YVGS FAMILY FINDERS

Established 1982

YUCAIPA VALLEY GENEALOGICAL SOCIETYwww.yvgs.org

P.O. BOX 32, YUCAIPA, CA 92399-0032Sponsored by The Yucaipa Branch Library

October 2012—VOLUME 30 NO. 10

President's Message:

They say that it is fall, the weather is getting cooler. Here in Southern California it has not seemedto be cooling off. However, the days are getting shorter and that means we have only a few meetingsleft this year; the society is already planning for 2013. The nominating committee has started to puttogether a slate of officers for next year. If you would like to serve as President, Vice President,Secretary or Treasurer, please see one of the committee members and let them know. If you know ofsomeone whom you think would do a good job, please tell someone on the committee so they cancontact as many people as possible. We have several new members and I would encourage each oneto get involved with the society by serving on the board for next year. This society cannot continuewithout help from the membership.

Looking forward to 2013...let’s all work together to bring our ideas for programs, workshops,speakers and activities so the new officers have a good list of what we would like the society to do nextyear. If we present things that the members are interested in, we will continue to grow.

This is also the time to begin planning for the opportunities that family holiday gatherings give us.If you are getting together as a group, think about what you can take to give the rest of the family aglimpse into what you have found in researching your common ancestors. Update your informationfrom family additions. Present the stories of past generations to the young family members. Askrelatives in their middle years to write a quick note about their family memories when they were youngor about memories of raising their families. Above all, enjoy the time with family and friends.

Floyd K. FergusonPresident, YVGS

2012 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

ELECTED OFFICERSPresident Floyd FergusonVice President Juanita MarshallSecretary Joe SwetichTreasurer Billie Wilkes

APPOINTED CHAIRSParliamentarian Jamie DanielCorresponding Secretary Joe SwetichLibrarian Ruth BishopEditor Jamie DanielHospitality Sue WolfeWelcome Terry BrownMembership Marg PolichPublicity Juanita MarshallSunshine Betty MarcumHistorian Barbara Cogorno

The Yucaipa Valley Genealogical Society, Inc. meets at 1:00 P.M.on the SECOND Saturday of each month at the Yucaipa Branch

Library, 12040 5th Street, Yucaipa. YVGS annual membership feesare $20.00 for individuals or $25.00.00 for families. This amountincludes the monthly newsletter and free query privileges. $10.00

will have our newsletter mailed to another society or individual outof the area. The Editor and Society assume no responsibility forstatements made by contributors. Misstatements of fact will be

corrected upon receipt of proof of error.

Barbara Firestone and Sue Wolfe will beproviding the refreshments for the Octobermeeting.

Sue Wolfe, Hospitality

1.) Saturday, October 13, 2012Yucaipa Valley Genealogical Society Workshopand Meeting at Yucaipa Branch Library, 120405th Street in Yucaipa.12:00 P.M. Workshop: We will continue toexplore genealogy research on the Internet. Bringyour laptop or tablet and your questions.1:00 P.M. Meeting: Ruth Randall fromAlbuquerque, New MexicoTopic: Washington Giboney, Co. G, 102 Reg. USColored Troops: Free person of color, or RunawaySlave? See flyer later in this newsletterCome join us. And bring a friend!

2.) Wednesday October 17, 2012Hemet San Jacinto Genealogical Society GenealogyClass 10:30 A.M. to 12:00 P.M. in the HemetPublic Library conference room. For moreinformation inquire in the Heritage Room or call(951) 765-2372Topic: Vital Records and Church Records--Birth,Marriage, Death

3.) Saturday November 3, 2012 Novemberfest atthe Highland Church of Jesus Christ of Latter DaySaints, 7000 Central Avenue, Highland.Time: 9:00 A.M to 1:15 P.M. Call (909) 864-3162 for more information.

