Get to Know CMAA Washington Commissioners: Bill and Ellen Huls

The Huls family has been the clan commissioner for Clan MacNeil in Washington since 2001.  Bill put an inquiry in to see if there would be any clan representation at the Seattle Scottish Highland Games, and was told he was now it! His wife Ellen jumped in right away, creating booth materials out of pictures from their recent honeymoon trip to the Isle of Barra and handmade signage from clan material she bought online. For the last 20 years they've been traveling to various Northwest highland games, representing the clan proudly.  They are thrilled to meet new friends and share clan history, adjusting and adding to the booth as they learn more about the history.

Outside of the highland games Bill is the Artistic Director of Renton Civic Theater, a local nonprofit live theater organization that serves the South Puget Sound community. Ellen is a high school counselor.  They are of course very involved in the local performance community, but they also volunteer with a program that Ellen help start at her school to feed students on the weekends and recently throughout the pandemic. They also love camping around the northwest with their cairndoodle puppies Ceili and Melodi, who are better known as the Macneil Dragons.

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CMAA Commissioner in Nevada, Lowell Patton

Lowell Patton wears many hats within CMAA organizaiton: Clan Macneil Nevada Commissioner, Commissioner Coordinator, and Council Member

Lowell has been the Nevada Commissioner for Clan Macneil for over ten years.  He has arranged tents at the Reno Celtic Celebration and the Las Vegas Highland Games.  Clan Macneil held their Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the Las Vegas Highland Games in 2019.  Lowell is a Past Chief of the Nevada Society of Scottish Clans and has delivered the Address to a Haggis as well as been the emcee for the Robert Burns Celebration that is regularly attended by over 400 people.

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Terry and Bonnie McNeill, Enjoying the Good Life!

Our Southern California commissioners are Bonnie and Terry McNeill. Bonnie is a retried nurse and worked at Loma Linda University Medical Centre for 40 years. Terry is a 38-year veteran of the Colton Fire Department who retired as Battalion Chief.

We are enjoying the good life traveling and exploring in our 40 ft. motorhome. We love to kayak. They take them whenever they travel - picture it: kayaks on top of the Jeep, Jeep pulled behind the motorhome.

Bonnie surprised Terry with a MacNeil kilt on his Birthday years ago which prompted him to look into his family history, which of course drew him in and had him very interested in all things Scottish. The Costa Mesa Games were their first Games and after attending, they were hooked on everything. The MacNeil Clan Commissioner at the time was was Kerux-David Neal. In Terry's words, "he was so knowledgeable and made us feel like family". As a result, Well we became co-commissioners and help David, in two years David retired and turned over the tent to us.

California has several Games, you can find Bonnie and Terry at The Queen Mary Games in Long Beach in February, the Costa Mesa Games in May and the Seaside Games in Ventura. Swing by their tent and say hello!

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Have you met Rochester Bob, CMAA’s New York Commissioner?

Scottish Armiger, Knight Commander with Star of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, Fellow of the Society of Antiquarians of Scotland, and 47th Recipient of the MacNeil order of Merit. I am currently a Member of Council, the Chairperson of the Scholarship Committee and the Commissioner for Western New York. 

My wife Nikki and I were “rescued” by our senior English Cocker Spaniel, Hershey.  We love him!  I have been successful in my career of managing large-scale IT programs. In my free time, I enjoy serving As a Lector and Eucharistic Minister at St Rita’s Roman Catholic Church, holding various leadership roles in the Knights of Columbus, traveling the world as much as I can, boating and sporting clays shooting.  And I have a wee passion for the Uisge Beatha. 

I love to meet new people and listen to their stories, and that’s why I love having a tent at the Scottish Games - it’s a great chance to learn about peoples’ sometimes complex family trees and to share the Clan’s history… both fact and tradition!  I’ve met so many great people, both at the tent and in the Clan MacNeil Association, and we’re always looking for more MacNeils to share in the fun and to share about themselves. 

Bi gu math agus le deagh dhùrachd,

Rochester Bob McNeill

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Genealogy Records to Help You

Records and Sources

Once you've gathered as much information as possible from living family members, it's time to gather the evidence. With the basic info in hand, expand your research by looking for records such as census records, marriage licenses, and death certificates to verify and add to the information you already have. These records may also provide information that helps you get back to the 'next' generation.

