write it down
brenda kellow
may 18, 2014
Writing is an important aspect of family history collection. If you are not putting your memories or family history on paper yet, now is a great time to do so as we celebrate many upcoming holidays. How did you celebrate Easter or Passover when you were growing up? Who in your family attended these functions? Are any attendees alive today? If so, ask them about their customs growing up and today. Are they different? Do you still have the same foods for the holidays?
My sister and I are the only family alive from our childhood. She has a large family and they celebrate together at each holiday. My descendants are fewer so we usually celebrate. Either I cook or we go out. Sometimes we travel to other cities to celebrate like the times we spent Thanksgiving in New Orleans where we had turtle soup, or in San Antonio where we ate chestnut dressing. As for Thanksgiving and Christmas, it is always turkey, dressing, and all the trimmings. Christmas Eve we have the traditional homemade lasagna and salad. Easter is when we have ham, potato salad, deviled eggs, fruit and salad. July 4th we have ribs, cold salads, and deviled eggs. Our holidays today are traditional, much like the ones we had when I was a child. Not much has changed except the attendees.
How do you celebrate your holidays? Write it down and keep a folder of your memories for your children and grandchildren.
What was your favorite toy growing up? Mine were my two dolls, Judy and Sharon. Judy had bright yellow hair and Sharon had light red hair. I also had Brownie, my stuffed dog I slept with growing up. I still have Brownie and he rests on one of the beds in the guest room. I let the grandkids sleep with him but they can’t play with him. After all, he is old and needs careful holding.
Every summer, Mrs. Harmer’s granddaughter, Delores Wheat, would come to visit and we would play dolls with my Judy and Sharon. I looked forward to Delores’ visits each summer and missed her after we grew up, married and moved to different parts of the country.
Your memories are important. Your holiday celebrations and favorite toys, games played during the summer, friends, grade school and high school, college or courting your spouse and marriage are important events your ancestors will enjoy reading. Then, add them to your family history collection. Write it down. Just do it.
GENEALOGY FRIENDS PRESENTS LYNELL MOSS: On June 14 from 10:30-12:30 p.m., in the Program Room of the Haggard Library, located between Park and Parker on Coit Road, Lynell Moss will unveil the latest Family Search Updates. For information see the website at www.genealogyfriends.org, or email [email protected]. All Saturday Seminars are free to those interested in genealogical research and networking with other genealogists.
SAR PRESENTS WINNERS OF PLANO YOUTH AWARDS AND CAR ESSAY CONTEST: The Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) invite you to attend their dinner and award presentation on June 3 at Outback Steakhouse on Central and 15th Street. They honor the winners of the Plano Youth Awards and the Children of the American Revolution (CAR) Essay Contest. Dinner is at 6 p.m. and the program begins at 7 p.m. For more information, go to http://planosar.org/.
During the City Council Meeting on June 9 at 7 p.m. the SAR presents the Plano Public Service Awards for the outstanding Fireman, Policeman, EMT and 911 Operator. You are invited to attend both of these awards presentations.
ANCESTRY TREES ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE SOURCES: Another person agrees with me on the subject of using Ancestry.com’s Family Trees for research. In fact, Daniel Klein, of The Jersey Journal, calls them the “bane of all genealogy—a scourge in the face of modern research that can set genealogists back years if they blindly take advantage of this ‘feature’—the Ancestry Member Trees.” You can read the article at http://blog.nj.com/tracing_your_roots/2014/04/post_6.html. We both agree that Ancestry.com is still the top site to use in genealogical research—just not the trees.
Brenda Kellow has a bachelor's degree in history, teaches, and lectures on genealogy. Before retiring to publish her family’s histories in 2007, Brenda held certification as a Certified Genealogist and as a Certified Genealogical Instructor. Send reunion announcements, books to review, and genealogy queries to: [email protected].