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REMEMBER TO VOTE! REMEMBER TO VOTE!
REMEMBER TO VOTE!
REMEMBER TO VOTE!
MAY IS VOTING MONTH!
IF YOU WISH TO CAST YOUR VOTE, PLEASE DO SO EITHER ONLINE OR THROUGH A MAILED-IN BALLOT
TO VOTE ONLINE: Sign in with user name and password and go to MEMBERS and then to SGS ELECTIONS
A LIST OF ALL CONTENDERS IS LISTED IN MAY AND WINNERS IN JUNE'S WHAT'S NEW PAGE
IF YOU WISH TO RUN FOR OFFICE PLEASE CONTACT US ASAP
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IF YOU WISH TO CAST YOUR VOTE, PLEASE DO SO EITHER ONLINE OR THROUGH A MAILED-IN BALLOT
TO VOTE ONLINE: Sign in with user name and password and go to MEMBERS and then to SGS ELECTIONS
A LIST OF ALL CONTENDERS IS LISTED IN MAY AND WINNERS IN JUNE'S WHAT'S NEW PAGE
IF YOU WISH TO RUN FOR OFFICE PLEASE CONTACT US ASAP
SAGGENSOC@GMAIL.COM
SGS NEWSMAY IS ALSO MEMBERSHIP MONTH!!!
IF YOU WISH TO STILL GET YOUR TTL PLEASE PAY YOUR DUES! SGS MEETING RECAPMEETING IN: APRIL
Finding Your Immigrant Ancestors- Was presented by Bob Szczypka. We saw an excellent video from 'The Barefoot Genealogist', Christa Cowan. Bob also created a handout to follow the video. (A copy is attached) Many of the suggestions Christa had, appear to be common knowledge but many times in our research we forget about some of the less common records that can help us find the information we are looking for. This video was a great reminder and the handout is a great tool to keep handy and to refer back to when frustration sets in! Another good suggestion and reminder is to write down HOW the evidence you found led to the conclusion you came to. And always ATTACH the documents you find to your family tree as proof your tree is accurate. You can watch her video here: DONT FORGET THE HANDOUT BELOW!
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SGS NEWSThis month:
MAY IS VOTING MONTH! Where new or current people are voted into office. YOU CHOOSE! Debra Sheets our current President has recently had heart and back surgery, and will be stepping back as President but has agreed to take on a less demanding role as Treasurer. Running for office are: PRESIDENT: Karen Reynolds VICE PRES: Lynn Evangelisti SECRETARY: Donna Carlevato TREASURER: Debra Sheets If you are a member you can SIGN IN by clicking on the MEMBERS tab at the top of the webpage. Sign in and THEN go to: SGS ELECTIONS. YOU CAN ONLY VOTE DURING THE MONTH OF MAY! VOTES WILL BE TALLIED AND PRESENTED AT THE JUNE MEETING. THE JUNE MEETING IS OPEN TO ALL MEMBERS. IF YOU WANT TO ATTEND THE JUNE MEETING, CONTACT US AND WE WILL GIVE YOU DIRECTIONS OR PUT IT IN YOUR GPS AND FOLLOW THE CAR INSTRUCTIONS. JUNE MEETING: 4509 Longmeadow Blvd W, Saginaw, MI 48603 DID YOU KNOWROOTSTECH 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 ALSO KNOWThere is ONE safe place to store all your photos and stories... FOREVER.Safely stored 600 ft. underground. And also
duplicated inside YET another mountain. Yeah...We got you covered! FamilySearch.org is a non-profit and totally free! MILITARY SERVICE:
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FOOD & FAMILYDid you know...family recipes are a tradition!?!
GO AHEAD...Make it with family! What food is most popular in May? Well, that would be anything associated with SUMMER! Or in my case POTATO SALAD!!! HERE ARE SOME AMAZING DISHES TO SERVE WITH
POTATO SALAD! ![]() DIANTHUS In the language of flowers, Dianthus is an emblem of passion, affection, love and gratitude. This makes it an ideal element in Mother's Day and also Valentine's Day arrangements, along with wedding bouquets and centerpieces.
