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

As you may have noticed, I try to keep steady with the blog. Wednesdays I try to highlight CGS items. Fridays I highlight upcoming meetings. But Mondays… Mondays are mine. I tend to use Mondays as my day to post whatever I feel like in this blog and the research for it keeps me THINKING! 🙂 When planning for today, I realized two things:
1. It is Cinco de Mayo.
2. I don’t really know anything about Cinco de Mayo.

As genealogists, is there really anything more exciting than finding out you don’t know anything about a particular subject?!? We know what to do! We have places to run to in the Internet and we definitely know how to run down rabbit holes. I began with Google, which showed me a quick clip of Wikipedia and what caught my eye was 1862, because that was during the American Civil War. So what did Cinco de Mayo have to do with our Civil War?

Cinco de Mayo is the celebration of Mexico’s win over France in of the Battle of Puebla in 1862, not, as I was led to believe, the celebration of Mexico’s independence (September 16, 1810). Cinco de Mayo is actually more popular here in the US than it is in Mexico, with the American liquor companies hyping it up in the 1980s.

But what about the Civil War? Well, Mexico owed some money to France (and England and Spain, but England and Spain were reasonable and cut a deal). France (i.e. THE Napolean’s nephew) decided that this was a great reason to invade Mexico and capture Mexico City. Once he did that, he could provide guns to the Confederates in trade for cotton. Cotton was scarce due to the Union shipping blockades and so Napolean saw power and money in this game. After landing in Veracruz, on his march toward Mexico City, he was stopped in Puebla.

Napoleon III retreated and even though they made it to Mexico City a year later, it was too late for the Confederacy by then. Interestingly, the Union’s win in the Civil War was one of the main reasons that France gave up Mexico and returned to their own land. Well, that and, you know, the US lending money and guns to the Mexican defense.

Happy Cinco de Mayo! Some of us Americans celebrate with a margarita and a taco. Sounds way better to me than escargot!

P.S. Speaking of margaritas, did you know that the first frozen margarita machine was invented in 1971 by the owner of a Dallas restaurant? He modified a soft-service ice cream machine in order to mass-produce margaritas in the theme of 7-11s’ Slurpees.

Sources:
Cinco de Mayo, “Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia,” the Wikimedia Foundation, modified 21 April 2025, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinco_de_Mayo, (accessed 4/27/2025).

Dave Roos, How Cinco de Mayo Helped Prevent a Confederate Victory in the Civil War, History.com, published 1 May 2019, https://www.history.com/articles/cinco-de-mayo-battle-puebla-civil-war, (accessed 4/27/2025)

Nuestras Raices (Our Roots) at Pima County Library, Cinco de Mayo: The American Civil War Connection, Pima County Library, published 1 May 2018, https://www.library.pima.gov/blogs/post/cinco-de-mayo-the-american-civil-war-connection/, (accessed 4/27/2025)

Google Maps, Directions from Veracruz to Puebla to Mexico City, Google, imagery NASA copyright 2025,
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Heroica+Veracruz,+Veracruz,+Mexico/Puebla,+Mexico/Mexico+City,+Mexico/@18.7820548,-100.5923158,1015050m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m20!4m19!1m5!1m1!1s0x85c3414245ca78c5:0x18a4d642e936019b!2m2!1d-96.1342241!2d19.173773!1m5!1m1!1s0x85cfc0bd5ebc7a3b:0x48a6461de494ad95!2m2!1d-98.2062727!2d19.0414398!1m5!1m1!1s0x85ce0026db097507:0x54061076265ee841!2m2!1d-99.133208!2d19.4326077!3e0?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDQyMy4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D (accessed 4/27/2025)

Franz Lids, The Uniquely Texan Origins of the Frozen Margarita, Smithsonian, published July 2018, https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/uniquely-texas-origins-frozen-margarita-180969339/, (accessed 4/27/2025)

National Museum of American History, National Museum of American History Acquires Frozen Margarita Machine, National Museum of American History, published 27 September 2005, https://americanhistory.si.edu/press/releases/national-museum-american-history-acquires-frozen-margarita-machine, (accessed 4/27/2025)

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.

