Day 1: Starting the Journey

Today students began their genealogy journey by walking to the Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research, a top-10 family research center in the United States. The library opened an hour early for us so that we could meet with librarians, Susan Kaufman and Melissa Hayes, and learn about the resources available at the library. We began with a presentation from Ms. Kaufman, the Director of Education for the Texas State Genealogy Society and the Senior Manager of the library. She shared her family research journey, including her first pedigree chart from when she began family research many years ago.

Presentation from Ms. Kaufman at the Clayton Library for Genealogical Research

After the presentation, aided by Ms. Kaufman and Ms. Hayes, students began to look through some of the resources the library houses for preliminary information about their families. Some students were able to find information and some were not at this time. We began the conversation about the limitations of family research which include immigration, socio-economic status, and race.

In the afternoon, I presented my own family history story, highlighting both some mysteries in my family as well as some history I am not proud of, such as many Confederate soldiers and even a plantation-owner and slaver. We discussed how sometimes we find out things about our family that make us feel good about our lineage and also sometimes we find things that we don't feel great about. Either way, warts and all, everyone in our families led to us! The complex nature of families is part of the fun of this kind of research.

Ms. Harrison in 1986 on Dauphin Island in Alabama

Students spent the rest of the afternoon entering the information they gathered on their pedigree chart forms into their new family trees on Ancestry.com. From there, they began to look at public records available through databases on Ancestry and began to find lots of fun documentation, even old yearbook photos and draft cards!

In all, everyone left excited about continuing their research tomorrow.

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Wrapping Up the Course

Isabelle Saxon January 18th, 2022 Wrapping Up the Course I think that it is human nature to want to know where we came from, to want to hear about those who came before us. To know where in the world our ancestors settled, what ethnicities have mixed and molded us into the way we are. Going into the course I knew quite a bit about my mother’s mother’s side of the family stories, names, and traditions were passed down to me. However I had only ever heard vague stories for the other sides of my family and I wanted to know more. I wanted an answer to how I got here, and what genetics came to make me the way I am. I think I underestimated how much information ancestry and the internet really has. I was able to find out a lot and I answered the questions I wanted answered. My Grandfather Charlie, My dad Charles, and My Uncle Jim I found where in Hungary my dad's family came from, and I managed to even see records of my 2nd great grandfather growing up in Swe...

Day 4 - Ending of the first week

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Day 8 - Starting the Book of Life

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"Finding Your Roots" Genealogy J-Term 2022

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