YGF MEETING PLACE

At our Sept. 19th meeting, members of YGF approved the motion to meet in the Cultural Hall of the L.D.S. Church, 6th Street W. and Ave. D. The meeting night will need to be changed to the 4th Tuesday night of the month. We're talking about a year commitment.

For those who haven't attended recently, Parmly Billings Library has squeezed meeting times of clubs by allowing groups to use the 3rd floor meeting room only between the hours of 11 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. The Forum would have to begin at 6 p.m. and this doesn't fit in with the members' lives, especially those who work until 5 p.m.

Our president, Suzanne, has followed down many leads and checked the availability and price of places all over Billings. Many charge high fees.

The L.D.S. Church has graciously consented to allow us to meet in their building. The location is fairly centrally located and has ample parking with no steps to the nearby meeting room. The Cultural Hall is rectangular with a stage and has an adjoining kitchen. We can gather at 6:30 for visiting with the meeting following 7--9 p.m. Restrooms are up the hall closeby. This should be a fine meeting place for us.

The Yellowstone Genealogy Forum is a non-profit educational society and is not affiliated with the L.D.S. Church. We do share the common interest in family history research. We hope our YGF members will feel welcome to make this meeting place one of learning and fellowship.

***

HISTORY OF GEN-BUG NEWS

Although the Yellowstone Genealogy Forum was organized on May 26, 1977, it wasn't until Velma E. Morris (now Fitzgerald), our secretary, was the catalyst to produce the first issue of "The Gen-Bug News", Vol. I, issue No. l Spring 1980. I notice the Gen-Bug News staff consisted of Louise Erekson, Velma E. Morris, Sue Picard, Geraldine Manzo, Farrell Stewart (and other volunteers). A lot of news was packed into that issue. She used nice graphics always with a bug somewhere. The closing says, "HAS THE GENEALOGY BUG BITTEN YOU? Anyone interested in Genealogy is invited to visit our meetings and remember, our Membership Fee is only $4 a year. Hope to see you, soon!"

Velma edited 5 issues, the last being Winter/Spring 1981. Interspersed were several single sheet newsletters by Louise Erekson (our president) decorated with red ladybugs bringing the total to 9.

Then the newsletter idea laid dormant. About that time Louise LaRue finished a 2 year stint of publishing the Northern Rocky Mountain Barb Wire Collectors Association newsletter. What a title! It had been a monthly publication done on an old hand operated mimeograph with the help of family.

(continued to p. 3)

FROM YOUR PRESIDENT:

Well, it has been an exciting year so far. Our programs have been great and so has the turnout! The internet class brought in several visitors, some of who became members.

We have finally made a decision to move our meeting to the LDS Chapel on Ave. D. The room that they are letting us use is very nice and the acoustics are such that I don't think we will need to use the microphone. It is a cozy spot and handicap accessible. This is a one year commitment and we are thankful that Bob Erekson is willing to attend and let us in and out! If we need to stay an extra 15 minutes, there shouldn't be any problem. This is itself is a nice change. No more rushing and cutting off speakers.

We do have another change that we need to attend to. We need to ask for a volunteer, and a co-volunteer, to set up our programs. I have done this job for 2 years in the past and it is very rewarding. If two people are working on the job, the time you spend finding speakers should be cut in half! There are so many subjects on genealogy, how will we ever get them all covered? And remember...the board is there to help if you need us.

Our web page is looking great. Cleve has been very busy adding to the site, so stop in and check it out! I personally am committed to staying home for a while and am anxiously waiting for the FHC in the Heights to re-open. I will be spending time out there volunteering as well as researching. If you have an idea for the Forum, just drop a note in my box! One more way to let us know what you need from our group.

Happy researching, Suzanne

***

LADY BUG

A small speckled visitor

wearing crimson cape,

Brighter than a cherry

smaller than a grape.

A polka-dotted someone

walking on my walls

A black-hooded lady

in a scarlet shawl.

---by Joan Walsh Anglund

GEN-ROOM LIBRARY NEWS

The library collection has been cataloged and arranged the same as the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. This means that if you find an item in the Family History Library Catalog, you can check for it in the Gen-Room using the same call number.

