SCGS Jamboree Highlights

Well this post is different, as I wanted to post some of my highlights of attending the 2009 SCGS Jamboree. In the past I have served on the committee, and of course, working the Jamboree means you can't get to go to many lectures, or browse through the vendor hall. But the past few years, I have tried not to be so involved, so I could attend the conference instead of working.

This year, the first highlight came before the "regular" portion of the Jamboree. I substituted at the Kid's Camp, held Friday morning. Genealogy has some bright new folks, as I reviewed and signed off on 29 Boy Scout Genealogy badges! That's more than I have signed in the past 3 years!!! Only one young man didn't have enough of the data to get my signature. And I was only one of 3 Counselors reviewing and signing! And with all the popularity of genealogy in the US, can you believe it is one of the "rarer" badges with only about 5,000 awarded 2 yeas ago? We need to change that, and this seems to be a wonderful way to do it! Kudos to Michael Melendez for his work on this!

I volunteered to sit the DAR table in the Vendor's Hall on Friday. We managed to help not only prospective DAR members but SR & SAR prospective members. The new on-line member's site allows us to do more than we could before, and we passed out many request for application forms, so the folks at NSDAR national headquarters are about to be really busy! We definitely saw more attendees from out of state, as well as an increased northern California contingent!

Actually got to go to some lectures this year.... They had some wonderful new speakers, and some of my old friends! The blogger's panel was terrific and I learned some great new ideas, both in techniques and content, and also encouragement. So maybe I'll try to set aside more time for blogging! I have already sent for some British vitals after listening to George Morgan, and the first one has already arrived!

Many of the lectures were recorded, and a couple of us went together on an order of ones we missed or wanted to lessen the cost per CD. I transferred a few of the CDs to my iPod so I could listen to them on the plane and while walking in DC where I spent the week following the 4th doing genealogy and attending DAR Congress. ( more on that later!). Although the quality differs from one to another, it was a great way to hear the lectures I missed! ( And yes, Paula, I will fill out a survey!)

Paula and the rest of the SCGS Jamboree committee are to be commended on a fabulously successful Jamboree! It is definitely the best conference !

Barry, McCalla, Lau, Flickinger, Thompson in US & Ireland

the "catchy" title ( names, places) is credited to the Son-of Blogger discussion at SCGS Jamboree-- "hook 'em with the title so they will read the blog" ----

Well here are some of my husband's names I am researching:

Barry- first known ancestor is Robert H. who immigrated from County Wexford to Opalousas LA in 1820. His father is probably Sylvestre/ Sylvester Barry born & remained in Ireland. Robert's brother John Barry became the second bishop of Savannah Georgia, and has been written up in several Catholic histories. He states birthplace as Oilgate, County Wexford.

McCalla Bob's earliest found McCalla relative is George McCalla found in 1860 census in Licking county, Ohio. According a family document, his wife Eliza J(ane) was the daughter of Robert Thompson and Susan McCoubrie of County Down and from the family home named Cherry Vale
Other children of Robert Thompson married and went to Canada. Have been tracing those descendants in hope of making farther back connections.....

Lau Bob's mom was a Lau, and the family connects back from Ohio to the Lau families of Lancaster county PA.



Flickinger The Lau brothers who went to Ohio married Flickinger sisters also from Lancaster County PA

Burton, Edwards, Petty, Wadsworth, in NY & Canada

I guess I really need to get going in blogging. I will pick up on the blogging prompts later, but I guess the first thing to report in my genealogy blog is to list at least some surnames, individuals, and the areas I am currently researching so people can find me! I hope to post pages with biographies of several of them, my tree and current research finds, so here goes in no particular order....

Burton Isaiah supposedly a native of Hopkinton RI moved to NY
Varnum, Alfred and Sarah his children Tompkins CoNY, Cattaraugus Co. NY & Cedar Co., IA
colateral lines are Luddington, Everts/Evarts and several unknowns for the ladies....

Mix Varnum's wife Sevinah was Mix,
her mother was Leafe Ide her grandfather was a Rev War patriot, Squire Ide.
her other ancestral names are Collins, Bowen, Bozworth, Manross, Perry ....

Fairchild John Frederick B(ackus?) born 1800 in Athens or Hudson NY trying to connect him to one of the Connecticut Fairchild families... but watch for an interesting tale here.... he married Sally HOYT

Miller John born 1820 in Crieff Scotland, came to the US ( Cattaraugus Co., NY) in 1849.... not sure I have identified the right parents in Scotland...
Alexander, his brother who moved from NY to Michigan.... tracking his descendants now

Edwards John [gee I wish our family would use more unusual names!] who was born in Quebec, CAN in 1835, married in Essex co, ONT Can in 1862, moved to Michigan and died there in 1897.... his mom was supposedly from Portugal(?!)

Petty Jesse, born NJ abt 1779 moved to Fayette, NY in early 1800's died in Allegany Co., NY in 1855 married Mary ( Polly?) Moffat

Hoyt, Enoch m. Sally Holly ?? died about 1824. Is listed as unattached (may be...) by David Hoyt in the famous Hoyt, Haight.... genealogy.

Wadsworth Ariel B. He was my first real mystery...And so will probably be my first Bio. But now have tracked back to William Wadsworth, so feel much better to have a longer line!!!
connected lines are CADWELL, Brace, BUNCE, Collier, Clark

Robinson -- Ariel's wife was Roxey Rouse Robinson. Traced the Robinson line back to John, the minister of the Pilgrims in Leiden Holland my first "famous" ancestor!!!
the allied lines are Flint, Hazen, Rouse, Haynes among others

Next blog soon....

My new Blog!

Well, I have finally gotten around to starting a blog! I hope to use it to document my genealogical research, provide a place to connect with other genealogists, and just experiment with this new ( for me ) medium.