So, I’ve been working on our family book lately and I have 1 page completed. My reunion is coming up in August and my family wants to see why I’ve been calling them for the past year. It really amazes me that some members of my family (the elder ones) know nothing. It seems as though when my great-grandmother was telling the stories of family, a lot weren’t listening.
I’ve also been trying to figure out how I should present my research so far. My cousin suggested I do a large family tree on poster board so people can have a visual. Others suggested the same.
When I started researching my family tree, it began more as a curious mission. ‘Let’s see how far I can go’. Then it turned into irritation. ‘Why don’t you know who your family is!’ Then it turned into pride. ‘I know we’ve been here since at least 1866!’ I know feel a sense of responsibility to make sure I research as many family members on my tree. Even the 4th cousin twice removed. They’re still family. I’ve called myself the family historian. I’m claiming that title now.
“We are the chosen. In each family there is one who seems called to find the ancestors; to put flesh on their bones and make them live again, to tell the family their story and to feel that somehow they know and approve. Genealogy is not a cold gathering of facts; instead, it is breathing life into all who have gone before. We are the story tellers of the tribe. All tribes have one. We have been called as if it were in our genes. Those who have gone before cry out to us: Tell our story, and so we do. In them we find ourselves.”-Author Unknown
It always amazes me those that are not interested in the family or their genealogy. I went to a family reunion this weekend for my fiancés family. I asked him “Why do they call it the Mahone-Knight?” He had NO CLUE. I was really saddened by it b/c I think it’s such a shame when WE don’t know who our family is.
Family is an extremely part of our lives and our families past lets us know the struggles they went thru. I hope I’m making my ancestors proud by making them have a voice in my future.
I liked your quote above “We are the chosen” and looked it up. I found the note below:
Note by Harold Sparks -Webmaster: Sparks Genealogy.com
The article above was shared with me by a fellow Genealogist, as an attachment to an E-Mail . The author of the piece at that time was unknown. Through the diligence of Karen Adams, the true author was tracked down. It was written by Della M. Cummings Wright and re-written by her grand daughter, Della JoAnn McGinnis Johnson. A version of the piece appeared on the web site of Tom Dunn. He had again re-worded and edited it….