Sean C. Morgan
Of The New Era
The Sweet Home Genealogical Society celebrates its 30th anniversary this week.
Society members celebrated during their annual Christmas dinner on Dec. 10, giving special honors to the charter members of the organization, three of whom are still active in it.
Those three members are Carla Healy, Marie Nork and Sharon Leader.
The society was organized on Dec. 2, 1975 and dues were set at $1 per year, Healy said. Forming the society, in addition to Healy, Nork and Leader, were Sylvia Brandt, Kay Holmes, Carmen Leader, Orville Hoy, Merle Britton, Affie McCauley, C.E. Francis, Irene Francis, Margaret Caston, Mary Launder, Vickie Boise, Louise Hoffman, Ramona Gill, Wilbur Johnston, Gladys Parker, Helen Palkki, George Munts, Mary Lois Munts and Fae Farrier.
Six or seven of the founding members still live in the area, Healy said.
“I started around 1965, and Sharon’s probably been doing it that long too,” she said. “There was just a lot of interest in genealogy. We kind of got together. We met quite awhile before we were actually an organization.”
After the society was organized, it met in the Sweet Home Library reading room from 1975 until 1999, when it moved to its own new building, Healy said. “The first books we had to use, different members brought them in. Then we started buying a book here and there.
“Our first library was a locked cupboard in the back room of the city library. The first book purchased by the society was ‘Compendium of Historical Sources,’ by Bremer, which was paid for by donations from members and the library. It took several years to receive this book as there were complications with the publishing.”
“About 1983, we were given the closet in the reading room of the library to house our books,” Healy said. “We used a metal cabinet, which had formerly held patterns in some store until Richard Lillich built the beautiful new microfilm-microfiche cabinet from wood purchased with money from the Gene Hyatt Memorial Fund.”
The society had approximately 350 books while at the library, Healy said. After moving into its new building, its collection has grown to more than 2,500. The society received a big boost from the estate of Harley and Helen Haskin. It purchased some 700 books with the estate’s donation.
“We held the first of our annual workshops in March 1981, and each year, they have gotten bigger and better,” Healy said. “The first one was only one day but since then have been held on Friday and Saturday.”
As a group, the society has made numerous field trips to various libraries, museums, cemeteries and other place of genealogical significance over the years, Healy said.
On July 5, 1996, the society officially became a nonprofit organization, Healy said. Mary Jean Crawford spent many months on paperwork to receive the designation.
On Sept. 11, 1997, member Jerry Mealey died and left her estate to the society to build or buy a suitable building for a library, Healy said. The result was the new Mealey Building, at the corner of 13th and Kalmia streets. The building houses the society’s library and meeting room. It was completed in September 1999, and the society held its grand opening on Nov. 13, 1999.
Healy gave special recognition to the late Richard Lillich.
“He did a good job I think,” Healy said. “He was a big part of getting this (the new building) going. He’s very much missed. We had some good times kidding him.”
People get involved in genealogy because “they’re just interested in finding their roots,” Healy said. “You find one, you’re not happy. You go back and find another generation.”
Healy’s research has led her to back to the late 1700s. She is of Danish and Swedish descent, and her family came to the United States in the late 1800s. Her husband Gene’s family history has been traced back to the Revolutionary War, and his family includes Oregon pioneers.
“You learn a lot of history doing it,” Healy said. “I’ve learned a lot, especially Oregon history, which really interests me.”
The society has approximately 50 members, Healy said. The library is kept open with volunteer help. Without the donations of time, money, energy and needed items, it would not be available for everyone to use and enjoy.
For more information about the society, call 367-5034.
Genealogy library hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursdays.