Search the Calendar

When Corey Smith decided to document his grandfather's first marriage it seemed like a simple journey - get the marriage license and enter into the software.  But the documents weren't definitive on their own and he struggled to weave the evidence into a cohesive narrative.  That sent Corey on a second journey, to find a better way to do genealogy research and document his findings. Join us for Sno-Isle Genealogical Society's (SIGS) May General Meeting when Corey will share his false starts, missteps and surprises on his way to a solid proof and a new set of research techniques. The meeting is open to the public.  It begins at 7:00 pm with a welcome, updates on the SIGS elections and major announcements on grants.  The main presentation will begin at 7:20 pm.  The live stream will also begin at 7:00 pm on the Society's Facebook page.

Meghan's thesis research weaves together multiple stories of indigenous and Euro-American families who surrounded and interacted with an archaeological deposit originally excavated and analyzed in 2008 from Arlington, Washington. Her reanalysis of the archaeological assemblage employs a biographical approach, which looks at how the 'lifetimes' of artifacts discarded in the privy are connected to the lives of the Teagar, Hurd, Lovelace, and Weimer families who owned and occupied the site between 1890 and 1940. In order to construct nuanced and compelling biographies of the site, she employed extensive archival and genealogical research with the help of Stillaguamish Valley Genealogical Society in 2021. Her talk will discuss how genealogical methods were used in her research, how this kind of historical information is more broadly useful to archaeologists, and explore the ethical implications of using publicly available genealogical information for archaeological research. Meghan Caves has worked as an archaeologist in the Pacific Northwest since 2018 and just received her Master’s Degree in anthropology from the University of Idaho. In addition to her ongoing doctoral studies at U of I, she also works an archaeological technician at the Umatilla National Forest out of the Pomeroy Ranger District in Southeastern Washington. Meghan’s love of history, archaeology, and genealogy stem from her childhood experiences with her grandmother, JoAnn Gardner, who was an avid genealogist in the Yakima Valley.

Join us in-person or online in October to learn about Genealogical Records from a Funeral Home.  Emily Palmer from Beck's Funeral Home in Edmonds will speak about the records that funeral homes have and process.  The meeting is open to member and non-members alike.  Please email askus@snoislegenealogy.org for more information. 

Janet Bruckshen is the youngest of 5 girls born to Marie Malgesini who immigrated from Mese, Italy in 1938. The family left behind property and loved ones in their hurry to flee the rule of Benito Mussolini. Janet will share the story of the family’s journey to the states and her and her sisters’ quest to return to Italy and find the cabin her mother cherished. Janet Bruckshen is the Executive Director of Washington Vocational Services, a not-for-profit organization which provides employment and community services to individuals with disabilities. She has been in the field for over 40 years, following in the footsteps of her mother who was one of the first Placement Specialists in the State of Washington. The event is available as a live stream on Zoom.  

You received or gave a DNA test kit for Christmas, but what do you do when you get the results.  SIGS member Craig Gowens will help you on your next steps and take your questions on how to best use the results to advance, or start, your family history journey.   The meeting is open to members and the general public.  The presentation will be in person at the Wickers Building at Heritge park but there will be a Zoom live stream too.  Email us for details or for the Zoom link at askus@snoislegenealogy.org.

Is the public library part of your genealogical research toolkit?  If not you may be missing many great services and resources.  Nate Cushman from the Snohomish Library will give us a tour of what's available in-library and online, from local records to newspaper to inter-library borrowing and much more.   Nate Cushman has worked as a Librarian with Sno-isle Libraries for 30 years. His love for libraries began at an early age due to being a military brat and moving every 2 years. Being a shy kid, (at least until basketball season rolled around), libraries became his refuge whenever he arrived in a new town. Over his career, genealogical research has evolved from a professional requirement to a personal passion. This presentation is open to members and the general public.  The presentation will be live at the Wickers Building in Heritage Park (Lynnwood, WA), but will also be live streamed via Zoom

You may know FamilySearch as a free online tool to research your family history, but there's so much more under the FamilySearch umbrella. Join Judd Williams from the Shoreline FamilySearch Center on March 6th as he explores the world of FamilySearch. He'll provide an overview of the FamilySearch Family Tree (FSFT), demonstrate how to use the FamilySearch Research Wiki, highlight valuable resources available at the Center in Mountlake Terrace, like historical records, microfilm readers, and expert volunteers, and answer your FamilySearch questions. Judd was Director of the Shoreline FamilySearch Center from 2014 to 2020 and continues to help others on Thursdays mornings. He's passionate about using genealogy and DNA to connect people with their past, a pursuit that led him to discover his own "lost" family. Judd's presentation is open to Society members and to the general public at no cost.  The presentation will be live at the Wickers Building in Heritage Park (Lynnwood, WA) and will also be live streamed via Zoom

Your family's stories, treasures, and celebrations are the building blocks of future traditions. When your descendants wonder where they came from, will they have the answers they seek? Join Corey Smith as he urges you to take simple steps to preserve vital information for future generations. Drawing from his own family history, Corey will guide you through the types of information worth capturing and methods for collecting it. Don't let your family's legacy fade into obscurity – empower yourself to become the ancestor future genealogists will rely on.

