The Gift of Genealogy

I'm a big research freak.  If I'm passionate enough about something, I research it until I'm completely satisfied.  I do it with my story writing--yes, I write stories, but I'll save that for another time--because I want to be accurate in my detailing.  If someone were to check on something I've written, I want them to see that I put my heart and soul into all I've done.


Researching the family genealogy is exciting and insightful.  Although, I will admit that at times it can be downright frustrating!

The things I've learned about my ancestors has sent me through the full range of emotions. Sadness, grief, disgust, curiosity, confusion...you name it, and I've felt it.  Here's why...



Some of the things I've found:

A relative that left his family to go off to war in the 1800s, was presumed dead, but I found him four states away three years later. (Was I sure? Yes. He didn't bother to change his name or birth date)

Two relatives that married.  Each other.  An uncle married his great-great-great-great-great niece.  She was only half related, but still...

The husband's family has been linked to Poe.  Edgar Allan Poe.

My husband's family has also been linked to assisting President Lincoln in the aftermath of his shooting.  The details were in a book that was NOT written by any member of the family.  Details had been given by officials or townsfolk.

I've learned that my father's side of the family may not have Japanese blood, but Spanish blood.  Spain.

My husband's grandfather was one of thirteen children, but my father-in-law had only ever met seven of them.  He only knew of one of the deaths.  In actuality six children died in early childhood or at birth.  The reasons varied and it makes me sad to think about how hard things were for everyone then.

The funniest thing--not funny ha ha, but funny strange--my husband's family on his mother's side and my family on my mother's side lived doors from each other in Illinois during the late 1800s/early 1900s. CRAZY! If I find that we're related, I may have to kick him. Just kidding...

Then again, if we think about it...we're all related anyway. Mother Eve and Father Adam are our original parents.  I digress...

So those were some crazy things, eh?  I've been doing this research since 2005 and I've made sure to include extended family.  The tree currently sits at 5069 ancestors and it grows daily.  As I gather more information, the branches bloom with fresh intelligence and my excitement is renewed.

I know, I'm an odd duck.

The frustration comes from inaccurate information due to human error.  There are transcribers for all the vital records and some either don't know how to read or they're dyslexic.  I have found misspellings and completely inaccurate transcriptions.  How do I know this?  Because I can view images of the original documents.

An example of incorrect transcription--Line 93 listed with the number 166 contains the names Owen and Margarett Kelly.  Owen's name may have been transcribed as Deven or Devon. The Kelly name may have been transcribed as Kellog. Not that they were, but they could have been if the transcriber didn't pay attention to the handwriter's script.

Image Courtesy of rootdig.com

I've reported the incorrect information that I have come across and some of it has been resolved--I'm still waiting on a few things.  I'm certain I will find more though.

Image courtesy NBC

If you haven't watched the series "Who Do You Think You Are?" produced by Lisa Kudrow,  you should.  It returns to NBC starting Friday, February 3rd.  It's going into its third season and I'm really looking forward to it.  I know it's researching the ancestry of celebrities, but you can see the journey that people go through.  I kind of wish they'd use real people once in a while.  I would most definitely apply.



How much do you know about your own ancestry?  Are you curious now?