FACEBOOK
|
SAGINAW GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY
CONTACT US
|
CALENDAR
|
OPEN MEETINGS
ALL VISITORS AND NEW MEMBERS MUST PREREGISTER
Please note: Invite is sent the day before the meetings. So be sure to Register today! |
PLEASE NOTE:
|
SPEAKER INFO
Holiday gift ideas
with Karen and Debra Holidays are tough on Genealogists, but two elves are here to help with new and cooool ideas! Check us out on Meeting Day Tuesday 13 Dec 2022 Sign in starts at 6 pm meeting begins at 6:30 pm |
SGS NEWSSGS MEETING RECAPSGS MEETING IN: NOVEMBER
We met with JIM CAMERON 
JIM CAMERON- President
MICHIGAN ORAL HISTORY ASSOCIATION For our November meeting this month we heard from a Mr. Jim Cameron, who gave us some very timely advice and directions in the do's and don't of how to run an oral Q and A interview and how to prepare for it. He gave us great information about the Consent and Release forms needed for taking an oral history, and told us about using a free app for recording those interviews onto your phone before transferring to a memory stick. (Which we will make note of at the bottom of this article. WE ALSO ADDED SOME OF OUR FAVORITES.) If you want to know more please go to the Michigan Oral History Association website and check it out below, or write to them at: MOHA 210 Detroit St., Saline, MI 48176 OR contact Jim Cameron at: cameronj47@concast.net SGS NEWSAN OLD FRIEND OF THE SGS AND PAST BOARD MEMBER, PASSED THE OTHER DAY, AND WE'LD JUST LIKE TO SAY
JOHN CAMMIN, WE DEARLY MISS YOU! JOHN HOWARD CAMMIN SR.
Obituary
1935-2022 John Howard Cammin Sr. Saginaw, Michigan. After a brief debate with St. Peter, John Howard Cammin Sr. gained his place in Heaven with his Savior on Saturday, October 29, 2022. John was born November 15, 1935 in Saginaw, Michigan, and was the first son born to Howard and Beulah (Rider) Cammin. We always knew when opening day was because for many years he was in the woods hunting on his birthday. John married Myrna J. Edsall in Bay City, at the Free Methodist Church on January 16, 1960. They were blessed with two children, Jane Marie and John Jr. John Cammin Sr, was retired from Saginaw Township Community Schools, after 30 years of service in counseling at White Pine Middle School and as the Vocational Coordinator at MacArthur and Eisenhower High Schools. He and Myrna also spent two years teaching English in Tianjin, China. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Saginaw and a fifty year member of the Rotary Club. He was also a board member and major advisor and contributor to the Saginaw Genealogical Society. His quick wit and smiling face will be sorely missed. Surviving besides his loving and faithful wife of 62 years, Myrna are his daughter, Jane Janssen, Kansas City, Missouri; his son, John and Rita Cammin Jr., Saginaw; one grandson, Blane (and Stephanie Janssen) McPherson of Kansas; his siblings, Ruth McMullen, Wisconsin; Lois Renshaw, Harriette, Michigan; Mary White, Stillwater, Oklahoma; Dr. William and Joann Cammin, Saginaw; Donna Ross, Traverse City; a sister-in-law, Jan Crosby, Georgia; and numerous nieces and nephews. John was preceded in death by his siblings, James Cammin, Fern Blackburn, and David Cammin. Funeral Service will take place 11:00 a.m. Friday, November 4, 2022 at The Snow Funeral Home, 3775 N. Center Rd. (between Shattuck and McCarty). Pastor Amy Terhune will officiate. Honoring John’s wishes, cremation will follow. Friends may visit at the funeral home, where the family will be present on Thursday Nov 3rd, 2022 from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. and on Friday from 10:00 a.m. until time of service. In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy may wish to consider memorials to the Alzheimer’s Association. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of John H. Cammin, Sr. please visit our Tribute Store. ROOTSTECHROOTSTECH VIDEOS
How long will RootsTech sessions be available on the website after the conference? We will keep most of the classes and keynotes from RootsTech up for approximately three years. Most classes from 2021 will be available until the 2024 conference and 2022 classes until 2025. Where do I go to watch them? Check it out below. DID YOU KNOW...There is ONE safe place to store all your photos and stories... FOREVER.
Safely stored 600 ft. underground.
Duplicated in YET another mountain. Yeah...We got you covered! FamilySearch.org is a non-profit and totally free! YOUR GENEALOGY NEEDS MET AT THE LOCAL FHC!
WE are the FamilyHistory Center, sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, an international organization dedicated to helping all people worldwide discover their family story.
ARE you looking for help in your a Family tree? HERE, you will be shown how to begin a free tree that will be placed online for any of your family members to share more information about your deceased ancestors. That will enable family around the world to easily retrieve and use this information in search of their family members. FOR over twenty years FamilySearch.org has helped millions of families gather their ancestors. Since it's inception, on May 24, 1999, there are now over 7 million page views each day on FamilySearch.org. YOU can contribute towards finding your family by starting an online tree and gathering and documenting your family for your loved ones. ALWAYS, at FamilySearch we believe connections to our family members-past-present-and future-can be a source of great joy that helps us to understand our own personal identity and may even help us overcome some of our own challenges in life. WE WANT TO HELP YOU save and share your family’s memories before it’s too late, and they disappear, never to be found again. IT'S FREE, IT'S EASY AS... 1,2,3 ! OR CALL FOR ONLINE HELP AT:
FamilySearch open 24 hrs./7 days a week! 1-866-604-1830 
Where History holds the KEY! This is a FREE website that promotes self learning. If you want to start a FREE Family Tree on FamilySearch, begin family research on Ancestry, or learn how to index records, then... THIS IS THE PLACE! And we also keep track of all the Rootstech videos for you to find right here. Learn at HistoryKEY.org which also connects you to the 1950 census! Just click below. FRESHLY UPDATED JUST FOR YOU! WHAT'S ON THE TUBE?Want to know more about indexing?