4.)Wednesday November 7, 2012 Hemet SanJacinto Genealogical Society Genealogy Class10:30 A.M. to 12:00 P.M. in the Hemet PublicLibrary conference room. For more informationinquire in the Heritage Room or call (951) 765-2372Topic: Census Records--U.S. Federal, State,Special Canadian, British, and European

Telling ourStoriesEditor's note: Every year, I havetried to run a series of articles inthe newsletter to help us all with our genealogy research.This past year, I found several genealogy blogs that I havestarted following. One is Olive Tree Genealogy Blog byLorine McGinnis Shultz (see her biography at the end of thearticle). She has worked out a way of sharing her memories--a way that she found easy to write--and she shares hermemories weekly. I have loved reading her blog so much, andit has helped me to start to write down my memories as well. Iwon't have room to share all of her writings in the newsletter,but I hope to give you a sample of her memories (as well asmemories or techniques of other authors and bloggers), to jogyour memory, so that perhaps you, too, can start writing aboutspecial events and people in your life. Your children, yournieces and nephews, and even your brothers and sisters, willthank you, for your memories of the same events may bedifferent than theirs.

You may not think you have stories to tell; not only do youhave some, the people around you have memories to share aswell.

Here are Lorine's memories for this month:Hallowe'en will soon be here. Do you remember

your Hallowe'en costumes? What's the first costumeyou remember? What about your parents - did theyevery talk about dressing up for Hallowe'en?

I don't recall wearing costumes, although I amsure I must have! The first one I remember was oneI made myself when I was in Grade 9 and invited toa Costume Party.

I created a Headless Horseman costume out ofold black boots, black pants, one of my dad's whiteshirts buttoned up covering my entire head (witheyeholes so I could see) and a long black cape.

A bottle of ketchup did the trick for blood wheremy decapitated head had been, and a large pumpkinwith a wig sufficed as my head tucked under myarm.

Wish I had a picture of me in that costume but Idon't.

When mysons werelittle I alwayscreated their

costumes out of whatever I had on hand. Here are afew from their early years.

My parents never mentioned dressing up atHallowe'en so I'm not sure if they ever did.

How about you? Did you get to dress up and go trickor treating? What was your favorite costume? Whatwas the weather like for your Halloween? Did you haveto leave enough room under your costume for heavyclothing, or were you in Southern California, looking for acostume that wouldn't be too hot?

Write down your memories now for your children,grandchildren, nieces and nephews. They are alwaysinterested in what we did way back in the "dark ages",when we were young...

Family History CenterLocated at 5th and Wabash in Redlands

Hours:Tuesday - Saturday

9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.Tuesday and Wednesday

6:00p.m. to 9:00p.m.

FHC Telephone Number: 909.794.3844

Don't Print This Newsletter!excerpts of an article in

Dick Eastman's Newsletter

"I will repeat a

story told to me. Ican't verify itsaccuracy althoughI am sure that itmust be true ofsome people. Inmy travels

recently, an attendee at one of my presentationstold of a friend of hers who prints all her emailmessages "so that she can read them." In thiscase, I mean ALL of her email messages!

"She prints this newsletter every time she

receives it in email. If she receives a messagefrom a friend or acquaintance, she prints it. If thelocal genealogy society sends a notice of anupcoming meeting, she prints it. If someonesends her their latest "joke list," she prints it. Ifsomeone sends a one-line message, such as "I'llcall you tomorrow," she prints it.

"She then reads each printed message and

files it by the sender's name.

"I have one question: Why?

"I would suggest you should NEVER print

email messages or most anything else; that is aterrible waste of paper. Instead, I urge you toread my newsletters and most everything else onthe screen. In today's ecology-minded world, it isthe least we can do to save excess paper, not tomention ink or toner.

"In fact, there is no requirement to print

anything, other than what is dictated by ourpersonal habits. As proven by the millions ofpeople who read novels and many other bookswith e-readers, printed paper is not arequirement for learning or entertainment.Reading information on a screen is just aseffective as reading printed words on paper. Inmost cases it is even easier to save, copy,annotate, or otherwise add your own input toelectronic documents than it is to printed paper.

"Want to save something for later use? Click

Save As..., give the document a name and afolder location, and whatever you want has beensaved to a new file on your computer. Are youworried that you might forget the name of the fileor its location some time later? There are dozensof programs that will allow you to quickly searchyour entire hard drive for any words in the title oreven in the text of any file. Once you get used tothe software involved, you will find it FASTERand EASIER to retrieve information stored inyour computer than to find things that wereprinted and filed "someplace."

