Blog

To register for an event or for more information, click the link for any event. All times are Pacific Time.
Questions? Email [email protected]

If you work in an office environment, you are familiar with this fearful acronym:

—Return To Office—

During COVID, we all learned how to work from home. We have our space, our habits, and our laundry gets done during the day. We have nice tops and pajama pants and 2-4 extra hours in our days where we are not in a car. Not gonna lie, we like it here in the safety of our home offices. We like that our new officemates just snore at our feet or cuddle on our laps (does not work the same with Sally from IT. Trust me).

But at what cost?

In the genealogy world we had so many doors opened due to the technology that bubbled up to the majority (Zoom and Webinars became common for all of us). We can now attend the meetings they have in New York, Chicago, and Lucas County, Iowa. But we stopped going to our local events and meeting with our local fellow genealogists. It’s time to go back!

Like I mentioned last week, attending the big Irish genealogy day made me remember. I remembered what it was like to be amongst people who like to hear about my 3rd great grandfather. You like to share about yours. And I like to hear it and be around it.

This summer, let’s get out there! If the meeting says Zoom or In Person, let’s choose In Person and just add a couple of extra hours to the event for travel. Let’s reach out to our friends and see if they’d like to join us. On Friday, you will see the list up upcoming events. Let’s use it like we used to use our TV Guide and schedule the time. MAKE the time. If I can do it, so can you!

See you at the Library!

Helpful Links
Events: https://www.californiaancestors.org/events-and-education/
Special Interest Groups: https://www.californiaancestors.org/special-interest-groups-for-members/
Calendar view: https://www.californiaancestors.org/cgs_calendar/
Tips & Talk: Oakland FamilySearch Center Family History Classes: https://www.familysearch.org/en/centers/oakland_california/classes

To register for an event or for more information, click the link for any event. All times are Pacific Time.
Questions? Email [email protected]

Local Meet-ups
Members gather together in homes, public libraries, cafes and even community rooms in condominium units. A facilitator leads the discussion as members share research topics, common interests, new resources discovered in an informal setting. Friendships have developed along with partnerships in resources and a better understanding of the many benefits available to CGS members.
• Martinez – June 30 10:30-12
If interested in one of these or another Regional Gathering in your area, please contact Kim Farnham-Flom ([email protected]).

San Francisco Special Interest Group (SIG)
San Francisco has so many nuances to genealogical research that it helps to know an expert. Join this SIG to meet several! It doesn’t matter if you are new to genealogy or an old hat, find your family story in the City of Love.
When: Saturday, June 21, 2025 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Where: Virtually via Zoom
Cost: Free to CGS members
How to Register: Contact [email protected]

Family Tree Maker Special Interest Group (SIG)
Special Photoshop Elements workshop where you will learn how to download Photoshop Elements, the basics of it, how to clean up photos, how to label photos, file organization, and using your labeled photos in Family Tree Maker. You will want to bring your laptop and images to work with to the Oakland Family Search Library (NOT CGS Library this time!).
When: Saturday, June 21, 2025 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Where: Virtually via Zoom or in person at the Oakland Family Search Library
Cost: Free to CGS members
How to Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ftm-sig-june-21-2025-photoshop-elements-photo-labelling-and-editing-registration-1332383718569?aff=oddtdtcreator

Special Events:

LGBT Genealogy
Stewart Traiman will present his extensive coverage of census, newspapers, obituaries, military records, photographs, phone books and archives for clues on the oft hidden LGBTQ members of our family trees.
When: Saturday, June 14, 2024 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Where: Online
How to Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lgbtq-genealogy-registration-1319526692859

Opportunities and Resources at the United Irish Cultural Center
Pati Traktman and Jennifer Dowling will provide a brief history of the Patrick J Dowling LIbrary and the genealogy club at the United Irish Cultural Center. They will also give three live demonstrations of the riches there: the online library catalog, the available digital content including the Leader newspaper, and the 1898 Irish Fair names list. Other items of note in the collection and recent Genealogy Club topics will whet your appetite for a visit or membership
When: Saturday, June 28, 2025 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Where: Online or in person at the CGS Library 2201 Broadway, Oakland
Cost: Free for CGS Members, $10 for non-members
How to Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/irish-ancestry-special-interest-group-registration-1243718227699?aff=oddtdtcreator

Chinese American Genealogy: Silver Linings
Sponsored by the Genealogy Institute/National Genealogical Society. Coordinated by Grant Din. He brings together a team of 13 other faculty members in various aspects of Chinese American Genealogy including access to Immigration and Naturalization case files, DNA, zupu, ancestral village visits, etc. This course will focus on Chinese American genealogy from the early gold miners and railroad builders through years of government exclusion and the records left behind. Post World War II, it will talk about ways families began to be created and reunited through war brides legislation and then finally the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965. It will also provide information on learning about families in China. (Grant Din, Ron Can, Patrick Chew, Baldwin Chiu, Tammy Hepps, Michael Ho, Larissa Lam, Leona Lau, Marisa Louie Lee, Jeanie Low, Carly Lane Morgan, Trish Hackett Nicola, Linda Harms Okazaki)
When: Sunday, June 22 through Friday, June 27
Cost: Regular Price: $585.00, NGS Member Price: $550.00
Registration and more information: https://grip.ngsgenealogy.org/courses/chinese-american-genealogy-silver-linings/

