Leave a legacy...write down
the history of your family.
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 If you’ve managed to escape the craziness of Black Friday and instead hit pause to enjoy time with your family and friends over the Thanksgiving weekend. Congratulations!
As family researchers, we tend to look back at what has happened. Holidays like Thanksgiving remind us to enjoy the present with our family, creating our own stories. Someday some descendant might be writing about us. Let’s hope that we leave behind great memories for them to share. And ok, for those of you who can’t resist doing some genealogy and shopping, combine the two! There are usually great deals on memberships and DNA testing kits. And remember to carve out (sorry I couldn’t resist) time to capture some of those great family stories as you gather around the dining room table to eat that pumpkin pie. Give thanks for those moments. Happy Thanksgiving! “Gratitude is when memory is stored in the heart and not in the mind.” –Lionel Hampton “Thanksgiving is a time of togetherness and gratitude”—Nigel Hamilton  Cover of Walsh County North Dakota World War I book. Note: "World War" in the title not World War I because the world was hopeful that we wouldn't see another world war. Flags waved in the November winds, uniforms were pressed and cleaned, music played, and locals gathered to honor our veterans this week. It’s good to pause and pay respect to those who kept us safe, freely enjoying our day to day lives.
As family historians, we frequently think of those who have gone before us. As you remember the veterans in your own family look for ways to remember and honor them. Because this year recognizes World War I Centennial, I thought we could look at ways to research our WWI ancestors and the families that supported them.  Photo by rawpixel on Unsplash Checkers, card games, dolls and toy trucks! Oh my! Games and toys are part of our history. Within the last one hundred years or so, children had more leisure to “be kids” and play. With the holiday season coming soon, toys and games are top items on wish lists. let’s look at ways we can incorporate stories about how children spent/spend their time and what they used for entertainment.
There are interesting resources available that talk about games and toys throughout the years. Within your own family you may have a doll or a board game from a parent or grandparent or even a great-grandparent. Have you thought about incorporating this information into your family story?  Many years ago, I sent off a letter to an unknown Parish Priest in a small village in Luxembourg. With a beginner’s optimism I felt sure he’d answer and find my family information I requested. Time passed with no response until one day I received a letter postmarked in Luxembourg, written in French. Ah if only I could read it! After the letter was translated, I discovered that a gentleman was researching his family in the same village. The Parish Priest had passed my request on to him. Over the next few years, he sent me documents, explained local history and translations. I will never forget his kindness in sharing this treasured information about my family and his kindness. It was truly serendipity that our paths to crossed. Even our ancestors crossed paths in that small village. My ancestor was a witness for the death certificate for one of his!
If you have been doing family research for any length of time, you know that despite your most stellar research efforts and sleuthing skills, some of your treasured finds have come through the kindness of strangers and fellow geno bugs. There are genealogy websites dedicated to helping fellow researchers that we’ll explore today. |
AuthorWith a lifelong passion for genealogy and history, the author enjoys the opportunity to share genealogy tidbits, inspiring others to research and write their family story. Archives
January 2025
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