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I've always had a desire to know about my family history. I think that stems from having my mother die when I was very young. Ties were cut and as I grew up, I had questions that couldn't ever be properly answered. Those unanswered questions drove me so seek information about the past, even if it was unpleasant. One really great thing happened though.
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| Lisa Margaret Sanders Crew Dec 9 1964 - Jun 19 1986 |
After joining the Church and playing around on FamilySearch.org, I realised that not only was I not the only LDS member of my family, but I came from a long line of strong ancestry and that many of my distant relatives were also interested in genealogy. Thanks to them, a lot of researching, a website that allows you to combine similar records to find your ancestors, and of course luck . . . I can trace my family history back not only hundreds, but thousands of years.
This blessing has taught me so much.
It's allowed me to see where I come from. Not only in blood and situation, but literally through the countries. I know my history now. I've been able to research the countries of origin where my family was established and learn of their languages, customs and traditions and even apply some of them to my own family to carry on when my husband and I have children.
I learned that on my mother's side I have many LDS pioneer ancestry, some of which dates back to the founding of the Church. I have ancestors that not only new prominent people in the Church, but were themselves very prominent. I learned that I wouldn't exist were it not for the trial of plural marriage given to the early settlers, as most of my ancestors were second and third wives.
On my father's side of the family I've been able to look into the records of WWI and WWII, marriage and birth certificates and farming stories from old Missouri. I learned that many of my ancestors fought in the Civil War for the south, and most did not return from battle.
And all this information is only in the last couple hundred years. Anything beyond that often becomes overwhelming, though very, very addicting! I have a large passion for ancient Roman history, so when one day while looking through my family tree I stumbled upon familiar Roman names, I had to talk to a friend in order to calm down.
I plan on working to continue to fill in the blanks of my family history. People are missing and they need to be found. I hope to make this a goal for the upcoming year. To learn more about my family, not just in name or place, but the details of how lives were lived. The dead need not be forgotten.
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