Check out this YOU TUBE VIDEO, A SELF HELP TUTORIAL ... Enjoy :) PRE-REGISTER PLEASE
VISITORS/NEW MEMBERS
MUST PRE-REGISTER Please note: Invite LINK is sent the day before the meetings. Register today! SQUARE IS THE FUTURE!
Pay your SGS membership or donate,
with just a few clicks. SQUARE is EASY, SAFE, AND NO HASSLE! (click the SQUARE icon above to pay) MICHIGAN GENEALOGICAL
|
|
|
THE SAGINAW FHC IS OPEN!
WED 6:30 -8:30 PM
SAT 10:00 -2:00 PM
PLEASE WEAR A MASK
TIMBERTOWN LOG
Misplaced the last issue of the Timbertown Log? Not a member, and curious to see?
TO READ MORE, CLICK THE LINK BELOW
TO READ MORE, CLICK THE LINK BELOW
MORE INTERESTING STUFF
NOW OPEN AND RARIN' TO GO!
CLICK ON PHOTO ABOVE
A PLACE TO ASK QUESTIONS
|
|
AND HERE'S HOW IT WORKS....
The guide shows you how to find billions of free birth, death, marriage and census records.
The guide shows you how to find billions of free birth, death, marriage and census records.
ANCESTRAL FINDINGS
Oral histories are a valuable genealogical resource. This is what you need to know about the value of oral histories, where to find them, and how to do them yourself with your own relatives.
Click below to learn.
Click below to learn.
MICHIGAN LIBRARY CARDS
|
|
Are you a Michigan library card holder?
Did you know that you can now access hundreds of Michigan’s state parks, historic sites, recreation areas and campgrounds for either
FREE
or discounted admission? You can even use it to visit any of the Seven National Park venues in this state!
CLICK BELOW FOR MORE INFO
Did you know that you can now access hundreds of Michigan’s state parks, historic sites, recreation areas and campgrounds for either
FREE
or discounted admission? You can even use it to visit any of the Seven National Park venues in this state!
CLICK BELOW FOR MORE INFO
SAGINAW PUBLIC LIBRARIES
HOYT LIBRARY
...remembering the past
|
< CLICK LIBRARY LOGO
to see the video |
IF YOU SEARCH
FREE SAGINAW OBITUARIES
We have over
200,00+ obituaries
for you to find.
Click on the link below:
http://obits.netsource-one.net/
200,00+ obituaries
for you to find.
Click on the link below:
http://obits.netsource-one.net/
GET ANSWERS
ASK MISS BETTY!
Brick wall? Stumped?
Lost?
WE ARE HERE, AND READY TO HELP YOU!
Lost?
WE ARE HERE, AND READY TO HELP YOU!
With the combined efforts of our members
we try to find you an answer for
Saginaw County Ancestors.
Click above on the Miss Betty Icon.
OR GO TO: ASK MISS BETTY
and fill out the form.
We don't charge for the help
but we DO take donations.
we try to find you an answer for
Saginaw County Ancestors.
Click above on the Miss Betty Icon.
OR GO TO: ASK MISS BETTY
and fill out the form.
We don't charge for the help
but we DO take donations.
REMEMBRANCE FUND
PLEASE REMEMBER US,
SO WE CAN REMEMBER YOU!
FOR GENEALOGICAL RESEARCH OR PRESERVATION
THE DONATION IS MADE
IN YOUR NAME. FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE EMAIL TO:
saggensoc@gmail.com
SO WE CAN REMEMBER YOU!
FOR GENEALOGICAL RESEARCH OR PRESERVATION
THE DONATION IS MADE
IN YOUR NAME. FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE EMAIL TO:
saggensoc@gmail.com
MICHIGAN-STATE GENEALOGY
The website for all things pertaining to historical research and documents for the state of Michigan.
CHECK US OUT.
CHECK US OUT.
DID YOU KNOW?
NEWSBANK can be used for FREE with your public library card ID number. This website has newspapers to search for obituaries!
FREE HELPS |
|
17 ALL FREE GREAT
WEBSITES FOR GENEALOGY!
1. CREATE A FREE ACCOUNT.
2. PACK A LUNCH.
3. SO MUCH TO SEE AND DO HERE!
WEBSITES FOR GENEALOGY!
1. CREATE A FREE ACCOUNT.
2. PACK A LUNCH.
3. SO MUCH TO SEE AND DO HERE!
FREE GENEALOGY SITES
50 PLUS FREE Genealogy Sites
THE BEST DEAL AROUND!
CLICK ON TITLE ABOVE TO GO TO LINK
THE BEST DEAL AROUND!
CLICK ON TITLE ABOVE TO GO TO LINK
CHECK OUT OUR Fb SITE!
IT'S A HOOT!
|
|
NEWS FOR RESEARCHERS!
You won't believe how many webinars there are here. I was shocked and I used to work for FamilySearch!
This is an amazing treasure trove of information. Everything you ever wanted to know about USING FamilySearch and SO MUCH more!
This is an amazing treasure trove of information. Everything you ever wanted to know about USING FamilySearch and SO MUCH more!
SGS PIONEER CERTIFICATES
Give a
FOREVER GIFT...
your family will forever remember.
