Upcoming SMCGS Events

Spring Seminar 2018:   Forensic Genealogy plus California Research:  Missions to Present  Info and Registration click here. Early Bird registration deadline in two  weeks on April 27. See below for more seminar details. ______________________________________________________________ April Meeting: English Probate and Death Duty Records Speaker: Christine Bell Green, PLCGS Date: Saturday, April 21, 10:30 am - 12 noon 10:00 am Cookies & coffee 10:30 am - 12 noon  Announcements Sharing Stories: June Baxter will read My Roommate Location: Grace Lutheran Church, 2825 Alameda de las Pulgas, SM Entrance in back. English probate records, when available, can  be instrumental in providing primary information  about family relationships. They frequently  provide direct evidence that links adult children with their parents and/or siblings. Wills of  childless or single people are especially worth  collecting as they typically name several family  members (including nephews and nieces).   During the 19th century an additional set of  records, death duty records, which complement  probate records is extant. Death duty records are  available for both testate and intestate probate  cases. Record types and methodology will be  discussed.  Christine Bell Green has a professional learning certificate in Genealogical Studies  from the University of Toronto. She is a ProGen graduate and an alumnus of the  Salt Lake Institute, the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research, and the  Genealogy Research Institute of Pittsburgh where she studied a variety of  advanced level courses. She is a past president and current seminar chair of  SMCGS and a professional researcher who teaches Genealogy in Palo Alto and  Mountain View/Los Altos Adult Schools. In her spare time she travels to visit  her living relatives. This event is free and all are welcome. ______________________________________________________________ More information on SMCGS classes and events  can be found on our website here. ______________________________________________________________ Spring Seminar 2018: Forensic Genealogy  plus  California Research: Missions to Present with  Sheila Benedict Registration is open! Saturday  ~    May 5, 2018  ~  9 am - 3 pm Early Bird Registration until Friday, April 27: $45 Members - $50 Non-members - $10 Lunch After April 27 & Walk-ins $55 Professional genealogist Sheila Benedict brings to life her in-depth forensic, historic, and family genealogical experience through examples and case studies from courthouses to California missions.  Sheila is the recipient of the National Genealogical Society Award of Merit and is the author of the NGS publication, "Research in California." Seminar talks (detail below):     - Forensic Genealogy: What it is and is not; Case Studies     - California Research: Past and Present      - California Historic Missions and their Records For more information and registration, click here. Also at the seminar: Book Sale A good selection of gently used genealogical books. If you have some books you no longer use, please consider donating them to the book sale and bringing to the February and March meetings. Silent Auction -  Some great donations from the following companies: From Ancestry.com             2 semi-annual World Explorer individual memberships to Ancestry             1 annual Fold3.com subscription             1 annual Newspapers.com Basic subscription             1 AncestryDNA kit From MyHeritage.com:               1 year subscription to My Heritage or 1 My Heritage DNA kit From FindMyPast.com:  12 month Ultimate British and Irish subscription (top level!) From GenealogyBank:                1 year subscription to GenealogyBank             1 year subscription to GenealogyBank Book: "Life of William Grimes, the Runaway Slave" by William L. Andrews (Editor), Regina E. Mason (Editor) Home-baked Cookies - SMCGS bakers will be mixing up their usual hard-to-resist homemade cookies and bars. To download the seminar flyer, click here.  For more information and registration, click here. We look forward to seeing you for what is going to be a fascinating seminar. Warm regards, Christine Green Seminar Chair seminars@smcgs.org www.smcgs.org Seminar topic descriptions: Introduction to Forensic genealogy: What it is and what it is not What is Forensic Genealogy? This definition is that it is genealogical research done in cases where there is legal implications, such as probates and estates, guardianships, capital mitigations, immigration and citizenships, land issues, and much more. Kinship determination through due diligent research, including DNA, courthouses and their records, and many of records that family historians used regularly, will be discussed in a totally different way.   Case Studies in Forensic Genealogical Research Discussion will include the education, training, and work experience required to work on forensic cases. Standards and ethics, genealogical proof standard. Further information about forensic genealogy will be discussed using source examples, such as DNA, courthouses, vital records, and case examples, such as adoptions, probates, trademark law, and dual citizenship. Using source materials familiar to genealogists, included will be examples of affidavits, legal briefs, and contracts.   California Research: Past and Present California is a melting pot of ethnicities, religions, lifestyles, and economics. The history includes thousands of years inhabited by native people, explorers, gold miners, religious expeditions, Spanish and Mexican rule, land grants, taxation, migration patterns, and statehood. The history and records available from the past to the present will show these diversities and offer genealogists, in and out of the state, with insight into what is available in the repositories, usual and unusual, public and private, along with the records that can be found. Highlighted events include explorations, gold rush, earthquakes, land grant system, and much more.   California Historic Missions and Their Records The historic California Missions and Presidios can be seen as a timeline of history and an invaluable part of California and national history. The records they maintained in the past, and still do, hold vital information for historians, genealogists, Catholic and non-Catholic researchers, and others. Land grants are just one layer of California history that will be explored, along with case examples of the records held, where they are located, and the important benefits to all researchers, in and out of California.

SMCGS Spring Seminar

Online Registration is now open for


Click here for online registration

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Roots and Writing (ages 18+)
Instructor: Craig Siulinski
Place: San Carlos Adult Community Center-The Loft
Dates: Two sessions 4/2-5/21 and 6/4-7/23

Over the past decade genealogy and blogging have become popular activities for folks interested in researching and writing their family's history. Students will learn essential beginning-level strategies for genealogical discoveries and then transition midterm to writing family history stories to be shared with families and friends on a simplified blog platform.

register here