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Upcoming Events: 31 July-2 Aug 2019 “BYU Conference on History & Gene- Cheyenne Journal alogy” BYU Conference Center, Provo, Utah Musings by the President . . . Online Registration: Wishing you all a great summer—full of rest and re- https://familyhistory.ce.byu. edu/ laxation, time with family, successful research travels, vacation enjoyment...and getting reved up and looking 6 Aug 2019 forward to fall & our great CGHS program line-up! “Attaching Sources to Sue Seniawski, President ” Family History Webinar 10:00 a.m.

13 Aug 2019 CGHS Annual Walk to Highlight Notable Women “Adding Memories to Family Tree” Family During the Anniversary of Women’s Suffrage in Wyoming History Library Webinar 10:00 a.m. Discover some of the re- gion’s notable females during 15 Aug 2019 the Cheyenne Genealogical & “WikiTree with Eowyn Historical Society’s annual Lak- Langholf” Larimer eview Cemetery Walk, on Sat- County Genealogical urday, August 24, 2019. The Society Monthly Meeting, living history presentation, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Good Sa- “Remember the Ladies,” a trib- maritan Society, 508 ute to the 150th anniversary Trilby Road, Fort Collins of women’s suffrage in Wyo- ming, begins at the main gate 20 Aug 2019 of Lakeview Cemetery off Sey- “Merging & Correcting mour Ave. and features inter- Relationships on Family esting characters who played Tree” Family History large and small parts in Chey- Library Webinar enne’s frontier history. This 10:00 a.m. year there will be seven new female characters added and 24 Aug 2019 two start-times for the two- CGHS Annual Cemetery hour narrated walking tour. Walk, “Remember the The first tour will begin at Ladies” Lakeview Ceme- 9:00 a.m. and the second tour tery, Seymour Ave. group. Walkers are encouraged will begin at 10 a.m. Members of CGHS in costume will por- 9:00 a.m. and 10 a.m. to wear comfortable shoes and tray Esther Hobart Morris, Registration required by Nellie Tayloe Ross, E. Mason sun protection, and bring calling 307-286-6239 Smith, ‘Apple Annie,’ Helen drinking water if desired. Pro- Frances Warren Pershing, ceeds help fund 10 Sep 2019 Daze , Lucy Phillips, acquisitions for the Laramie CGHS Monthly Meeting Amolia Post and others, most County Library by the Chey- Program to be of whose graves are located in enne Genealogical and Histori- announced or near Lakeview Cemetery. cal Society. 6:15-8:30 p.m. Laramie Participants who want to at- County Library tend either of the tours for For those who still owe dues the Cemetery Walk should for membership or those want 28 Sep 2019 to join the Cheyenne Genealog- make reservations by calling “Conference for a ical & Historical Society, dues Sue at 307-286-6239. There Cause: From Court Rec- for a single member are $20; is a $5 entrance fee for each family of two—$30 and for an ords to DNA” with Judy adult, $1 for youth and chil- organization—$30. Please sub- Russell, The Legal dren; preschoolers are admit- mit your membership applica- Genealogist ted free. Participants should tion and dues payment to 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., begin to gather 15-20 minutes CGHS, P.O. Box 2539, Chey- Medical Center of the before the start of each enne, WY 82003 Rockies, Loveland, Co.

