Why did I start my family history journey? There were several reasons I started searching. I was an only child, raised by my grandmother (although I do have 4 half siblings, I never lived with them). I heard stories from my grandmother about her Irish family. I spent time with the older relatives, great grandmother, great aunts, great uncles, older cousins and was curious about their lives and families. Being an only child, I was given a lot of freedom to talk with adults in our family. I asked lots of questions and became more and more intrigued.
My great grandmother and my grandmother gave me basic family information such as names and dates, but I wanted more. I wanted to flesh out who these people were and how did I fit into the family. As I got older I started in earnest to search for ancestry. My family felt so small I wanted to add to it. My search started at what is now Midwest Genealogy Center near Kansas City.
Back in the late 80s, it was a department of Mid Continent Public Library system, tucked away in a basement with books, journals and rolls and rolls of microfilm. I spent many hours reading census records on microfilm. Finding my grandmother as a 10 year old on the 1910 was such a thrill, then my dad and mother on 1930 census. Even discovering an address on my family in city directories excited me!
Our family vacations always involved searches at courthouses and cemeteries for my family and now including my husband’s. I realized the more I discovered, the more connected I felt to what became this very large family. I could feel myself fitting into this family and it pushed me to continue my pursuit.
Discovering stories about these family members involved lots of newspaper articles, military records, talking and becoming friends with distant cousins, some of whom I have never met in person, but who I consider friends. Sharing records, stories, photographs fleshed out my family history. I never realized when I started where this journey would lead, but I am so glad I pursued it.
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