SOCCGS EVENTS

SOCCGS monthly meetings are scheduled for the third Saturday of each month and are held from 10:00 a.m. to Noon at:

The Norman P. Murray Community Center

249 Oso Viejo Drive

Mission Viejo, CA.

17 June, 1995 features Bob Moore to discuss "Genealogy, Past, Present & Future"

In the afternoon (12:45 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.) Bob will present a "hands on" workshop on preservation of documents. If you wish to attend both sessions, it is recommended that you bring a brown bag lunch for there will not be sufficient time to run out for lunch. Reservations for the afternoon sessions required. Non-members invited to attend, but a $5.00 donation is requested of them. Members are free.

15 July 1995 program to be given by Betty Bell Feldman, who reports she has been her family historian since the age of 16. Betty Bell is well experienced, has published books on writing family lore and teaching genealogy. She also is very active in Questing Heirs Gen Society, Orange Co. Computer User's Club, and is presently the McDonnel Douglas Co.'s Genealogical Club President. In between she has time for 4 grown children and 10 grandchildren, and speaking engagements!

19 August 1995 Regular meeting as usual. Program to be announced.

OTHER EVENTS

3 June 1995 "Making the Most of Hints from the Past" by Henry S. Jones, author of "Psychic Roots: Serendipity & Intuition in Genealogy", held by the South Bay Cities Gen. Society at the Moose Lodge, 2020 Sartori, Torrance CA. For info call (310)326-7008

7 June 1995 SCGS presents "The French Canadian Workshop" Wednesday, June 7 1995, 6:00 p.m. to l0:00 p.m. at the SCGS Library, 122 S. San Fernando Blvd., Burbank CA. For further information, call Ann LeBlanc Barillas (818)796-0790

September 1995 Hispanic Month at San Juan Capistrano Mission with genealogical workshops and discussions on Sunday afternoons, Sept 17th and Oct 15th. More to follow.

MEMBERSHIP

We welcome the following new member:

Frederick (Jim) Sandell #0147

26922 Salazar

Mission Viejo CA 92691

The following have renewed their membership for the year: Grace Clark, Gail DeShane, Joseph & Lillian Fischer, Edmund Isreal, Bea Norred, J.Hartley & Ardith Oddous.

The April newsletter incorrectly stated Pat DeCou's address. Please correct to read 6182

Medford Drive, Huntington Beach 92647.

NEWS OF THE FUTURE LIBRARY

Our President, John Smith, reported that the future Mission Viejo Library is presently in the design phase, and is allocating space for a genealogical section. Unfortunately no funds have been allocated to date for the actual construction, so predictions of a library are impossible at this point. But, its a good beginning! There will be another meeting on June 12th at Mission Viejo City Hall in the Prudential Building, Mark your calendars now, for we will be calling with the correct time and request as many SOCCGS members as possible to attend to demonstrate our interest in this project.

LIBRARY ACQUISITIONS

U.S. Military Records, by James C. Neagles has been purchased by the Society in memory of founding member Marvin Strattman, and is now in our library collection. Also, thanks to Ruth Potter and Mary Ellen Lytle who both donated quarterlies this past month to the library. If you wish to see any holdings or donate materials, you should contact Pat Stafford, 770-4756.

MYLAR SUPPLIES

Several members expressed desire to purchase mylar for their documents. Mary Ellen Lytle has purchased several sizes. Measure your documents and contact Mary Ellen and she will make arrangements with you for delivery. If you plan to preserve any material at the June meeting and need mylar, call her NOW!

FORMER CONGRESSMAN

CHET HOLIFIELD DIES

Former Rep. Chet Holifield, a Southern California Congressman, died Sunday, Feb. 5, 1995 at the age of 91. Rep. Holifield, a Democrat, was first elected in 1942 and was continuously re-elected until his voluntary retirement in 1974 at the age of 70. Holifield was an original member and former chairman of the now-disbanded Joint Committee on Atomic Energy. He was a strong supporter of the atomic submarine fleet, a nuclear navy, and high safety standards in producing and disposing of all nuclear products. Holifield also served on the Government Operations Committee where he authored the legislation establishing the General Services Administration. In the ceremony on January 1988 the federal building in Laguna Niguel, most commonly referred to as the "Ziggarut" was dedicated as the Chet Holifield Federal Building.

The former congressman was born in Kentucky, spent his early youth in Arkansas, then moved to Southern California to start his own business. He spent his retirement years in his home in Balboa, California. (Laguna Legend, GSA publication, Vol 2 Issue 1, 1995) Ed note: This article was brought to my attention by Judy Deeter who thought all of you who visit the National Archives would be interested in this obituary.

William P. TURNER was born 31 March 1753 in New Market, Frederick Co., MD, according to a lineage acquired years ago which was supposedly from a research institute in Washington DC.

He moved to Rowan Co., NC, where at least the first of his offspring, Starling TURNER, was born. William's wife was Action HOWARD, who may also have been a native of Maryland. The TURNER, HOWARD and PINKSTON families were in both states, as close neighbors.

