P. G. S. News

Volume 11, Issue 4

April 2006

Previous Issue

MEETINGS

Regular Pinellas Genealogy Society (P.G.S.) meetings are held on the third Saturday of the month beginning at 11:00 a.m. in the Jenkins Auditorium in the Largo Library. Guests are warmly welcomed and encouraged to attend.
PLEASE NOTE THAT OUR MAY MEETING THIS YEAR WILL BE HELD THE FOURTH SATURDAY OF THE MONTH.

The P.G.S. Board meets at 8:30 in the Largo Library Local History Room every third Saturday.

THE 2006 CALENDAR

The Pinellas Genealogy Society’s mission is to further genealogical research and preservation of Pinellas County genealogy materials. New members are welcomed at all times during the year. Annual dues per person are $17 and joint memberships are $25. Application forms available in the library or on the P.G.S. website.

Thank you to the three kind individuals who have offered to volunteer on a Saturday morning. Howard Jensen, Patricia Cassidy and Denise Manning. We could still use some more Saturday volunteers. Come and join the fun.

EDUCATION

Computers Interest Group (CIG)

Meets monthly at 9:45 A.M. in the Jenkins Assembly Conference Room on the third Saturday of each month just before the regular PGS meeting throughout the year. This forum is an informal discussion group in a question and answer format on anything related to the use of computers in genealogy. There is no fee and all levels of computer expertise are welcome. To become a member of the email discussion list, email Bob Bryan. Next CIG meeting date: 15 April 2006.

The Family Tree Maker Group (FTM)

FTM is now on their summer break. They meet monthly October through May at 10:00 A.M. in the Jenkins Assembly Conference Room in the lobby of the Largo Library. Each session lasts approximately two hours. There is no fee for this workshop. Led by Karen Keegan . The next FTM meeting date: 7 October 2006.

Saturday – April 8th

Please join us at Shelter #1, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at Largo Central Park, which is across the street from the library. Bring a dish to share - hamburgers, hotdogs, drinks and paper goods will be provided. A sign up sheet will be placed at the Genealogy Desk in the library. If you would like to attend the picnic, please email Sally Brown so we can make food plans.

Editor’s Note:

This newsletter is published and distributed monthly in the Largo Library. Our goal is to keep P.G.S. members and library volunteers and visitors up to date on events, classes, new acquisitions and more. Do you have an idea on how to improve this newsletter? Is there something you would like to share with others such as a genealogy tip, a website or an upcoming event? Please email the editor with your questions, suggestions or complaints. pgsfla@yahoo.com Subject Line: PGS/Library News

News from Special Collections

• When calling the Largo Library with questions relating to genealogy, please use the number for the Genealogy Help Desk: 727-586-7410.
• Please do not re-shelve books or return other materials. Our volunteers count each item returned as a statistic. These counts help us to determine our peak times for service and areas of high demand. Thank you!
• Please continue to bring in flyers or brochures about libraries you visit this year. Thanks!
• When using the microfilm, please rewind the film before returning it to its box. Please do not remove the take-up reel; this will only leave the film in an upside-down and backwards state!
▪ Volunteers are available at the Largo Library to assist researchers in getting started in genealogy and using the library collection. Hours are: Monday through Saturday, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and Monday through Thursday evenings from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. If you would like to volunteer please see Mercedes Genealogy Librarian.

THANK YOU’S

The Genealogy Center recently received a wonderful donation of genealogy books from the personal library of Phyllis LaRene Davids who died this past February. According to her family she had spent many happy hours using the Largo Genealogy Center and wished it to be the repository of her materials.

We also received a generous donation of $900 from the Board of PAFriends. A selection of materials will be purchased for the collection with a gift card recognizing their donation.

Are You Looking for Your Swedish Roots?

Largo Public Library has purchased three new CD ROMS and the database GENLINE to assist you.

Genline – Genlines’s Swedish Church Records archive consists of images scanned from microfilm of original church records from the 16th to the 20th century. It contains close to 15 million images and represents 300 years of vital records and household census data. According to Genline, “In 1527, Sweden became a Lutheran country and the church became a State church. All citizens had to register with the State Church, even if one was not Lutheran and all clergy were required to keep records”. This database is in English, but of course the records are in Swedish. It allows for in-library access only.

EMIBAS- CD ROM – Contains records for 1.1 million Swedish emigrants from more than 2300 parishes, or 75% of all Swedes who emigrated between the years 1845 and 1930. It is searchable in both Swedish or English and the search results include name, birth parish and date, emigration date and parish where they emigrated. This is the starting point to find your emigrant’s home parish before you search in the GENLINE database.

Swedish Census 1890 – CD ROM –Lists all persons who were registered in a Swedish parish on December 31, 1890-almost 4.8 million records. Search results show name of person, year of birth, occupation or title, family status, place of residence.

Swedish Emigrant – CD ROM – This 2 CD set contains a database of over 1.4 million emigrants who left Sweden for North America. This set is a good complement to the EMIBAS as it covers different ports and together provides a complete search.

PGS member Alice Charest wrote the following testimonial:
“I have used Genline for a month and have found a wealth of information. I found that it is best to know the name of the parish and province from which the ancestor emigrated in order to be able to locate them in the most recent record. Once this is established you will be able to travel back at least a generation or two at least.”

PGS Books for sale
The Pinellas Genealogy Society offers publications in black and white (B/W) and, when available, in color. There is a 7% tax and shipping/handling charge. Purchasing information can be found here.

NEW ITEMS!!
Alexander Funeral Home Records 1917-1947. Clearwater. 207 B/W pages. $20.00 B/W, N/A Color.
Lincoln Cemetery. 596 B/W + 22 Color pages. $51.75 B/W, $69.50 Color.

COMING SOON------
ROYAL PALM CEMETERY, St. Petersburg

P.G.S. QUARTERLY
This official publication of the Pinellas Genealogy Society is issued free of additional charge to paid-up members of the Society. Authors and compilers, members and non-members alike, are not only welcome to, but encouraged to, submit articles for publication. Also appreciated are stories of research trips and reviews of printed or computerized genealogy materials. New items of genealogical reference are also gratefully accepted. Submission Deadlines: February 1st (Spring issue); May 1st (Summer issue); August 1st (Fall issue); November 1st (Winter issue) Up to two free queries may be placed in each issue by any paid-up member. Queries are limited to 60 words each, plus name and address of the submitter; one double-length query of up to 120 words, plus name and address, is acceptable. Non-member query fees are $1.00 for each single-length, and $2.00 for each double-length query. Mail all queries to the Editor.
EDITOR:	William Wallace Pinellas Genealogist c/o Largo Library 120 Central Park Drive Largo, FL 33771-2110

Check out the new materials in Special Collections