This past week I was interviewed for a article that appeared in the Putnam County Sentinel on the subject of genealogy. It reminded me of the events in ones life that cause them to move in different directions.
My initial interest came in genealogy from a family tree that my parents always had hanging on a wall in my parents home. As a child I was always amazed that I was related to so many people that I did not know. My great aunt would also play a important part in my genealogical development. She was my link to the history of my mothers family. There was many a day that she would share the many family stories and I would listen to her for hours. She also had all the newspaper clippings, pictures and family bibles. This was a treasure trove of information on my family that helped with bringing these people alive for me. From his point on I have been hooked.
A second person that I came in contact with a had a influence on my interest was a distant relative on my mothers side. At the time of meeting him he was in his upper eighties. He again was able to share many stories on my family that I would never of heard from anyone else otherwise. Even at his advanced age we spent many hours exploring the the area where my family had lived and was buried. He also shared many stories about traveling down the river with things to trade in a wooden boat, his searches along the river for Indian artifacts and his service in France during the First World War.
We all have a story to tell and they must be shared. During this holiday season it is a good time to spread the stories of our past to the younger people in our families. In this day of computers and video games it is still important for the our youth to understand where we came from . So while you are sharing with your families be sure to share the memories of Christmas and history past.
Happy Holidays!!
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