Featured Tonight: Family History for Family Holidays

Thursday, November 17, 2016

5:45 p.m.

Margaret Troke Library

502 West Benjamin Holt Drive, Stockton

Working Family History At Your Family Gatherings

Kim von Aspern-Parker

The holiday season is upon us! Dinners, parties, special gatherings will likely feature one constant: these are all events which will include family members. What a perfect opportunity to encourage interest in your family history research.

This month, we are pleased to  welcome Kim von Aspern-Parker back to Stockton as our guest speaker. A Sacramento area genealogist, Kim is a graduate of University of Nevada at Reno with a bachelor in journalism and public relations. Kim  speaks, teaches, coaches, and blogs about genealogy—and has done so for more than twenty five years, providing private genealogical investigation services out of her Sacramento office. In addition to this month’s topic, Kim specializes in research in both California and Louisiana, where she often conducts  research trips.

Join us in welcoming Kim von Aspern-Parker back to Stockton at our meeting tonight, Thursday, November 17, at the Margaret Troke Library in north Stockton. As always, plan on coming early to enjoy some refreshments and a social time with fellow Society members. Also, feel free to invite a friend to attend the meeting with you—the more, the merrier!

Featured This Week: Your Ancestors' Voter Records

Thursday, September 15, 2016

5:45 p.m.

Margaret Troke Library

502 West Benjamin Holt Drive, Stockton

Tracing Your Ancestors in Voter Records

Teresa Costa Fraser

Politics has certainly been in the news lately, with elections coming up. But have you ever thought about what you might be able to find out about your ancestors, based on their voting records?

There is a lot more to voter records than political party affiliations. Join us this Thursday as our speaker, Teresa Costa Fraser, delves into this useful research resource. She’ll give us an overview of which voter records can be used to complete pedigree charts and round out family history stories. In addition, she’ll discuss how to find those voter records online and at local and state collections, and will share what she has discovered about her own ancestors, using voter records.

We’ve enjoyed Teresa’s past presentations at our Society meetings. A fourth generation Californian, Teresa saw her interest in genealogy blossom sixteen years ago, upon locating her Swiss Italian immigrant great grandfather’s 1900 census entry at a Family History Center in San Diego. With that success, she has been tracking down her other ancestors ever since, now specializing in research in the Mid-South region for individual clients and research firms.

Please join us early this Thursday evening to enjoy refreshments and chat with fellow SJGS members before our meeting begins at 5:45. We look forward to seeing you back at the Troke Library for this Thursday’s meeting!

Featured Tonight: Brick Walls versus FAN Club

Thursday, April 21, 2016

5:45 p.m.

Margaret Troke Library

502 West Benjamin Holt Drive, Stockton

   
"Breaking Down Brick Walls:
An Introduction to the FAN Club"

Presenter: Susan Goss Johnston

While we may see “brick walls” in our genealogical research as impenetrable, it is possible to get around these impediments. But you have to know how to do this. This month’s speaker will share key hints on how your ancestors’ “FAN Club”— Friends, Associates and Neighbors—can lead you to just the clues you need.

This month’s speaker, Susan Goss Johnston, is a 2011 ProGen alumna, has completed the “Advanced Methodology and Evidence Analysis” course at the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research, and the National Archives' lecture and lab course, “Going to the Source,” and has attended the National Institute on Genealogical Research (now known as the Genealogical Institute on Federal Records). She is a co-editor of the recently published Source Templates for The Master Genealogist™ (available on Lulu.com). Her personal research focuses on families in New England and the Mid-Atlantic region, and she specializes in military records. 

Susan's life is now "in transition" as she and her husband are planning a move to New Mexico later this year. Barring any change of plans, this San Joaquin Genealogical Society event will be your golden opportunity to catch Susan’s last presentation before she leaves California.

We look forward to seeing you this Thursday evening.

Featured Tonight: Researching Your Irish Ancestors

Thursday, March 17, 2016

5:45 p.m.

Margaret Troke Library

502 West Benjamin Holt Drive, Stockton

   
"Irish Research:
Online and On the Ground"

Presenters:
Jacqi Stevens
Claire Stevens

Sure, you’ve always been told there’ve been Irish immigrants in your family history, but can you trace your way back to their homeland? Join us this month as SJGS members Jacqi and Claire Stevens present a case study on the winding path that led them from the family’s home in Chicago back to the very spot on Tountinna, the mount in northern County Tipperary, where Claire’s second great grandfather was born.

Researching “across the pond” presents many challenges not encountered by those whose families lived for centuries in North American locations. This presentation will guide you from the point of your most recent immigrant relatives’ residence to the region they once called home. Don’t think you have to travel to that spot to get your research done: with current digitization projects, many of the records helpful in your quest are now available online, and will be shared at this week’s meeting.

Please join us this Thursday evening, whether your ancestors were Irish or not. The steps taken and online resources used to find these Irish ancestors applies as well to researching ancestors from many European origins. Hope to see you then!

Featured Tonight: Researching Wills and Probate Records

Thursday, February 18, 2016

5:45 p.m.

Margaret Troke Library

502 West Benjamin Holt Drive, Stockton

   
"Where There's a Will:
Probate Records Can Prove Family Connections"

Presenter: Janice M. Sellers

Records created when a person dies can be very useful for genealogists, as they often describe family relationships. They may, however, also contain pitfalls. In this month's membership meeting, SJGS is pleased to offer a topic covering estate records as well as guardianship records, all presented by a professional genealogist who is no stranger to our Society.

As we've already seen during her past presentation at our 2014 Seminar, this month's speaker, Janice M. Sellers, is passionate about her work. She loves to research her own family and everyone else's, and by her own admission, will "talk your ear off about genealogy," given the chance. She specializes in Jewish, Black, forensic, and newspaper research. In addition, she edits three genealogy journals and serves on the boards of three genealogical societies. Along with her website at ancestraldiscoveries.com, she writes an informative genealogy blog.

Join us tonight as we return to the Margaret Troke Library to resume our regular monthly meetings there for the Spring calendar. As always, feel free to invite a guest. We look forward to seeing you then!