Get to Know Your Genealogy Colleague: Wandalee Williamson Wade

May 27, 1855. Henry and Thomas to Saratoga, Wyoming. Soon after This newsletter column will introduce you to that my divorced and I the genealogical work of members of the came to America with plans of Cheyenne Genealogical & Historical Society, sending for the other family mem- never saw or heard from my to help you get to know your colleagues and bers to join them after they had again. My returned to Den- perhaps to provide a few ideas or hints for accumulated enough money and ver and worked as a nurse, while I your own research. stayed in Saratoga with my grand- were settled. However Henry died parents. I consider them my ‘Life What is your full name? in Kansas after 1860 and his Teachers’ and for the four years Wandalee “Wanda” Williamson Sarah Tomlins Barnett and the re- that I lived with them, they were Wade maining five children never came to America. My mother’s father, always there for me. I was my Are you named after any relative; if so Grandpa’s hunting and fishing bud- who & why? Charles Sherman Freemyer, was a dy. My Grandma was a great cook My parents, Garold A. Williamson descendant of the Palatine and the was run in what and Verda Marjorie Freemyer Wil- who settled in Schoharie County, I call a ‘Tea Towel Calendar’ – Wash liamson were expecting a and he New York in the early 1700s. on Monday, Iron on Tuesday, Mend would have been named David. My What is your paternal ethnic heritage? on Wednesday….In 1949 my mother father suggested that my name My father’s were remarried and I started junior high should be JennEva Rachel after my from England, and Scotland. school in Cheyenne that fall. My two grandmothers, JennEva New- Several of the families settled ear- Harry’s family had home- land Freemyer and Rachel Edna ly in Virginia. My paternal great steaded in Laramie County in 1908 Green Williamson, but my mother grandfather, Loammi Williamson, and I currently live in a home we did not agree. I was told I was un- was a descendant of Quaker lineage built on the original homestead in named for about six weeks until from North Carolina. 1981. Harry and I were married 53 they found the name Wandalee in a years before he died in 2008. I article. Give your maternal three gen- erations back: worked in financial institutions for NEWLAND; BARNETT; TOMLINS; 35 years before I retired in 2001. LOUDERBACK; SUMMERS Our three have present- ed us with 5 grandchildren and 5 WARREN; SHADRICK; FORD; great grandchildren. SAUNDERS When did you start doing genealogy? FOLAND; SMITH; COFFMAN Early 2000 SHREVES; LOUCKS; MATTICE; What got you interested in this crazy BERG hobby? Give your paternal or ’ First, I was fortunate as a young- surnames three generations back: ster to have known my maternal GREEN; HIXON; ROBERTSON; great grandmother Rose Ella War- WILHOIT ren Freemyer who left Missouri in GARRETT; HENDERSON 1894 in a covered wagon with her new husband and headed to north- HESTER; BENNETT eastern Colorado. She loved to tell Provide some information about your- me stories of her life and some- self, your background, your family… times they didn’t make sense to me I was born in Ovid, Colorado which as a seven year old, but with my is located in northeastern Colorado research I have begun to under- between Sterling and Julesburg. stand the life she was telling me The families of my mother and my about. Second, was my mother’s Charles Freemyer and JennEva Newland deep interest in her genealogy re- wedding photo father were early homesteaders in that area. My mother was a nurse search. Before her death, she What is your maternal ethnic heritage? and my father ran a draying compa- made sure that I had her ‘blue suit- My mother’s heritage is English and ny. During the sugar beet campaign case’ with all of her handwritten Northwestern European. Her grand- my parents and grandparents notes and family charts. How easy father Thomas F. Barnett was 20 worked for the Ovid sugar factory. we have it now compared to when years old when he left England with In 1944 we moved to Denver where she was researching the Soundex his father Henry Barnett. Thomas my father worked at Gates Rubber census information or waiting for was the oldest boy in the Barnett Company and by 1945 my parents the mailman to deliver the answer o family. They arrived in America and maternal grandparents moved that request she had written for (continued on page 3) 5th Great Grandfather Served Jail Time for Refusing to Get a ‘License to Preach’ (continued from page 2) Sedgwick County, Colorado. All of What is the most interesting/ information. I have her hand writ- her research has directed me into funniest/most bizarre story you have ten family sheets and they will be Clay County, Missouri during the Civil uncovered? the first pages in the Freemyer/ War. I am sure that some of you out Warren family book. After her there were told as children that death I tried to follow up on her they were part Native American. work, but when I made my first trip We were even told it was my ma- to the Laramie County Library on ternal grandmother’s relative and Central Avenue, I got as far as the they were Osage. As an early re- door to the genealogy room and my searcher I always kept looking for fear wouldn’t let me go inside; I that clue of relationship in the turned around and went home. family. When I finally returned, I met Sandy Wunder and she was the rock Explain what it was and was it accu- rate? If not, why not? What did you who taught me how to research; she discover that disproved the initial