FOREVER GIFT...
your family will forever remember.
*Ancestor documentation is vetted by our Society.
*Your ancestor will be noted in our website
YOU RECEIVE
*A handsome embossed certificate *
* Suitable for framing, or documentation for your ancestors who lived in Saginaw County along with their pedigree.
*Your ancestor will be noted in our website
YOU RECEIVE
*A handsome embossed certificate *
* Suitable for framing, or documentation for your ancestors who lived in Saginaw County along with their pedigree.
FOR MORE INFO GO TO:
HISTORY in our menu then to PIONEERS.
or just click here on the link >> PIONEERS
HISTORY in our menu then to PIONEERS.
or just click here on the link >> PIONEERS
MORE HELP
|
|
How SideView™ Technology Splits Your DNA Results by Parent
When YOU first read your DNA, you don’t know which parts of your DNA came from each parent. Ancestry® developed a technology called SideView™ to sort this out using DNA matches. Because a match is usually related to you through only one parent, your matches can help us “organize” the DNA you share with them.
SideView™ technology powers your ethnicity inheritance—the portions of each region you inherited from each parent. This enables us to provide your ethnicity inheritance without testing your parents (though we don’t know which parent is which).
SideView™ technology powers your ethnicity inheritance—the portions of each region you inherited from each parent. This enables us to provide your ethnicity inheritance without testing your parents (though we don’t know which parent is which).
NEED GIFTS?
Here is a lady who used to live in Saginaw, she is a fellow genealogist and has started this business. Lots of cool stuff - from babies to bags, and from t-shirts to tags, she's got it all! check it out below!
LINKS FOR OUR READERS
FOR LINKS - CLICK ON BLACK TITLES |
|
* Indexing-go.familytech.byu.edu
* Indexing.fhtl.byu.edu
GENEALOGY HELPS
What is ThruLines?
ThruLines shows identified descendants of a given ancestor who have tested with AncestryDNA, and share DNA with the tester whose results are being reviewed.
ThruLines replaces Shared Ancestor Hints, and greatly expands upon the data provided by those hints.
ThruLines provides the opportunity to view connections that would take a great deal of research to find manually.
ThruLines is accessible from “Your DNA Results Summary” under DNA in the top menu bar on Ancestry. To have access to ThruLines data, your family tree must be public, and linked to your DNA test. To check this, go to Your DNA Results Summary, and click on the Settings button (near the top right corner of the screen). Then follow the instructions in the Family Tree Linking section.
AncestryDNA® ThruLines®
ThruLines® shows you how you may be related to your DNA matches.
We use the Ancestry family tree linked to your test to find people who are in your tree and are also in your matches's linked trees. If your tree is private and not searchable, you won't be able to see ThruLines, and information from your matches' trees that are private and not searchable won't be available to you. DNA matches may appear in more than one of your ThruLines.
ThruLines are available for ancestors through 5th great-grandparents. ThruLines won't appear for 6th great-grandparents and beyond.
ThruLines shows identified descendants of a given ancestor who have tested with AncestryDNA, and share DNA with the tester whose results are being reviewed.
ThruLines replaces Shared Ancestor Hints, and greatly expands upon the data provided by those hints.
ThruLines provides the opportunity to view connections that would take a great deal of research to find manually.
ThruLines is accessible from “Your DNA Results Summary” under DNA in the top menu bar on Ancestry. To have access to ThruLines data, your family tree must be public, and linked to your DNA test. To check this, go to Your DNA Results Summary, and click on the Settings button (near the top right corner of the screen). Then follow the instructions in the Family Tree Linking section.
AncestryDNA® ThruLines®
ThruLines® shows you how you may be related to your DNA matches.
We use the Ancestry family tree linked to your test to find people who are in your tree and are also in your matches's linked trees. If your tree is private and not searchable, you won't be able to see ThruLines, and information from your matches' trees that are private and not searchable won't be available to you. DNA matches may appear in more than one of your ThruLines.
ThruLines are available for ancestors through 5th great-grandparents. ThruLines won't appear for 6th great-grandparents and beyond.
OUR HISTORIES
WHAT CAN YOU LEARN FROM TRADITIONS ?
Well, one thing for sure you will never know ANYTHING about traditions of your family if you don't ASK. And the best way to keep track those traditions is to RECORD THEM for posterity. You can then store them for FREE on FamilySearch for anyone to hear, or on Ancestry, or on Google...or any of a dozen other places...but FIRST you need to RECORD THEM! And right now in our present day lives you just happen to have a nifty little recording device that you talk on nearly every day. its called YOUR PHONE! And we are here to show you what we learned through alot of investigating and hours of reading and searching online.
AND HERE THEY ARE:
AND HERE THEY ARE:
OUR TOP FOUR-ish CHOICES!
Are there more than this...yes, but some charge money and the free versions are not all that great. When it comes to free iPhone voice recorders, your best options likely include the following; (we have bolded the ones that match the droid uploads) They are as follows:
Just like with the iPhone, you have a lot of options for voice recorder apps on Android. Android also has a built-in voice recorder which is free and might be all you need. On the other hand, if you’d like transcriptions or other features you may want to look at the following best audio apps for Android, most are totally free:
So, we (my trusty husband and I) tried out all of these and focused on 4 of them, but in order to do less, we have tried to find the same upload for both the iPhone and the Droids, barring that, there is ONE, ...SMART VOICE RECORDER that stands out, that we felt should be on there in both formats, because it works so well. HERE THEY ARE.
