Blessings in Disguise: The Trials and Tribulations of Family Research

Ancestry.com. Myheritage.com. Ring a bell? Thousands upon thousands of people and millions of documents wait to be discovered on these handy websites, but for a price. Is there anything better than techno mumbo-jumbo? I say, yes, and for free!

I cannot tell you how many countless hours and sleepless nights I spent, digging through the census records for ancestors who shaped my world as I know it today, and yet, I came up with very little to go on. That is, until I decided to forgo the databases and talk to those who lived the past and still with us- My living grandmothers. How helpful have they been? Read on.

My family is not one that kept detailed records of marriages, deaths and Christenings in a nice neat family Bible. Oh no, they decided they wanted me to work for my information. In my quest for the past, my grandmothers have given tremendous amounts of information, and enriched my life with great stories on how things were "back in the good ole days". However, one downside that anyone doing geneological studies should be prepared for is asking too much information. Know when to stop. Some information is just too sensitive for widows and widowers, even after 40 years.

My grandmother Lois, lost her husband, my grandfather, Harry Yeager in an automobile accident. I never knew him, and my father, well, he was only seven years old when his father died, so my dad was not the best person to ask. So, I went to my grandmother and asked her to tell me stories about my grandfather. She told me a story of how "Pappy" died, but it was far from what the newspapers and witnesses reported. She tells me she thinks Pap was murdered. So is my grandmother telling me facts, or is she remembering what she wants to remember? This is one of those times where factual newspapers and police reports become indellible marks on family trees.You could hear tears well up in her throat. So I decided to change the subject. Lesson learned. Some information is best left in the past.

My grandfather's sisters are also alive, and they have been extremely helpful, even though they are both octogenerians. They gave me stories that are printed on my family's website; stories that make me blush, and make me smile.

So, onward with my family geneology search tips:

1.) Go to the elders first!- These are the people in your family who can tell you what you want to know, when you want to know it, and they love talking about it. Don't believe me? If you are blessed (as I am ) to have at least one grandparent still alive, with a clear mind, call them up and say "Tell me about how you and Grandpa or Grandma met?" .or " What was your parents like?" Be sure to have a pen and a lot of paper and take notes as they talkI guarantee, they will fill you in on details you could never find on the internet. Moreover, you are forming a bond that will last an eternity. If your grandparents are deceased or cannot recall memories well, go to great aunts and uncles, then to your parents, your aunts and uncles.

2.) Go to court.- Public records in your hometown is a valuable source of information right at your fingertips. You can search marriages, deaths, census records, property transactions, the list goes on and on, right at your local courthouse. This works great if you live in the city that your family history is based in.

2.) If all else fails, search the net.- The best site I have been to that gave me the best information is Ancestry.com. Although I paid out the nose for the information, I found census records from my family that kept my search going until I reached the proverbial "end of the rainbow with one branch of my family." Ancestry.com has evolved into a very user-friendly site, and I am glad it was there when I couldn't do local searches. I plan on getting one of those DNA tests that show where your family originated. I am anxious to see what it reveals.

Through all the searching I did, getting to know my grandparents and other extended family has been the best blessing I could have received. They are the "here and now," and the gateway to the past. Cherish this resource while there is time to cherish it. Unlike the internet, this resource is time-sensitive, and will not be around forever.