Records on the Internet

FamilySearch.org

An excellent place to start researching on the Internet is the FamilySearch web site. This site is maintained by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It is a direct link into the Family History Library — the largest genealogical library in the world — in Salt Lake City, Utah.  Research has also been made easier with all the church records of Scotland having been placed on CD-ROM.

Ancestry.com

Ancestry.com is one of the most popular genealogy websites. It is not affiliated with any specific library, but it does have partnerships with several libraries and archives around the world. These partnerships allow Ancestry.com to digitize and make available online a wide range of historical records that would otherwise be difficult or impossible to access. Some of the archives and libraries that Ancestry.com has partnered with include the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), the U.S. Census Bureau, the Library of Congress, the New York Public Library, the British Library, and many others.

Online Records

Both sites, and many others, offer a variety of features and tools for researching genealogy. These include access to census records, vital records, immigration records, military records, and more. These records are sourced from archives and libraries around the world and are searchable by name, date, location, and other criteria.

As much as we love the conviences and ease of use that the internet provides, we do want to remind you to be careful using data from web sites. It's a good place for starting a map, but it is often inaccurate if you're looking an index. The first rule is always to check all data - go to the original source if possible.

Census Records

U.S. Census

Census records are a valuable resource for genealogy research as they can provide a wealth of information about your ancestors, including their names, ages, birthplaces, occupation, and family relationships. The United States census began in 1790 and is conducted every 10 years. The information recorded in the census has varied over time, with more detailed information being recorded in more recent censuses. For example, from 1790–1840, only the head of household was listed. Currently, the 1950 census is the most recent census that is publicly available due to the 72-year rule. For more information, check out the US Census Bureau website.

Scotland Census

The first national census in Scotland was taken in 1801. Since then, censuses have been taken every 10 years, with the exception of 1941. The most recent census available for Scotland is the 1911 census. The census records for Scotland are held by the National Records of Scotland (NRS) and are available for viewing at the NRS reading rooms in Edinburgh and at local archives throughout Scotland. Some census records have been digitized and are available online through resources such as Scotland's People. Scotland's People is a website run by the NRS and allows access to a wide range of genealogy records including census records, birth, marriage, and death records, wills, and military records.

Physical Visits

Visiting either the National Archives or the Family History Library gives you the opportunity to view some of the original, physical documents. Seeing the real document provides a sense of authenticity and connection to one's ancestors that can't be replicated online. Another bonus to visiting is the knowledgeable staff who can help with research or provide guidance on how to navigate the collections. If you ever have the chance, we certainly recommend visiting!

Family History Library (FHL)

The FHL is located in Salt Lake City, Utah, and is the largest genealogy library in the world. It is operated by the Family History Department of the LDS Church, and is open to the public free of charge. The FHL has an extensive collection of genealogy records, including census records, vital records, immigration records, military records, and more. The collection includes records from all over the world, but with a focus on the United States and Europe. The FHL also has a large collection of microfilmed and digitized records, including records that are not available online or in other libraries.

In addition to the FHL, the LDS Church also operates more than 4,900 Family History Centers around the world. These sites provide access to the FHL's microfilm and digital collections, as well as assistance from trained staff and volunteers. They are open to the public free of charge, though not all of them are open full-time.

The National Archives (NARA)

The United States has several locations where the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) maintains facilities and archives. The main facility is the National Archives Building in Washington, D.C., which houses the original copies of important documents such as the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.

In addition to the main facility in Washington, D.C., the NARA operates several regional facilities across the country, including:

  • National Archives at Atlanta (Georgia)
  • National Archives at Boston (Massachusetts)
  • National Archives at Chicago (Illinois)
  • National Archives at Denver (Colorado)
  • National Archives at Fort Worth (Texas)
  • National Archives at Kansas City (Missouri)
  • National Archives at New York City (New York)
  • National Archives at Philadelphia (Pennsylvania)
  • National Archives at Riverside (California)
  • National Archives at San Francisco (California)
  • National Archives at Seattle (Washington)

These regional facilities hold records from federal agencies and courts in the regions. They serve, and provide research and reference services to the public. Some also have exhibitions, educational programs, and other public events.

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