For years, as a reference librarian, I taught
classes, gave workshops, and advised interested parties on how to do
genealogical research. I even spoke to
the local DAR, not an easy group.
Whenever cornered by an aficionado outside my official duties, my eyes
reflected the deer in the headlights look as I plotted my escape. Whenever
possible I would indicate the appropriate resources, instruct on their use,
make alternative suggestions, and beat a quick retreat back to the reference
desk.
No more. I’ve
caught the “family tree bug.” Actually
it began last year when my cousin, his wife and his older brother were planning
a trip to Ireland and we invited them over for a look at our Irish cousins’
pictures, provide addresses, and offer general encouragement. I reviewed old family documents, sorted
photographs. My cousins and I shared old family stories, recalling long lost
faces and remembered names. That planted
the seed.
We are double cousins with an Irish family. By that
I mean that my grandfather’s brother married my grandmother’s sister. That
branch of the family stayed in Ireland while the rest emigrated to Chicago.
Throughout the years my grandmother corresponded with her sister. When my
grandmother died, the Irish aunt continued her correspondence with my
mother. Since then I have picked up the
threads with my cousins. It is fun to read over letters written nearly fifty
years ago. Over the past fifteen years
we have visited with each other in our homes.
Last summer I gathered together legal documents,
photographs, notebook lists, and old letters to begin a family genealogy. I added information from the very helpful
Irish Census of 1901 and 1911, as well as our own census information, marriage
records, and obituary notices. Once I
had the skeleton of a genealogy, I sent my information to the Irish cousins,
asking for their additions and corrections. The only caveats I insist upon is
that the genealogy not be placed on the Internet, on an Internet site like
Ancestry.com, or made available to the Mormon Church family genealogies. I
eschew the Internet sites because of inaccuracies and because posting
genealogies provides a treasure trove for Identity Theft crime. The Mormon restriction is made because I don’t
want the entire family baptized in retrospect should some future family member
become a Mormon.
Despite these prohibitions the Irish response was
enthusiastic. One of my cousin’s
children had begun the Irish branch genealogy a few years ago. He was glad of
the American cousin information; I was delighted have his work augment my
own. Since then we have debated and
collaborated, meeting in person for the first time this summer. Soon we will meet again in Killarney. I have worked feverishly in the past weeks to
add a new branch to the genealogy that is based on the family of my
great-grandmother. Assiduous research
has resulted in enlarging the primary family’s genealogy; careful collaboration
has cleared past doubts, filled holes.
We are well on our way!
What plans for the future? There are a few people—read, strangers—I plan
to contact personally to chase down lost family members. Much work has to be done in obituary searches
and the 1940 census. Primary sources for soft records need to be found. There is a good deal
more to learn. The August the Third “Gathering”
of the family clan in Ireland should have provided another rich source of
information for my cousin’s work. I can’t wait to consult with my Irish
counterpart to share new data we’ve been able to assemble. There is much to do. I think of the possibilities all the
time. I am on the look-out for new
sources.
Do I see a deer in the headlights look in your
eyes? What’s your hurry? I have so much more to share…
