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May Membership Meeting
Please note the earlier start time!

Saturday, May 10, 2008, 1:00 p.m.
CGS Library, 2201 Broadway at 22nd, Oakland.

Please join us for two special talks by Dr. Stephen P. Morse.

“What Color Ellis Island Search Form Should I Use?”

& “The Jewish Calendar Demystified”

CGS members will have double the pleasure when popular speaker Steve Morse returns in May.

Steve’s first talk will describe the evolution of the One-Step Ellis Island Web site to the One-Step Web Pages. In April 2001 the Ellis Island ship manifests and passenger records went online. A few weeks later the One-Step Ellis Island website was created to make this resource easier to use. Since that time the One-Step site has been greatly expanded to include new search capabilities and an array of color-coded search forms.

He will describe the evolution of the website from both a historical and a practical perspective, and provide a beacon for navigating through this color maze.

Dr. Morse’s second lecture is a tongue-in-cheek but factual description of the Jewish Calendar as seen through the eyes of Adam and Eve. Because it is both a solar and lunar calendar, the rules that govern it can be a bit daunting. This piece was recently published in the Association of Professional Genealogists Quarterly which reflects its general appeal. It’s not just for people doing Jewish genealogy – and is a very humorous talk!

The May 2008 issue of the CGS News, Volume XXXIX, No. 3, has been mailed out to members and its twelve pages are chock-full of news and information.

In This Issue:
“Post-1906 Immigration and Naturalization Records: Part I” by Nancy Peterson
Research Trip to the NEHGS Library in Boston: Registration Flier
A Tsunami of New Books, Books and More Books
Book Review, Events, and much more.

The CGS News, edited by Jane Hufft and produced by Lois Elling, is published six times a year by the California Genealogical Society. An annual subscription to the bi-monthly newsletter is included in a society membership ($35 per year). The newsletter keeps members up-to-date regarding speakers, trips, and other events of interest to family history researchers. Articles on relevant aspects of California history and ongoing publication of vital records are some of the regular topics.

Members of the Marin County Genealogical Society have journeyed to Oakland as a group twice in the last month. Jim Robinson, who is a member of both societies, organized the field trips, first to the CGS March Membership Meeting at the Oakland Regional Family History Center to hear Margery Bell’s update on the changes at the Family History Library. On April 5, 2008, a group of six came from the MCGS for First Saturdays Free to spend a day at the CGS Library to do a day of research.

The group included (L. to R.) Shirley Genetin, President; Jim Robinson, Vice-President; Pam Saulter; Doris Salvisberg, Director of Hospitality; John Bowman, Past Treasurer (also a CGS member) and Will Deady. The Marin County Genealogical Society was formed in May 1977 in Novato, California.

CGS welcomes interested groups to come and tour the library and spend some time exploring our resources. Contact CGS at (510) 663-1358 to schedule a field trip.