The Family History Bug is an exciting one to be bitten by. It seems that all of a sudden you can't wait until it's time to sit in front of the computer and do more research. Connect more line! Find more ancestors!
I know that for myself discovering my love for Family History readjusted all my hobbies, and priorities. Rather than scroll aimlessly through a social media site I found myself going through Family Search and looking at more ancestors.
A huge reason I was (and still am) so excited is because I believe that families are forever, and when I am learning and finding more of my family members to plug into my tree I feel like I'm doing something that makes a difference.
It has been so much fun to look through my family tree and read the different names, or to start making connections of who is related to whom. I love to image that some of my long past cousins knew each other like I know and adore my cousins now. I often wonder what habits and family traditions have been passed down to me today.
I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and through my belief in Jesus Christ I know that the people that I am learning about are people that I can see again someday. So when friends at school and work ask why I love genealogy so much I try to tell them how it feels like a digital family reunion, and with each new thing I discover I feel like I'm a little closer to these ancestors of days past.
There is a great documentary series about South America called "The Buried Mirror". The concept behind the title is that our past is buried, and as we dig and discover it we can look into a mirror that will show us ourselves more clearly as well as the people and events that came before us.
While I firmly believe that each person makes their own decisions and decides their own destiny, there is also something strikingly true about learning more about ourselves as we uncover our past.
As we each dig deeper into the past to find more ancestors, we can also discover pieces of ourselves. Until next time...
Good luck Hunters and Huntresses!
Thursday, April 30, 2015
Sunday, April 26, 2015
Adorable Ella
This picture is another treasure that came from my grandmother. My grandma's mother is featured in this photograph along with her two brothers.
From left to right these adorable kids are:
Ella (my great-grandmother), the baby is Lennie, and the standing boy on the right is Earl.
Isn't Ella adorable? I laughed when I realized that great-uncle Earl was in a little dress. Too cute!
I love this picture because it's a snap shot into a moment, and captures a precious time in these three's childhood.
What wonderful pictures have you been able to unearth?
Happy Hunting!
From left to right these adorable kids are:
Ella (my great-grandmother), the baby is Lennie, and the standing boy on the right is Earl.
Isn't Ella adorable? I laughed when I realized that great-uncle Earl was in a little dress. Too cute!
I love this picture because it's a snap shot into a moment, and captures a precious time in these three's childhood.
What wonderful pictures have you been able to unearth?
Happy Hunting!
Wednesday, April 22, 2015
Interviewing Family Members
The Family History process is one that has a few simple steps that get rearranged and repeated throughout the adventure. As you work on your family tree, you may find it necessary to go back to the interviewing part of the process.
Interviewing family members may be as easy as calling grandma and having a nice chat, or it may be an intimidating feat. Either way, below are 34 excellent questions for interviewing family members to further your Family History work.
1. What is your full name?
2. When and where were you born?
3. Who is your mother?
4. When and where was your mother born?
5. What can you tell me about your mother's relatives?
6. Who is your father?
7. When and where was your father born?
8. What can you tell me about your father's relatives?
9. What are the full names of your brothers and sisters?
10. When and where were each of your brothers and sisters born?
11. What memories to you have of each of your brothers and sisters?
12. What schools did you and your brothers and sisters go to?
13. Whom did you brothers and sisters marry?
14. Whom did you marry?
15. What are the full names of your children?
16. When and where were your children born?
17. Whom did your children marry?
18. Who are your grandchildren?
19. What memories do you have of extended family members, such as aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents?
20. Where did some of these extended family members live?
21. What can you remember about births, marriages, and deaths of other family members?
22. Where are family members buried?
23. Did you or any of your relatives serve in the military?
24. Which wars did you or other relatives fight in?
25. Will you share some of these war stories with me?
26. What jobs do you remember your parents and other family members doing?
27. What religion or religions were practiced in your home?
28. What are some important spiritual experiences you have had?
29. Was anyone in the family interested in family history?
30. Are there any family members who kept a journal or who wrote a historical account of your family? Who are they? Are any of these accounts available for me to read?