in- was my mentor. formation? Are you doing direct-line only or collat- eral research? Sorry, but the closest I came to being Native American was that I would say I do cluster and collat- my maternal grandmother JennEva eral research. To me the history of Newland Freemyer and her the times sometimes becomes more grew up in Brown County, Kansas. important than whether the person The county seat and most populous was a direct relative, and that his- city is Hiawatha, and Brown County tory helps me understand the deci- is the location of the Kickapoo In- sions that came to play in the lives Daniel Caleb Newland and Armina Barnett dian Reservation of Kansas. It’s of the family members. I still have Newland wedding photo, April 1886, Kansas either that or everyone said the my direct-line data, but I also find Newland kids were a ‘Bunch of interesting stories about the family What is the furthest back that you have Wild Indians’. when I search , , researched; what have you found?: and relationships by . Do you have anyone famous in your About 1750 in Orange County, Vir- tree? If so, tell us who and a bit about Who in (or outside) your family provided ginia, I have two gentlemen who are this : you with the most background? my 5th great grandfathers. One is No Even though I didn’t grow up with Job Shadrick who died in Orange Do you think it is important to share my father after I was eight years County, Virginia about 1794. The your research or keep it to yourself? old, I felt my children needed to other is Nathaniel Saunders/ I have compiled several manu- know that part of their family his- Sanders who is said to have been scripts on different family mem- tory. So for the past 9 months I born in Virginia about 1735. Children bers and I am always willing to have been working on the genealogy from the Shadrick and Saunders share a copy. I feel that we must of my 3rd great grandfather Henry families intermarried and appear in share the information that we Garrett Green, born in 1763 in my direct line. I know from land have found, not only with our fami- Greenbrier County, Virginia and died records that Job and Nathaniel were lies but with people who are re- in 1846 in Clay County, Missouri. neighbors and from the benevolent searching the same areas we Grandpa Henry is my line to the deeds they performed for each oth- searched. I consider that my work DAR even though he did not serve er I feel they were friends. For ex- might be a useful tool for anyone long enough to qualify for his pen- ample, Nathaniel provided care for who reads it and I hope that sion. My father was one of 13 chil- Job’s wife after his death. Na- through my work someone else may dren and his mother died when he thaniel Saunders/Sanders was a tell me something I might have was fourteen. I only knew one of his preacher at the Mount Poney Church overlooked. and one of his , and in Culpepper, Virginia. It is written Have you had a DNA test…if so, what needless to say, I have more cousins that he refused to obtain the has it confirmed, disproved or con- than I can imagine. I met my first ‘License to Preach’ as required by founded for you? , Jean Williamson when we the King of England. His reasoning I had a DNA test that shows I am were about 45 years old and she was that God gave him authority to 74% English, Wales & Northwest- generously provided me with copies preach and he did not need a license ern European; 24% Irish & Scot- of all of her Williamson/Green fami- from man. I am sure he was not the tish and 2% Swedish. This is what ly research. Jean was also instru- only minister in this position at that I expected based on my research. mental in compiling the historical time, and Nathaniel served time in (continued on page 4) books for Julesburg, Colorado and jail for his refusal. She Desires a ‘ReDo’ in Missouri a time, but I can easily wander off thought Ancestry.com was the best because I ’t limit my research way to find her family. I had found (continued from page 3) Where/what place are you yearning to to direct lines. I document infor- information for her up to the Civil visit to find information? mation about all of the siblings and War and had given up hope of find- the individuals they married. And I ing anything else. Harry and I went to Missouri a cou- want to know the historical events What is the most recent “Ahah!” mo- ple of times when I was ill-informed that affected their lives. about what I should be looking for. ment you have had? I wish I could go back now that I Do you have a favorite place, method or When I realized that the book I have learned more about my family. time for doing your researching? donated to the library in 2011 really does contain photos and information What do you think are the best meth- My mind allows me to visualize ods or best resources (tools, sites, etc.) where, and how, my lived about family relatives. for researching? Why? so my research is a trip to a differ- Do you have a favorite website? Why is ent time and an escape. My office Of course, person to person conver- it your favorite? is filled with encyclopedias, maps sations are the best resource, but I use Ancestry.com, Family Search, and family photos, so my basic re- that is current information and and the old websites sources are at my fingertips. No sometimes based on Family Lore. that were started by the counties. TV, just my favorite music and my The most emotional experience is I still find good information on the computer. I love the thrill of the being at the actual location, seeing original county web sites, even chase anytime