Are there more than this...yes, but some charge money and the free versions are not all that great. When it comes to free iPhone voice recorders, your best options likely include the following; (we have bolded the ones that match the droid uploads) They are as follows:
- Alice
- Apple’s Smart Voice Recorder
- Easy Voice Recorder
- Otter
- Audacity
Just like with the iPhone, you have a lot of options for voice recorder apps on Android. Android also has a built-in voice recorder which is free and might be all you need. On the other hand, if you’d like transcriptions or other features you may want to look at the following best audio apps for Android, most are totally free:
- Easy Voice Recorder
- Otter
- Smart voice recorder
- Audacity
So, we (my trusty husband and I) tried out all of these and focused on 4 of them, but in order to do less, we have tried to find the same upload for both the iPhone and the Droids, barring that, there is ONE, ...SMART VOICE RECORDER that stands out, that we felt should be on there in both formats, because it works so well. HERE THEY ARE.
FOOD & FAMILYDid you know...
CALORIES DON'T COUNT THIS MONTH EITHER! GO AHEAD...Make it with family! |
|
Whipping up Christmas dinner for your
ELF squad this year?
If it's your first time Hosting, there's no need to panic. You can scour the internet for holiday kitchen tips and embark on a house-cleaning frenzy — or you can take comfort in the simple fact that good food creates full bellies and happy people, and that's the only goal you need to meet.
Kick back with a plate of Christmas cookies and a mug of hot chocolate; here are 31 comforting Christmas dinner ideas and recipes from appetizers to desserts that will take the headache out of building your dream holiday dinner menu.
PS: My family and I have been trying out some of these already,
and they are REALLY good, even if its just for a few people.
ELF squad this year?
If it's your first time Hosting, there's no need to panic. You can scour the internet for holiday kitchen tips and embark on a house-cleaning frenzy — or you can take comfort in the simple fact that good food creates full bellies and happy people, and that's the only goal you need to meet.
Kick back with a plate of Christmas cookies and a mug of hot chocolate; here are 31 comforting Christmas dinner ideas and recipes from appetizers to desserts that will take the headache out of building your dream holiday dinner menu.
PS: My family and I have been trying out some of these already,
and they are REALLY good, even if its just for a few people.
GENEALOGY PUNS
MILITARY
WWI STORIES TO WARM YOUR HEART
WWI's Christmas Truce: When Fighting Paused for the Holiday Over Christmas 1914, singing and soccer broke out between British and German forces. written by A.J. BAIME & VOLKER JANSSEN
updated :Oct 4, 2022 original :Oct 29, 2018
updated :Oct 4, 2022 original :Oct 29, 2018
MILITARY RECORDS-ANCESTRY.COM
CHECK THESE OUT
YOU MAY FIND HELP HERE
FOR YOUR SEARCH!
YOU MAY FIND HELP HERE
FOR YOUR SEARCH!
MILITARY SERVICE: CIVIL WAR
Six Steps To Find Your Civil War Veterans and Their Regiments
To get the most out of Civil War Stories, you need to know who in your tree might have a story! We show you how in just 6 steps to find those people.
To get the most out of Civil War Stories, you need to know who in your tree might have a story! We show you how in just 6 steps to find those people.
MILITARY CHRISTMAS
The Christmas Truce
44m | 2002 | TV-PG V | CC
By December 1914, all thoughts of a quick World War I victory had faded. But on Christmas Eve, an astonishing event took place:
Up and down the Western Front, Allied and German soldiers met peacefully in No Man's Land. Watch the Christmas Truce and start your holiday season with the spirit!
44m | 2002 | TV-PG V | CC
By December 1914, all thoughts of a quick World War I victory had faded. But on Christmas Eve, an astonishing event took place:
Up and down the Western Front, Allied and German soldiers met peacefully in No Man's Land. Watch the Christmas Truce and start your holiday season with the spirit!
AMAZING STORIES
|
|
Every Wednesday The Weekly Genealogist provides readers with news and information about NEHGS and the genealogical community. Features include a description of the latest database
on AmericanAncestors.org, a spotlight, an editor’s column, a survey question, stories of interest, and announcements about bookstore items, educational opportunities, and special offers.
on AmericanAncestors.org, a spotlight, an editor’s column, a survey question, stories of interest, and announcements about bookstore items, educational opportunities, and special offers.
MONTH BY MONTH
DECEMBER AROUND THE WORLD
I ALWAYS celebrate DAYS 4, 6, 18, 20, 24, 25...
OH, I JUST LOVE THE MONTH OF DECEMBER!
WHAT DAYS ARE YOUR FAVORITES?
OH, I JUST LOVE THE MONTH OF DECEMBER!
WHAT DAYS ARE YOUR FAVORITES?
CHRISTMAS TODAY
CHRISTMAS
From its Puritan roots to complaints of rampant commercialism (“What is it you want?” Charlie Brown asks Lucy in A Charlie Brown Christmas. “Real Estate.”), Christmas in America has been filled with traditions, old and new. Some date back to 16th-century Germany or even ancient Greek times, while others have caught on in modern times.
Here’s a look at 25 ways Americans have celebrated the Christmas season, from singing songs and reciting poems to decorating trees and swapping cookies to drinking eggnog and wearing ugly sweaters.
From its Puritan roots to complaints of rampant commercialism (“What is it you want?” Charlie Brown asks Lucy in A Charlie Brown Christmas. “Real Estate.”), Christmas in America has been filled with traditions, old and new. Some date back to 16th-century Germany or even ancient Greek times, while others have caught on in modern times.
Here’s a look at 25 ways Americans have celebrated the Christmas season, from singing songs and reciting poems to decorating trees and swapping cookies to drinking eggnog and wearing ugly sweaters.