31. Are you aware of any ancestors who emigrated from their home country to this country?
32. Does anyone in the family own a family Bible, a family history, or genealogical records of any kind? Who are these family members, and where do they live?
33. Will you show me some of your old family documents or artifacts?
34. Will you show me some of your old family photographs?
This list is a good starting point to a successful interview. Feel free to add and personalize the questions to suit your needs as you meet with family members to discuss your ancestry.
The questions on this fabulous list come from the Member's Guide to Temple and Family History Work from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. You can find the link to the website here.
Good luck Hunters and Huntresses!
Interviewing family members may be as easy as calling grandma and having a nice chat, or it may be an intimidating feat. Either way, below are 34 excellent questions for interviewing family members to further your Family History work.
1. What is your full name?
2. When and where were you born?
3. Who is your mother?
4. When and where was your mother born?
5. What can you tell me about your mother's relatives?
6. Who is your father?
7. When and where was your father born?
8. What can you tell me about your father's relatives?
9. What are the full names of your brothers and sisters?
10. When and where were each of your brothers and sisters born?
11. What memories to you have of each of your brothers and sisters?
12. What schools did you and your brothers and sisters go to?
13. Whom did you brothers and sisters marry?
14. Whom did you marry?
15. What are the full names of your children?
16. When and where were your children born?
17. Whom did your children marry?
18. Who are your grandchildren?
19. What memories do you have of extended family members, such as aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents?
20. Where did some of these extended family members live?
21. What can you remember about births, marriages, and deaths of other family members?
22. Where are family members buried?
23. Did you or any of your relatives serve in the military?
24. Which wars did you or other relatives fight in?
25. Will you share some of these war stories with me?
26. What jobs do you remember your parents and other family members doing?
27. What religion or religions were practiced in your home?
28. What are some important spiritual experiences you have had?
29. Was anyone in the family interested in family history?
30. Are there any family members who kept a journal or who wrote a historical account of your family? Who are they? Are any of these accounts available for me to read?
31. Are you aware of any ancestors who emigrated from their home country to this country?
32. Does anyone in the family own a family Bible, a family history, or genealogical records of any kind? Who are these family members, and where do they live?
33. Will you show me some of your old family documents or artifacts?
34. Will you show me some of your old family photographs?
This list is a good starting point to a successful interview. Feel free to add and personalize the questions to suit your needs as you meet with family members to discuss your ancestry.
The questions on this fabulous list come from the Member's Guide to Temple and Family History Work from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. You can find the link to the website here.
Good luck Hunters and Huntresses!
Monday, April 20, 2015
Obituaries
A new and exciting feature of the Family Search site that has recently come about is an improved look at obituaries. While death isn't a happy topic it's incredible what we can learn from the articles that are written about our ancestors and family.
This week, Family Search e-mailed me to let me know that my grandfather's obituary had been found. I was able to read through the document, and then decide if I wanted to attach it to his file. It was really exciting to be able to learn a little more about him through the point of view of someone researching his life from the outside.
What should really stand out from that story is that Family Search contacted ME. This is a function that really makes this site unique- they actively are looking for connections to make researching and learning about our ancestors easier and exciting.
In the link is an article for the obituary of my recently deceased uncle to give an example of what an obituary looks like.
Good luck hunters!
This week, Family Search e-mailed me to let me know that my grandfather's obituary had been found. I was able to read through the document, and then decide if I wanted to attach it to his file. It was really exciting to be able to learn a little more about him through the point of view of someone researching his life from the outside.
What should really stand out from that story is that Family Search contacted ME. This is a function that really makes this site unique- they actively are looking for connections to make researching and learning about our ancestors easier and exciting.
In the link is an article for the obituary of my recently deceased uncle to give an example of what an obituary looks like.
Good luck hunters!
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Snap Shot of the Past
In searching for our ancestors we sometimes come across rare, and beautiful treasures. This is one of mine.
This photo is of my great-great grandparents Samuel and Julia Dean who were both born in 1891.
I love photos and especially old photos like this one. I never met either Samuel or Julia, but I'm grateful to be able to put a face to the name as I research and try to learn more about them.
This photo is of my great-great grandparents Samuel and Julia Dean who were both born in 1891.
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