Ever wished you had a special family member’s memories recorded? MCPL can help. It’s very easy to do and fun too.
I was delighted to have the opportunity to interview three long-time residents of Edgerton during the Edgerton Pioneer Days festival. It was very interesting to learn how the town has changed over the years, and why those changes happened. Each person’s story was so unique and shed light on how seemingly every day events can change history and impact us all today.
I dabble in my family’s history, and have been for some time. I wish I had more time for it. It can be most rewarding. I never know what will turn up, or where it might lead.
I have a passion for researching my Irish ancestors, which actually led me to take the trip of my lifetime this year ― to Ireland. Normally when looking for records in Ireland, we would start with the Family History Library catalog holdings.
Tracking Down Your Ancestors Using the Filby Collection
Finding your ancestor’s name in a passenger list can be a challenge. The answer might be found using the collection of P. William Filby’s Passenger and Immigration Lists Index located in the Passenger List section of the Midwest Genealogy Center. The books contain thousands of passenger lists and naturalization records compiled from various sources. In fact, from 1980 to 2012, nine sets of the Filby books were published. The books are compiled yearly and then made into sets every five years.
Join the United States Daughters of 1812 at the Midwest Genealogy Center
One reason I often hear from people who stop by the Genealogy Center is that they’re looking to trace their family history in order to join a lineage society. Not only does the connection instill pride in the relationship to that ancestor, but joining such a group allows the member to do volunteer work involving preservation of the past and education of future generations. Every group has a registrar who helps new members with the paperwork involved in proving the relationship to the ancestor through "membership workshops."
One of the best and most often overlooked resources for genealogy research is the family bible. Often recorded within its pages is a treasure trove of dates, names, and important events such as weddings, births, and baptisms. In fact, it was the bible of my great-great grandmother that got me started researching my own family’s genealogy.
Wendy’s interest in genealogy began at an early age. Wanting to learn more about her family, Wendy started asking questions at age fourteen. She had several older relatives she was not acquainted with, so she asked her parents to write these older relatives to ask them questions. A new, exciting find just revealed itself in a line that came to America in 1638. No one else in her family had anything on this particular family. These ancestors were one of the founding families in the coastal town of Rowley, Massachusetts, just north of Boston.
Celebrating Family History During the Month of October
October is Family History Month, but it is also a month for many other holidays and observances. So, why not celebrate some of them together? The first Sunday in October is Intergenerational Day, so take some time to share your stories with the younger generations. October 13th is Frustration Scream Day, so if you are feeling frustrated by your genealogy, just let out a scream (preferably before you walk into the Library). You can’t go wrong by celebrating your successes in genealogy with some cake and ice cream for National Dessert Day on October 14th.
One of my favorite hobbies is genealogy. I suppose it is because it is the personal side of history. In school we learned the basics of history, from World to American. When it comes to genealogy, history becomes personal. When you are starting, of course, you begin with your closest relatives. This is fairly easy and pretty close to your own history experience. Most stories you have heard from relatives have happened recently enough that you can correlate them with the recent history that you learn in school.