If interested in a Regional Gathering in your area, please contact Kim Farnham-Flom ([email protected]).

Introduction to Genealogy for 2025
In these 4-week sessions the CGS experts will help you get started with your research or reboot your research. The classes may be taken in any order, and participation in one class is not required to attend others in the series. See below for dates and topics:
• Jan 4, May 3, Sep 6 Genealogy Basics Overview
• Feb 1, Jun 7, Oct 4 Using the Census
• Mar 1, Jul 5, Nov 1 Vital Records (Birth, Marriage, and Death)
• Apr 5, Aug 2, Dec 6 Organizing Your Family History Work

When: Saturday, May 3, 2025 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Where: Virtually via Zoom or in person at the CGS Library
Cost: Free!
How to Register (Note: Separate registration required for each session: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2025-intro-to-genealogy-1st-saturday-free-overview-and-focused-topics-registration-1114289041519)

Mayflower Descendants Special Interest Group (SIG)
Do you have Mayflower ancestors (or think you may have them)? Join Robert Trapp the first Saturday of each month to lean more. This SIG meets on the first Saturday of each month in person at the CGS Library. Each month will vary as to the subject matter followed by a Q&A session. Robert is an expert in all things Mayflower and can help show you what you need to join the Society of California Mayflower Descendants or learn more about your Mayflower ancestors.
When: Saturday, May 3, 2025 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Where: CGS Library
Cost: Free to CGS members
For more information, please contact: Robert Trapp

Special Event:
Unlock the Past in Lamorinda: Strategies for History and Genealogy Research

Join us for an in person engaging talk on how to uncover the rich history of our Lamorinda community and trace the roots of early settlers. This session will introduce key resources such as archives, libraries, historical societies, and online databases, while also exploring effective research strategies for both genealogy and local history.

Learn how to navigate records, interpret historical documents, and piece together stories from the past. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced researcher, this talk will provide valuable insights and practical tips to enhance your historical research journey. Join us to learn new tips and resources and to share your insights and questions.

In addition to Susan’s talk, Mary McCosker from the Lafayette Historical Society and Vivian Ricci, representing the Orinda Historical Society will make brief presentations about their society’s and have informational materials available.

When: Saturday, May 10, 2025 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Where: Morago Library, Community Room, 1500 St. Mary’s Road, Moraga, CA
How to Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/unlock-the-past-in-lamorinda-strategies-for-history-and-genealogy-research-registration-1273316617279

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]

Facebook may be a way to keep up with the happenings of your peers, but do not underestimate what it can do for your genealogy. I joined a “You know you are from (small town in Iowa) if…” page many years ago. I posted about my second great grandparents who had lived there and people remembered them sitting on their porch every morning waving at the kids as they passed to attend the high school down the street.

Dozens of people chimed in about them, recalling how my great great grandmother used one of the ear horn things because she couldn’t hear well. I knew their BMD info. But not this part of their personalities.

I also joined a marvelous group combining three of my favorite things: genealogy, crime, and books (Genealogical Crime Mystery Book Club). There is a Genealogy and AI group that I’ve also received some great tidbits from. A few posts back, I mentioned a family genealogy Facebook page. A cousin in Scotland started it and has found cousins all over to join. I host a site for my 2nd great grandfather and have his life chronicled from every piece of everything I could find about him.

In the theme of Facebook positives, CGS has two lovely Facebook pages. California Genealogical Society is used for CGS news and even. You will find upcoming events, summary of events and other genealogical related news here. The most recent reminds you of the Leeds Method in Genetic Genealogy class coming up. If you missed it, members can access the recording here: https://www.californiaancestors.org/videos_for_cgs_members/

The other CGS Facebook page is used for genealogical discussion. California Genealogical Society: Discussion has other genealogical society news as well as questions that come in. Recently a question came in from Australia about a relative who died in CA in 1910. The CGS Facebook members found a ton of information for him and it was fun to read through the whole chain of comments. If you don’t have a question to pose… you may be the one with the answer!

Links to join are below:
* https://www.facebook.com/CAancestors
* https://www.facebook.com/groups/CGSdiscussion/

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