My Trails into the Past

Spent the weekend at Train Club working the set-up position for our open house. Our hike was at Black Diamond Mines Regional Park but I forgot my phone, so no photos were taken.   Genealogy Genealogy Volunteer/Work: I sent out the remaining BCG-sponsored webinar press releases. At the History Center, I worked on answering queries and entering more details to the library database. I attended and took minutes for the Sonoma County Genealogical Society board meeting. On Thursday, I led the writing group and we discussed a couple of submissions, and gave a webinar on church records to Root Cellar. On Saturday, I hosted the third installment of the Precision series at CGS. Genealogy Meetings:  I met with my Renewal Accountability group, Jacqueline, and Military SIG on Monday. Jacqueline and I discussed my trip to visit her this month. I was the only attendee on Friday in the Writing Accountability group. Genealogy Writing/Research : I am still working on the Lancaster fam...

We left Kansas City Monday night, arrived in Los Angeles on Wednesday morning, and arrive home by that evening. I have played catch up at home most of the week, going out to do phenology, and weeding in my front yard. The rain while we were gone kept the plants alive. Genealogy Genealogy Volunteer/Work: I worked on the BCG-sponsored webinar press release and it will go out next week. Genealogy Meetings:  I met up with Jacqueline to discuss AirTable, our trip to GRIP, and a trip to visit her in April. Genealogy Writing/Research : I am working on the Lancaster family for March’s 12 for ‘26. There is a lot I already have, and I found a lot in full-text search at FamilySearch and newspapers at the Portal to Texas History . I’ve written three blog posts on my other blog, Mam-ma’s Southern Family and am working on the fourth one. Blog Posts Published: Changed My Thinking For the theme of “Changed Your Thinking,” I wrote about how learning some things about our ancestors c...

Still on our trip, leaving Ocala on Monday for NYC, arriving on Tuesday. Spent three days with daughter in cold NYC during the day. Left on Thursday for Chicago, arriving on Friday. After a stop for brunch at Lou Mitchell’s, we boarded the train for Kansas City. We visited cousin Kathleen on Saturday in Pittsburg, Kansas, and Roger & Annette in Kansas City on Sunday. Genealogy Genealogy Volunteer/Work: None this week. Vacation time! Genealogy Meetings:  I attended the RootsMagic SIG meeting on Wednesday until I couldn’t keep my eyes open anymore—it was approaching 11 pm in NYC. Genealogy Writing/Research : I worked on writing about the Hork families in Montana and Germany for 12 for ‘26. Blog Posts Published: Resolving Conflicts: Element 4 of the GPS For the theme of “Conflicting Clues,” I wrote about resolving conflicts, the fourth element of the GPS, using one of my collateral lines as an example. Randy Seaver highlighted this post in his " Best of the Genea-Bl...

All outside activities past week included the trip up to Ocala using a rental car, staying with Norman’s cousin, Shirley, return south to ride a train in Clewiston, a airboat ride in the Everglades, and a long drive back up to Orlando. I was sick with a head cold and tried to stay away from everyone, but Norman got it, too. Genealogy Genealogy Volunteer/Work: None this week, except for sending the description of the probate class I’m teaching in April to CGS for posting on the website. Genealogy Meetings:  I attended no official meetings this week, but connected with Jacqueline to explain views in AirTable. Genealogy Writing/Research : I continued writing about the Sievert and Hork families in my 12 for ’26 challenge. Blog Posts Published: A Big Decision – Why My Ancestors Came to America For the theme of “A Big Decision,” I wrote about how I have no idea why any of my ancestors left the home country and came here. SNGF—What Are Your Major Genealogy Research Challen...

All outside activities past week included the trip down to Miami aboard the Floridian, staying two nights in Miami and two nights in Key West. Today, we head up to Ocala to visit Norman’s cousin. Genealogy Genealogy Volunteer/Work: I had to correct the BCG press release with an updated link. I accepted an invitation to speak to the Sacramento Public Library. Genealogy Meetings:  I attended no meetings this week. Genealogy Writing/Research : I continued writing about the Sievert and Hork families in my 12 for ’26 challenge. Blog Posts Published: Resolving Conflicts in Censuses – A Hork Family Example For the theme of “ What the Census Suggests ,” I wrote about how I resolved the conflict of Johan Anton’s ages in the U.S. census. This post was highlighted by Linda Stufflebea and Randy Seaver. SNGF—What Was the Great Love Story in Your Family Tree? I wrote about my in-laws, George & Thelma Gorrell. Vincent Sievert in Joliet, Illinois - 12 for ’26 – Part 2 This is...

