling for a long time and maybe I could possibly help her. My mother is 80 and her friend 74. Skimpy Information of a First Marriage My mother's friend Linda shared that her father was married before he married her mother. She discovered this after he died 35 years ago. Her father's brother shared a newspaper clipping of an article written about the wedding with a photo of the couple seated at a table on an

My longest standing brick wall has been DISSOLVED, thanks to lectures by Alexis Hacker Scholz on using probate and Carol Friedel using LucidChart for genealogy. I'm also advocating getting enough sleep and awakening slowly, and just thinking, before springing out of bed. 💤 That is where my inspiration arose, on my pillow.  If we've met and talked about genealogy, you have heard about my McBees and the mystery William McBee, known only as a name on his son Samuel B's death certificate. After Alexis' probate lecture, the gears were turning about how to look for probate files - but where to look? When I heard Carol thinking aloud, and saw her charting out a mystery DNA match, something clicked. The descendancies she was charting look like the Ancestry.com Thrulines®, so why not mine those and see if William's purported father, George Henry McBee and Martha 'Patsey' Willis, could be proven to be his parents? Not just by DNA matches, but by records. Thrulines®

Review and Improve the Index of the 1950 United States Census https://www.familysearch.org/en/info/1950-census-community-project This is going to be fun, and we want to be part of it. South King County Genealogical Society has applied to be part of the 1950 US Census Community Project. We hope as many of you as possible register to be part of the fun as well.  Not just fun, but also important It is important because states will be released as they are marked 100% complete, and we would love Washington to be one of the first! Which is why we're hoping that all the other Washington state genealogy societies get involved as well. And, we hope to show up as one of the most active, effective and involved societies in the state.  It is important because this is the first census to be completely indexed. Complete , meaning that every field is being indexed! Can you imagine how powerful search will be, when we can narrow the search by field?  It is important because the 1950 is also the fi

Lolas? Yes, my children had two grandma Lolas! My mother, Lola McBee Cowan and my husband's mother, Lola Kammer Zimmerman. Even more amazing, their birthdays are one day apart, although separated by some years. My mother was born 11 November 1926, 'Lola Z' November 10, 1919.  Lola Cowan and Lola Zimmerman, ~1997 And they were friends. My mom even briefly worked at Lola Z's business, The Herbfarm in Fall City, Washington. Sadly, they also died a day apart, although again, separated by some years. My mother died 19 February 2001, Lola Z 18 February 2004.  Lola McBee Cowan Lola McBee was born in Indianola, Iowa, the seventh of eleven children. Her father was remodeling their house when she was born, so her first months were spent in a tent! Then he sold their property for $700 and they began a trek up to Alberta, Canada where he believed he would strike it rich. They began by traveling to nearby Des Moines to say goodbye to family there, when illness struck. According to K