MILITARYWWI STORIES TO WARM YOUR HEARTThucydides, (thoo·si·duh·deez)
an Ancient Greek historian and general, once said: “The bravest are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before them, glory and danger alike, and yet notwithstanding, go out and meet it.” WWII: BLITZKREIG TACTICSOn September 1st 1939, Hitler’s army invaded Poland...
... starting WWII and showing the world how they planned to dominate. This method would come to be known as Blitzkrieg or Lightning War, and it would change the face of warfare forever. In this episode of WWII In Numbers, we take a look at the numbers behind this Blitzkrieg, how it was made possible and why the Allies were unable to prevent its devastating effects. War Stories is your one stop shop for all things military history. From Waterloo to Verdun, we'll be bringing you only the best documentaries and stories from history's most engaging and dramatic conflicts. WATCH THE VIDEO ![]() DAISY
These sunny springtime blooms have several positive meanings. The meaning of a daisy flower can be purity, innocence, new beginnings, joy and cheerfulness. In the Victorian Era, daisies symbolized innocence, loyalty and an ability to keep things secret. Shhhhhh! MILITARY RECORDS-ANCESTRY.COM
CHECK THESE TIPS OUT
YOU MAY FIND HELP HERE FOR YOUR SEARCH! MILITARY SERVICE: KOREAThe Korean War: Everything You Need to Know
11 Aug 2020
Military.com | By Blake Stilwell The Korean War was the first time the United States military engaged in a shooting conflict after the end of World War II; it was also the first of many sparks that really turned the Cold War hot. From 1950 to 1953, the Korean War was at the forefront of American minds and politics. A public emerging from the World War II years and weary of fighting didn't fully understand the threat of Communism or the Truman administration's "containment" strategy -- which meant they didn't fully understand what happened in the first place. CLICK BELOW TO LEARN MORE ![]() A BLUE ORCHID
In Victorian times, orchids were seen as a symbol of wealth and luxury. Blue flowers, on the other hand, mean rarity, beauty, spirituality, power, peace, and uniqueness. Blue orchids combine the meanings of orchids and blue flowers. They illustrate spirituality, fertility, peace, and uniqueness. AMAZING STORIESEvery 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. MONTH BY MONTHMAY
WHAT DAYS ARE YOUR FAVORITES? What is the growing moon in May?
This is the name of May's Moon, AKA the Full Flower Moon. May also marks the end of hard frost, making this the time of year when farmers begin to seed their fields. This led to May's Moon also being known as the Full Corn Planting Moon. But May has so many other days to notice... Mothers Day (May 8) National Devil's Food Cake Day (May 19) Armed Forces Day (May 21) National Rescue Dog Day (May 20) World Turtle Day (May 28) Memorial Day (May 30) and lets not forget this important holiday... National Smile Day !!! (May 31) :) Click below to learn about all the holidays! ![]() TULIP
The most known meaning of tulips is perfect and deep love. As tulips are a classic flower that has been loved by many for centuries they have been attached with the meaning of love. They're ideal to give to someone who you have a deep, and unconditional love for, whether it's your partner, children, parents or siblings. DAYS TO CELEBRATE:Ok, we are picking our favorite day to celebrate...
You may have your preferences, but today I am picking May 21st.
NATIONAL BEE DAY! Did you know they actually celebrate the humble honey bee? Well we are going to do that here too all month long. I was actually afraid of bees, once I had been stung. But they have also fascinated me ever since I was a young child. Did you know that without bees...we would all soon cease to exist? And that bees keep everything running smoothly in our wonderful world? Well at least in the NATURAL world. Did you know... there are specific things you can do to HELP our honey bees? And here are THREE... 1. Buy hive products You can celebrate World Bee Day by buying honey, wax, and other hive products. Support your local beekeepers. You can also gift these items to your friends to celebrate World Bee Day. 2. Set up a pollinator farm A great way to observe World Bee Day is by setting up a pollinator farm on your terrace, garden, or balcony. You can either buy one from a home furnishing store or make one yourself after watching an online tutorial. (see below) 3. Change your pesticides On World Bee Day, change your pesticides. Use pesticides that are not harmful to bees. Spray them in calm weather, early in the morning or late at night, when bees are avoiding blossoms. ![]() CLICK ON THE HABITAT FUND PHOTO
TO SEE THE VIDEO ![]() MORNING GLORY
The morning glory flower can have many meanings, but the most common are love, life, and death, or even love in vain. It's ability to rise each morning and sleep each evening resembles human life. FAMILY STORIES- THREETHESE ARE ANONAMOUS FAMILY STORIES- names have been omitted, but they are SO interesting to read and learn from!
