Trailhead Now Open at Richland Family History Center

In Richard Allen’s presentation that he gave April 8 and titled “A Treasure Trove of Family History Information” he provided a wonderful analogy. He explained that genealogists’ Treasure Troves are articles and documents that provide them with information about their ancestors. In true pirate fashion Richard explained that in order to locate a treasure a treasure-map is necessary. Genealogists can use the Family History Library Catalog at https://familysearch.org/catalog-search as their treasure map. This treasure map will actually guide researchers to treasures located at the Richland Family History Center. There are over 10,000 treasures located at the Richland Family History Center and they will soon all be listed in the catalog.

Richard also explained that changes would be coming soon to the Richland Family History Center. One of the changes that he announced is that a Conversation Area would be made available to help facilitate conversations between researchers and library assistants. Within a week of Richard’s announcement the Conversation Area was completed.

Sandra Meacham Floberg shared, “Although I knew about the passports required for traveling through ‘Indian Territory’ in the South and Southeast in the early 1800s, I had no idea RFHC had a book documenting those passports!” Now these Indian Territory passports and many more treasures can be located at the Richland Family History Center. If you need assistance, start at the trailhead which is also known as the Conversation Area.

Other changes coming to the Richland Family History Center include a computer lab, complete with a teaching station and twelve hands-on computers for classroom attendees. Watch for announcements about this computer lab activity and additional upgrades coming to your local Family History Center. 

April 8, 2015 TCGS Meeting with Richard Allen

Last Wednesday evening Richard Allen, Director of the Richland Family History Center (FHC) and TriCity Genealogical Society (TCGS) member gave an excellent presentation to the membership at the monthly meeting at the Clover Island Inn, Kennewick.  Richard’s presentation was called “New items at the Richland FHC and how to use some of the older sources”.  Richard started his talk by giving some of the history of the FHC and its association with TCGS.  Richard then went on to describe some upcoming changes to the infrastructure of the FHC to make it more appealing to patrons. 

Richard described the holdings at the FHC and that a project is ongoing to re-catalog the books and get the catalog on line.  Richard showed the members present that you could go to FamilySearch and using their catalog search engine locate the holdings for the Richland FHC.

Richard then gave a presentation showing that not all information is online by walking through some research that he had done where much of the information came from the FHC holdings.  Some this information has never been digitized and put on the internet.

This section fitted in nicely with the Archived Document Contest that TCGS is running through the beginning of next year.   (Go to the TCGS website for more information on this contest)

One other item that came up during Richard’s presentation was that the Richland FHC has some books that even the Family History Library in Salt Lake City does not have in their collections. 

So just don’t do your research online check out the Family History Centers, Family History Library, local libraries, etc as you look for the dead.

John F Covey

TCGS President

In March 2015 We Met The Archivist

Brigid Clift, Central Region Archivist for the Washington State Archives, provided a transparent view of her activities and responsibilities as the Archivist of government records last night to the TriCity Genealogical Society.

There are various reasons why government agency records need to be retained. Some retention schedules require that the records be held for 99 years or permanently! As the Archivist, Brigid answers many questions on how long records need to be kept. She also collects records from various agencies and takes them to the Central Region Branch of the Washington State Archives for storage. The Central Region Archives provides archival and records management services for Benton, Chelan, Douglas, Franklin, Grant, Kittitas, Klickitat, Okanogan, and Yakima county government agencies. The facility is state-of-the-art and Brigid encouraged those planning on attending the 2015 Washington State Genealogical Society conference to tour the Archives while in Ellensburg.

Brigid shared copies of various types of records to provide an idea of what is available at the Archives. She encouraged genealogists to interact with her. A major function of her job is obtaining material. She does this with the desire to share what she has collected. She explained three ways that she shares information from the Archives; requests, visits, and volunteer interaction.

Look-ups and research requests can be sent to CEBranchArchives@sos.wa.gov. Brigid explained that she enjoys providing this type of service but encouraged some work on the part of the researcher before sending a request. Record groups descriptions, including date range and volume size, is available at www.sos.wa.gov/archives/archives_central.aspx. The most productive requests fit within the description of the record group. If a date in not known, a date range should be provided in the request.

Due to budget cuts the Central Region Archives has limited hours for visits. It is important to call or email before visiting to ensure that the archives are open and that someone is available to pull requested records. Brigid encouraged a review of the holdings before a visit. A review of the volume size gives the researcher information to plan how long their research efforts may take. Some record groups are indexed and some are not. This information is also available in the holdings list.

The Genealogical Society of Utah has recently scanned a large amount of images for the Central Region Archives. Volunteers can help with indexing these scanned images which is necessary before they become searchable online through the Digital Archives. To set up an account to help with this project go to scribe.digitalarchives.wa.gov or contact the Historical Records Project at hrp@sos.wa.gov for more information.

It was a treat to have Brigid speak at the TriCity Genealogical Society March meeting. We got to learn that Archivists are real people who love the records that they take care of and that they want to share these records. She represented the role of Archivist, of which there are many. Brigid reminded us that each state government and archive has its own way of conducting business.

Monthly meeting December 10 with Susan Davis Faulkner as the speaker.

