Sharing Stories 2019

Submissions are open for your stories!

Join the fun and write a family history or local San Mateo County story.

Submit your story to SMCGS to be entered into a drawing for prizes, publication,

and/or reading aloud at a monthly meeting. Each entry receives a small gift.

For more info on guidelines & formatting, and to submit a story, click here.

 

Submissions close on May 31, so it's time 

to start writing!

At our monthly meeting on June 22, we will have drawings for prizes for all stories submitted, an extra drawing for those stories taking place in San Mateo County, and a small gift for all entries. We will round out the meeting with story readings and sharing a pot luck meal together.

 

We hope you get a story down on paper to share with your fellow genealogists, not to mention your own family!

       Questions? SharingStories@smcgs.org

 

Sharing Stories Readings and Pot Luck

June 22

Bring a main dish, side dish, or salad to share

 

More information: SharingStories             

                      

Barry's Bits and Upcoming Events

Tax Time!!

                       Upcoming Events                         

---

Thu, Apr 11, 2019 – Writing Workshop: Finding Power in Your Family’s Story

2:30 am–4:00 pm; Cañada College Library Computer Lab, 4200 Farm Hill Blvd, San Mateo.

Free for Cañada College students, faculty, and staff. SMCGS Members $5, Non-members $10.

Presenter: Regina Mason  Tell your family story in a way that engages, inspires, and changes perspectives. Find transformational gems in plain sight. Using a 7-step process, you will learn to develop your authentic voice and to create a compelling story worthy of publication. Regina Mason is an international speaker, award-winning author, and Executive Producer of Gina’s Journey: The Search for William Grimes.

---

Sat, Apr 27, 2019 – The Power of Digital Photography and Family History

10:30 am–12:00 pm, Free. Grace Lutheran Church, 2825 Alameda de las Pulgas, San Mateo, entrance in back.

Presenter: Ron Madson

Most everyone has a shoebox of photos and documents plus a growing list of digital photos. But, how do we collect, organize, enhance, and archive this family history? Learn a method for image editing, labeling, and organization to preserve and easily find your photos again.

Ron Madson is a photographer and IT/image processing/technical education professional. He teaches classes and facilitates the Family Tree Maker SIG for the California Genealogical Society.

______________________________________________________

Your Genealogy: Research,

Organize, and Solve

with   Michael John Neill

•  Problem Solving Applied to Genealogy
•  Organizing Online Research

•  Researching the Entire Family and Beyond

•  Finding Barbara’s Beaus and Gesche’s Girls

 

The focus is YOUR genealogical work.

-      Methodologies and examples of discovery.

-      Ideas to move your research forward.

-      Approaches to interpretation of results.

Join us for Michael’s practical and down-to-earth presentation with just the right amount of humor.

He is a National Lecturer on Genealogical Research.

Saturday, May 4, 2019

9:00 am – 3:00 pm

Please go to smcgs.org/programs/seminars for more information.

---

Sat, May 18, 2019 – Finding Mayflower Families

10:30 am–12:00 pm, Free. Grace Lutheran Church, 2825 Alameda de las Pulgas, San Mateo, entrance in back.

Presenter: Bob Trapp

Is it possible that you are descended from a family who came to America on the ship Mayflower in 1620? Follow the story of discovering Bob’s Mayflower family roots, plus learn what is needed to join the Mayflower Society. Bob Trapp is the Deputy Governor of the Mayflower California Alameda County Colony, works at the California Society of Mayflower Descendants library,  has been on the staff of the Oakland Family History Library since 1990, and speaks regularly in the Bay Area.

SMCGS meetings are free. Everyone is welcome.   www.smcgs.org

_______________________________________________________________________________

Barry Hinman and Mary Lou Grunigen volunteer at the San Mateo County Genealogical Society library located at Canada College in Redwood City. They welcome members of the Society and visitors who would like a tour of the library and an introduction to its holdings. They are also available, of course, to consult about genealogical problems or research strategies. They are there from 1:00-4:00 on the second Tuesday of every month if the Canada library is open to the public on that day.   

SMCGS Databases: Index to Mechanic's Liens

A mechanic's lien is a security interest in the title to property for the benefit of those who have supplied labor or materials that improve the property. The lien exists for both real property and personal property. 

This index was created using Indexes 1 and 2 to Mechanic's Liens and cross checking the entries with the Mechanics Liens Volumes 1-7. 

The liens offer clues to financial problems.  You will often see several liens filed against an individual or company in a short time period.  Some are released quickly, others take years to be released.  Some of the filings include materials lists with costs. There are also liens filed by laborers against both owners and contractors. 

 

•       The earliest Liens were filed rather than entered in ledger books, those files have not been located in the Record Repository. 
•       Some Liens and some releases were recorded in the Miscellaneous books or Official Records rather than the specialized Mechanics Liens volumes.  There is a column to indicate the book set.
•       Liens recorded in other book sets were not cross checked from index. 
•       Copies of records should be ordered from the County Recorders Office.  Give them the book set and the page numbers.

Index to San Mateo County Mechanic's Liens