Latest News For Members
Out-of-Area Events
October Meeting for Members and Guests
Monday, October 9, 2023
2:00 p.m., in person at the FamilySearch Center, 667 10th Street NE, East Wenatchee; and via Zoom.
Investigator-turned-genealogist and former NARA archivist Kate Townsend will present “Follow the Records and See Where They Go.” Learn about the clues that exist in different records, and how they can lead you to deeper research.
Zoom information:
Topic: WAGS General Meeting – October
Time: Oct 9, 2023 02:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87536984736?pwd=YU5IbEFXVWZTV1RrRngxWnZuVHIvUT09
Meeting ID: 875 3698 4736
Passcode: October
Speaker’s HANDOUT
September Meeting for Members and Guests
Monday, September 11 at 2:00 p.m. — a hybrid meeting — in person at the LDS FamilySearch Center, 667 20th St. NE, East Wenatchee, and via Zoom.
Recreating Your Ancestor’s World by Mary Kircher Roddy.
Realtors always talk about location, but genealogists all know that CONTEXT is where it’s at! Being able to visualize your ancestor’s world gives your dates and places a vibrancy they would lack otherwise. Seattle-based Mary Kircher Roddy will show us how maps, city directories, census records and more can help us get to know our forebears.
Here is the speaker’s HANDOUT.
Here is the Zoom information:
Topic: WAGS September General Zoom Meeting
Time: Sep 11, 2023 02:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89256908163?pwd=T1ljTE9tUkF3V1A2ODdCOEZZZjhTZz09
Meeting ID: 892 5690 8163
Passcode: 609306
Take the rest of the summer off!
Kick back and relax this summer. We’ll be taking a break from WAGS programs in August. Find something cool to drink and a cool place to be. Nothing to read? Stop by the WAGS Library (Tuesdays and Saturdays from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.) and see what you can find in our checkout section. We’d enjoy visiting with you.
Get refreshed and ready for a new “school year,” when our monthly programs resume in September–second Mondays at 2:00 p.m.
July 10: The Future of WAGS
July is the month when your WAGS Board does its strategic planning. This year, we don’t want it to be a board-only thing–we’re inviting you to join us and give us your valuable observations, thoughts, and ideas. What can WAGS do differently–or do more of–or less of!–to help you in your research? We’re looking forward to getting your input!
Monday, July 10 at 2:00 p.m.
In-person at the Douglas PUD Auditorium, and via Zoom.
ZOOM Link:
Topic: The Future of WAGS
Time: Jul 10, 2023 02:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84354875478?pwd=Z3c4VEY2YmljOEc5eU1FMW5SdWJ4UT09
Meeting ID: 843 5487 5478
Passcode: Future
June Meeting for Members and Guests
Monday, June 12 at 2:00 p.m.–a hybrid meeting on Zoom and in person at the Douglas PUD Auditorium.
Just in time to plan entertainment for your out-of-town guests, we’re welcoming Matt Cade, board president of the Upper Valley Historical Society, giving a powerpoint titled “Greater Leavenworth Museum: A Museum on the Move.” We’ll find out more about the Society’s past, their relocation to Front Street, and perhaps a glimpse of the future they envision.
Here is the Zoom information:
Topic: WAGS General Meeting – June zoom link
Time: Jun 12, 2023 02:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85478061197?pwd=ZlZMci9qQzBmWjhQUmlNMFdvQ21FUT09
Meeting ID: 854 7806 1197
Passcode: June
No December Membership Meeting!
We’re taking the month off, so there will be no membership meeting next Monday.
Our next membership meeting will be Monday, January 9 at 2:00 p.m. with Mary Kircher Roddy on researching in the Pacific Northwest.
Have a great holiday season. See you next year!
December Board Meeting
Wednesday, December 7 at 9:30 a.m. via Zoom
Your board will be taking on the task of budgeting for 2023 at this meeting. Any comments or suggestions are welcome–send to [email protected].
Zoom information will be posted as the meeting gets closer.
November Board Meeting
Wednesday, November 9 at 9:30 a.m. via Zoom
Topic: WAGS Board Meeting
Time: Nov 9, 2022 09:30 AM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81183579491?pwd=ZSs3NkprNWlEcmlhZGRicFVFU242dz09
Meeting ID: 811 8357 9491
Passcode: November
Writing History: Rick Atkinson Talks with Ryan J. Woods about American History and The Revolution Trilogy
January 21, 20266:00 p.m. – 7:15 p.m. ET
The live broadcast will be recorded; registrants will receive a link to the video post-event.
$15
10% Member Discount
As we mark the 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution, the celebrated historian Rick Atkinson will explore the people, passions, and battles that ignited and sustained the war. In conversation with Ryan J. Woods, he will also share insight on the process of researching and writing histories, including The Fate of the Day, the latest book in his Revolution Trilogy.
