"We Are The Chosen"

[3sillydogs]

That I think sums up each of us that has taken on the task of telling our ancestors stories.  It is however as Andrew says, it is often taken on later in life probably when we have more time and the older generation is no longer with us.

They might call us to tell their story but nobody wants to listen ha ha!!

When will the staring into space and the eye rolling stop?  Who knows, but there will be another story teller after us, and we can pat ourselves on the back for making their jobs a little easier than ours was....

[jaybelnz]

Yes, Andrew, I understand that we mostly seem to get the bug later in life, I expect it's to do with us being busy marrying and raising our own families and making our own way in life!

I was fortunate enough to grow up in close proximity with both sets of grandparents and their extended families, so knew them all well, as we all lived in the same area, all mixed well together, so already had a good knowledge of old family stories, going back to my grandparent's and parent's early lives in Scotland!

It wasn't until much later when a nephew of mine was getting married and wanted to wear a family tartan, that I actually starting digging to see which one he wanted, as there was more than one possibility!

I was lucky enough to have a lot old Family papers, writings, photos and certificates that my maternal grandmother had kept, which I found when I was clearing her house when she moved in with my Mum! She even had my Mums and my Dads birth certs and marriage cert, her own marriage cert, so her parents names and details as well.

At that time I just put it all away, and it wasn't until long after my own children were grown and away from home, and I was making my own way, still working, but of course lots more time on my hands, that the little nudge from my nephew re the tartan set me off on what was to become my long time quest! 

By this time I was about in my mid fifties, that little hoard that had been my grandmothers was a wonderful starting point. My parents had also both died quite young, so couldn't ask them any more, so I was very lucky to have that great little treasure box!

And away I went, especially after I retired - and after teaching, needed something to keep my brain working, and still going strong with the research, much easier these days, without having to wind through miles of microfilm, now more expensive of course with subscriptions etc, but also some things can now be more challenging as there's more information on the net  to sift through!

I expect most of our offspring,  and their offspring,  will need to do little more than add in their own memories and their own families if they continue!  (Maybe even digging as well to see what scandalous information they can find out about us)!  😄😄

Thank goodness for Rootschat!....(But I also wonder how much they'll read about us in here)! 

[Kimbrey]

Some  years ago I came across the following - I cannot remember where and cannot give the author but at the time I felt it very apt when visiting Uffington churchyard and looking at ancestors graves !

Your headstone stands among the rest,neglected and alone
The name and date are chiseled out in weather beaten stone
It reaches out for all to see,it is too late to mourn
You did not know I would exist,you died and I was born
Yet each of us is part of you,in flesh,in blood,in bone
And in my breast there beats a pulse entirely not my own
Dear ancestor, the space you left those many years ago
Is filled today by all of us,who would have loved you so
I wonder if you laughed and loved,I wonder if you knew
That someday I would find this place and come and visit you

Kim

[Mark Fullerton]

On a related note is the is the old (Mexican?) proverb. A person dies three deaths. First when the body ceases to function. Second when they are laid to rest and a final time the last time their name is spoken.

This has always resonated with me and I think that's what most of us are trying to do. Postpone that final death.

[coombs]

What really started me was an interest in a British actor Derek Newark born in 1933 in Great Yarmouth, my hometown. I read a article on him in a Only Fools And Horses book and wanted to know the exact date of birth. I then thought, how shall I go about this? In early 2004 when in London I heard of the Family Records Centre, and went there and looked his birth up in the registers but it was births registered "April, May June 1933". No exact date. I knew he died in 1998 and went to ask about deaths, I then looked and found his exact DOB. I then was inspired by this place, told mum and she suggested we go there to look up when her nan died. We then found she was born in Islington. And since then, I have not stopped, so thanks Derek.

In about 1996 I always wondered who my grandaprents grandaprents were.

[Treetotal]

Some  years ago I came across the following - I cannot remember where and cannot give the author but at the time I felt it very apt when visiting Uffington churchyard and looking at ancestors graves !

Your headstone stands among the rest,neglected and alone
The name and date are chiseled out in weather beaten stone
It reaches out for all to see,it is too late to mourn
You did not know I would exist,you died and I was born
Yet each of us is part of you,in flesh,in blood,in bone
And in my breast there beats a pulse entirely not my own
Dear ancestor, the space you left those many years ago
Is filled today by all of us,who would have loved you so
I wonder if you laughed and loved,I wonder if you knew
That someday I would find this place and come and visit you

Kim

. 


Hi Kim....I use this one in the printed version of my trees...I found it online when I googled genealogy poems.....it is entitled "Dear Ancestor" written by Walter Butler Palmer in 1906

Thanks for sharing Jeanne....it's really lovely and I can relate to the sentiments.
Carol

[Kimbrey]

Treetotal

Thank you for the info on the author - I have made a  note of it !!

Kim

[hurworth]

This will come across as a wet blanket but sometimes I think various family genealogy experts are rather protective of their genealogy empire and very closed to alternate information that disagrees with the picture of the family which they've formed.

If they think they're "the chosen" they'll be even worse!

[jaybelnz]

Love yours too Kim!

Hurworth, you're probably right 

Jeanne