Sun City Vistoso Genealogical Society

The Genealogy Club is going to be highlighted in the September issue of The Tipster.  As part of the article I need to gather quotes from members about experiences or anecdotes that they may have about the club or genealogy sleuthing.   The theme of the page is “It’s More Than Living…It’s A Lifestyle.”

Please send me any quotes or fun experiences you have had with the Club and I will try to incorporate them in the article.  The more, the better.

Thanks

Holly Gibson
ghgibson@live.com

Declining with pre-summer languor, our income in May dropped off to $122. Our expenses were boosted to $621 by our Ancestry subscription, leaving our available balance at $3486. For details please see Bob’s Treasurer’s Report.

There was an error in the summary of the May Minutes that was just sent out. Our next meeting is not in September. It’s in October. Sorry ’bout that.

We met at 1 PM on May 9th. President Karen Hasselbach welcomed members and guests. Our new officers for the 2017-2018 year were installed:

• Andrea Houston, President;
• Lee Sopwith, VP;
• Vivian Lizalde & Bob Oos, Co-Treasurers;
• Holly Gibson, Secretary;
• Barbara Evans, Director at Large;
• Karen Hasselbach, Past President.

For the full minutes including announcements and committee reports, please see:
General Meeting Minutes May 2017

This was our last meeting until October. Over the summer the club rooms will continue to be open and Teri & Art will be available some Wednesday afternoons to answer your DNA questions  (check our calendar). Have a nice summer!

AmericanAncestors.org is offering FREE access to all Pennsylvania Resources.  This is their press release:

May 15, 2017—Boston, Massachusetts—As one of the original thirteen colonies, Pennsylvania has a long history and many records available for tracing ancestors who lived there. Its size and central location on the Atlantic seaboard have made it an important player in the documenting of American family history. Prominent groups of immigrants who settled in Pennsylvania include Germans, Irish, African-Americans, Italians, Swiss, Dutch, and Chinese.

Starting at 12:01 a.m. (EDST) on Tuesday, May 16, through midnight (EDST) Tuesday, May 23, New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS) and American Ancestors will offer free access to many Pennsylvania genealogical resources on AmericanAncestors.org. For one week, family historians may search databases for Pennsylvanian ancestors and register for a free webinar on Pennsylvania genealogical research methods.  Additional educational resources and features provided by NEHGS on Pennsylvania genealogy will all be free for one week with registration as a free Guest Member on AmericanAncestors.org/Pennsylvania.

NEHGS genealogist, Pennsylvania expert, and author Ann Lawthers points out that “By 1790 Pennsylvania was the most populous state in the country”—with Philadelphia being the largest and busiest port in British North America. With its prominence as an important immigration destination from many points in Europe and beyond, the state is a significant point of consideration for many Americans who are researching family history.

Among the many features available during this week-long promotion is a free webinar by Lawthers on “Resources for Pennsylvania Genealogy.” Lawthers’s webinar starts with a description of Pennsylvania settlement patterns and how those patterns and changing county borders influenced the surviving genealogical resources. Special attention is given to early German, Scots-Irish, Welsh, Quaker, and Mennonite immigration. A discussion of standard and unique genealogical resources for researchers is included in Lawthers’s online presentation.

The free webinar and other valuable Pennsylvania research resources may be accessed free at AmericanAncestors.org/Pennsylvania. Registration at AmericanAncestors.org is required as a free Guest Member to gain access to these valuable resources. Guest Member accounts allow web visitors to use a limited suite of AmericanAncestors.org databases and access featured web content. Unlimited access to all 1.4 billion records and other benefits is through membership at NEHGS.

I say, Go for it.  I wish you success.