of the day. the land records and though much of that is also now on and holding the original documents What software program do you use for Ancestry.com and Family Search. I in your white gloved hands. your own documentation and keeping guess Ancestry is my first go to files, microfilm of wills, your family tree? place, but I always recheck any- , land records and county I started with Family Tree but thing I find on any site to prove or commissioner minutes, all have pro- switched to Legacy several years disprove the accuracy. vided me with information for fami- ago. I like the format and the doc- What is your biggest frustration, irri- ly connections. I am always cautious umentation that I can produce from tant or money-waster in this “line of of and death certifi- the data base. fun?” cates, because the information is What is your biggest brick wall on My biggest irritation is when people given at a time of stress and is only which you would like assistance? include individuals on a family tree as good as the informant remem- I have two brick walls. The first on the without verifying bers at the moment. I am currently one is my maternal 3rd great grand- that the relationship is accurate, or using a published family history for mother Martha Bee Shreves, born even possible. some of my research in Clay County, 1796 in Pennsylvania. There are Missouri. I enjoy the historical in- How do you save and store your records several people searching for her & organize your results? formation but I compare the facts parents who are said to have been with other information that I have My computer is backed up nightly to Quakers. The second is my paternal found before I use it. I use Ances- a separate drive and I have hard 2nd great grandfather and great try.com, Family Search and Find a copies in notebooks. I have color grandmother, Joseph Green and Grave as suggestion sites and I al- coded the notebooks for each fami- Elizabeth Henderson Green last ways try to prove or disprove the ly. My husband’s family note books found on the 1870 census of Clinton information before I include it on are all in shades of brown and my County, Missouri. my family records. family notebooks are in shades of Have you ever had a serendipity mo- blue and green. It is easy for me to Do you use timelines or research plans ment in doing genealogy when something look at the shelves and know by col- to help you stay on track & focus what you weren’t expecting appeared or sur- or where to look for information. you need to research? faced unexplained? Tell us about it: What is your long-term goal for your I have used timelines and spread- About 4 years ago I contacted a research? sheets in my research, especially to lady who had posted a photo on An- My long-term goal was to have track land transactions. It also cestry.com that was identified as transferred all of my information helps me follow the family’s location Martha Ampire Shadrick, a into a narrative book for each fami- and make sure the people I am of my 2nd great grandmother Mary ly, but to be more realistic, I am searching are actually members of Elizabeth Shadrick Warren. When currently planning to print a narra- that family. she sent me the photo she included tive book from Legacy for each of Are you a skatter-shot, jump-around, a copy of Martha’s death certifi- my family files. It won’t be perfect location-focused, plow-through-one-line cate and a copy of a letter written but it will be a hard copy of all of -only, or grab-em-all-in-a-family type of by my great grandmother’s . the data I have accumulated and researcher? Explain a bit… She said the family was not related will perhaps be easier to under- I generally search one family line at to her and the documents were in a stand if the ‘Long Term’ plan is nev- trunk the she was cleaning out. She er completed. (continued on page 6) Genealogy News You Can Use... The ABC’s of City Directories...Documents That Can Help Locate Relatives, Research Buildings

Information from this article was written businesses. It is also quite helpful by Robin Everett, processing at the when researching buildings. Once you Wyoming State , in “Wyoming Post- have a name, the “white page” style scripts,” 17 October 2014. I stumbled across listing can tell you more about the in- the article while researching a Western arti- dividual. cle and thought it still very relevant; Robin graciously consented to this reprint. A wise researcher once said “genealogy without documentation is mythology.” We will be taking a closer look at some of the wonderful genealog- ical documents & resources available at the State Archives and how they can help you dig deeper and possibly solve your family history research problems. WSA Polk Directory, Casper 1934-35