IN THE PAST...
Well in the past ...things could get a bit mixed up...
THAT'S WHY WE NOW HAVE GENEALOGISTS!
FREE WEBINARS
|
|
FamilySearch - Family History Library Free Online Webinars
2022 classes include: Using the FamilySearch Catalog, Research in Canada (an Introduction), and Exploring Post 1850 US Federal Census Records. If you are just getting started, a few beginner classes will get you acclimated to the FamilySearch Family Tree where you will learn about Attaching Sources, Merging Duplicate Individuals, Correcting Relationships, and Adding Memories. No registration is required and class size for webinars is not limited. See the table of webinars below for more details. If you cannot attend a live event, most sessions are recorded and can be viewed later at your convenience at Family History Library classes and webinars.
2022 classes include: Using the FamilySearch Catalog, Research in Canada (an Introduction), and Exploring Post 1850 US Federal Census Records. If you are just getting started, a few beginner classes will get you acclimated to the FamilySearch Family Tree where you will learn about Attaching Sources, Merging Duplicate Individuals, Correcting Relationships, and Adding Memories. No registration is required and class size for webinars is not limited. See the table of webinars below for more details. If you cannot attend a live event, most sessions are recorded and can be viewed later at your convenience at Family History Library classes and webinars.
THE BOOK NOOK
HISTORICAL, GENEALOGICAL & RESEARCH BOOKS
THE GATHERING
|
|
Anne Enright is a dazzling writer of international stature and one of Ireland's most singular voices. Now she delivers "The Gathering," a moving, evocative portrait of a large Irish family and a shot of fresh blood into the Irish literary tradition, combining the lyricism of the old with the shock of the new.
The nine surviving children of the Hegarty clan are gathering in Dublin for the wake of their wayward brother, Liam, drowned in the sea. His sister, Veronica, collects the body and keeps the dead man company, guarding the secret she shares with him--something that happened in their grandmother's house in the winter of 1968.
As Enright traces the line of betrayal and redemption through three generations, her distinctive intelligence twists the world a fraction and gives it back to us in a new and unforgettable light. "The Gathering" is a daring, witty, and insightful family epic, clarified through Anne Enright's unblinking eye. It is a novel about love and disappointment, about how memories warp and secrets fester, and how fate is written in the body, not in the stars.
The nine surviving children of the Hegarty clan are gathering in Dublin for the wake of their wayward brother, Liam, drowned in the sea. His sister, Veronica, collects the body and keeps the dead man company, guarding the secret she shares with him--something that happened in their grandmother's house in the winter of 1968.
As Enright traces the line of betrayal and redemption through three generations, her distinctive intelligence twists the world a fraction and gives it back to us in a new and unforgettable light. "The Gathering" is a daring, witty, and insightful family epic, clarified through Anne Enright's unblinking eye. It is a novel about love and disappointment, about how memories warp and secrets fester, and how fate is written in the body, not in the stars.
The Oral History Workshop:
Collect and Celebrate the Life Stories
of Your Family and Friends
Collect and Celebrate the Life Stories
of Your Family and Friends
We all know that we should ask now, before it's too late, before the stories are gone forever.
But knowing and doing are two different things.
Cynthia Hart, author of Cynthia Hart's Scrapbook Workshop, shows exactly how to collect, record, share, and preserve a family member's or a friend's oral history in this practical and inspirational guide.
The Oral History Workshop breaks down what too often feels like an overwhelming project into a series of easily manageable steps:
1. How to prepare for an interview;
2. How to become a better listener;
3. Why there's always more beneath the surface and the questions to ask to get there;
4. The pros and cons of video recording, including how your subjects should dress so the focus is on their words;
5. Four steps to keeping the interview on track;
6. How to be attentive to your subject's energy levels;
7. The art of archiving or scrapbooking the interview into a finished keepsake.
At the heart of the book are hundreds of questions designed to cover every aspect of your subject's history: Do you remember when and how you learned to read? Who in your life showed you the most kindness? What insights have you gained about your parents over the years? Would you describe yourself as an optimist or a pessimist? In what ways were you introduced to music? What is the first gift you remember giving? If you could hold on to one memory forever, what would it be? When the answers are pieced together, a mosaic appears--a living history.
But knowing and doing are two different things.
Cynthia Hart, author of Cynthia Hart's Scrapbook Workshop, shows exactly how to collect, record, share, and preserve a family member's or a friend's oral history in this practical and inspirational guide.
The Oral History Workshop breaks down what too often feels like an overwhelming project into a series of easily manageable steps:
1. How to prepare for an interview;
2. How to become a better listener;
3. Why there's always more beneath the surface and the questions to ask to get there;
4. The pros and cons of video recording, including how your subjects should dress so the focus is on their words;
5. Four steps to keeping the interview on track;
6. How to be attentive to your subject's energy levels;
7. The art of archiving or scrapbooking the interview into a finished keepsake.
At the heart of the book are hundreds of questions designed to cover every aspect of your subject's history: Do you remember when and how you learned to read? Who in your life showed you the most kindness? What insights have you gained about your parents over the years? Would you describe yourself as an optimist or a pessimist? In what ways were you introduced to music? What is the first gift you remember giving? If you could hold on to one memory forever, what would it be? When the answers are pieced together, a mosaic appears--a living history.
GENETICS 101
ARE REDHEADS WITH BLUE EYES REALLY
GOING EXTINCT?
GOING EXTINCT?
GENEALOGY TRADITIONS
IN DOING MY FAMILY GENEALOGY, I LEARNED THAT MY GREAT GRANDFATHER WAS A JEW. A JEW FROM THE UKRAINE.