OUR FIRST STORY IS ALL ABOUT BRICK WALLS...
"I'm proudest of breaking the brick-wall of my great-grandfather's illegitimacy. I wasn't even positive at first that he was illegitimate, but there were some signs - he took his mother's maiden name, he gave his step-father's name on various records, and one time in particular he or my great-grandmother answered, "don't know" to questions about his birth father (name, birth place, etc). Eventually, I felt confident enough to move forward on the hypothesis of who he was. My great-grandmother, who was a genealogist, published a family history of her father's line and included a short passage about my great-grandfather's life, which contained his birth father's name. I had no idea what to make of it. Was it a lie to protect him? If it wasn't, how did he know? I knew his mother died when he was 5 and he was then raised by his maternal grand-parents. Did they tell him? Why didn't he give his birth father's name on any records, if he knew it all along? The passage didn't give any biographical information about the birth father at all. Just a name and that he died when my great-grandfather was still young. So, I began researching any man by that name living in the general vicinity of where my great-grandfather was born (Davison County, SD) and I was able to identify a candidate who was the right age to be the father. I had no way of knowing for certain without DNA. But in this mans will, he only named his siblings as next of kin, he never married. Well, my Mom and my Aunt's DNA sat in the database for years, and then one day a 3rd cousins' level match suddenly appeared. Fortunately, I had tested my grandfather before he passed, and the man in question didn't match him, so I knew the connection had to be through my maternal grandmother (who I found, was the daughter of my 'out-of-wedlock great-grandfather'). I won't go into the whole process, but I eventually figured out that he really was related to me, (the man I had identified years before as a candidate.) And since then, I've had over a dozen matches appear who are descendants of this man's siblings. In short, the name in my great-grandmother's book WAS correct and I had also picked the right man in my research. That was an awesome day! It's so depressing when your tree just stops on one branch so early. The only problem is that the now-known 2nd great-grandfather's parents were Irish immigrants in the 1850s and now I am brick-walled in Ireland. Yay! At least I've gone back 2 generations. So, I have that at least. Also, this 2nd great-grandfather has produced at least 2 other illegitimate children (which I've determined through DNA as being very likely). His obituary mentions that he was a 'flawed man.' Oof. (ya think?) Anyhow, I wish I knew more about my great-grandfather's early life. I'd love to know what he was told. I'm actually surprised that he knew his birth-father's name, given that he was raised by his grandparents who were Norwegian immigrants." OUR SECOND STORY CONCERNS ROYALTY...
So hang onto your hats! "One of my ancestors is Edmund Scarburgh (1584-1635), who was a Virginia colonist; he was the father of Sir Charles Scarburgh, who was a founding member of the "Royal Society", and a member of parliament, and "physician-in-ordinary" to Charles II, James II, and William and Mary. Most of the available information on Edmund Scarburgh named his wife as "Hannah Butler" (apparently based on the fact that his son Edmund, in Virginia, claimed a headright for one "Robert Butler, servant"). One day a few years ago I was on Twitter and saw someone retweet the Oxford University Press, something about a guy named Lording Barry whose entry in the Dictionary of National Biography describes him as "playwright and pirate". I thought this sounded kind of interesting, and went looking for info about this 'Lording Barry' person. I soon found something on Google Books, that was unfortunately partial-view only, that had the name of "Scarburgh" in the text. So I wondered, was this Scarburgh the same family as mine? So, I went and found a hard copy through an online used bookseller; turns out that this Lording Barry was the uncle of Edmund Scarburgh's wife Hannah, (who turns out she wasn't a Butler at all, but a Smith!) Anyhow, he made a will naming her sons, Charles and Edmund as beneficiaries, and she, herself as 'executrix' or executor!!! I also found her father's will that answered all the questions, it named "daughter Anna Scarbrough" and "grandson Charles Scarbrough". So I managed to resolve a misidentification that's persisted for over a hundred years thanks to being curious about something totally unrelated!" SKELETONS IN THE CLOSET? LETS TAKE A LOOK...