ran Casper’s Finest Filling Station. Busi- ness must have been going well because he had a telephone at both his home and the business. In some directories, only the head of household was listed, which, from the family historian’s viewpoint, can be frus- trating. As children became adults they were listed as well. When a man died, his wife was often indexed as “Smith, Mary, City directories first came in to use in widow of John”. (This can be a clue to a what is now the in some death date.) By the mid-twentieth cen- of the east coast cities in the eight- tury these directories included a street eenth century, and continue to be pub- cross-index, which is useful for deter- WSA Polk Directory, Cheyenne 1907 lished today in both the US and Canada. mining neighbors, or who lived in the While there were many publishers in- house prior to and following your ances- As with any mass-produced item, how- volved, the most recognized publisher tor. Looking through the street index ever, accuracy may be an . In was R.L Polk & Co. The directories were listing lets the researcher see if there some instances, people had to pay to used to help salespeople and delivery- are relatives living in the same neighbor- have their names included in a directo- men locate individuals for commercial hood. This is also helpful, if your ances- ry and ethnic and racial minorities and delivery purposes, and to provide tor used a . In past research, were often excluded. Also the year on advertising space for businesses, much using the street address has helped this the cover is most often the publication like later telephone books. The directo- researcher discover Gaylord Everett, date, which is not necessarily the year ries were often produced annually or who was going by Gale Everett. the information was collected. But every other year. Before starting your It is much easier to determine most of all, don’t be surprised if you research in city directories, review the the address of a residence using the find yourself “reading” the whole di- table of contents and introductory text directories than from census rec- rectory! They are full of clues, and to better understand the organization, ords. They also give the researcher the facts that help place your ancestors in format and abbreviations in the book. opportunity to go to the physical address historical context. The introduction may provide clues as and visualize where their ancestors lived. to the organization of the particular In the absence of census records, direc- Family Tree Magazine Lists Fifteen directory. Included in the listing was tories are very helpful in tracking the Essential Google Tools for Genealogy the name of the head of household, the movement of elusive ancestors more fre- street address and often the occupa- quently than census enumerations since Over the past 20 years, Google has grown from a simple search engine—the tion and employer of the head of house- they were published annually or bi- annually. Many directories include com- brainchild of two PhD students at Stan- hold. This information can lead to some ford University in 1998 in a Menlo Park, interesting discoveries, as well as the munity pages which would list houses of Calif., garage—to the most visited website possibility of verifying family stories of worship, clubs, cemeteries, businesses in the world. Most of Google’s tools are what a great-grandfather did for a liv- and possibly a city map. If your ancestor free, and they work on computers and mo- ing. The listing may also include wheth- lived in a small town or a big city, chanc- bile devices helping you stay organized, er the individual was a boarder, renter, es are they can be found in a city direc- virtually travel to ancestors’ neighbor- or owner. tory. hoods, locate essential information about history and records—and lots more. Family This page from the 1934-35 Casper The following “directory of house- holders” includes the area surrounding Tree Magazine says if you’re not using Polk Directory includes A.E. Chandler. these 15 Google apps and tools for genealo- From the entry we find his full name the Historic Governor’s Mansion in Chey- gy, you’re missing out...so increase your was Arthur E., his wife’s name was Eliz- enne. This portion of the directory can Google IQ, by trying these today. abeth. We can also see that Chandler help identify neighbors or neighboring 2019 “Conference for a Cause” Will Feature Judy Russell, The Federation of Genealogical Socie- ties Conference Will Offer Family Legal Genealogist; Registration Is Open for the Loveland Event History Enthusiasts a Wide Variety of Programs in Washington D.C. The Larimer County Genealogy Socie- --Session 2: “No, No Nanette—What ty’s 5th annual Conference for a Cause Negative Evidence Is...and Isn’t.” Join fellow family history enthusi- asts for the 2019 FGS National Family will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. --Session 3: “No Vitals? No Prob- on Saturday, Sept 28, 2019 in Loveland, lem—Building a Family Through Cir- History Conference at the historic Colo., at the Medical Center of the cumstantial Evidence” (a Family for Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, Rockies, Community Room. The theme Isabella—Tracing a Woman Married DC, August 21-24. There will be some- for the day is “The Genealogical Before the 1850 Census.) thing for everyone. Hosted by the Toolbox: From Court Records to DNA” Federation of presented by the featured speaker, --Session 4: “After the Courthouse Genealogical Judy G. Russell, who is a genealogist Burns: Rekindling Family History Societies in with a law degree who writes and lec- Through DNA.” cooperation tures on topics ranging from using Cost for the conference is $50 until with sponsoring court records in family history to un- August 1 and after that date, $55. Ad- local societies, derstanding DNA testing. She is on the ditional donations are gratefully ac- corporate spon- faculty of numerous cepted. The Conference offers two sors, and part- genealogy institutes ways to register. You can register & pay ner organiza- and is a member of online at Eventbrite or use a paper reg- tions, FGS 2019 the Board of Trus- istration by printing this downloadable offers a new tees of the Board document and mailing it with a check to full four-day for Certification of the Larimer County Genealogical Socie- format jam-packed with