Genealogy Tips to Share at Family Gatherings

Genealogy is what I’m known for at family gatherings.

I spent several years working on family histories for both sides of my family.

In the days before Ancestry.com, I spent a lot of time in libraries, looking at microfilm, interviewing elderly family members, and writing.

It took me five years to research and write the history of one side of my family. During that time, we experienced a number of deaths along with a long-running health crisis.

Emotions ran high and more than once, I was able to use stories I’d learned about our ancestors to smooth conversation about our current family issues.

We were all interested in the results.

Sharing family and genealogy information

One Thanksgiving one of my relatives had a newly-found adult child join us. With 50 strangers at the house, she needed a key to understanding who was who and how they were related to her.

I printed up a family tree chart (using the Family Tree Maker program, including photos!) and taped it on a wall

I also provided name tags identifying us and our relationship with my grandparents.

For example, my name tag looked like this:

Michelle

Daughter of Biagia Gina

Since my mother was one of the three children in the family, our new cousin could easily consult the chart and learn she was my first cousin once removed.

I’m so glad I wrote the family histories when I did because only my uncle is left from those generations ahead of me.

If only I had asked Genealogy questions!

I berated myself one afternoon for not asking my grandmother the names of her family members. I only had scraps of stories and too many questions.

How was she the seventh child? What was her grandmother’s name? Did her relatives have genetic ailments?

I never thought to ask the questions and felt terrible until I remembered a simple truth–my grandmother really didn’t speak English.

Even if I had asked the questions, I wouldn’t have understood the answers!

Thanksgiving is coming and my family will gather again.

I’m bringing a copy of the book I wrote about my Italian grandfather to share with some of my cousins’ children–the ones who were infants when I wrote the book and who have children of their own now.

I think the family stories will be more important now.

I cannot encourage folks enough to get the stories.

Even if you’re not interested now, someday you may want to know your family’s history.

Sure, you can check out the genealogy on Ancestry.com and learn where they lived and what their professions were–prior to 1940. Census records for 1950 will be released to the public in 2020. (Census records are only released 70 years after they were taken).

You’ll get facts, but you won’t get stories.

Genealogy riches lurk in the stories.

Get out your phones this Thanksgiving and ask your family questions with the recorder running.

You’ll always be glad you did.

Try these questions:

1. The basics: where were you born? Who was there?
2. What were your parents’ names? Your grandparents? (as far back as they remember names) Where did they grow up?
3. What did people in our family die of? Common diseases or problems?
4. What types of work did people do?
5. When did the family move to this area? Why?
6. Tell me some stories about them
7. What did they like to eat? What were their hobbies?
8. Did anything terrible ever happen in our family?
9. Where were you/them when man landed on the moon; President Kennedy died; WWII ended?
10. Did anyone serve in the military? Go to college? Travel abroad?

Enjoy your family!

2023 Update

Map My Life Biopedia Course led by my friend Dr. Latayne C. Scott helps folks write their personal stories. (With a special version for New Mexico State veterans. Check out the website!)

How to Interview Elderly Relatives from Our Public Records website.

Everything Memoir Facebook group led by writer Susy Flory

Tweetables

Family dinner and genealogy. It’s important! Click to Tweet

10 genealogy questions for Thanksgiving dinner. Click to Tweet

What all the family has in common: Genealogy Click to Tweet