"I recently found out about some skeletons in a family closet. So, it looked like my great-great Aunt had married her first cousin (she was my great-grandmother's cousin, and she married my great-grandmother's brother) in the 1930s. I wasn't that concerned about it - 'kissing cousins' were a thing, after all - but I was curious. So, I messaged my great aunt (my great-grandmother's daughter) to see if she could confirm that this was the case, or if I had gotten it mixed up with a different person with the same name. The answer was YES! but the married couple weren't blood related. Apparently their parents (her father, his mother) had both been adopted...from girls who worked at the brothel that my 3x Great grandparents owned on the docks in my hometown. So looking at directory and census records from back then, my 3x Great grandparents are listed as running a saloon until around 1920, at which point they moved to the other side of Cleveland, Ohio and then ran a "confectionery"...(which I assumed was a euphemism for a 'speakeasy', or possibly a candy store.) Unfortunately I can't find the family in the 1900 census, and then 1890 is, well, nonexistent. So here I sit." ![]() PANSY The pansy flower represents
the thoughts of lovers, shared before a word is spoken. Named for the French word for “thought” (pensee), the pansy was said to be a charmed flower, possessing telepathic magic. Attending to the plucked bloom, you could hear your lover's thoughts. (Interesting) INTERVIEWSQuestions for Interviewing Family Members
Interviewing members of your family may help you gather information about your ancestors. It's a good idea to start with the oldest members of your family and work forward. People may remember important details or have family heirlooms, records, or photos that can help you. We HIGHLY recommend recording the interview. These questions can help you get started, come back and ask more questions often. Your visits will be appreciated! PICK NO MORE THAN 6 AT A TIME: Remember elderly people get tired quickly!
![]() DHALIA
In the Victorian Era, when floriography (the language of flowers) was all the rage, dahlias were given as symbols of devotion, love, beauty and dignity. These meanings still hold true in modern times. Today, dahlia flowers symbolize beauty, commitment, and kindness. They're also tied to steadfastness, due to their ability to bloom after many other flowers have died. THE BOOK NOOKHISTORICAL, GENEALOGICAL & RESEARCH BOOKS
THE BEEKEEPERS BIBLE
![]() The Beekeeper’s Bible is as much an ultimate guide to the practical essentials of beekeeping as it is a beautiful almanac to be read from cover to cover. Part history book, part handbook, and part cookbook, this illustrated tome covers every facet of the ancient hobby of beekeeping, from how to manage hives safely to harvesting one’s own honey, and ideas for how to use honey and beeswax. Detailed instructions for making candles, furniture polish, beauty products, and nearly 100 honey-themed recipes are included.
Honeybees, which are critical in the pollination of popular US produce such as almonds, apples, and blueberries, are actually not native to the Americas. The honeybee that you see dancing from flower to flower in farms and gardens actually originated in Europe. The introduction of the honeybee began with European colonization of the Americas; before that, wild native bees, other insects, and some birds and mammals pollinated the native flowers of the continent. The honeybee’s ability to pollinate crops, produce honey, and be easily domesticated precipitated the growth in beekeeping all over America. Fully illustrated with how-to photography and unique etchings, any backyard enthusiast or gardener can confidently dive into beekeeping with this book in hand (or daydream about harvesting their own honey while relaxing in the comfort of an armchair). ![]() FOXGLOVE The flowers may be associated with insincerity, pride, intuition, creativity, and energy. In the Victorian language of flowers, a gift of foxgloves would carry the symbolic meaning of “I am ambitious for you, rather than for myself.”