My story was often filled with blanks and lots of questions. Here is a bit of my story...It began long before I was ever born, but it continues to this day...and beyond I hope. by Debra Sheets
My maternal Great Grandfather was named Timofei (or Timothy) Mikhailovich Prokopenko, and he was born in the Ukraine. He died before my mother was even born. But because I lived with my maternal Grandparents often, and over the years Gramma taught me many things about our family, and those mixed up Russian/American traditions. So, I have since begun to untangle and try to make sense of them.
One day when I was 14 years old, I was spending the usual summer vacation with my maternal grandparents, as was our tradition. When I was told this brief information that started the whole ball rolling...
Grandma and Grandpa and I, had just returned from having dinner at a restaurant, celebrating their 38th wedding anniversary. I had been asking about our family traditions and where they came from. It had been
a lovely evening and my head was dancing with all the memories the two
of them had been sharing with me, about when they were younger.
Grandma was hanging up her coat, and that's when Grandpa bent over to me and half whispered, "Well you know, there is one tradition that is NOT celebrated in our family." "What is that?" I eagerly asked, sensing a mystery. Grandpa continued, "Your Great Grandfather, Timofei Prokopenko told me this, shortly before he died." "Tell me Grandpa!" I begged. Grandpa leaned a little closer and said, "He told me that he was really a Jew, but he had married a Christian woman to avoid detection!" I was not understanding
the implied significance of this, nevertheless I was stunned.
But it was NOT from what Grandpa had just told me, it was from my Grandmothers reaction. "JOHN!" She cried...and we both turned to see her in tears. TEARS! I never even saw her cry at funerals. She was like a rock!
I had ONLY seen my Grandmother tear up just once before and it was when she spanked me for playing with matches when I was five. (I had crawled under the dining room table and refused to come out. It was only when she promised to NEVER spank me again, if I promised to NEVER play with matches. I never did...and neither did she.)
So, to hear and see her so upset and in tears was a shock to me.
WHAT WAS GOING ON? But Grandpa was taking Grandma through to their bedroom. He said she was going to lay down for a bit. The subject was NEVER spoken about again. Apparently there was a great fear that Gramma held, that because her father was Jewish they would all be sent back to Russia. So Gramma knew.
Then, about 12 years later a story was retold to me from Grandma. In it she tells of her family finally leaving "Europe" through England with a "religious" man. Whom, as the story goes, chastised Timofei for not helping his wife more and demanded that he carry the baby. (That baby was my Grandmother) This was such a big story, Gramma said, that Grandma's mother retold it many times over the years. It also meant a great deal to my Grandmother because, apparently back in the day, men did NOT carry babies!
Over the years Grandma taught me all the old family recipes and made SURE I could pronounce the "Russian" names correctly and cook them to her satisfaction. Years later, I looked online to trace the origin of the recipes and found, they were in fact, recipes of UKRAINIAN Jews!
CURIOUS!
So, years later my real search began, I started looking online for answers and that's when I found a DUMA (voting) Record for Timofei, his brother Ivan and his father Mikhail, that states they came from the Ukraine to Russia in the late 1880's. Sadly, I cannot find it again, and I never printed it out or saved it. (IDIOT!) But the other stories that my Grandmother told me about her family HAVE helped to locate important records to bear out the story.
You see a few years later, I found out more information because of an EMIGRATION DOCUMENT, where the religious man that was spoken of by my Grandma, was in fact listed as a RABBI, and on the document the family is listed as RUSSIAN JEWS and they were all headed to Michigan together! So more evidence that the family story was true, had been uncovered! CUSIOUSER AND CURIOUSER!
Then, I looked for Timofei's death/burial records through the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC). We drove all the way to Detroit, but they were not there. After several years of research I found that those records were in Flint, Michigan at another ROC. And there we were told, that Timofei had never become a "Christian" nor was he a church member. When I asked the church secretary what that meant, she replied, "It means he was NOT Christian, but the priest did the burial officiating and blessing, because the WIFE and family were all Christian." TIMOFEI NOT CHRISTIAN!! What?
Well, there it was again:
1. First Grandpa's story,
2. the history of the food recipes,
3. then the emigration document,
4. and the church burial records.
5. Finally I did DNA testing with my first cousin Craig. And we BOTH tested POSITIVE for Anastasi Jewish blood lines. So there it was, finally proof positive. And like Grandma always said, "THE TRUTH WILL COME OUT!"
Am I upset about the Jewish bloodline? Not at all. I'm very proud of who my ancestors were. I think it's actually an answer to alot of who I am.
You see, when I was a young girl I made friends with Rebekah, a Jewish girl at school. I often stayed at her home, and I celebrated Channukah with her family and Rosh Hashanah too. I even attended Yeshiva, (Hebrew school) and I attended there for many months. There we learned the importance of cleanliness in so many different aspects, along with reading scripture and learning the history of the Jewish religion. I really enjoyed the synagogue and the people. I felt connected, I was VERY interested and wanted to remain, but then they discovered that I could not speak yiddish and that was because... I was NOT Jewish.
I was asked to leave. And my heart broke that day, because Rebekah was not to remain my friend either. How I wish te truth had come out sooner and I could have told that Rabbi... "See I really AM of Jewish descent!" LOL
DO YOU HAVE A SHORT FAMILY STORY TO TELL? PLEASE LET US KNOW, YOUR JOURNEY COULD HELP SOMEONE ELSE FIND FAMILY!
SEARCH TIPS
|
|
6 Ancestry Search Tips
1. Pinpoint your ancestor’s location from the census on a map, and then look for churches, cemeteries, and other places where your ancestor may have left records.