“There is no better writer of narrative history than the Pulitzer Prize–winning Atkinson.” —The New York Times (Editors’ Choice)
Join us to hear from the celebrated American historian Rick Atkinson about his his career writing histories over three decades and his latest book, The Fate of the Day: The War for America, Fort Ticonderoga to Charleston, 1777-1780. Atkinson’s previous prize-winning works brought to life our nation during World War II (the Liberation Trilogy) and in other 20th-century conflicts. Now, in this 250th anniversary year, he explores the American Revolution. This second installment in the Revolution Trilogy dramatizes the war’s middle years, during which, in Pennsylvania, George Washington pleads with Congress to deliver the money, men, and materiel; in Paris, Benjamin Franklin woos the French; and, across the English Channel, King George III finds that war waged an ocean away is ruinously expensive. Atkinson shares the details of epic battles fought at Brandywine, Saratoga, Monmouth, and Charleston, and a winter of misery at Valley Forge. Atkinson’s brilliant account of the lethal conflict between the Americans and the British offers deeply researched and spectacularly dramatic history. Don’t miss hearing from this acclaimed historian featured in Ken Burns’ documentary “The American Revolution.”
Rick Atkinson is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of seven previous works of history, including The Long Gray Line, the Liberation Trilogy (An Army at Dawn, The Day of Battle, and The Guns at Last Light), and The British Are Coming, the first volume of the Revolution Trilogy. He has won numerous awards, including Pulitzer Prizes for history and journalism. He was awarded American Ancestors’ Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022.
Ryan J. Woods is President and CEO of American Ancestors. An educator and historian, he has his dedicated professional life to developing experiences that educate, inspire, and connect people through the exploration of history, heritage, and culture. Ryan has recruited more than 1 billion searchable records to AmericanAncestors.org and, most recently, overseen the launch of the 10 Million Names Project and our new national headquarters and visitor center including the Family Heritage Experience at 97 Newbury Street in Boston. Among many leadership roles, he serves as a commissioner for the 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Heritage Quest Research Library – January 2026 Classes
Explore the Exceptional Genealogy Classes at HQRL! Join us online via Zoom or in person at HQRL and connect with fellow genealogy enthusiasts who share your curiosity and drive—together, we can explore the fascinating world of family history! Classes Coming Up in January 2026!  Using City (and Other) Directories in Your Research Thursday, January 8, 2026 Janice Sellers Directories were not only for cities. Many counties and rural areas had directories, as did locations in other countries. You can also find professional directories, social directories, and more. Learn what they contain and how they can be used to flesh out your family’s lives and track them through time. Click Here to Sign-up Janice M. Sellers is a professional genealogist and international speaker whose grandparents told her she is related to actor Peter Sellers and to John of Gaunt, son of a king and father of a king. Unfortunately, they were wrong, but that’s why she has been researching her family for 50 years and now helps others finds the right pieces to fit their genealogical puzzles. She specializes in Jewish, Black, dual citizenship, and newspaper research. She has done research and appeared on camera for the television series The Dead Files.  A New Strategy for Brick Walls Thursday, January 22, 2026 Kim Richardson Ever feel like you are engulfed by a pile of research? Do you ever think, “If I could just get organized, I could solve this mystery?” If so, this presentation is for you! This session explains why complex genealogy problems feel overwhelming and how to overcome it through a new way of organizing. Click Here to Sign-up Kim Richardson enjoys serving the genealogy community by coaching and enabling others to do their own research successfully. She assists other genealogists to accomplish their goals and helps clients solve genealogy mysteries. Kim created the Brick Wall Buster Cards to show others her secret to solving tough genealogy problems. She regularly writes for various genealogy society magazines and wrote the “Mississippi Research Guide” for Family Tree Magazine and researches for Finding Your Roots and Who Do You Think You Are? Click Here to See All of Our 2026 Classes!HQRL.com / Classes & Events / Contact |
Eastside Genealogical Society January 2026 Getting Started with AI in Family History
Seattle Genealogical Society Tip of the Week Full Text Search Coming to Ancestry
Ancestry is currently rolling out a full-text search feature on their site. Some users have been given access to it while it appears that most users are still waiting for access.
Similar to the full-text search on FamilySearch, this feature will allow users to search unindexed documents on their site. For those who have access now, the feature can be found under the “search” drop-down in the main menu. Keep an eye out for future announcements from Ancestry about this new feature.
Translating, Transcribing and Summarizing Documents Using AI By Thomas MacEntee
Tacoma Pierce County Genealogical Society Monthly Educational Meeting
Tuesday, December 9, 2025, starting at 6:00 pm.
This month’s presentation: Translating, Transcribing and Summarizing Documents Using AI By Thomas MacEntee (one of his last live presentations before he retires at the end of this year).
Learn how to harness the power of artificial intelligence to assist in translating, transcribing, and summarizing a variety of genealogy records. A handwritten baptismal record from the 1800s? No problem. A faded newspaper obituary? No problem. We’ll cover the best AI platforms as well as how to craft a solid prompt to get you the results you need.
This meeting will be hybrid and we encourage everyone who is able to attend in person at our new meeting location:
University Place Library
3609 Market PL W.
University Place, WA 98466
and via Zoom for those unable to attend in person.
Attend virtually via Zoom:
Tacoma-Pierce County Genealogical Society is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system.
Monthly: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/tZIqduGpqjgsHtBNs9zc8CGna6R-KHlcz5so/ics?icsToken=98tyKuGuqToiG9CWth2DRpwAB4j4WevwiHZdgrd_sgy8GSMLQST4N7Rwf5lXHNvK
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86718143644?pwd=S0FjYU5acVVKbDEyamdXWWZVekFjdz09
Meeting ID: 867 1814 3644
Passcode: 630507
One tap mobile
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Dial by your location
+1 253 205 0468 US
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
Meeting ID: 867 1814 3644
Passcode: 630507
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kcFbCNTY39
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