"Hewlett-Packard has an interesting paper

entitled Calculating the True Cost of Printing,available athttp://www.hp.com/sbso/expert/calculatingtruerisk_printin.pdf, that describes printing costs forcorporations. I cannot find anything similardescribing the cost of printing for personal use,but the paper and ink or toner alone mustbe five cents a page or more. You may bepaying hundreds of dollars a year to print!Then you probably should add in thepurchase price of the printer although Isuspect most people will purchase a printer

whether they print everything or not..."If you are still printing lots and lots of things,

I will issue you a challenge: for the next sevendays, print NOTHING. That’s right, nothing.Sure, you will feel uncomfortable for a while.That is to be expected anytime you try to changea habit that has been engrained over a lifetime.However, I suspect you will find that life withoutpaper is better than what you have practiced inthe past.

"To be sure, you probably will find a few

things that absolutely must be printed, such asgrocery store coupons or the copy of today's

calendar that you carry in your pocket. Printing

a few things is acceptable. However, I wouldsuggest that printing non-essential items is awaste of money as well as detrimental to theenvironment.

"Life without paper is great. I do believe that

I am now more organized than ever before.

Eliminating paper doesn't organize everything inlife, but it is a big help. Let's keep a "greeninbox."

"Hmmm, I never thought to ask if the person

who prints everything even prints her spam

mail!?!"

Surveying Local CemeteriesWould you like to help survey, take

photographs and transcribe the local cemeteries?The Society is now in the process of trying tosurvey the Summit Cemetery District in RiversideCounty. We are continuing to transcribe all thecemeteries in our area, and post pictures andobituaries where we can find them.

Please contact Jamie Daniel or anyone onthe YVGS Board if you are interested. Just onemorning taking pictures would be wonderful. Wecould use your help!

If you are interested in talking to someone whohas done some of this, speak to Sue Wolfe at themeeting.

Your nominatingcommittee willsoon be contactingyou, every memberof the society. Ifyou want thesociety tocontinue having meetings whereyou can learn how to make yourresearching easier, please take afew moments to think aboutaccepting a position on the board.If you are worried about the timecommitment, consider sharing a jobwith someone else. There areseveral positions coming open thisyear, and we need your help to

continue. Many hands makelight work!

What's In a Name?Now perhaps you can see where Great-AuntMildred got her name. The Social SecurityAdministration has released a list of the twentymost popular names for girls born in 1901 andanother list for the boys.

Girls1)Mary; 2) Helen; 3) Anna; 4) Margaret; 5) Ruth;6) Elizabeth; 7) Marie; 8) Florence; 9) Ethel;10) Lillian; 11) Gladys; 12) Alice; 13) Edna;14) Mildred; 15) Grace; 16) Annie; 17) Emma;18) Clara; 19) Bertha; 20) Rose.

Boys1) John; 2) William; 3) James; 4) George;5) Charles; 6) Joseph; 7) Robert; 8) Frank;9) Edward; 10) Henry; 11) Thomas; 12) Walter;13) Harry; 14) Arthur; 15) Albert; 16) Willie;17) Clarence; 18) Fred; 19) Paul; 20) Roy.

Verify Genealogy Information Found onWeb Sources

We like to think that everythingfound on the web is accurate andtrue. However, you should alwaysverify any genealogy informationfound on the web, no matter where you found theinformation. The best way to verify information isto locate and research the source. Many databasesinclude a list of sources but sometimes you'll comeacross one that doesn't. In this case, look at datesand the type of information and ask yourself whattype of source would provide that information.

At some point in your research, you willencounter conflicting information—maybe different middle initials orbirthdates. Carefully evaluate eachsource and try to find other sourceswith the same information to shed

light on the inconsistencies.

