Opinion

Take a journey into your own family past

Saturday, June 1, 2013

This is a tale of family, a tale of genealogy, a tale of history, and a tale of opportunities.

I would like to start out by saying up front that it's important to record, in some fashion, the memories of your parents, grandparents and great-grandparents.

As time goes by, it becomes that much harder to resurrect your immediate family history.

With all the different, longer lasting recording mediums available today, it's possible to not only record a person's memories but a visual image of that person at that time, talking of the past. What better way to teach the next generation about those who came before, as well as learn some things yourself that you didn't know and in some cases didn't take the time, to learn about your parents and their parents.

Among our family collections, we have published histories of the family. My father recorded his mother's voice on audiotape. My mom has recorded events and personal milestones of my father. I have an aunt who recorded memories of her family and my father and preserved this in written form.

I am fortunate to have parents who have an interest in the family lineage. My mom in particular has done a lot of work over the years, researching our forebears through old records, visiting courthouses, corresponding with distant relatives, and touring cemeteries.

Not only does that take a lot of time and diligence, but also as most know who pursue genealogical and historical pursuits, many of these old records don't exist any more as fires claimed quite a few courthouses across the country during the 1800s and early 1900s.

And many cemeteries have fallen into decay, forgotten and untended, to be reclaimed by nature over the years.

In spite of this, the search for family bloodlines continued.

Years of painstaking research have gone into finding out where the different branches of the family have come from as we've traced our family roots.

Ties to William the Conqueror, William Wallace and other notables of history, both European and later American, have fueled the imaginings of our family's generations.

Like many families, we can trace ancestors to the earliest settlers in America, including a burgess at Jamestowne, as well as Native American tribes and particularly the Cherokees.

Tracing that past has led to memberships in the Daughters of the American Revolution, Sons of the American Revolution, Children of the American Revolution, the Jamestowne Society, the War of 1812, the Colonial Dames Seventeenth Century, and Magna Charta.

The family has researched and documented these various connections to history.

Most recently in the family tree, it's been interesting to learn that my grandfathers wore many hats during their working lives, much like other men of their day.

One served as town police chief, another as city mayor.

There were also stints as businessmen, a firefighter, and with the railroad.

My own parents have been involved in social work, finance, and technology.

And that doesn't even include memberships in virtually every civic and community-minded organization, from Rotary, Kiwanis and Lions, to the Masons and the Shriners.

Every family has a unique story waiting to unfold.

Learning where we've come from, where we've been, and how we got there have been interesting reference and talking points, especially with different generations of our family.

Don't miss out on your own opportunity to learn more.

Beyond talking with your parents, grandparents and other relatives, the local genealogy and historical societies are always willing to help.

Take the time to learn more about your own family tree. You'll be glad you did.