My outside activities this week included doing phenology, hiking in Albany, visiting the history center twice, volunteering at the OFSC, and attending the train club board and business meetings.
Genealogy
Genealogy Volunteer/Work:
I did two trips to the History Center this week,
mostly working on accessions, processing a collection, and entering books into
the library catalog. I work best when not being interrupted, as it was when
only John and I were there.
At the Oakland FamilySearch Center, I assisted a teen in creating an account on FamilySearch and began entering data into the FamilySearch Family Tree. She has some more work to do before she can connect to nonliving people in the tree. It was a shock to learn her mother is the same age as my oldest daughter.
Next week will be the BCG-sponsored webinar at Legacy Family Tree Webinars, so I sent out the press release to the mailing lists, bloggers, and the certification action list.
Genealogy Meetings:
I
attended the Kinseekers Occupation SIG, and Randy had several links and tips
for finding shipbuilding personnel. We covered NARA resources, too. Jacqueline
and I met on Tuesday, and I told her about my Selman-Hoyt research problem. The
NorCal chapter of APG met on Tuesday. We covered the past field trip to Fresno
and made plans for future trips, especially the one to Placer County in October,
which will occur while I'm on vacation.
Genealogy Writing/Research:
I wrote and researched on several
subjects. I began the week working on my Selman-Hoyt problem, trying to
determine how these families are connected, as they are listed as heirs of
Nancy Brack Hoyt. I am writing a research report to myself so I can keep track
of all the data among the 15 or so people. I used full-text search at the OFSC
for some documents that are locked from home (until I started working with the
teen). Then I got sidetracked looking for records for Margaret and Elizabeth
Gleeson, two single g-g-aunts. I found several deeds. Then, finally, I began
researching Walter T. Helms, a superintendent of schools in Richmond,
California. A collection of his was donated to the History Center, and we didn’t
quite understand the materials. I’m researching so I can write a bio to add to
the finding aid. His collection consists of books about teaching pedagogy.
Blog Posts Published:
George Wilson Lancaster
Goes After Government Land in Arizona Territory, Part II
For the theme of “wide open spaces,” I wrote the
second part about George W Lancaster’s land patent case file, particularly his
affidavit to make his final proof. Lately, I’ve been writing more of these 52
Ancestor posts on my first blog, Mam-ma’s Southern Family. I don’t have as many
subscribers/followers for this blog.
SNGF – What New
Genealogy-Related Skill Have You Developed?
The skill I’m working on is being more diligent
in writing research reports to myself every time I conduct some research.
Webinars/Courses Viewed:
- Applying for BCG Certification: A Step-by-Step Review of the 2025 Application Guide by Shannon Green & Angela McGhie (LFT Webinars)
- Foundations in DNA 4 of 5: Using Shared Matching by Blaine Bettinger (LFT Webinars)
- Scrapbooks: A Genealogists Gold Mine by Melissa Barker (Kentucky Genealogical Society)
- 3-D Genealogy: Bundling Identities Across Time and Space by J. H. Fonkert (Minnesota Genealogy Center)
- Lesser Known Genealogical Resources at the National Archives by Nancy Schuster (St. Louis Genealogical Society)
Other:
Our hike this week was to
the Albany Bulb. Many years ago, it was a landfill, and then many unhoused
people lived there. The place has many unconventional art pieces created from
leftover materials. We had fun with the marble run. The weather was pleasant
and the view of the City was nice.
I am reading: I
am working on both books. The welfare book is very detailed, and the German
book we read together in class. I have another couple of books to read, too,
one for an upcoming book club meeting, once it arrives from the library.
- Asterix der Gallier
by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo
- How Welfare Worked in the Early United States by Gabriel J. Loiacono
Photos for this week. Instead of photos of flowers, I'll show photos of the art.
 |
| One side of the marble run |
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| A map of the Bulb in mosaic |
Genealogists are great at documenting our ancestors’ lives, but not so great at documenting our own. I’ll write about what I’ve been doing the past week. This idea came from Randy Seaver of Genea-Musing, who started this meme.
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