GENETICS 101GENETICS BASICSHow to create a family health history
A family health history is a written record of health and medical conditions that have happened to you and your relatives, including your immediate and extended family. It isn’t a prediction of your health or your family’s health; rather, a family health history can help you understand your risk of certain conditions and act on that knowledge. Why is a family health history important? When it comes to your health, knowledge is power. Many disease risk factors are modifiable, meaning that we can change them for the better and optimize our health. If you learn, for example, that heart disease runs in your family, you may feel motivated to make lifestyle changes that help lower your risk. Keeping track of your health and medical information and that of your close relatives is beneficial in many ways. A family health history may help you and your relatives: Identify disease and health patterns in your family
Make a list of family members. Include grandparents, parents, siblings (including half-siblings), children, aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews and grandchildren. Include at least three generations, if possible. Make note of who married into or was adopted into the family. List their health conditions. For each person, note:
For relatives who have passed away, age and cause(s) of death Talk to your family. To gain more information, explain to your relatives what you’re doing and why. “Interview” those who are willing to discuss their health. Listen carefully and take notes. (If someone declines to participate, respect their wishes and their privacy.) Expand your research. Family trees, family photos, letters and baby books may contain useful information. If you need more information about deceased relatives, look for family medical records, insurance forms, obituaries, funeral home records or death certificates. Your family members may have these or know where to access them. Organize your notes. You can keep information in a word processing document or actually draw a family health tree, if you like. Share your family health history with your health-care provider. They can review and help you interpret your findings. Share the information with your family. Knowing that certain diseases run in the family may help your relatives make health decisions, change their lifestyle habits, keep up with medical appointments, etc. Store health information safely. You can password-protect digital files. If your notes are on paper, keep them somewhere safe and private. Update your family’s health history regularly. Share updates with your physician. And if you develop a health condition yourself, let your family know. MY STORYby Debra Sheets
It all started with my cousins. They were staying over the first week of the summer. All of us (girls) were sleeping on top of old quilts my Mom let us use. There were four of us, me (the eldest), my sister and my two cousins. We started out having a great time and then my little cousin fell asleep, so it only left 3 of us. So... we started to whisper (after Mom yelled for us to be quiet) and that's when my cousin told me that my Dad wasn't really my Dad. She said she heard this when her parents were talking one night and she couldn't sleep. I called her a liar and rolled over and after awhile I cried myself quietly to sleep. But at first, sleep was the farthest thing from my 10 year old mind. How could my Dad not be my Dad? Ridiculous! This started me on a whole different path for myself, from that which I had thought was going to be my future. In fact it split me from my parents and siblings over time. I was called ungrateful, stubborn and selfish for asking questions and for trying to find answers. What I was to find out, was that if you were a child born out of wedlock back in the 50's, that you were really in a very dark place called LIMBO. No one wanted to talk to a child, so it was years and years before I found out the real truth, because I had been told half-truths so many times before. But I stuck to my desire to know the truth: What kind of a person was my birth father? Did I have other siblings? Who were my paternal relatives? And as I got older, to learn the medical history of their family. Was it worth it? Well, in the end I never met my birth father as an adult, or even his mother. They died before I had the courage or enough information to find them. But it has answered so many questions I had as a child. It allowed me to find out more about who I am, because I now know more about them. I may not have gotten all the answers I searched for, but I got most of them. And through good or bad, sickness or health, life or death...I feel like I am finally a whole person. I have family that LOVES and cares about me, and I have good friends that are SO wonderful, and I am thankful every day for DNA tests! Do you have a story of adoption, or interesting DNA finds? We would love to post them and allow others to gain the inspiration you found in gaining your family knowledge. please contact us at : www.sgsmi1971@gmail.com PLEASE NOTE: We reserve the right to shorten stories so that it may fit in our webpage area. ![]() THE COSMOS FLOWER
Cosmos flowers are associated with simplicity, joy, and beauty. It is also a symbol of order, harmony, and balance. They are members of the Asters family and take a gorgeous starry appearance. Cosmos is a flowering genus. HOW TO START YOUR FAMILY TREEWhat You Need to Know About Genealogy
