Latest News For Members
Out-of-Area Events
GladSong Concert
Sunday evening, October 9, 2022 at 6:00 p.m.
at the Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center Auditorium (ok to park at the YMCA lot across the street)
Let’s celebrate WAGS’ 50+1 years, and kick off Family History Week while we’re at it! GladSong is a local choir comprised of some 30 voices–they will delight you with many styles: pop, country, jazz and gospel. Free-will donations will be encouraged but not required. All proceeds go to WAGS as part of our annual fall fundraiser.
The WAGS Library will be open at 4:00 p.m. and after the concert for informal tours.
October Membership Meeting
Monday, October 10, 2022 at 2:00 p.m.
Turn Family History Facts into Stories You Can Share with Annette Burke Lyttle
Genealogists are always excited to share our discoveries, but so often we get that blank stare from family members. How can we turn the facts that interest us into stories that will enthrall our relatives? Annette Lyttle has a “small bites” four-step system to help us share our family stories with ease!
In person at the Douglas PUD Auditorium, 1151 Valley Mall Parkway, East Wenatchee, and via Zoom at:
Topic: WAGS Oct General Zoom Meeting
Time: Oct 10, 2022 02:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81048671116?pwd=UjBKTmpCQkFsSnFZV2taM05Ma1c5UT09
Meeting ID: 810 4867 1116
Passcode: October
September Membership Meeting
Monday, September 12, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. Hybrid–via Zoom and in-person
www.AmericanAncestors.org with Christine Cohen
Our presenter will give us a West Coast slant on the website for the New England Historical and Genealogical Society. AmericanAncestors is available on the WAGS Library computers, so we all need to be able to drive it like a car! Learn all that it has to offer. Christine Cohen joins us from the “other WAGS:” Whittier Area Genealogical Society in Southern California.
Zoom information is posted below. The in-person meeting will be held at the Douglas County PUD Auditorium, 1151 Valley Mall Parkway, East Wenatchee.
Topic: WAGS September General Meeting
Time: Sep 12, 2022 02:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82919117736?pwd=SFV2dkp0ZlpxQ3l1cC9sQ04wNUVFQT09
Meeting ID: 829 1911 7736
Passcode: September
August Membership Meeting
Monday, August 8 at 2:00 p.m.
WAGS is going international! Our speaker, Mags Gauldin, comes to us from Ottawa, Canada. She will present “Using WikiTree’s DNA Features.” First, be introduced to WikiTree if you aren’t familiar with it, and then Mags will demonstrate its many DNA features. Find out how WikiTree can accelerate your research!
Zoom only, due to some vacation schedules.
Topic: WAGS August General Meeting
Time: Aug 8, 2022 02:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89248490018?pwd=OGNvWXJPbUt4RDFHL2NYeFNNYVF5Zz09
Meeting ID: 892 4849 0018
Passcode: August
July WAGS Board Meeting
Board Meeting Zoom info:
Topic: WAGS Board Zoom Meeting
Time: Jul 6, 2022 09:30 AM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://youtu.be/Jr7uxxJxQGshttps://youtu.be/Jr7uxxJxQGs
Meeting ID: 839 2130 7161
Passcode: Board
July Membership Meeting –DNA: Get Started with a Research Plan
Monday, July 11 at 2:00 p.m.
Everybody does DNA, right? But how many know how that wonderful research tool fits into their research plan? (Umm, you do have a research plan, don’t you?) Janice Lovelace will come to our aid and show us where and how it should fit. Janice has been a board member of the Seattle Genealogical Society for many years, and is much in demand as a genealogy educator and lecturer.
This will be a hybrid meeting, in person at the Douglas PUD Auditorium, 1151 Valley Mall Parkway, East Wenatchee; and via Zoom.
Topic: WAGS General Meeting for July
Time: Jul 11, 2022 02:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88949729946?pwd=quUFVHYmtVuKtXBO14VJvB8E49sDqE.1
Meeting ID: 889 4972 9946
Passcode: July
WAGS June Board Meeting Cancelled
Due to the absence of severa Board members the June 8, 2022 0930 Board Meeting has been cancelled.
June Membership Meeting
Monday, June 13 at 2:00 p.m.
This will be a hybrid meeting: Both via Zoom and in-person at the Douglas PUD Auditorium, 1151 Valley Mall Parkway, East Wenatchee.
Don’t say, “My ancestor was just a farmer!” Unlike today, farmers were a majority of the population only a couple centuries ago. What special records did they leave us–where shall we look online or in repositories to find them? Our guide is Jean Wilcox Hibben, a Southern California-based teacher and researcher. She blogs at www.circlemending.org.
