Fun With Family History
Photos from my family archives. Descriptions at the bottom.
Since being bitten by the genealogy bug a few years ago, I have discovered that uncovering one's roots is a fun way to learn about history. Having a clear connection to dates and places, through names, biographical sketches, and--if you are lucky--photos, can kindle the imagination and make history come alive. The information I found about my and my children's ancestors sparked our their interest in particular periods of history. Once our young history buffs learned that their paternal great-great grandparents passed through Ellis Island on their way from Slovenia to settle in Pennsylvania, they wanted to know more about the conditions and challenges those immigrants faced.
Through Internet searches I found out that a lot of my maternal ancestors were pioneers, many of whom converged in California during the gold rush era. This, too, piqued my children's interest, as did learning that the home of one direct ancestor is now part of a historical society museum. My kids were fascinated to learn about another colorful spur on the family tree: their 6th great-grand aunt, who was married at age 50 to an 80 year-old man-- who happened to be Wyatt Earp's father. The write-up of the wedding, which was attended largely by aged Pioneer Society members, brought lively images to our minds.
Genealogy can connect us to relatives we never knew we had. My search found many distant cousins, some of whom live in England, Australia and New Zealand, although most are in the western US. One cousin, upon learning of my older daughter's special interest in the Oregon Trail, wrote a lovely factual story about some of our ancestors who traveled the Trail, just for Cait.
Another cousin sent me the result of his 10 years of research: a fantastic CD including as much information and as many photos as possible of the descendents of our common ancestor. When my husband, kids and I met Len and his immediate family "IRL" at a local restaurant, we had to take pictures of his twin grandsons together with my children, as we were amazed to discover that the family's migrations took members across the country and back, leading these 7th cousins to live very near each other.
Searching for ancestors incorporates timelines, geography, mapping, journalism, social studies, languages and more. It exercises the resourcefulness and critical thinking muscles, and often, brings marvelous surprises.
Overhearing my children using their imagination to play "Oregon Trail" or listening to them trying to match what they imagine is their "Ozzie" cousins' accent, I marvel at how their awareness of family history has already influenced the girls' thinking and interests, and I look forward to seeing where it will take them.
You do not have to pay a big subscription fee to have fun with genealogy online. Below are some of the best resources, including some especially for kids. Happy Hunting!
-ShayLinks:
RootsWeb- Provides searchable databases, family trees, mailing lists, and message boards.The Genealogy Homepage- Genealogy help and guides, a variety of resources, maps, deeds, software, events and more.
Cyndi's List- A categorized & cross-referenced index to nearly 100,000 genealogical resources on the Internet.
FamilySearch.org- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has "the world's largest family history library." Site includes information on getting started with genealogy, maps, forms, guides, and much more.
World Gen Web Project- A non-profit, volunteer based organization dedicated to providing genealogical and historical records and resources.
Genealogy Today- Articles, tips and links geared toward a variety of levels from beginner to professional.
Genealogy Instruction for Beginners, Teenagers, and Kids- Projects, interview tips, books, blank forms, and more.
Tracking Your Ancestors- Project idea for younger children: make a tabletop map showing your family's history.
(c) Shay Seaborne 2003, 2005. This article was originally published in the June 2003 issue of HEM's Online Newsletter
Photos, from the top:
My 5th great grandparents, George and Malinda, who were lured by gold to migrate from Arkansas to California by wagon train. Their restored house is now part of a museum.
Frederick and Lissetta, my paternal great-great grandparents, emigrated from Germany.
USS Arizona. My maternal grandfather was assigned to the Arizona when it was destroyed at Pearl Harbor. Fortunately, he survived the attack.
My favorite picture of my maternal grandmother, who was a remarkable dancer and seamstress.