Saddleback Valley Trails

Vol 4 No. 8 Editor: Pat Weeks August 1997

South Orange County California Genealogical Society

P. O. Box 4513, Mission Viejo, CA 92690

SOCCGS EVENTS

Monthly meetings are scheduled for the third Saturday of each month and are held from 10:00 AM to Noon at 27978 Marguerite Parkway in Mission Viejo, situated between Medical Center Drive and Hillcrest Drive. Visitors are always welcome.

Membership is open to anyone wishing to join. Membership fees are $20 per year, January 1 through December 31.

16 August 1997 Dee Semon is returning as guest speaker at this meeting, and will enlighten us on "Surname Origins".

20 September 1997 Harry Drewry will speak on that lively discussion, "Cemetery and Mortuary Records" and their effective use in genealogical research.

18 October 1997 To be announced.

15 November 1997 Everett Ireland comes to our meeting with his tips on research in the Nation's Capital, "A View From Beyond the Beltway". At this meeting we will also be holding our annual election of officers for the year 1998.

20 December 1997, Annual Holiday party and installation of officers for the upcoming year of 1998.

Other Local Events

13-14 September 1997 The San Diego Gen. Society will hold their second annual Genealogical and Family History Fair, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. each day, $5 donation to attend each day. There will be vendors, lectures, exhibits, computer presentations, and much more, available to the public on both days. This Fair will be held at the Scottish Rite Center, 1895 Camino del Rio South, Mission Valley, San Diego.

20-22 February 1998 SHHAR Annual Buscando Nuestras Raices conference will be held at the Autry Museum of Western Heritage in Los Angeles. This conference will host the quarterly meetings of both the CA Conference of Historical Societies and the CA State Genealogical Society.

MEMBERSHIP

We welcome the following new members to SOCCGS:

Maurita L. Lavy
Jean D. Brown
Julie Goldsworth
Jorge & Elaine Hernandez
Betty V. Jonte
Patrick O. McShane

Guests at our July meeting were Marie Ward, Ken and Carolyn Annola, Clara Burke, Barbara Rasmussen, James G. Walker, Jeanne Thomas, M. Trujillo and Lester K. White. Please visit us again soon.

DUES ARE DUE

For those members who joined after June 30th, the dues for 1997 are now due. Please remit $10, which will cover your membership for the remainder of the year. Come January 1998, all members will be charged $20 membership fees.

NEW SOCCGS WEBMASTER

Our Internet homepage has been taken over by Herb Abrams, replacing John Smith as our official Webmaster. John reports that Herb is a swift learner, has done a clean and thorough task to bringing the page up to date. He only has one problem: this editor has little leprechauns living in her computer, moving files around, and scrambling them about. To solve this problem, we are going to have to call on the Big Daddy Computer Guru of the group (JHS), then Herb will be able to include all the newsletters on the net. Herb also took on the task to include the roster of the Co L., 7th CA Infantrymen of the Spanish American War. This is being picked up as a link that will be on the CA Genweb Project. Good job, Herb!

We want to remind you that to access our homepage, use the address of <sites.rootsweb.com/~casoccgs> And, if you want to be on the cutting edge, privy to the latest goings on within the society, you, as a member, can sign onto the mailing list by using <[email protected]>

DID YOU KNOW?

That San Francisco has no cemeteries? In 1903, a city law passed stating that there would be no people buried in the County of San Francisco. All dead had to be removed to other cemeteries outside the county and reburied. Next of kin were notified if they could be found; otherwise, the dead were reburied in a mass grave in Colma Cemetery in San Mateo County just south of San Francisco County. (His & Gen Soc Indiana Co News via "The Family Tree" June/July)

HELP LIST FOR

MISSING 1890 CENSUS

Diane Gagel, author of "How to Reconstruct the 1890 Ohio Census" offers the following tips that may apply to any county courthouse, regional archives, or other repository in other states: 1890 Special Census of CW veterans and pensionsers; 1891 Tax List (which would be land and property owners of 1890); Birth and Death records: County home registers or admittance records for 1890; Enumeration of youth, 1890 Board of Education on county or township level; Class registers; Poll Books, a list of eligible voters, 1890 (Board of Educ. or township records); Naturalization in 1890 which shows residence in county; Directories; Jail registers (County sheriff or regional archives); Soldier discharge records; Soldier relief records; Records of Justice of Peace Commission; Church records, membership rolls, baptisms, deaths, confirmations, etc; Deeds for 1890, which will state place of residence of owners; Municipal birth and death records, if kept separate from county records, Marriage records, where bride and groom indicate place of residence; Applications for marriage licenses. (from Mesa Dwellers, Mar 1996 via CSGA Newsletter June 1997)