Topic: WAGS June General Meeting – Zoom Link
Time: Jun 13, 2022 02:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87569689082?pwd=Qmo0eUQ0NGFiak1YVTlzNWhWZkRaUT09
Meeting ID: 875 6968 9082
Passcode: June
Seattle Genealogical Society’s – TOUR TO EXPLORE THE GENEALOGY DEPARTMENT OF THE SEATTLE PUBLIC LIBRARY
Thursday, Nov. 13, 10:30 a.m.Tour of the Genealogy Department at the Seattle Public Library (with optional research time in the Seattle Room)
Join SGS on Thursday, Nov. 13, at Seattle Public Library’s Central branch for a tour of the Genealogy Department and an optional opportunity to research in the library’s Seattle Room.
SPL genealogical librarian and SGS Board member Mahina Oshie, will guide the tour through SPL’s Genealogy Collection and provide an overview of their resources. SGS and SPL have a long history of collaboration starting 102 years ago.
The Hugh and Jane Ferguson Seattle Room Collection comprises over 50,000 items documenting and exploring the culture and history of Seattle and the Pacific Northwest. The room is open to researchers by appointment only. This tour will have access for 10 researchers in the afternoon. Attendees wishing to research in the Seattle Room should indicate their interest when registering for the tour and have a pre-planned research focus. Those who do not get a reserved research space in the afternoon (if demand exceeds 10 people) will be given guidance to arrange for a return visit.
The tour begins at 10:30 a.m. at the library, afterward there will be an optional lunch gathering at a nearby food court (a two-block walk).
Pre-registration required. $20 nonmembers ($15 for SGS members).
Library tour limited to 20 people.
Researching in the Seattle Room is limited to 10 people (places allocated on first come, first served basis). Join the Tour
Seattle Genealogical Society Tip of the Week War of 1812 Records Available Now
The National Archives has added more records to its pension collection for the War of 1812 (National Archives Identifier 564415). Files for veterans and widows from the surnames A — Laughlin are now available online.
Before 1871, Veterans could only qualify for a pension if they could prove that a war injury prevented them from earning a living. For widows, they had to prove they had married the solider before the end of the war in 1815. After 1871, all veterans and widows could apply provided the solider had served for at least 60 days. After 1878 benefits were further extended to include veterans, widows and their children if the soldier served at least 14 days. Those who served the war effort in capacities other than soldier were also made eligible.
Pension files area wealth of genealogical information, often containing testimony of a comrades and family Bible records.
As with any collection, be sure to check back often for when more records are added.
Puget Sound Genealogical Society “No OMPH? No Problem!”
Our monthly PSGS Program this month will be “No OMPF? No Problem!” with Sara Cochran.
Join us on Wed, Nov 19 at 1pm (PT).
This will be hybrid. Join us in person at the Sylvan Way Library or on Zoom. No cost and open to the public. The Zoom link will be posted the day before on our website (psgsociety.org) and our Facebook page.
Researching 20th Century veterans is especially difficult as a fire destroyed millions of Official Military Personnel Files in 1973. This program will look at other ways to find the stories of the WWI and WWII veterans in our families.
Polish Genealogical Society of America “Ask a Polish Researcher”
The Polish Genealogical Society of America is hosting its next quarterly webinar on November 16th at 2pm Central Time. The topic is “Ask a Polish Genealogy Researcher.” A flyer is attached – feel free to distribute to your networks.
Our presenter, Aleksander Zawilski, is a researcher and tour guide with Polish Origins. He will answer your questions about researching Polish genealogy.
What questions do you have about:
– What are…? Where do I find…? How do I…?
– Who can I ask about…? Why is it difficult to…?
– What helpful questions will others ask?
If you would like to submit your questions in advance, please do so before October 30th and send to: [email protected]
This webinar is free for PGSA members (please log in to get your discount) and non-members pay $15.
Register here: https://pgsa.org/product-category/webinars/
PGSA memberships start at $25: https://pgsa.org/membership2021/
MyHeritage Offers Free Access to Death Records
This Halloween, MyHeritage is offering free access to over 1.5 billion death, burial, cemetery, and obituary records from October 30 through November 2, 2025.
These records are rich with genealogical details, such as names, places, dates, and family connections, and can open doors to new family history breakthroughs. Since last Halloween, 18 collections in this category have been added or updated, making the chances of finding something new even better.
Heritage Quest Research Library – Inspiring the Next Generation of Genealogists
 Inspiring the Next Generation of Genealogists November 6, 2025 11am to 12pm PDT LEARN MORE HERE! |
| COMING SOON! Our genealogy classes for 2026 are exciting! Be on the lookout for the schedule to land in your inbox so you can start signing up! |
| Heritage Quest Research Library 2102 East Main Avenue, Suite 105 Puyallup, WA 98372 (253) 863-1806 |