Our card catalog is located in the top drawer of a grey file cabinet. Items can be located by looking up the author, title, subject or locality. Family histories are cataloged by the family's last name. Books on places are found listed under their locality, starting with the largest area first, i.e., State or Country, County, City. For example, a book about Billings in the catalog would be under, MONTANA, YELLOWSTONE, BILLINGS.

We have moved the Billings City Directories into off site storage to free up some much needed space. Copies of all of them can be found in the Montana Room.

I am now the Acquisitions person so donations and requests can be sent to me, Ellen Cushing, 656-8075 or ecushing2@juno.com.

NEW BOOKS

American Migrations 1765-1799 by Peter W. Coldham

Tapestries of Yesterday by Libby, Montana Institute of the Arts Writers Group

Moselely Family History by Warren L. Forsythe. Donated by author.

***

Have a thankful THANKSGIVING

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS

Gerry Mangis, 1726 Parkhill Dr., Billings, MT 59102, 245-5530 GerryMN@aol.com

Mr. & Mrs. William P. Thompson, 2103 Lyndale Ln., Billings, MT 59102, 652-8832

Cynthia and Donald Ruwald, PO Box 173, Bridger, MT 59014, 662-3820

Ruth E. Wood, 55 Nuggett Dr., Billings, MT 59102, 652-9775, Rwood52896@aol.com

Penny Jones, 4561 Box Canyon Springs Rd., Billings, MT 59101, 254-9411, quasar@imt.net

Henry Meyers, 3011 Kincaid Rd., Billings, MT 59101, 252-1639

***

e-mail corrections

Sue-Ann Jacobson, our Membership Chairman would like to report the new e-mail addresses that she has received since the January 2000 membership list came out

Carlson, Florence fcarlson@wtp.net

Cushing, Ellen echusing2@juno.com

Drake, Vernon vernondrake@imt.net

Grantier, C. Dan cdan@imt.net

Hutchinson, Rick rdhut@home.com

Kennedy, Sharon FSM@wtp.net

Kramlich, Rocky Bonzee@twoalpha.net

LaRue, Louise lourue1917@juno.com

Lewallen, Phyllis lewallen@wtp.net

Lindgren, Lucille Llind236@nemontel.net

Lyon, Bob alicelyon@hotmail.com

Maxfield, Lynn lynnfh@wwdb.org

McCormick, Jean jeaned@imt.net

McNulty, Carole carolem@wtp.net

Miller, JoAnne vmiller@wtp.net

Normand, Ruth rhnorm@2a.net

Pollock, Elsie empollock@myavista.com

Rudolf, Evelyn mt-evelyn@juno.com

Rudolf, Marian & Erving

marerv49@gateway.net

Seyler, Mae maeseyler@cs.com

Shimp, Rick & Penny rickshimp385@cs.com

Stepanek, Adrienne astepan@dia.net

Stolzenburg, Marien stolz@ycsi.net

Thayer, Dick tayermt@imt.net

Trushenski, Clarence claryvon@mcn.net

Wiedmeier, Mary JEW60@aol.com

Wolchesky, Joise cjwolchesky@imt.net

You may want to correct your membership list to reflect these changes

or keep this issue handy for reference.

HISTORY OF GEN-BUG (continued)

Somewhere the idea of Genie-Bugs, a kind of very special lady bugs, came to be associated with genealogy.

That is when Louise came up with the idea of putting a quarterly newsletter together and our YGF officers sanctioned it. (Incidently, Sue Picard was president.) A lot of other Montana societies were starting publications including quarterlies about that time. The name stayed the same as Velma had chosen.

And the Masthead has been different every time since it began September 1982.

The silly but endearing ladybug people that decorate the masthead often have a message or theme and have gained quite a following in the 18 years that is celebrated with this issue. The purpose is to keep you informed on what our club is doing and to "cheer lead" in general for genealogy.