and Family Tree Building Tools If you’re one of the millions of people who’ve caught the genealogy bug and are itching to learn more about your family’s ancestry, you’ll want some resources to help you out in your genealogy research. After all, the ancestry journey to "find my ancestors" requires navigating the multigenerational web of births, marriages, migrations, and milestones that have made you uniquely you. Luckily, growing interest in genealogy and DNA testing has made it easy for amateur genealogists to uncover deep insights about where they came from and their ancestors. With genealogy and family tree building tools, you can sleuth out your long-ago origins and discover more about who you are and where you came from and find your ancestors, all from the comfort of your computer. 1. Why do I need genealogy and family tree building tools? Interviewing a grandparent can only take you so far. To truly learn about your family history and ancestors or build a family tree, you’ll have to go back hundreds of years or more. Before family tree building tools, genealogy research typically included hours spent digging through government records, archival materials, newspaper clippings, and other resources that are likely hard to track down—or may even be in a different language. This is where genealogy research and family building tools come in. Using vast historical databases and interactive tools, they do all the hard work for you by automatically retrieving even the oldest or most obscure pieces of information that can shed new light on your family’s history to build the most extensive family tree that looking for a free ancestry search or looking at free ancestry records couldn't provide. And with state-of-the-art matching technology, they can even automatically match your family tree with others who share similar ancestors, connecting you to others who have important pieces of the puzzle—and perhaps even share your DNA. 2. What should I look for in a genealogy and family tree building tool? Every family tree building tool is a little different. But hey—every family is a little different too. So finding the right one means making sure its features meet your personal needs and ancestral origins. Here are a few key things to keep in mind when shopping for a good genealogy tool for family tree and ancestry searches. 3. A large database of historical records Having access to a large database of historical records is the best way to ensure a successful genealogical search. Most genealogical tools will give you access to some sort of database, but they may differ in size and scope. Some of the larger companies, such as Genes Reunited and OneGreatFamily, give you access to millions of documents, records, and archived information that can instantly and infinitely propel your search forward and give you much more than free ancestry records. 4. A relevant geographic focus It’s important to make sure that the tool you choose can serve your ancestors’ geographic location. FindMyPast, for example, is a treasure trove for those with British and Irish ancestry, though it may not be ideal for those whose branches extend into, say, Russia or Asia. Some family tree building tools will have a general focus and draw from databases all around the world, while others are specific to certain countries or continents. It’s important to consider your background and make sure the tool you choose can access the right historical records. 5. DNA test or compatibility This isn’t vital, though it may be important if you’ve taken or plan on taking a DNA test. Some companies offer tests and family tree building tools in one. Others may only offer the family tree software, so if you choose one of those and are interested in DNA tests, you may want to check whether you can upload the results from that DNA test company into the site. 6. Community forums Genealogy searches are an exciting, invigorating, but sometimes frustrating experience. There’s no doubt that when you’re tracking family clues across centuries and continents you’re likely to run into some false-starts or dead-ends. This is why genealogy forums tend to be so active—discussing common obstacles and solutions with other, more experienced genealogists is a great way to improve your family tree. Many sites offer community chats and forums, and it may be worth it to find one with an active community and other helpful resources. 7. Get Building The number of tools available for building a family tree and learning about your ancestry is rapidly growing. That’s good news. If you’re interested in finding out more about your family’s history and researching the best genealogy sites, you have many options to choose from. The tips above can help you narrow down your search and find the best one for nourishing the branches rather than stunting their growth. Then you’ll be well on your way to the exciting discoveries and connections that come from building your own family tree.
![]() ASIATIC LILY: Symbol of Marriage and Purity
As the name suggests, Asiatic lilies are native to Asia. They are a hybrid type of lilies, and they are pretty easy to grow. Asiatic lilies come in various colors, and they symbolize marriage, purity, love, and spirituality. THE STORY OF FLOWERSDiscover the language of flowers with the Almanac’s complete chart of Flower Meanings. Which flowers represent love, strength, innocence, and family? What does a rose symbolize? When picking flowers for a bouquet, garden, or even a tattoo, know what they represent.
WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE SYMBOLISM FOR THE FLOWERS YOU LOVE? CLICK BELOW! |
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