Upcoming Events: 17 Oct 2019 “How-To with ‘Who-Do’: Cheyenne Genealogy Journal Inside ‘Who Do You Think You Are?’ With One of Musings by the President . Their Talking Heads” Welcome to fall...I hope your summer was spectacular. The summer has just flown by for Larimer County Genealogi- me. It seems like I was just getting ready for the Annual May Banquet and here it is fall cal Society Monthly Meet- already and the Society’s new year. Your Executive Board met in August to plan for the year. ing, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Good Suzanne Anderson and Dan Lyon have stepped into their positions as Vice President and Sec- Samaritan Society, 508 retary respectively. Treasurer Tom Bonds presented Trilby Road, Fort Collins the budget which was approved by the board to be brought to the membership for approval. Programs for 21-25 Oct 2019 the upcoming year were discussed and suggested, and “German/Slavic Seminar” our big summer fund-raising event, the Lakeview Ceme- Family History Library tery Walk, Remembering the Ladies, was planned down Webinar to the last detail. The Cemetery Walk committee (Click link above for list of worked hard since last spring to ensure a successful seminar topics about event. Heartfelt thanx to Jo and her committee, Dan, Dutch, German, Latin, Gloria, Jan, Jeanette, Joan, Judy, Sharon, Suzanne, Polish & Russian handwrit- Wanda, Wendy and me—and to all the actors for the ing offered at various many, many hours each one contributed. I won’t try to times) delineate the work each person did because inevitably I’ll leave something out—just know everyone worked 23 Oct 2019 extremely hard. Please thank them for their time and “Virtual Genealogy Fair” labor for a very successful event. We tried a few new presented by the U.S. things this year which proved to work well. Most nota- National Archives bly we had two tours which enabled us to accommodate more participants. Another major 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m., change was having it on a Saturday. Everyone seemed to enjoy and appreciate the walk...and Presented on YouTube getting to know some of the interesting and notable females who were part of Cheyenne’s (see article on left) history...and we’ll be able to add lots of new books to the genealogy collection at the library. Starting with that event, 2019-2020 looks to be exciting and I am looking forward to our 1-2 Nov 2019 Colorado Palatines to upcoming programs, meetings and research get-togethers! Sue Seniawski, President America Fall Seminar Lower Level Conference Center, Denver Public The National Archives Will Present Its Seventh Annual Library Virtual Genealogy Fair-October 23, 2019 on ‘YouTube’ Fri 1:00-4:00 p.m. “Conducting Family Histo- Participate in the U.S. tails, visit the Virtual Geneal- tions will be: ry Research in Europe,” National Archives biggest ge- ogy Fair web page at 8 a.m. - Welcoming Remarks “German Research Mate- nealogy event of the year when www.archives.gov/calendar/g 8:05 a.m., Session 1 - Exploring rials on Family Search,” they host a free, live, virtual enealogy-fair. History Hub for Genealogists free but registration is Genealogy Fair via webcast on Every year since 2013, the and Researchers required YouTube on Wednesday, Octo- National Archives has hosted 9 a.m., Session 2 - Preserving Sat 9:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m. ber 23, 2019, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. a free, virtual Genealogy Fair Personal Collections “German Immigrants in eastern (8 a.m.-2 p.m. mountain via live webcast on YouTube 10 a.m., Session 3 - Immigrant American Church Rec- time) No reservations are where each presentation dur- Records: More Than Just Ship ords,” “German Census needed. Six sessions will pro- ing the day can be viewed or Passenger Arrival Lists Records 1816-1915,” vide advice for all skill levels downloaded, with handouts 11 p.m., Session 4 - Using Na- “German Residential Reg- on family history research us- available just prior to the tional Archives Records to Re- istration Records,” ing federal records. For de- event. This year’s presenta- search World War I Naval and “Surnames in German- Marine Corps Records for Ge- Language Regions of Eu- nealogical Research rope,” materials fee of 12 p.m., Session 5 - Discovering $35; register at and Researching Bureau of In- https://www.palam.org/co dian Affairs School Records lorado-palam-chapter.php 1 p.m., Session 6 - The Home- stead Act: Land Records of Your Ancestors 2 p.m. - Closing Remarks Get to Know Your Genealogy Colleague: Vanelda Novak Mellblom This newsletter column will introduce you to My cousins. the genealogical work of members of the What is the furthest back that you Cheyenne Genealogical & Historical Society, have researched; what have you to help you get to know your colleagues and found?: perhaps to provide a few ideas