2. Be sure to locate your ancestor’s adult siblings in census records. It was common for extended family to live in the same household or near other family members. You may find a parent, grandparent, or other family members living either with them or nearby.
3. If you’re having a difficult time locating your ancestor, try searching using only given names and other details like birth year, residence, family members, place of birth, etc.
4. Occasionally, census takers only recorded initials in place of the given name. Using only a first initial will bring up these records.
5. Census takers didn’t always have the best penmanship, so if you’re having a hard time locating your ancestor, write out the name and try replacing some of the letters with letters that look similar. (Try an O for an A, try an J for a P, try a F for an S.)
6. The U.S. federal censuses for the years 1900-1930 include a date of immigration for immigrants. Use that date to narrow your search for your ancestor’s passenger arrival record in the Immigration Collection.
CELEBRATE THE FAMILY!
THE MORE YOU KNOW
Hanukkah also known as the Festival of Lights is a Jewish festival commemorating the ... It is most commonly transliterated to English as Hanukkah or Chanukah.
CHANUKAH/ HANUKKAH
2022 will begin in the evening of Sunday, December 18, 2022
and ends in the evening of Monday, December 26, 2022.
Despite what some holiday movies will have you believe, Hanukkah is not the Jewish equivalent of Christmas, nor is it an insurmountably difficult holiday to learn about. If you’re curious, here are a few basic questions many non-Jews (and even some Jews!) have about the holiday:
All right, so it’s not “Jewish Christmas.” Then what is it?
Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem in the 160s BC. After outlawing the Jewish religion and Jewish practices, then-King Antiochus IV decreed that Jews must worship Greek gods in the Temple. Eventually, Jewish priest Mattahias, his son Judah Maccabee, and their army (creatively called The Maccabees) revolted, ultimately forcing Antiochus IV out of Judea. Maccabee and his followers reclaimed the Temple and rebuilt the altar.
Ok … so what’s with the candles?
You may have heard Hanukkah referred to as “The Festival of Lights” and might already be familiar with a menorah. Menorahs have long been a symbol used in Judaism, and when the altar was rebuilt by Maccabee and co., part of that included relighting the menorahs. The soldiers only had enough oil to light the menorah for a single night, but the story goes that the little bit of oil lasted for eight full nights.
Thus: the Miracle of Hanukkah. That’s why the celebration lasts eight nights.
Although most people use the word menorah in the context of Hanukkah, what observers are actually lighting is called a hanukkiah (ha-noo-kee-ah). It looks very similar to a menorah with eight prongs, but has a ninth candle, the Shamash, used to light the other candles.
What are some other ways to observe the holiday?
Many modern Jewish families celebrate by lighting the hanukkiah. One candle per night of Hanukkah is lit, like Hebrew is read, from right to left. People might also play dreidel games and eat certain foods like sufganiyot (similar to jelly donuts) and latkes (fried potato pancakes). Both foods are fried in oil, commemorative of the miracle of the Maccabees’ long-burning oil.
Important note: There is an ongoing and spirited debate about whether latkes are best served with applesauce or sour cream. The correct answer is both, in my humble opinion.
What is a dreidel and why is it played on Hanukkah?
A dreidel is a four-sided spinning top with Hebrew letters (Hay, Gimel, Nun and Shin) on each surface signifying the rules of the game. When Antiochus IV was in power, all Jewish practices were outlawed, including reading and studying the sacred Jewish text, the Torah. When soldiers would come through Jewish communities, those studying the Torah in secret would pretend to play the dreidel game so as not to be caught and arrested. Want to play? Here’s a rundown of the game.
Is Hanukkah the most important Jewish holiday?
Ask any Rabbi and you’ll get a resounding “no.” While it is celebrating a miracle, there are much more sacred holidays in Judaism. Often referred to as the High Holy Days, Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) and Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) both in the fall, are considered two of the most sacred holidays.
Then why do people make such a big deal out of it?
While for centuries many Jews have observed Hanukkah by lighting the hanukkiah, saying certain prayers, and eating certain foods, the all-out Hanukkah celebrations Americans are used to is a relatively new phenomenon.
The simplest answer: It occurs roughly around Christmas, and companies are only too thrilled to capitalize on the timing. Many of the newest customs are tongue-in-cheek concepts that directly poke fun at how much Hanukkah has been commodified to look like a “Jewish Christmas.” Since Christmas is generally accepted as an important and universal experience in American childhood, kids of other faiths often feel left out of the celebrations. Due to the coincidental timing of Christmas and Hanukkah, some Jewish families participate in present exchanges and decorating.
Why do the dates of Hanukkah change every year?
The dates of Jewish holidays are determined by the ancient Hebrew (or Jewish) calendar as opposed to the Gregorian calendar that was introduced in 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII, with which you are most familiar. The Hebrew calendar is based on a lunar cycle. So, while Hanukkah starts on the same day every year on the Hebrew calendar (25 Kislev), it doesn’t sync perfectly with the Gregorian calendar, so it has a “different” date each year. It tends to fall somewhere between late November and late December.
Why are there so many different ways to spell Hanukkah and which one is right?
The word Hanukkah is actually a transliteration and not a direct translation of the Hebrew word for dedication, so there will never be a perfect English spelling. Merriam-Webster’ uses the spelling “Hanukkah,” but “Chanukah” is also widely accepted.
2022 will begin in the evening of Sunday, December 18, 2022
and ends in the evening of Monday, December 26, 2022.