topics of in- Genealogists®, from ty (C4aC in Memo Line) to: C4AC c/o terest to every genealogist. Whether which she holds cre- Carol Stetser, 4614 Kitchell Way, Fort you’re a beginner just starting to ex- dentials as Certified Collins, CO 80524. For more infor- plore your family history or an old Genealogist® and mation, go to www.lcgsco.org, or to hand at research, the wide variety of Certified Genealogi- Facebook, lcgscfac@lcgsco. Refunds new and inclusive topics offers some- cal Lecturer™. Her (minus a small, prepaid registration thing for you. And true to its own award-winning blog cost) are only available if the speaker is roots as a federation composed of is www.legalgenealogist.com. She will unable to attend. If you are unable to genealogical societies, FGS offers so- present the following topics: attend, your registration fee will be ciety management topics throughout all four days of the conference rather --Session 1: “No Person Shall Gallop considered a donation and will be deductible. Lunch is “on your own’ by than a Wednesday-only focus as in Horses in the Streets—Using Court years past. Explore the rich resources Records to Tell the Story of Our brown bag, MCR cafeteria or nearby in Washington’s many research reposi- Ancestors’ Lives.” restaurants. tories with records for everyone— whether you have colonial Mid-Atlantic “Think of your research as a skeleton—look for the bones of roots or twentieth-century recent the family, then work on filling in the fun details…” American immigrants. It starts with —Good Advice From Seasoned Genealogist, Wanda Wade pre-conference activities like guided research at the Library of Congress, (continued from page 4) answer the research requests that the DAR Library and the National Ar- Do you have anyone in your family who come in for the Cheyenne Genealog- chives and an opportunity to see the will take over your research and con- ical Society. new National Museum of African tinue this adventure? Who is it and American History & Culture. Do you have any thoughts or words of why are they the selected, volunteer D. Joshua Taylor, president of the wisdom for your colleagues on doing or chosen one? New York Genealogical & Biographical genealogy? Society, will keynote on Coming Home: I have two granddaughters who A little bit of solid information is Finding Our Place in America’s Tapes- may be interested. One has her better than nothing. Don’t expect try, and then there are four full days own tree on Ancestry.com. to find everything for all of your of inclusive topics—many brand new— What or how (if anything) have you families, so think of your research presented by the nation’s top family history experts and specialists from paid forward, given back, or shared as a skeleton—look for the bones of your expertise? local resources. The tracks this year the family then work on filling in include: America’s Resources; Mid- I volunteered in the Special Collec- the fun details. Don’t believe every- Atlantic Region; The Tapestry of tion room at The Laramie County thing you see on the internet, or in America; In America’s Service; Circle Library for several years. While I ‘Grandma’s Family Lore’—everyone the Globe; Colonial History & Settle- was there I indexed the micro-film tends to stretch the truth now and ment; Social & Cultural Community; collection and a portion of the then. Most of all enjoy what you Women’s Studies and more. There will Laramie County Marriage records. find and be proud of the lives your be three separate DNA tracks, cover- ing Want foundations, methods, and Now I volunteer two days a week relatives lived and the history, good practice. Online Conference Registra- or bad, that they left for you. to answer research requests at the tion closes at midnight August 2. Wyoming State Archives and I also “Opt-Out is Not Informed Consent”—Judy Russell Cautions Users About Use of DNA Tests

This article is reprinted with permission You do know who Vito Corleone was, don’t such as the risks involved or any avail- from the author, Judy G. Russell, a New you? If not, you might want to see where able alternatives.”2 Jersey genealogist with a law degree, from you can access the Academy-award- Agreement in this context can’t be her blog, “The Legal Genealogist.” The arti- winning 1972 film The Godfather and the cle, “Opt-out is Not Informed Consent,” was passive. We never get informed con- posted on 31 Mar 2019 . To see more of her 1974 Academy-award-winning sequel, sent from someone who doesn’t take articles, visit her blog at https:// The Godfather Part II. And pay particu- some affirmative action to demon- www.legalgenealogist.com/blog/ lar attention to the revenge part… No- strate agreement. An example: you and body but nobody can guarantee that this I are attending a conference. We both Outing the Unwitting won’t happen, sooner or later. Some nut want the aisle seat, second row, so we There’s an old adage that may date case in some branch of some family di- can see and hear the speaker. You got back — if internet sources are to be rectly impacted by one of these cases is there first, and I come up to you and believed — as far as Roman times. going to blame the unwitting genetic in- say, “If you don’t get out of that seat, “It’s all fun and games until somebody formant and go after that person — or I’m going to push you to the floor.” You gets hurt.” that person’s loved ones — for helping ignore me. That’s a lesson that the genealogical identify the bad guy. Would anybody in the world seriously community may end up learning the But hey… it’s just