A Genealogy Perspective

Someone asked me recently why I spend so much spare time “doing” genealogy. It took me aback for a second, and then I smiled. I think it is a personal question everyone needs to answer for themselves. For me, I was always fascinated by my mother’s family stories. And my grandmother, well, she was very dear to me. I had a natural curiosity about her family after hearing so many stories.

Five generations ago, we were predominantly farmers, merchants, and small store owners. Then, as times went from horse and buggy to locomotives and automobiles, we had family who worked on the Southern Pacific railroad, as mechanics, and blue-collar workers in steel mills and auto manufacturing. Today, we have policemen, lawyers, nurses, even an Information Technology professional or two, like me.

Through the genealogy journey, you learn of tragic accidents that took lives. You’ll want to prove or disprove the family tales of horse thievery, kidnapping and murder.

You get to know those who served our nation honorably through paper trails, if not in person. Servicemen in the Merchant Marines, Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, and the prisoners of war; the bravery experienced and medals they received.

You can’t imagine fighting the health battles our ancestors lived through with minimal or no doctor’s care. Or the deaths caused by childhood diseases that are today prevented with a vaccine. My great-grandmother, several of her daughters, and at least one granddaughter all had Glaucoma until the disease eventually robbed them of their vision, including my mother. Diabetes. Heart disease. The evil memory erasers Alzheimer’s and Dementia. It makes you think hard about what we can change today to have a different outcome.

I love reading and writing as much as I love that I come from a large family. And very much like my mother, I love sharing tidbits of our heritage with other living relatives through storytelling.

Exploring genealogy is my way of honoring life - the life of each ancestor I research. Then, connecting with those living who want to know more long after a loved one is gone. It’s connecting the past to future generations. For these reasons, I will continue to research genealogy and write family history stories in every spare minute. 

How about you? If you are on my website and enjoy genealogy, let me know your “Why” in the comments below or email me.

Carol