Despite what some holiday movies will have you believe, Hanukkah is not the Jewish equivalent of Christmas, nor is it an insurmountably difficult holiday to learn about. If you’re curious, here are a few basic questions many non-Jews (and even some Jews!) have about the holiday:
All right, so it’s not “Jewish Christmas.” Then what is it?
Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem in the 160s BC. After outlawing the Jewish religion and Jewish practices, then-King Antiochus IV decreed that Jews must worship Greek gods in the Temple. Eventually, Jewish priest Mattahias, his son Judah Maccabee, and their army (creatively called The Maccabees) revolted, ultimately forcing Antiochus IV out of Judea. Maccabee and his followers reclaimed the Temple and rebuilt the altar.
Ok … so what’s with the candles?
You may have heard Hanukkah referred to as “The Festival of Lights” and might already be familiar with a menorah. Menorahs have long been a symbol used in Judaism, and when the altar was rebuilt by Maccabee and co., part of that included relighting the menorahs. The soldiers only had enough oil to light the menorah for a single night, but the story goes that the little bit of oil lasted for eight full nights.
Thus: the Miracle of Hanukkah. That’s why the celebration lasts eight nights.
Although most people use the word menorah in the context of Hanukkah, what observers are actually lighting is called a hanukkiah (ha-noo-kee-ah). It looks very similar to a menorah with eight prongs, but has a ninth candle, the Shamash, used to light the other candles.
What are some other ways to observe the holiday?
Many modern Jewish families celebrate by lighting the hanukkiah. One candle per night of Hanukkah is lit, like Hebrew is read, from right to left. People might also play dreidel games and eat certain foods like sufganiyot (similar to jelly donuts) and latkes (fried potato pancakes). Both foods are fried in oil, commemorative of the miracle of the Maccabees’ long-burning oil.
Important note: There is an ongoing and spirited debate about whether latkes are best served with applesauce or sour cream. The correct answer is both, in my humble opinion.
What is a dreidel and why is it played on Hanukkah?
A dreidel is a four-sided spinning top with Hebrew letters (Hay, Gimel, Nun and Shin) on each surface signifying the rules of the game. When Antiochus IV was in power, all Jewish practices were outlawed, including reading and studying the sacred Jewish text, the Torah. When soldiers would come through Jewish communities, those studying the Torah in secret would pretend to play the dreidel game so as not to be caught and arrested. Want to play? Here’s a rundown of the game.
Is Hanukkah the most important Jewish holiday?
Ask any Rabbi and you’ll get a resounding “no.” While it is celebrating a miracle, there are much more sacred holidays in Judaism. Often referred to as the High Holy Days, Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) and Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) both in the fall, are considered two of the most sacred holidays.
Then why do people make such a big deal out of it?
While for centuries many Jews have observed Hanukkah by lighting the hanukkiah, saying certain prayers, and eating certain foods, the all-out Hanukkah celebrations Americans are used to is a relatively new phenomenon.
The simplest answer: It occurs roughly around Christmas, and companies are only too thrilled to capitalize on the timing. Many of the newest customs are tongue-in-cheek concepts that directly poke fun at how much Hanukkah has been commodified to look like a “Jewish Christmas.” Since Christmas is generally accepted as an important and universal experience in American childhood, kids of other faiths often feel left out of the celebrations. Due to the coincidental timing of Christmas and Hanukkah, some Jewish families participate in present exchanges and decorating.
Why do the dates of Hanukkah change every year?
The dates of Jewish holidays are determined by the ancient Hebrew (or Jewish) calendar as opposed to the Gregorian calendar that was introduced in 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII, with which you are most familiar. The Hebrew calendar is based on a lunar cycle. So, while Hanukkah starts on the same day every year on the Hebrew calendar (25 Kislev), it doesn’t sync perfectly with the Gregorian calendar, so it has a “different” date each year. It tends to fall somewhere between late November and late December.
Why are there so many different ways to spell Hanukkah and which one is right?
The word Hanukkah is actually a transliteration and not a direct translation of the Hebrew word for dedication, so there will never be a perfect English spelling. Merriam-Webster’ uses the spelling “Hanukkah,” but “Chanukah” is also widely accepted.
TRADITIONS ...OLD AND NEW
CRAZY ELVES...
NEW, OLD, OR JUST PLAIN FUN...
TRADITIONS ARE ALL AROUND US!
TRADITIONS ARE ALL AROUND US!
What are Christmas elves?
Christmas elves, sometimes shortened to just 'elves', are tiny, dwarf-like creatures with pointed ears. They live with Santa Claus (or Father Christmas) at the North Pole and help
Santa with his workshop.
Christmas elves are often perceived as immortal, but with a youthful appearance. They have the power to influence the things you see, do and experience. It's believed that Santa's elves help to keep the workshop hidden from ordinary human eyes!
Christmas elves, sometimes shortened to just 'elves', are tiny, dwarf-like creatures with pointed ears. They live with Santa Claus (or Father Christmas) at the North Pole and help
Santa with his workshop.
Christmas elves are often perceived as immortal, but with a youthful appearance. They have the power to influence the things you see, do and experience. It's believed that Santa's elves help to keep the workshop hidden from ordinary human eyes!
AND NOW YOU KNOW!
WHAT DID YOU SEE?
SO HOW OBSERVANT ARE YOU? WHAT DID YOU SEE?
DID YOU NOTICE THE: 12 single elves?
DID YOU NOTICE THE: 12 single elves?
SAVING BEST FOR LAST
And yes,....its a straightjacket.
NEWS ITEMS OR NEW LINKS CAN BE SENT TO US FOR CONSIDERATION AT :
SGSMI1971@GMAIL.COM
SGSMI1971@GMAIL.COM