In NC, a William Turner PINKSTON lived next door to my William Pinkston TURNER. Wouldn't you bet they are related?

The brick wall is hiding "how" they are related!

My couple moved on to Jessamine Co KY where William raised "fancy horses". I have their children's names; "biographical sketches" of some children, naming William P. and Action; his military service in NC; the consent

he signed in Jessamine Co KY for daughter Mary (Polly) to marry Adam WHIPP; his will naming wife and sons, including court records where daughters and their spouses are listed as well.

The descending line of my branch is clear and documented, but the ascending lines is a double brick wall with no leads for parents and/or siblings of either William P. TURNER or Action HOWARD. Both are listed on the DAR index. I have written for information on this registration, with hope of identifying the "research institute" but since it was not necessary to document earlier than your Revolutionary ancestor, there probably is little new information to gain.

Queries in newsletters and magazines placed several times bring no response. Early county histories have not helped. Any ideas?

Beverly LONG, 8-U Via Castilla, Laguna Hills CA 92653-3712

SOCCGS QUERY

Need parents of Whitehead LAWRENCE

born ca 1780, of Hempstead, Long Island, NY who married dau of Stephen Cornell FOWLER, also of Hempstead. Need his parents also. Annabelle F. FARAGO, 24731 Camden Ct., Laguna Niguel CA 92677-2192,

(714)249-9743

THE HALE COLLECTION

The North San Diego County Genealogical Society has purchased The Hale Collection and has placed it in their Genealogical Section at the Carlsbad Library for use by patrons. This collection of Connecticut Vital Records is a collection of newspaper notices and cemetery inscriptions with a surname index to cemetery inscriptions referring to places and newspapers; an index to death notices from newspapers (those not included in the above); an index to marriages by newspapers; a general index to marriage notices arranged alphabetically, and to the cemeteries by localities and newspapers. This collection is contained in 358 reels of microfilm. (Paths to the Past , NSDCGS, Apr. 1995) Ed note: This expensive collection has been purchased by the members of this Society and is made available for any library patron to use. Show your appreciation, and leave a little in the donation box as your way of saying thanks the next time you visit their library.

"FRACTURED NAME"

My first child was born while we were living in Jamestown NY, a predominately Swedish town. While shopping one day, I met a neighbor who asked me what I had named our new baby. I replied, "Jayne, spelled with a Y". She remarked, "Oh Yane, that's nice!" (Shared by SOCCGS member Patricia Sillin Stalcup.

Rootstamps of Show Low Arizona has come out with some new designs. They make great gifts for genie friends. The catalogue for you to order from is available on the back desk at each meeting.

SOCCGS member Mel Kinnee has recently returned from her visit to Germany and Switzerland, and wrote this article for the newsletter. At our May meeting, Mel decided to talk about this find. I include the story for all those members who may have been absent.

I thought I would write a simple little "ditty" about our recent trip to Switzerland and Germany.

In searching around for family "retiring" in the various friedhofs (cemeteries)I found only a few gravestones with dates back in the 1800s. Most were from the 1960s to 1995. I inquired of family members, strangers who spoke English, and fellow travelers on the plane coming home, and the information that I could get from them was fairly similar. The graves are "rented" for 20-25 years. The cost was about 400 German marks (almost $300 US) for a single plot for this time period. The headstones are absolutely gorgeous and run about 8,000 marks (almost $6,000) for a single stone, nicely done. The only input on what happens after this 20-25 year rental came from a young couple flying home with us. They said that at the end of the rental period you may request the remains and take them home. I am assuming they would cremate them for you. You may also take the headstone if you want. If no request is made, these stones are destroyed. Since the graves are lined up chronologically, small areas are cleaned out at a set time and readied for the next group to come in.

One thing I can say is that I have never seen anything so beautiful and well maintained in all of my life. Each grave site is treated as a garden. Absolutely no weeds and all earth is well toiled with flowers planted for each season. They were full of planted daffodils and pansies as well as cut roses, daisies and lilies. Evergreens are planted for the winter and starting next month they will plant summer flowers. Family members keep this up for the duration of the "rental" period.

If anyone has information that may differ from this please get in touch with me. Trying to get details was sometimes difficult from those I talked to, and I'd really like to know what really happens to the stones and bones.

SOME GENEALOGICAL TERMS

Lineal means ascending or descending in a direct line. Collateral means descending from the same ancestor, but not in a direct line of descent. Allied families are families which are usually related through marriage. An ancestry

begins with a single individual and traces back in time to include the male and female line of that person's ancestors. A genealogy begins with a single ancestor and traces forward in time to include all descendants to the present.

(Idaho Gen. Soc Jan 1994 via CSGA Newsletter May 1995)

+ + + + Don't forget to bring documents, letters, etc you would like to preserve at Bob Moore's seminar June 17th. Please call if you cannot keep your reservation.

Yesterday is History,

Tomorrow is a Mystery,

Today is a gift from God,

That is why we call it The Present.

Unknown

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