Our newsletter has tried a number of things and been sent all over the U.S. as well as to every Montana genealogy society or study group that we know about. Do you remember "Voyage Back in Time" written by Betty Seter? Queries weren't as successful as they should have been. Membership lists, Library acquisitions, and "How I Solved It" besides the monthly calendar have been very popular.

It is hoped you enjoy these good little bugs that help you with your genealogy. Many "personal shoppers" have given me lady-bugs in many sizes and shapes as gifts. I'm thinking of displaying my collection at our next county fair. The only way to make research progress is to "Keep Buggin'" as Ella Patte put on our club birthday cake one year. Cheers! Ladybug Louise is celebrating her 18th year as your Editor.

LIBRARIAN'S CORNER

Two oversize blue books you should check are on the west wall, top shelf at the Gen-Room. They are entitled "DAR LIBRARY CATALOG Vol. I & II".

Whether or not you are interested in joining DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) they can be valuable in learning if a book has been published on a subject helpful to you.

Volume I was published in 1982 and records over 14,000 surname books. Each book has a 5 digit code number arranged alphabetically beginning with Assen to Zwingli. The book title, author, publisher, place of publishing, number of pages, size of book and if indexed is given.

This data might be a great aid if you were trying to locate a family history about a certain surname. The DAR Library in D.C. does very little research for individuals although you can research in person. Your best use of the information is to try to locate a copy of the same book through interlibrary loan or on microfilm at the L.D.S. Library.

What most researchers don't know is that both of these books have a large index where these books are cross-indexed. Often, the surname you are looking for is not revealed in the title, but data is included in the book. Unusual surnames are the easiest to locate.

Volume II was published in 1986 and contains "State and Local Histories and Records". It is a larger book containing over 23,000 descriptions. Again the cross referencing could be most helpful in locating valuable information. Good luck!

***

HOW I SOLVED IT

Until last fall, when asked how far back I had traced my husband's family, I could say one line back to 1544 and another is back to 1930. For over twenty-five years I have been looking for my husband's father. He had been shot by an irate husband on the main street of Carlsbad, New Mexico in 1931. With a new baby, no job, and the depression in full swing, my future mother-in-law went home to her mother. She told me later that at this point she thought her life was over. As a result of this traumatic time, she suppressed many memories and had no documentation. After working hard, I had found nothing definite. I had made some guesses, but I couldn't make a firm connection.

Last August, while surfing the Internet, we came across a telephone number for a Hulett Evans in Houston, Texas. Hulett was one of the possible names which we had a my husband's father's given name. We called the next day. This Hulett was the third in line from a first Hulett, who sounded much like the Hulett that I had been seeking. Their family tradition said that somewhere there was another son born after an early divorce. They had been seriously looking for nine years.

About a week later we got together and compared the data which we had. Neither of us had enough information to move back a generation with assurance, but together we were able to make a tight connection. My husband is the missing son, so now he is well endowed with nephews and nieces and we can move back generations with confidence.

The moral of this story is DON'T GIVE UP.

Joan Evans

***

The following was printed in the BILLINGS OUTPOST, September 27, 2000

SUBDIVISION INFORMATION OFFERED BY LOCAL GROUP

To the editor:

The letter by Janet Davis (Sept. 20) is very interesting and enlightening. Our genealogy group "Yellowstone Genealogy Forum" is just the place for those answers about the true history and formation of Billings.

The residential development, gobbling up of Indian land, virtual stealing of homesteads, and the desperate attempt by numerous persons living outside of Billings to take title and claim ownership in the 1800's are quite evident in some of the files this fine organization has. We do not do the research, but we do provide the tools, incentives and materials to complete the studies in a relatively quick manner.

Genealogy is not only about people's lineage, but more so about the places, times and what drove people to do certain acts. There have been several articles written about Billings from person's memories, but if Janet really wants to understand the turmoil involved in Billings developments, check out our web site www.rootsweb.com/~mtygf and go to Early Pioneers. We hold many title abstracts along with numerous affidavits of people who gave up the land for creation of the original and subsequent subdivisions. The railroad and telegraph original land grants and the subsequent documents spanning 60 or more years quite clearly define the developments.

