T-minus 147 days and counting to Jamboree! Remember the excitement of the space launch countdowns? We have our own Jamboree countdown on the Jamboree blog (www.genealogyjamboree.blogspot.com) and on the Jamboree section of the SCGS website at www.scgsgenealogy.com. Subscribe to the blog and receive notices whenever an article is added. Upcoming at the Southern California Genealogical Society: February 2 - 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Meeting of Genealogical Society of Hispanic America - Southern California Chapter. Los Caballos de los Conquistadores, a presentation by author & artist Leroy Martinez on the horses brought to the New World by the Spanish Conquistadors and their descendants who still roam the Southwest. General Meeting - February 2 - 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. The Master Genealogist Software Users Group February 5 - 12:00 noon to 2:00 p.m. Writers Group (SCGS members only, please) February 8 Deadline for submission of articles for The Searcher Theme: Adoption February 9 12:00 p.m. lunch (bring your own) 1:00 p.m. Lecture Open to the Public - free Topic: A Look at Courthouse Records by Lois Burlo The Courthouse handled all land transactions, the buying and selling of the property and the mortgage, if there was one. Because of the system used in Europe to divide an estate, land ownership was of prime importance from the very first settlement on the continent. Land grants were the big incentive to risk life and limb to cross the ocean. Because these records were more apt to survive, along with the tax records, land records are sometime the only way we can trace our ancestors. The courthouse is also keeper of birth, marriage and death records. When a person died, it provided for the recording of the person's will, which in turn contained the names of the heirs; the property the deceased owned - both land and household possessions, where the land was located and who was to receive it. Witnesses to the will may have been relatives or neighbors. Those are the most obvious of the courthouse records, but that's not all. It is rich in genealogy, if you know where to find it. February 11 - 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Legacy Software Users Group February 14 - 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Long Range Planning Meeting February 16 - 1:00pm - 4:00pm German Interest Group Meeting Contact Lois Burlo lhburlo@yahoo.com Discussion Topic: Naturalization Records The goal of the German Interest Group is to provide a wide range of resources both inside and outside the SCGS Library to help trace German families. The group meets at the Library every third Saturday from 1-4. They often have a speaker on German research and they offer assistance with your German research problems. New members and guests are always welcome. If you bring your family information (pedigree charts and family group sheets with as much information as possible), the group members will be better able to assist you in locating information you need to find your German ancestors. February 21 - 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Board of Directors meeting February 24 - 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Writers Group (SCGS members only) February 24 - 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Family Tree Maker Software Users Group March 1 - 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. The Master Genealogist Software Users Group March 8 - 12:00 noon to 2:00 p.m. 12:00 p.m. lunch (bring your own) 1:00 p.m. Lecture Open to the Public - free Beginning DNA: Genetic Genealogy - What is it all about? By Doug Miller Learn what it is, how to do it, and why you should. This is your chance to find out what this new genealogical tool is all about from Doug Miller one of SCGS's DNA Project Coordinators. Doug Miller is past president of the Southern California Genealogical Society. He found the importance of DNA testing when he was able to prove (after 20 years of research) that his brother-in-law Daniel Fuller was indeed descended from Edward Fuller of the Mayflower. Doug is a founding member of the International Society of Genetic Genealogy (ISOGG) and is currently the Project Administrator of three DNA projects. We invited Doug to give you the low-down on the latest research technique - DNA testing. Come to find out how important this new genealogical tool can be to the success of your research. He is here to give you the Who's, What's, Where's, When's, and Why's and he hopes that you will say Why Not? **A $30.00 discount gift certificate for a DNA test through FTDNA will be in the opportunity drawing. Any questions please contact Charlotte 323-669-1982 or Doug Miller 661-296-8740 March 11 - 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Writers Group (SCGS members only) March 13 - 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Long Range Planning meeting March 15 - 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. German German Interest Group - Immigration to Pennsylvania March 20 - 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Board of Directors meeting March 25 - 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Writers Group (SCGS members only) March 29 - 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. DNA Interest Group Contact Doug Miller djmill@earthlink.net On Saturday, March 29, 2008, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Bonny Cook and Charlotte Bocage will discuss Organizing a Family Reunion and Presenting DNA Information. Charlotte has been organizing family reunions for both her Bocage and Thomas/Bloom families and has had DNA information presented at these reunions. Bonny Cook presented "Genealogy & DNA- What's it All About" at one of her family reunions. Learn how to be effective in both endeavors. March 30 - 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Irish Interest Group We are planning a very good workshop for you. In addition to getting to look at the Casey Collection, which is now on the shelves, we will have Alice Fairhurst giving a presentation on Searching for Your Scottish Roots. Clyda Murray-Bhatt will also be on hand to give you tips on Scots-Irish research. Edward McKelvey will be there to offer help to those in need. I will review the basics of Irish research again for those of you who have not heard it before or who need a reminder. If you do not know where your family came from in Ireland, this is very important to know. Don't know if I'll have time to make soda bread again, but we will see. If you have any questions or would like to volunteer to bring refreshments, feel free to send me an email at mgrossini@cs.com. -------------------------------- The French-Canadian Research Group meets at the library on Wednesdays, and the German Research Group is available for research assistance on Thursdays. The Library is open to the public for research on: 10:00am - 4:00pm Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays 10:00am - 9:00pm Tuesdays 10:00am - 4:00pm on third and fourth Saturdays 10:00am - 4:00pm on first and second Sundays Closed Mondays All activities held at the Southern California Genealogical Society 417 Irving Drive Burbank, California 91504-2408 phone: 818-843-7247 email: scgs@scgsgenealogy.com web: www.scgsgenealogy.com