Deadline for articles for the newsletter:Thursday

Before the first Saturday of the month.This next month (November), I need to have

your articles by Thursday, November 1st.If you have articles, pictures or essays youwould like to contribute to the newsletter,

please contact the editor, Jamie Daniel, at:jamiedaniel33@gmail.com

or909 792-2962

orP.O. Box 32

Yucaipa, CA 92399-0032

October is NationalFamily History Month

Here are some ideasto get your familyinvolved.Write a biographical sketch and share it with yourfamily.Share someone's life story.Share a story from your youth with a child.Tell stories about life when you were a child.Record the history of your family heirlooms.

Record the origin of thingsand stories about how youcame to have them.Create an heirloom, such as across-stitch, embroidery,crocheted blankets. Take

photos of items and make a scrapbook.Cook up some family recipes.They can be recorded with any stories that go withthem.Make copies of family photos.Scan them into a computer andprint them out.Pass out copies of family trees.

There are several computergenealogy programs available.Write a letter and spread some goodwill.Send a thank you note to clerks andlibrarians that have been helpful inyour search efforts.

Create some memories to preserve for your ownfamily.

Don’t forget!We’re selling Stater Bros.gift cards at the meeting.

The Society receives a percentage back fromStater’s…and everyone needs groceries!

The money we make from the cards is paying ourbills for the society: speakers, printing,

coffee, etc.Please consider buying a card or two to use

when you do your grocery shopping (orgive as gift).

It really helps our society!

From Kimberly Powell, your Guide toGenealogy

...My challenge to you this week is to pull out

one of your own research stumbling blocks,whether big or small, and approach it with fresheyes. Did you really find everything there is tosee?

Turn the Page

Just because your answer isn't found in

alphabetical or chronological order doesn't mean

it's not there. And finding an answer doesn't

mean there isn't even more to see and learn from

the record.When Your Ancestors Aren't Where You Expect

Them to Be...

Every Scottish census record you've found says

your ancestor was born in Penicuik, Scotland, in

1826, but a search of the Penicuik parish

registers yields no baptismal record. Is this

because he wasn't born there and just told the

census taker he was? That he was born there,

but baptized elsewhere? That you missed him in

the records somehow? Make sure user error isn't

the reason you can't find your ancestors in the

records where you expect them to be.

Basic Brick Wall Strategies forDead End Family Trees

When it comes to family trees things are rarely

straightforward. Families often disappear

between one census and the next; records are

lost or destroyed through mishandling, fire, war

and flood; and sometimes the facts you do find

just don't make sense. When your family history

research hits a dead-end, organize your facts and

try one of these popular brick wall busting

tactics.

Are You AGenealogy Geek and

Proud of It?written by Scott Phillips

A couple years ago I wasgiven one of those page-a-day calendars. I tore offthe first day, New Year's Day, Jan 1 and have keptit ever since. It speaks to me like little else does!

I used to have a life...and then I started doing genealogy.

Saturday1 January

New Year's Day

Is there really anything left to say?This got me to thinking ...... just how do you

know when you are a 'Genealogy Geek'? Since ittakes one to know one .... here are my symptoms:• You know exactly how far back you have tracedyour family tree -- to the year.• You watched the countdown to the release of the1940 United States Census and then happilysearched using enumeration districts.• You curse 1890 and know why.• You want to have one more child or grandchildsince you have discovered several historic familynames that you really want to see carried on in thefamily.• You recognize 'the look' at cocktail parties whensomeone sees you, you see them, and they hightailit across the room so as not to have to hear aboutyour newest discoveries.• You have come to know well the very best stifledyawn when telling your dearest story of discoveryand quickly end it, but not without some seriouspersonal pain at having to have missed telling thatunlucky soul some of the finer 'key points'.• You have been at your desk, immersed in familyhistory, only to find that the clock says 2 am whenyou figured it was only about 2 pm.• You read genealogy articles and actually focus on,and enjoy reading, the footnotes, end notes, andthen look them up for more reading.• You have a special 'Brick Wall' playlist on youriPod for that extra juice you need when you need alittle something extra!• You understand the concept of 'once removed' and'third cousins'.• You use agnate, enate, palaeograhy, and