jus- argue that I now have your informed hard way if we cannot convince certain tice, don’t you know? This is all a good consent to push you to the floor? Of players in the DNA testing world that thing. Give up your privacy, without being course not. Your silence in the face of there’s a big difference between opt-in asked, and then — someday, for some my demand is meaningless. That’s ex- and opt-out when it comes to informed person — maybe end up giving up your actly what an opt-out system is for law consent — and if police and prosecu- personal safety, or that of your loved enforcement access to our DNA re- tors don’t protect unwitting “genetic ones. sults. It’s demanding that we give up informants” in their unthinking quest to Yes, indeedy — “It’s all fun and games our privacy and potentially become solve cold cases at all costs. Because until somebody gets hurt.” that unwitting genetic informant un- there are in fact personal and individu- Now there will be people out there who less we step forward and say no. But al consequences to the person who think the chances of this happening are we’re not agreeing to anything if we do tested his or her DNA purely for gene- small enough that they’re willing to take nothing. We may not have received the alogical reasons, or even for mere curi- the risk. That’s absolutely their right. notice. We may not understand the osity as to ethnic origins, and whose They can choose to accept any level of notice. The notice certainly doesn’t results are then exposed to and used privacy loss, any level of personal risk, tell us our identities may well be dis- by police to investigate crime. And that they choose. Anyone has the right closed to the bad guys, not just to the those consequences can be something to make this decision and give informed police, so we’re not being told about all far, far different than what we’re be- consent to it. But what about everybody the risks. Our silence in the face of ing sold — the whole “crowdsource jus- else? All those people who tested and that demand is meaningless. tice” argument we’re hearing now, par- whose identities are now at risk of being Informed consent can never be se- ticularly from Family Tree DNA as it disclosed as the unwitting informants in cured when the form is “I’ll assume scrambles to defend its decision to these cases — and who never affirma- you’re fine with this unless you say no.” allow law enforcement access to its tively said yes to it? It can only be secured when the form matching database for crime scene is “You have to show me that you’re kits. fine with this by saying yes.” [Earlier this year], a Washington Opt-out is not informed consent. State woman learned that her identity And outing the unwitting, who’ve never as a distant relative of a man arrested given informed consent — “It’s all fun for murder in Iowa had been disclosed and games until somebody gets hurt.” in one of the search warrants issued in 1 Sources: the case. She had uploaded her data 1. See “Distant relative learns her DNA led to to GEDmatch.com where it was used to Family Tree DNA has yet to accept arrest in Michelle Martinko slaying,” The (Cedar identify the suspect. Now in that par- that not saying “no I don’t want to run Rapids, Ia.) Gazette, posted 22 Mar 2019 (https://www.thegazette.com/ accessed 30 Mar ticular case, at least so far, no one this risk” isn’t the same thing as saying 2019). close to the suspect has decided to “yes I’m willing to run this risk.” It hasn’t 2. Wex, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law take any action against the unwitting yet learned just what informed consent School (https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex : ac- relative whose test was the key to is — and how a company can secure it cessed 31 Mar 2019), “informed consent.” from its customers. Here’s a hint: telling identifying the suspect. But let’s re- FamilySearch Celebrates 20 customers that their data may very well write the story a little, shall we? Let’s Years Online: Happy Birthday! say it’s one of us, sitting here reading be exposed to police investigators, and this blog, and we wake up one morning — now, we see — to the bad guys and 20 years ago, global nonprofit to find that our DNA was used to iden- their supporters as well, unless they opt- FamilySearch launched an innovative new tify a distant cousin as a cold-blooded out of law enforcement matching is not website, a free internet genealogy service informed consent. to provide access to the world’s genealogi- killer. Congratulations, we’re told. cal records and create fun family history We’ve helped crowdsource justice in Let’s look for a moment at the text- discoveries for everyone. The site now that case. And that distant cousin we book definition of informed consent: “an boasts over 7 billion searchable names, over never knew existed? Who now has our agreement to do something or to allow 3 billion searchable images of historical name and identifying information? something to happen, made with com- records, and patrons have added 1.4 billion His name is Vito Corleone. plete knowledge of all relevant facts, ancestors to its collaborative family tree. Cheyenne Genealogical & Historical Society

P.O. Box 2539 Cheyenne, Wyoming 82003-2539 Website: www.cghswyoming.org

To contact CGHS or to submit newsletter suggestions and/or articles, send a note to Wendy at [email protected]

The Cheyenne Genealogical & Historical Society welcomes Kris Smith, a new member who re- cently joined the organization.

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