It's all available for research, and I'd be willing to assist. My e-mail link is at the site. For those others who might express an interest in this and related events about "the past," come visit us at our next meeting in October. Check out the web site for details.

Cleve Kimmel

Past Program Chairman

Yellowstone Genealogy Forum

Billings

***

Adventure onto Internet and check out the web site address for the Yellowstone Genealogy Forum:

www.rootsweb.com/~mtygf

Thanks Cleve, for doing a fine job for us.

MSGS BOOK FOR SALE

"First Families of Montana and Early Settlers, Vol. 1" is a newly published book by the Montana State Genealogical Society. The book sells for $20.00 with an additional $3 for mailing if ordered by mail.

Much genealogy has been preserved by genealogists who submitted data in one of two categories: First Families of Montana coming to MT before 8 Nov. 1889 (our statehood date) or as Early Settlers of Montana 9 Nov. 1889--31 Dec. 1929. When approved, certificates suitable for framing are awarded. This has been an on going project for several years. The files submitted will be given to the Montana State Historical Society for permanent placement in their archives.

The books are printed on fine quality paper showing a half page summary with photos (for most) of the couples and basic data along with the submitter's name and address. There are 112 First Families and 161 Early Settlers. It is all well indexed by surnames, by counties, and in the ordered submitted. This book is a way of recording Montana ancestors that should be cherished for their lives for making Montana what it is today.

Books may be ordered from First Families of Montana, c/o Al Stoner, 44 Wonder Rd., Clancy, MT 59634. Make checks payable to MSGS.

***

FAMILY HISTORY CENTER RE-OPENS

It is good news that the L.D.S. Family History Center is opening again at 1000 Wicks on Nov. 7th. Many researchers have missed being able to go work there. The hours they will be open are Tuesday and Thursday 9 - 9, Wednesday 1-9 and Saturday 1 - 5. Many of us will be anxious to see how nice it looks.

We have been asked to inform our readers that the Library has a LOST and Found containing many research materials including several photos, notebooks, etc. Please check this collection to see if there is anything in it belonging to you and retrieve it. If items are not claimed by January 1st, they will be garbaged!

Yov've been warned. Please check this out.

MOST RECENT QUARTERLIES & PERIODICALS LOCATED AT THE GEN-ROOM

If you have unwanted quarterlies that you would like to donate, call Athna May Porter 259-2552 or e-mail porter@imt.net

Great Migration Newsletter - Vol. 8 #4, Oct-Dec 1999

Heritage Quest - July/Aug #88; Sep/Oct, #89 2000

New England Ancestors Quarterly --Summer; Fall 2000

Heritage Quest Update Newsletter June #6; July #7; Aug #8 2000

History Magazine - Aug/Sep; Oct/Nov 2000

Family Tree Magazine - Oct; Dec 2000

New England Historical & Gen. Register Vol 154 #615 July 2000

NGS Newsmagazine -July/Aug; Sep/Oct 2000

Forum - FGS Society Quarterly - Vol 12 #2 Summer 2000

National Genealogical Society Quarterly Vol 88 #2 June 2000

Journal of the American Historical Society of Germans from Russia Summer 2000 Vol 23 #2

Daughters of American Revolution - Owned by Parmly

Genealogical Helper - Owned by Parmly

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GENEALOGY AND ELDERHOSTEL

Want to do hands-on research east of the Mississippi River? Here's how. Elderhostel (an educational and travel group for those over the age of 55) offers 1 week classes in Ancestral Research in many eastern states and some foreign countries. Each site has knowledgeable instructors from the area--a plus for genealogists. Classes are at various times of the year--winter, spring, summer and fall. The cost is minimal about $450 per week which includes room, meals, handouts and tours of the area. You must arrive at the site at your own expense.

Contact: (for a U.S. & Canada and/or foreign catalog) ELDERHOSTEL, 75 Federal St., Boston, MA 02110-1941. Phone: 1-877-426-8056 9 am--9 pm ET M-F. On line: www.elderhostel.org

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