Outside activities included two trips to the History Center, phenology, Oakland FamilySearch Center, phenology, and attending a model railroad meet.   Genealogy Genealogy Volunteer/Work: I made two trips to the History Center on Tuesday and Thursday. I entered more descriptions into the library database answered some email research requests. On one of them, I visited the county recorder’s office to retrieve some deeds and a map. Genealogy Meetings:  The BCG renewal group met and we discussed the projects we’re working on. Jacqueline and I met and we discussed the work I’m doing with the Hutson/Selman family. The CCCGS Roundtable met and we discussed Ancestry DNA during most of the time, as well as the changes at the FS Library. Genealogy Writing/Research : I have been working on my Hutson/Selman project and spent most of the day at the Oakland FamilySearch Center looking at locked films for Leon and Cherokee Counties in Texas. I still haven’t finished but the month i...

Outside activities included two trips to the History Center, phenology, hike in Crockett Hills, Oakland FamilySearch Center, and attending a luncheon meeting.     Genealogy Genealogy Volunteer/Work: I made two trips to the History Center on Tuesday and Friday. I’m still working on the library database, but I also answered some email research requests. I gave the presentation “General Land Office: Get the Most Out of the BLM-GLO Website” at the Oakland FamilySearch Center during my stint on Wednesday. It was a hybrid meeting, with about six in the classroom and about eight on Zoom. I was too busy presenting to actually count. Saturday was the Contra Costa County Historical Society’s annual meeting and I helped set-up and tear down afterwards. Our society is celebrating 75 years. We had two presenters after lunch: one about the formation of the society and the other talking about the 250th anniversary of the Anza Expedition into California. It was well-attended. We had...

Outside activities included three trips to the History Center, lunch with Nancy and Terry, phenology, and a walk in the marina.   Genealogy Genealogy Volunteer/Work: I made three trips to the History Center on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday. I’m still working on the library database but also did some email and in-person research requests. I also took minutes for the historical society board meeting and the Sonoma County Genealogical Society board meeting. I also meeting with the History Center volunteers about the Stein Collection. I gave a presentation to the Fiske Library in Seattle on Wednesday called “How to Leave Your Genealogy.” Genealogy Meetings:  Jacqueline and I met. I also attended the renewal accountability group and the Kinseekers Military SIG. Josh and I met in the Peer Group meeting and talked about certification. Genealogy Writing/Research : Josh and I wrote for an hour during our writing accountability session on Friday. Other research I did was ...

Outside activities included a History Center, Soup Day party, Oakland FamilySearch Center, the bank in Cotati, and train club.   Genealogy Genealogy Volunteer/Work: I covered for our Executive Director on Tuesday at the History Center. I spent most of the day adding data to the library database. I created the BCG webinar press release and scheduled it to be sent on Monday. Wednesday at the Oakland FamilySearch Center, after helping a new genealogist get started with FamilySearch , I did more scanning of my grandmother’s photos. On Saturday, I gave a presentation about researching cemetery and funeral home records to the Seattle Genealogical Society. Genealogy Meetings:  Jacqueline and I met and we discussed using AirTable some more. She showed me her AirTable base. I hosted the writing group on Thursday and we spent time talking about creating goals for the year. Hopefully, this will spark some writing. I drove up to Cotati to meet with two Sonoma County Genealogical S...

Outside activities included a German party, visit with niece & nephew from England, phenology, History Center, and a hike with Elaine & Phred. Genealogy Genealogy Volunteer/Work: A few of us met at the History Center on Saturday even though we were closed. I got a lot of book descriptions entered into the library database. I might be getting close to halfway done. I also got out a press release for the 2026 BCG-sponsored webinars at Legacy Family Tree Webinars. A great line up. Genealogy Meetings:  Jacqueline and I met and we discussed using AirTable. I showed her the one I started for my Hutson-Selman research project. Genealogy Writing/Research : This week I wrote a couple of extra blog posts and worked on researching in FamilySearch Full-text search for the Hutson family in Comanche County, Texas. There are a bunch of deeds, court records, and tax records to go through. I am either transcribing or extracting the information, first in a Word document, then into...

Outside activities included two trips to the Oakland FamilySearch Center, phenology at the Meadow, and the doctor’s office for labwork. Genealogy Genealogy Volunteer/Work: Because of the holiday, there was no volunteer or work activities. Genealogy Meetings:  The Renewal Accountability Group met and I asked about what to do about sources for a genealogy summary when it really needs to be a proof argument. No one really had a complete answer. I’m still researching it. Roundtable met and we ran out of topics before the two hours were up so all said Merry Christmas and we ended the call. Jacqueline and I talked for a little bit after her yoga. I had watched the NGS class on Airtable but she hadn’t yet. Genealogy Writing/Research : I had more free time this week to work on genealogy. Two days, I scanned photo albums and loose photos at the Oakland FamilySearch Center, which was only open for staff to come in and and work on their own research. I scanned four Creative Memori...