For more than 50 years, genealogy has been my favorite hobby. Later, it became my part-time work.
Why the bug bit me is unknown. Some say that one great-grandmother had an inkling for it, so maybe I got more of her DNA. As I reflect on some of the highlights, great discoveries — especially the accidental ones, as well as the low points of my research — I thought it might be fun to share. Remembering similar things in your research journey might cause some of your kin to understand your passion.
The family tree to me is like a crossword puzzle — blanks to be filled in, but unending. I remember reading a work of L.G. Pine on my flight to England in 1971 while in the U. S. Air Force. I was amazed at his emphasis on the thousands of ancestors we had after 20 generations. One great discovery was on my first visit to the Georgia Archives, then located in Rhodes Hall, when I found the only surviving record of the 1806 marriage of my ancestors William Snellings and Elizabeth Pickard, recorded before the marriage volume disintegrated in Warren County. And I remember getting a phone call on a Monday night — genealogy bombshells should not come on Monday nights — revealing the true story of my paternal ancestry, something I didn’t think anyone living knew. DNA later proved the story accurate.
There have been humorous moments, like standing on a tombstone to avoid snakes and having two ladies drive up in a green Packard, park, then holler out, “What are you doing standing on our father’s grave?” That was in the days before “Find A Grave.” Recently, I went to my safety deposit box and found an envelope I had forgotten about. It was from my grandmother Levey Harrison Thomas, who died in 1975, and marked “Grandmother’s grandparents, but whom?” It contained a tintype of a couple taken before 1888, because I recognized it from a copy a cousin had sent me. The cousin had identified the couple has her paternal grandparents. I had no idea I had possessed the original for more than 40 years. I hope many of you have had similar great moments, met some interesting people and will share those memories with others in your family to inspire them.
Ellis Island Records
Ellis Island is now offering a free, online passenger search portal at libertyellisfoundation.org/passenger. It covers 1820 to 1957, clearly further back than the creation of Ellis Island itself. See if it helps your research.
Donate to support genealogy causes
As the year ends, don’t forget to make a donation to help your favorite genealogy groups. They usually need all the financial help they can get, starting with memberships.
About the Author