Finding Missing Ancestors in Institutional Records, Part 2
This is Part 2. Do you have any family members who mysteriously disappeared? Were their rumors that they were institutionalized or committed to a “lunatic asylum”? “poorhouse”? What about orphanages? Or other places not to be mentioned like jails? Madeline Yanov will provide tips on where to find records and other sources for clues such as court records, probate or surrogate records, newspapers, and death records so your ancestor doesn’t have to be lost anymore.
When: Wednesday, July 9, 2025 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Where: Online
How to Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/finding-missing-ancestors-in-institutional-records-part-ii-registration-1359521197499

Artificial Intelligence
Details to follow, but Stephen Little, AI Program Director for the National Genealogical Society and the founder of AI Genealogy Insights will give a talk for us in July.
When: Saturday, July 26, 2025 at 11:00 a.m.
Where: Online via Zoom
Cost: Free to CGS members
How to Register: Forthcoming

French Lingotiers: Immigrants to the Gold Rush
Anne Morddel will be speaking on the French Lingotiers:immigrants to the Gold Rush. In addition, Anne will also give us four video lectures on beginning French genealogy that participants can view prior to the lecture. (We hope to have these loaded for access by June 12) After the talk she will take questions on the lecture and the videos.
When: Saturday, July 12, 2025 at 1:00 p.m.
Where: Online via Zoom
Cost: Free to CGS members
How to Register: Forthcoming

CGS Member Experience
Keith Montgomery and Janet Netz will share with us how they got started with AI and their excitement about what they have learned.
When: Saturday, August 9, 2025 at 1:00 p.m.
Where: CGS Library and Online via Zoom
Cost: Free to CGS members
How to Register: Forthcoming

AI Discussion
Keith Montgomery and Janet Netz will host a Zoom discussion group the following week to follow-up and gauge interest in a possible CGS AI SIG.
When: Wednesday, August 13, 2025 at 6:30 p.m.
Where: Online via Zoom
Cost: Free to CGS members
How to Register: Forthcoming

Using Artificial Intelligence on FamilySearh: Some Amazing Discoveries and Broken Brick Walls
Kelvin Brewer of the Oakland FamilySearch Center will give a talk about using AI with FamilySearch.
When: Wednesday, September 10, 2025 at 6:30 p.m.
Where: Online via Zoom
Cost: Free
How to Register: Forthcoming

Helpful Links
Events: https://www.californiaancestors.org/events-and-education/
Special Interest Groups: https://www.californiaancestors.org/special-interest-groups-for-members/
Calendar view: https://www.californiaancestors.org/cgs_calendar/
Recordings for Members: https://www.californiaancestors.org/videos_for_cgs_members/
Tips & Talk: Oakland FamilySearch Center Family History Classes: https://www.familysearch.org/en/centers/oakland_california/classes

To register for an event or for more information, click the link for any event. All times are Pacific Time.
Questions? Email [email protected]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qrriKcwvlY

(Sorry to steal our Jukebox Genealogy’s theme of a song, but if it fits, it fits!)

If you’ve gotten to your Nugget yet, you will see our president, Roger Prince’s write up of where we are headed. From working with other genealogical societies, I know that all are all striving for growing and retaining membership and engagement. CGS has strategically tackled this issue since 2022 and the ideas and implementations continue.

Member interaction with one another is key. To this end, you see every Friday here in the blog a listing of all the “neighborhood” meet-ups that are being hosted in multiple cities and of the special interest groups that meet in person. You see the Jukebox Genealogy, where we can read about one another and find common points of interest in our family history. You see this blog where I share with you and you share with me (and then I share that out, with permission, of course!). Our common enthusiasm for genealogy inherently makes us enthusiastic for each other.

CGS leadership works hard to have several in-person meetings each month on multiple topics, as well as offer many online opportunities for those of us who find it hard to travel to Oakland frequently. There were 77 attendees (I was one!) who attended the all-day Irish event. That was such a great reminder for me of the “old days” when all meetings were in person. I urge you to try to get to a genealogy something in person once a month. If you are more of a Salt Lake City kinda person, CGS hosts these usually every year or so. Stay tuned, because, while I’ve never personally been, I’ve coveted those trips for many years. I love that there are pre-meetings so you can prepare before you go. The leaders do an amazing job of organizing it all.

Lastly for now, volunteer! I work full time, go to school, and volunteer here and at another genealogical society. Nothing brings you closer or more joy than doing something you love for those who have helped and supported you for your entire genealogy adventure!

I say this in the blog a lot, but if you are not a member, you are missing out on all this. If you are a member, remember to take advantage of what CGS has to offer, including the facilitation of the opportunity to give back.

Special links for today:
• Membership- https://www.californiaancestors.org/join-cgs-application/
• The Nugget- https://www.californiaancestors.org/submit-to-the-nugget/
• The Calendar- https://www.californiaancestors.org/cgs_calendar/
• Volunteer Opportunities- https://www.californiaancestors.org/volunteer-opportunities/