Genealogy research is a fascinating hobby. I have spent thousands of hours trying to find my ancestors in a dozen different family lines over nearly 3 centuries. If you have been researching your family tree for a few months this may seem daunting. If you have been your family historian for many decades, this may seem like a drop in the bucket. For me, the search for my ancestors has been a challenge that I took up when my father passed away. I had already lost a great friend. But I realized that I had also lost an incredible source of my past. The stories that he had told when I was young had literally gone in one ear and out the other. Once he was gone, I felt I had to search for and record as much of my past as possible so I could pass that heritage on to my children.
Researching family tree history has been a tremendous opportunity for me to talk to many relatives that I might never have seen otherwise. The stories I have uncovered have shown me the tremendous legacy that my ancestors have left me. Their quiet heroism and determination has been an inspiration to me and I hope by recording the stories my children and their children will be encouraged as well. I started my genealogy search for my ancestors by simply collecting names, dates, and places. I soon realized that this research was important but wasn't really the only facts that I wanted to pass on to my family. I discovered stories of bravery and purpose that made me proud of my heritage and I wanted to make sure that other family members could see that too.
Your genealogy search may have taken an entirely different direction. Maybe it was driven by important events that your ancestors were involved in. No matter what your research path was, when you started, you have probably gained incredible insight into your heritage and the legacy that your ancestors have left you. Whether you are just starting out, or have been researching for your family's tree for decades, recognize that this hobby can make a real difference to you and your family for centuries to come. If you need more help to research or document your family tree have a look at my Name Origins web page. On it you will find databases that you can search and software that can make the record keeping efficient and easy. You can even find web based databases where you can store your documentation on line for other family members to view and help update.
Being the family historian is a great opportunity and a fantastic hobby that can influence your children and their children for generations to come. I hope you enjoy researching your tree as much as I have.
What's your story? Post your comments and stories that may help others discover their heritage.
