![\"spring-bird\"](\"https:\/\/www.genealogyatheart.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Spring-Bird.jpg\")
<\/p>\nOriginally published on genealogyatheart.blogspot.com 16 Apr 2015<\/p>\n
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I just love spring, don’t you? It’s a time of new growth, gentle rain and fresh scents. \u00a0After a recent trip to Salt Lake City I have become inspired to begin a new journey; one that will hone my research skills, showcase my discoveries and validate my dedication to a field to which I have long aspired. \u00a0You are welcome to follow me on my quest to become a Certified Genealogist.<\/p>\n
Since all successful trips start with a kernel of an idea, first, a little background about my roots.\u00a0 My maternal grandmother, Non, was a wealth of family lore.\u00a0 Her powerful stories of her people\u2019s lives in her native Croatia were inspiring, magical and guaranteed to tug at the listener\u2019s heart.\u00a0 These tales encouraged me to persevere against adversity and dream that one day, I, too, would lead an exciting life.<\/p>\n
Although I had a vision of my Non\u2019s side of the family, I had no knowledge of my dad\u2019s lines.\u00a0 Since my parents separated when I was five and my paternal grandmother died when I was seven, I had to rely on the limited information my mother gathered while married.\u00a0 \u201cYour dad is German, Scotch-Irish, English, and Welsh.\u201d When I pressed further she would add, \u201cSomething about the Indians, I\u2019m not sure.\u201d<\/p>\n
I wanted to know more. Who were his people? What kind of lives did they lead? \u00a0When did they arrive in the US? \u00a0Why did they settle in Indiana?\u00a0 So began my odyssey to trace my heritage.<\/p>\n
My questions arose in the prehistoric time before the internet. Back in the day, there were only two methods to obtain genealogical information \u2013 call an old family member or go to the library. \u00a0With method 1 not an option I sought out my local librarian\u2019s help.\u00a0 My hometown library was small and the local history section limited.\u00a0 The librarian suggested I write down the names, dates and places that I knew and what I wanted to know, then visit the main county library. Her sound advice was the first and best tip I have ever received and something I still do today.<\/p>\n
\u201cKnow from whence you came. If you know whence you came, there are absolutely\u00a0no limitations to where you can go.\u201d \u00a0-James Baldwin<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, the larger library was also lacking in materials so I put those questions aside for a time.<\/p>\n
After our first child was born, my husband and I were given a family record book to note our new family\u2019s special events.\u00a0 One of the pages was a pedigree chart \u2013 and my lopsided tree gnawed at me.\u00a0 My mother-in-law had given me my husband\u2019s family history which went all the way back to April 1699.\u00a0 Yes, 1699!\u00a0 Imagine that!\u00a0 His family stories were as exciting as those my Non had told me \u2013 a Pennsylvania family member who was an acquaintance of Ben Franklin, a Long Island sea captain who fathered 19 children, early pioneers traveling to Chicago via a Conestoga wagon and a great aunt who had belonged to the Mayflower Society.<\/p>\n
Since I was determined to fill in my skewed tree but now lived 1200 miles away from my childhood home, I wrote to my dad for help.\u00a0 He promised to give me his family tree book when he died.\u00a0 What?\u00a0 He has a family tree book?\u00a0 I have to wait til he dies?\u00a0 Huh?\u00a0 This became my second lesson in genealogy \u2013 some folks just don\u2019t want to share their knowledge \u2013 even if they are closely related to you.<\/p>\n
\u201cKnowledge is power.\u00a0 Information is liberating. Education is the premise of progress, in every society, in every family. \u201c \u00a0\u2013 Kofi Annan<\/p>\n
I practiced patience and was determined that someday I’d have the answers and when I did, I would share it with the world. My father passed away 12 years later.\u00a0 I reached out to my step-mother who said she\u2019d see if she could get the book to me.\u00a0 Months passed and I tried again.\u00a0 She was too busy, then the weather was bad. \u00a0I despaired that I would never find my family’s past.<\/p>\n
One hot summer Sunday I was reading our local newspaper when a headline caught my eye. \u00a0The reporter had interviewed several historians who predicted that the rapid growth of the internet would result in genealogical records with a click of a button. \u00a0The article listed a few websites for further information. Hmm, could this be the right time to make my discoveries?<\/p>\n
Dialing up (yes, we had to dial to get on in those early days!) I typed in the limited information I had and discovered – NOTHING. \u00a0I did find a web posting site and placed a note requesting further information on my surnames. \u00a0To my surprise, within a day I received an email from a distant cousin I had never met who had a copy of the family tree and the email address for the author of the book my dad had. In a week I had the electronic copy of the book from the author and a hard copy of my pages in the mail. \u00a0And so began my journey into the past. Genealogy lesson number 3…<\/p>\n
“If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again” -W.E. Hickson<\/p>\n
In the years that followed I have used many resources in addition to the internet to make my discoveries. \u00a0Some information was found in moments, others took years to gain. No matter, each was a happy dance and a shout of joy. \u00a0Next time we’re together, I want to tell you about my latest and greatest find – his name is Wilson Williams.<\/p>\n
Your comments are always valued and welcomed. Please post!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Originally published on genealogyatheart.blogspot.com 16 Apr 2015 Warm Days \u2013 Cool Nights Flowers Blooming – Birds Aflight I just love spring, don’t you? It’s a time of new growth, gentle rain and fresh scents. \u00a0After a recent trip to Salt Lake City I have become inspired to begin a new journey; one that will hone … Continue reading “Springing Into Genealogy”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[26],"class_list":["post-67","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-trends-and-musings","tag-certified-genealogist"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.genealogyatheart.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.genealogyatheart.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.genealogyatheart.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.genealogyatheart.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.genealogyatheart.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=67"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.genealogyatheart.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":69,"href":"https:\/\/www.genealogyatheart.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67\/revisions\/69"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.genealogyatheart.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=67"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.genealogyatheart.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=67"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.genealogyatheart.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=67"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}