Wednesday, December 10, 2014 Susan Davis Faulkner will be talking about using indirect evidence in her presentation titled “Indirectly Speaking” this Wednesday night at Clover Island Inn.

 Indirect evidence is a method of research that is usually explained by using case studies to break down brick walls created by the lack of easy to locate records. Land records, probate records, maps, and tax rolls typically enhance these case studies and make the typical genealogist’s head swirl. Susan will teach how to use indirect evidence by using contemporary records all found online to show just how easy it is to master this mode of thinking.

Susan has been out of the state for several months and looks forward to seeing you for dinner at 5:30 at the Clover Island Inn. If you don’t come for dinner, come for the presentation which is scheduled to start at 7:00 pm.

An additional item of interest at the meeting will be a raffle of genealogical-related items.

TCGS November Bulletin

The November Bulletin for TCGS has been placed on our website in the Members Only section for reading.  The bulletin contains the following articles and much more.

• SOME MEMORIES OF THE COVEY CHRISTMASES 
• LIST of 5-GENERATION ARTICLES in the Tri-City Herald
• Article on Writing an Interesting Family Story
• Listing of obituaries from the Files of the Yakima Valley Genealogical Society covering
• Larson, Clifford to McGhuey, Grace
• List of Births (1903-1907) from the Card Files of the Yakima Valley (WA) Genealogical Society
• Golden Wedding Anniversaries (or greater) published in the Tri-City Herald, Tri-Cities, WA

If you are interested in some of these articles then go to the TCGS website at http://www.tricitygenealogicalsociety.org/wiki/doku.php/tcgs:join and join the society.

French Canadians in Walla Walla area

On Thursday Margie Belden, Education Chair gave a talk on KONA radio Time Capsule about French-Canadian history particularly dealing with Frenchtown near Walla Walla.  The history of Frenchtown and the area goes back to the early 1800’s.  While doing her research for the talk Margie told me that she saw some French-Canadian surnames that might be distant cousins.  There is a Frenchtown Historic Site that is now open 8 miles west of Walla Walla on old Highway 12.  This is maintained by the Frenchtown Historical Foundation. 

Among things to see

Restoration of oldest existing cabin in Washington State Cabin was probably built for Pierre pambrun, chief trader at the Hudson’s Bay Co. at Fort Walla Walla in about 1837. Built as a peace offering for the Prince of the Cayuse village. Documentation from Narcissa Whitman dated 1844 and other independent documentation establish that the cabin was built on the Umatilla River in 1837 for Young Chief, another Cayuse headman

St Rose of Lima Mission Cemetery and associated markers

Interpretive shelter

Interpretive trails

The following timeline is from the Frenchtown Historical Foundation website

1818 – The Canadian Northwest Company establishes Fort Nez Perces at was now Wallula, this was the first trading post in the area.

1821 – The Canadian Northwest Company and the Hudson’s Bay Company merge and the trading post is rebuilt as Fort Walla Walla.

1824 - Near the mouth of Walla Walla River the first cabin was built by Joseph LaRocque and his wife Lizette Walla Walla.

1836 – The Whitmans establish mission; dozen of families were already living in the area.

1841-45 - The Oregon Trail emigrants begin parading through Frenchtown on their way to the south bank of Columbia River to Willamette Valley, OR

1847 - Catholic St. Anne Mission established on Umatilla River but vacated same year as Whitman massacre

1848-1850 - Cayuse Indian War

1853 - St Rose of the Cayouse Mission and Cemetery established on Yellowhawk Creek (in Walla Walla) but burned in 1855 during Yakama War.

1855 - 7-10 December: Battle of Walla Walla or The Battle of Frenchtown this was the longest battle in the history of the Washington Territory . 350 Oregon mounted volunteers versus 1000 Walla Walla, Cayuse, Palouse and Yakama warriors

Chief Peopeomoxmox tried to establish a truce but after battle was again begun, he and four others were executed

Cabins of Jean LaRocque and Louis Tellier were totally involved in the conflict

1859 - Indian lands opened to white settlement; Walla Walla established

1863 –Catholic Chapel erected in the area and a cemetery established

1870 - Log school house was built

1876-1893 - St Rose of Lima Mission Church and Cemetery (from river cemetery) were mainly French Canadian of the Hudson Bay Co., their Indian, French and Métis wives and their descendants

1912 - Final burial at Frenchtown cemetery

If you get a chance go see the Frenchtown Historic Site and learn more about Frenchtown at their web site. frenchtownpartners.org

Members Guided thru Google.com

Mikal McKinnon, our TCGS Past President, Assistant Family History Center Director and Washington State Genealogical Society President, took our TCGS members through a tour of Google.com. The outline for the class can be found online at:  https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Google_Commands:_How_to_Search_More_Effectively. This was the basis Mike used to help the TCGS members learn the ins and outs of searching with Google.  When I peeked in on the class, they were all glued to their monitors finding interesting things on their families.  The final tip was a place to have google help you search for your genealogy online: http://www.genealogy-search-help.com/.

I believe the final conclusion would be that everyone got something out of Mike’s presentation. I know of one person who was going home to continue her search. I’d bet the others were anxious to get home and continue their searches as well.

Thanks Mike for a great presentation.