matrilineal in sentences and know the difference.• You can talk about haplogroups, snips, strands,markers, Y and Mt DNA and not bat an eyelash.• You know exactly which port each of yourancestors came through on their way to the shoresof the United States.• You belong to at least two genealogical societies,three historical societies, a museum or two, and aprofessional organization all for genealogy and youKNOW there are several more you really 'need' tojoin.• Speaking of 'need', you also know that genealogyis a 'need' and not an option.• You have certain key subscription sites set to'auto-renew' because you would freak out if you lostaccess even for a few minutes.• The content of your bookshelf has taken on adistinctly new flavor with titles that reflect yourpassion for genealogy and family history and arenow crowding out the 'best seller' titles.• You have tramped through countless cemeteriesand find them quite enjoyable rather than 'creepy'.• You know that SSDI is not the same as theStrategic Defense Initiative.• You have helped someone out with agenealogy/family history problem 'just for the funof it'.• and vice-versa.• You know that roots is far more than a TV series.• You read the pictured 'thought-for-the-day' andsimply said 'YEP'!

Are we blessed to be "Genealogy Geeks' orwhat? I respond with a resounding YES!______________________________________________________________Scott Phillips is a genealogical historian and owner of Onward To OurPast® genealogy services. Scott specializes in immigrant ancestry,especially from Bohemia (Czech Republic), Cornwall, the UnitedKingdom, and Italy. In addition to GenealogyBank.com, Scott has beenrecently published by Ohio Genealogy Society, National Czech andSlovak Museum and Library, Czechoslovak Genealogical SocietyInternational, SaveEllisIsland.com, MyHeritage.com, and GreaterCleveland Genealogical Society. He was a presenter at the 2012World Congress of the Czechoslovak Society of Arts and Sciences inSlovakia. You can follow Scott on his Facebook page atOnwardToOurPast and on his website/blog at OnwardToOurPast.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Established 1982

Saturday, October 13, 20121:00 to 3:00 p.m.

- - -THE YUCAIPA VALLEY GENEALOGICAL SOCIETYwill present a special program about African-American research.

The speaker will be Ruth Randall, CG, from Albuquerque, NM.She has had five articles published in the National Genealogical Society Quarterly,

including:"An Interracial Suit for Heritance: Clues to the Paternity for a Georgia Freedman,

Henry Clay Heard Sherman;""Joseph Workman: Reflections of a Former Bondsman,"

"A Family for Suzanne;""Family Lore and Effects of Slavery on the Black Psyche: Rosa Grammar's Choice."

In 2007, Ruth was the winner of the National Genealogical Society's Family History WritingContest.

In 2008, Ruth was the recipient of the American Society of Genealogists 2008 Scholar Award.In 2010-2011, she won second place in the International Society of Family History Writers and

Editors Excellence in Writing Contest.Ruth has accepted an appointment to the Quarterly's editorial board.

Ruth's Program on October 13, 2012 : 1:00 p.m.Yucaipa Branch Library

WASHINGTON GIBONEY, COMPANY G, 102REGIMENT,

UNITED STATES COLORED TROOPS:FREE PERSON OF COLOR OR RUNAWAY

SLAVE?

"He was born in Missouri in 1842/43 and he enlisted in the military in Buchanan,Berrien County, Michigan on 1 September 1864. Shady Grove, the cemetery where Giboney is buried, islocated between Cape Girardeau and Dutch Town, Missouri.

"Those facts beg two questions: (1) before the end of the civil war, was Giboney a free person of color or arunaway slave? and (2) Regardless of his legal status before the start of the Civil War what would motivate himto return to the former slaveholding state of Missouri?

"The task at hand is to reconstruct Washington Giboney's life in an attempt to find the answers to those twoquestions. The process will begin with the examination of census records and proceed to gain an understandingof the prevailing political and social climate. The search for answers to those questions will by necessity involvethe review of Giboney's relevant military records and the FAN Club approach. [F(riends) A(cquaintances)N(eighbors]."

YUCAIPA VALLEY GENEALOGICAL SOCIETYwww.yvgs.org

P.O. 32, Yucaipa, CA 92399-0032Sponsored by the Yucaipa Branch Library

Yucaipa Valley Genealogical SocietyFloyd K. Ferguson, PresidentP.O. Box 32Yucaipa, CA 92399-0032

FIRST CLASS

ISSN#1069-9333