or hints— maybe even a family connection! I have family back to Charlemagne. Once I did my papers for Colonial What is your full name? Dames XVIIC using Gov. John En- Vanelda “Van” Elane Novak dicott, first governor of the Mas- Mellbloom sachusetts Bay Colony, I did sup- Are you named after any relative; if so plementals on Shatuck, Lippincott, who & why? Gaskill (Gascoyne), and Southwick. That research took me a long time No, but my parents wanted another and sent me in may different direc- “V” name for their children and my Anna and Vaclav (William) Novak, Van’s pa- ternal grandparents, taken before 1866. tions. However, it was my 13th or aunt, who was a nurse in Canada, 14th great grandmother (Gov. En- suggested my given name. After Howard and I were married dicott’s wife) Elizabeth Cogan, What is your maternal ethnic heritage? (in Washington, D.C.), we lived in whose line took me back to Charle- New Jersey, Virginia, Oregon, Cali- magne. My mother’s heritage is English, fornia, returning to Havre at the Irish, Scottish, Pennsylvania Dutch end of WWII. We owned and oper- What is the most interesting/funniest/ (probably German), and lots more ated a small grocery store until the most bizarre story you have uncov- when you go back far enough. ered? Explain what it was and was it Korean War when Howard volun- accurate? If not, why not? What did What is your paternal ethnic heritage? teered to go back on active duty. you discover that disproved the initial My father’s heritage is Czechoslo- He flew off the Valley Forge air- information? craft carrier and when he returned vakian. One of the first female counter- we moved from California to Dallas, feiters was a distant relative by Give your maternal surnames three gen- Texas, Seattle, Washington, Bos- erations back: ton, Massachusetts, back to Cali- marriage! You will find her story in STEVENS (STEPHENS), STREET, fornia and finally to Cheyenne, several books. The other was that where he was CO of the Naval Sup- my Uncle John (according to an CIMERLY (ZIMMERLE) online post) was married and had port center. After he retired we two children in Minnesota while he Give your paternal wives or mothers’ opted to stay in Cheyenne. I have surnames three generations back: was actually married to my Aunt remained active in Women’s Civic Etta and living in Montana. I found YONAK, KUMHERA, KOZEBOVA League, Genealogy Society, Colonial birth records for the children and Dames 17th Century, Artists Guild, Provide some information about your- the father was another Stephens— P.E.O. Chapter AD, Military Offic- self, your background, your family… so don’t believe everything you find ers Wives Club, and Ascension Lu- I was born in Rudyard, Montana, online until you can prove it! the fifth of six children. My broth- thern Church. Do you have anyone famous in your When did you start doing genealogy? er, Victor, was the oldest and then tree? If so, tell us who and a bit about there was Vivian, Verda, Valeria , Probably in 4th grade when we had this ancestor: Vanelda, Valencia. I graduated from to do those family charts. Luckily In addition to Charlemagne (;-), my high school in Rudyard and then af- my maternal grandmother was still most famous ancestor is Governor ter a summer of welding at Kaiser alive and helped me out. I actually John Endicott. He was the first Shipyards in Portland, Oregon, I started serious researching in the governor of the Massachusetts Bay returned to attend college at early 1970s. Colony and served in office as the Northern Montana College in Havre, Assistant Governor or Governor for MT. During college, I worked part- What got you interested in this crazy hobby? 17 years. There is one exception— time as secretary to the president the year he cut the red cross out My sisters thought I should re- of the college and in the Placement of the English flag! You can read search our Czech line. Office which helped place gradu- about that in “Endicott and the Red ates in jobs. I also did bookkeeping Are you doing direct-line only or collat- Cross” written by Nathaniel Haw- for the Farmers Union Wholesale eral research? thorne. He was instrumental in Co. The following summer I worked Mostly direct line, but I have also bringing many early varieties of in Los Angeles as a secretary for done some collateral lines. trees and vines to America from the Mission Orange Corp., returning England. The Endicott Pear Tree again to Havre to continue college. Who in (or outside) your family provid- ed you with the most background? was planted in about 1630 and still bears fruit! His place was called Her Ancestors Include a Female Counterfeiter & the Governor of Massachusetts Are you a skatter-shot, jump-around, Do you have a favorite website? Why location-focused, plow-through-one-line- is it your favorite? only, or grab-em-all-in-a-family type of researcher? Explain a bit… Not really.