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Genealogy Research Tips and
Sahyun Library Updates

Welcome to the Santa Barbara County Genealogical Society’s official blog – a digital space where we embark on a journey to unravel the fascinating tapestry of our shared ancestry. We are thrilled to introduce not only our society but also a treasure trove of knowledge – the Sahyun Genealogical Library.

Santa Barbara African American Life, Culture, and Contributions, 1890-1990

During Black History Month, let’s take  a moment to reflect on Santa Barbara’s rich history, spanning back to the 1700s which includes people of African descent among early Spanish expeditions. In 2020, the Society, SBCGS,  unveiled a digital exhibit titled “Santa Barbara African American Life, Culture, and Contributions, 1890-1990,” accessible on the Society’s website. This

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Newspapers.com Free This Weekend

Here’s your chance to find your ancestors in newspaper items and obituaries, Newspapers.com is offering free access to their site Feb 16th to 19th The largest online newspaper archive, established in 2012. Used by millions every month in genealogy, historical research, family history, crime investigations, journalism and entertainment. Search for obituaries, marriage announcements, birth announcements,

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February Monthly Meeting

Featured Speaker  Renate Yarborough Sanders – Exploring Records of the Freedmen’s Bureau: What’s In It For Me? Our monthly meeting is a hybrid, held on the 3rd Saturday of the month at First Presbyterian Church at State and Constance and on Zoom if you can’t make it person. If you can join us in person,

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Member Orientation a Huge Success

On Saturday, February 3 the Society hosted a Member Orientation at the Sahyun Library, with nearly 30 new and returning members attending! The event provided members with an introduction the Society’s resources, including a tour of the Library, a presentation on subscription websites available to members, and valuable insights from key board members and volunteers.

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African American Family History Research

In honor of Black History Month I’d like to suggest two sites to start your research: The Research Wiki of Family Search   The Digital Library on American Slavery Also our February Monthly meeting:  Exploring Records of the Freedmen’s Bureau: What’s In It For Me?  

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How I Wrote About 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

Do you feel a need to jumpstart your genealogy? I had that very feeling at the end of 2021. I had done research for many years and compiled oodles of records and documents. I wrote up in some detail the lives of those ancestors who interested me and shared their stories with family members. I

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Monthly Meeting

Have you made your New Year’s resolutions for genealogy, is one resolution or goal to organize your research, files and records? Well, you’re in luck because this month’s program is on just that, getting organized. Our monthly meeting is a hybrid, held on the 3rd Saturday of the month at First Presbyterian Church at State

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Mining Old Issues of Ancestors West

Before the days of the internet and genealogical databases, the volunteers of many genealogical societies worked hard to transcribe books, cemetery inscriptions, tax lists, court records, and many other groupings of names, dates, and places. Their contributions were enormous, and you can see these early efforts in any local genealogical newsletter from the 1990s going

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Did You Know?

Ancestors West……. Has been published quarterly by SBCGS continuously since 1974 Articles are written by SBCGS members Contains articles on a variety of subjects and is not limited to California. All issues are available online and all are text-searchable.    

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Obituaries Added to Database

SBCGS has been preserving historical records of genealogical interest for many years. We now have a sophisticated database for searching these indexed records. Currently, there are 190,000 names, and records are continuously being added. The most recent set of names is associated with Santa Barbara Obituaries. Newspaper obituaries and death notices from various local newspapers

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Ancestry.com Tip

Ancestry Family Tree – post written by SBCGS member Judy Thompson When sharing your genealogy research online, such as at Ancestry.com, it is crucial to consider access and security. Ancestry.com allows you to invite others to view your family tree, offering three roles: Guest, Contributor, or Editor, each with different permissions and editorial rights. They

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Stacks at the Sahyun Genealogical Library

Welcome to Our Blog

Santa Barbara County Genealogical Society: Connecting Generations, Building Legacies Founded on the principle that every family has a story worth preserving, the Santa Barbara County Genealogical Society (SBCGS) has been a beacon for genealogists and family historians since its establishment. Our mission is simple yet profound: to foster a community of individuals passionate about tracing

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Santa Barbara County Genealogical Society Receives Proclamations

The proclamation from the city of Santa Barbara – honoring our 50th Anniversary and National Family Stories Month – was presented by Mayor Randy Rowse to our President, Art Sylvester, on November 15th at City Hall. Watch the presentation here. Holly Snyder, Karen Ramsdell, Art Sylvester, Marie Sue Parsons, Mary Hall The Santa Barbara County

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