I've Caught the Bug

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…