We are changing the agenda for the meeting. 

6:30 pm (in-person only) - Socializing and treats at the Wicker's building
7:00 pm (in-person and Zoom) - SIGS announcements
7:15 pm (in-person and Zoom) - "Be the Great Ancestor Future Genealogists Need" presentation/Q&A
8:30 pm (in-person and Zoom) - Geneal Q&A
8:45 pm (in-person only) - Post function conversation, society activities, collect officer nominations, clean-up

Corey Smith serves as the President of the Sno-Isle Genealogical Society.  While he has benefited greatly from the remembrances, scrapbooks, and keepsakes left by his ancestors, he has also experienced the gaps left by unrecorded stories and individuals.

What if despite all your diligence, all your research, and being a conscientious genealogist, you suddenly wonder if it's all wrong? That's the thought that our presenter, Gabrielle Hillgrove, had when researching one of her family lines. Join Gabrielle as she talks about what went through her mind (panic), how she's tackling this problem when you know all the online trees are going to show the information in question, and how to determine what's credible when everything has been thrown into question. We can't promise you answers, but you'll learn some of the thought processes and techniques of addressing an issue like this without losing heart. Gabrielle is Vice-President of the Sno-Isle Genealogical Society. She doesn't have as much time to research her family as she'd like (who does) and she definitely doesn't have all the research answers, but she loves the process of Genealogy, putting together clues, and learning more than just the dates and places associated with her ancestors.
6:30 pm - Social gathering and Officer elections (in-person only)
7:00 pm - Introductions and Society updates (in-person and Zoom)
7:10 pm - Presentation and Q&A (in-person and Zoom)
8:30 pm - Closing, social gathering (in-person only)

Are you curious about your family’s history but unsure where to begin? During the Sno-Isle Genealogical Society's September 4th general meeting, society President Corey Smith will help you take that all-important first step. Whether you’re just starting your journey or looking to refine your research skills, this session is designed to guide you through the basics of family history and genealogy. The presentation will introduce attendees to key concepts, recommend practical tips, provide tools to start their journey, and suggest different ways to capture their family's history. There will be plenty of time for questions, so participants are encouraged to bring their curiosity. This meeting is free and open to the public. The in-person meeting will take place from 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm in the Wickers Building, 19921 Poplar Way, Lynnwood in Heritage Park. For those who prefer, the presentation will be live-streamed on Zoom beginning at 7:00 pm

Family photos are precious, fixing particular moments in time so one can remember not just the people but the place, what we wore, what we experienced and what we shared. Over the years pictures get damaged, colors fade or change as the dyes decay. New digital technology, accessible to all, can remove tears, fingerprint smudges and restore colors to what they were when we first saw them. Mr. Summitt has used Microsoft Photos and Adobe Photoshop to do image restoration and will show you the basics of how easy it is to do simple picture restoration so one doesn’t need to be distracted by damage on favorite images. Christopher Summitt has been into history and graphics restoration since working as a ranger historian at Custer Batttlefield National Monument, the local Mukilteo Historical Society and his current work on the Boeing Everett Factory tour which at times involves the Boeing Archives.  He’ll show us simple ways to scan/acquire images and restore them once captured. The in-person gathering begins at 6:30 pm   The in-person/online presentation begins at 7:00 pm. 
6:30 pm - Social gathering (in-person only)
7:00 pm - Digital Restoration of Your Family Photos (in-person and Zoom)
8:30 pm - Open Q&A (in-person and Zoom)
8:45 pm - Conclusion (in-person only)

Genealogy gives us the facts, but personal and family histories bring them to life. Carla Swedish of Heritage Writers specializes in helping people tell their story in a written narrative that will captivate future generations. In this presentation, she will talk about weaving your genealogical data; personal photos, letters, memorabilia and family heirlooms; historical context; and first-person storytelling into rich, engaging narratives. Born in Connecticut and a Snohomish County resident since 1992, Carla began her career as a singer-actress, dedicated to capturing unique characters in specific circumstances. Her passion for storytelling led her to write family profiles for local media, and in 2020, she founded Heritage Writers. Now, she helps individuals and families tell their own unique stories through personal and family histories. The in-person gathering begins at 6:30 pm   The in-person/online presentation begins at 7:00 pm. 
6:30 pm - Social gathering (in-person only)
7:00 pm - Transforming Your Genealogy Research into a Personal or Family History (in-person and Zoom)
8:30 pm - Open Q&A (in-person and Zoom)
8:45 pm - Conclusion (in-person only)