CLASS DISTINCTION

During the early days of our country, people were very aware of class distinctions. Esq for Esquire was only used by officials and persons of distinction. Mr was applied to clergymen and deputies and those known to be of good English descent. Only a few were allowed to write after their names the term Gentleman, or Gent. Goodman was used for the wife. Mistress was usually a young unmarried woman. Miss was not used until about the middle 1880's. Deacon was a highly esteemed man. (South Bay Cities Gen Soc. May/June 1997)

THE LINCOLN/KENNEDY CONSPIRACY

Abraham Lincoln was elected to Congress in 1846/John F. Kennedy was elected to Congress in 1946.

Abraham Lincoln was elected President in 1860/John F. Kennedy was elected President in 1960.

The names Lincoln and Kennedy each contain seven letters.

Both were particularly concerned with civil rights.

Both wives lost children while living in the White House.

Both Presidents were shot on a Friday/ Both were shot in the head.

Lincoln's secretary was named Kennedy/Kennedy's secretary was named Lincoln.

Both were assassinated by Southerners/Both were succeeded by Southerners.

Both successors were named Johnson. Andrew Johnson, who succeeded Lincoln, was born in 1808/Lyndon Johnson, who succeeded Kennedy, was born in 1908.

John Wilkes Booth, who assassinated Lincoln, was born in 1839/Lee Harvey Oswald, who assassinated Kennedy, was born in 1939.

Both assassins were known by their three names./Both names comprise fifteen letters.

Booth ran from the theater and was caught in a warehouse/Oswald ran from a warehouse and was caught in a theater.

Booth and Oswald were assassinated before their trials.

(And, for the last comparison, I dasn't print it here, but if you ask me at the next meeting I will tell you. PW)

LOUISIANA ROOTS

The publication "Louisiana Roots" is published FREE bi-monthly for Genealogy and History lovers with ties to Louisiana. It lists club activities, family reunions, coming up workshops, queries, book reviews, news stories, etc. Although it says "free" when you see it, you will want to join with so many others and make a contribution, just so you can keep the paper in business, and coming to your house. Try it if you're researching Louisiana.

(:-)

(:-) and (;-) and (:-) and (:-o). From all over the country comes news of new symbols added to our written language. The Smiley (:/), the Wink (;\), the Sorrow (:(, the Shock (:o) and the Sarcasm (:-\) have all become part of our culture now. If you can't see who they work - just turn the paper a clockwise turn and look at the symbols again! (Sally Morris, Pittsburgh PA, via SKP'S Network Letter, via Linn Genealogical Society, Albany OR, July 1997)

PHILBY PASSENGER LISTS

If you discover a reference to your family in Filby's Passenger and Immigration Lists, it is possible to get a copy of the original source. The Burton Historical Collection at the Detroit Public Library, 5201 Woodward Ave., Detroit, MI 48202, maintains all sources indexed in Filby's. You must cite the source number. They charge $2.00 postage and handling plus 20 cents per copy. (From CSGA Newsletter,

CIVIL WAR FOUGHT BY BOYS

Figures from the government records indicate that the Civil War was fought largely by eighteen year old boys. The total enlistment of Northern soldiers during the Civil War and their ages indicate 38% of all soldiers were 18 years of age. Total numbers were:

10 year olds - 35

11 year olds - 34

12 year olds - 225

13 year olds - 980

14 year olds - 1,602

15 year olds - 104,987

16 year olds - 231,051

17 year olds - 884,981

18 year olds, - 1,158,434

19 to 22 yrs old - 617,511

22 - 48 yrs old - 52,696

Over 44 yrs old - none

The Battle of Gettysburg was composed largely of boys not old enough to vote.

(Questing Heirs Apr 1997 via Central FL GS, via South Bay Cities GS Newsletter, Mar/Apr1997)

QUERY

Wish to converse with the guest who attended our July meeting and announced that she was researching HENNESSY. Please call Pat Weeks, 493-4777, or <[email protected]>

THE INTERNET FOR GENEALOGISTS

It is rare that this newsletter carries an article advertising a book, but this book is exceptional, and much needed by many of our members. It is titled "The Internet For Genealogists, A Beginner's Guide" by Barbara Renich and Richard Wilson. This book is truly written for the genealogist beginning at the Net, but also contains much information for some of "old hands". This editor strongly recommends this tool to help you research by computer.

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