My Thoughts

One of my long research projects is completing profiles for my grandmothers.  Having completed my 2nd great grandmothers, I have moved onto my 3rd great grandmothers.  Unless you are "into" genealogy", you will likely not understand the passion behind the research.  Today on my morning walk, I met a new neighbor and the subject of genealogy came up.  He, too, is a researcher, and I was able to bounce off some research with him.  Anytime I meet a researcher willing to collaborate on research methods, I get excited and take numerous notes.  It is tedious and long process, genealogy. Charity Hall (1808 - 1844) is one of my 4th great grandmothers.  I am not sure why I became so intrigued by this woman recently, but as I was researching her daughter Elizabeth, I truly could hear Charity speaking to me.  Sometimes research happens that way.... one person becomes intriguing and shadows the others. When I do a profile, I want a complete picture. ...

Our lives are collections - collections of memories, photos, conversations, keepsakes and experiences.......... the good and the bad. One of the saddest parts of doing genealogy is the sadness that so many people are not well remembered or not well recorded.  This could happen for many reasons, and it is the driving force behind my obsession to document my family's existance in this world.   In many families, maybe the collections (i.e. the memories) have been handed to someone in the family.  When a parent passes, it is usually one child who gets the collections.  I'm sure it's the story of most families.  Sometimes, that collection keeper holds onto the collection, not sharing the information.  Jealousy, greed, bad feelings............the reasons are as numerous as the stories locked away in the collection. I think about my own grandparents, maternal and paternal.  I knew them.  Some of their stories I was present...