Genealogy:Is it worth it?

[Feathers in Hair]

For about a year now, I've been doing some digging into my ancestry. It's not one of those "I'm worthwhile because my great-great-something invented roast beef' approaches (at least it isn't for me), but I've been wondering if it's a good way of passing my time.

I'm primarily interested in researching my matrilineal line, since that's how one's Scottish clan is determined.

Does anyone else do genealogical research? I see it as a fun hobby that might turn dangerously addictive.

 

[Jaymes]

If you enjoy it, it's a good way for you to pass your time.

I've never been able to get into genealogical research, but I imagine I might at some point in the future. Right now I'm just focused on other things.

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

Fortunately my family tree was done for us and was published in the reference book" leading Irish famlilies".it takes it back in full detail to the 1700's.
we know quite a lot before that, but they don't publish any earlier, the book would be too big. It is certainly interesting. A major branch moved to America and is still there. Other branches are all over the world.
No one has done the early female line Though the central registry office in England File by the mother, not the father.
One thing though, a full tree shows the good and the bad, so you can't get too prideful.

Terry
_________________________
Amen! Truly I say to you: Gather in my name. I am with you.

 

[michel]

I'd have loved to do so, but with a 'stop' sign at my Grandparents in Belgium, and my Grandmother in England (Grandad was the son of a white Russian refugee), I can't get very far. It makes me sad that I can't - I think it is probably nice to get to your roots.

 

[jonny]

I haven't done a lot of genealogy, but I love doing family history. Last year I put a book together with over 500 pages of biographies and auto-biographies of my direct ancestors. It was a lot of work, but I love it and my family loves it also. Next step is putting together a website to share the information. If you haven't written your life history or started on it, I recommend it. Your ancestors will appreciate it.

I've tried a little geneology, but the names and dates aren't as interesting to me as the stories.

 

[Feathers in Hair]

That's fascinating, Jonny! I wish I had the commitment to do the biographies. Sadly, my living relatives aren't that talkative, hehehee.

Since your research was so intensive, this might not be enough of a website to express your information in, but I use www.genealogy.com as a 'starting point' for making my website.

 

[kreeden]

My father did the family tree , back for about 300 years or so . It is interesting , but personally I see no real value in it . So I'm related to a bunch of outlaws who lifed 300 years ago ? I'm also related to a bunch of outlaws who are alive today .

 

[Pah]

For about a year now, I've been doing some digging into my ancestry. It's not one of those "I'm worthwhile because my great-great-something invented roast beef' approaches (at least it isn't for me), but I've been wondering if it's a good way of passing my time.

I'm primarily interested in researching my matrilineal line, since that's how one's Scottish clan is determined.

Does anyone else do genealogical research? I see it as a fun hobby that might turn dangerously addictive.

My family database has about 3600 names and goes back at the longest for 32 generations. The direct maternal line is from Cornwall about 13 generations. I loved doing it and even went so far as to travel and visit the variouis city clerks to get primary documentation for about 8 generations of many lines.

But I've hit a wall!

 

[jonny]

This is kinda related (and exciting). Most of you who are into genealogy probably know how much information the LDS church has collected on microfilm. For years they have stored it in a vault dug out in one of the mountains around Salt Lake. Well, they have decided to go through all this information and put it on the internet at the website www.familysearch.org. I'm sure that this will take years to do, but I can imagine that people who do genealogy will find it very helpful. Here's a link to the news article: http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,605153189,00.html. The best part is that it will be free!

 

[Darkdale]

My family database has about 3600 names and goes back at the longest for 32 generations. The direct maternal line is from Cornwall about 13 generations. I loved doing it and even went so far as to travel and visit the variouis city clerks to get primary documentation for about 8 generations of many lines.

But I've hit a wall!

To which countries does your family hail from?

 

[Unedited]

I've done a little research into my family. I managed to trace one line back to the 1600s, which was really cool. I had to stop for awhile though, because I did become addicted.

 

[Pah]

To which countries does your family hail from?

England, Wales, and Scotland - but I'm sure there are Irish yet to be discovered beside the one. These countries, incidently, probably have the best kept primary records in the parish roles. I've even sat in the rectories of some churches of New England and gone through thier books. The area of Plymouth and Boston frequently published "centenial" history books that were later adopted by the various city clerks as official records

A note though - the vast majority of internet published material does not have primary or even secondary evidence. (primary is the vital records of a town, court or church - secondary evidence is the compilation of genealogy by scholars and published - and hopefully with peer review following) I have twice run into mistakes in secondary sources and one of those mistakes cost me the royal ancestors of Europe and Russia. Hehehe - it even took me back to Adam. (Jesus must have been a cousin of mine)

There is balance in finding the "good and bad". One uncle was a Roman Catholic saint and another was convicted of witchery in Salem, Massachusetts

 

[Draka]

My mother has family trees made up and old diaries of people that have been passed down.

But the only thing I really know is that my Grandmother's side of the family traces back somehow to William Wallace.

I guess it would be cool to really check that out, but not that concerned about it right now.

 

[Bennettresearch]

Hi Feathers,

Aren't you afraid of what you might find? I know I am. Of course then I might be descended from Royalty, I hear that a lot and my aunt talks about Lord Trevallion a lot and a castle our family has claim to. Yawn, it doesn't do the present family situation any good.

 

[Feathers in Hair]

Oooo! My maternal side has the guy that did the original biography of William Wallace. I think he was blind. (My ancestor, not William Wallace.)

I'm with you, Pah. I've got at least one person who fought on the losing side in the Revolutionary War, and the person my paternal lineage is descended from was apparently a real go-getter in the Crusades.

 

[jonny]

A note though - the vast majority of internet published material does not have primary or even secondary evidence. (primary is the vital records of a town, court or church - secondary evidence is the compilation of genealogy by scholars and published - and hopefully with peer review following) I have twice run into mistakes in secondary sources and one of those mistakes cost me the royal ancestors of Europe and Russia. Hehehe - it even took me back to Adam. (Jesus must have been a cousin of mine)

And even the stuff taken directly from the records isn't always 100% accurate either. I have spent time extracting information off of old baptism records from churches in England so that it could be put into databases for genealogists and some of the handwriting on those things is AWFUL!!!

 

[Katzpur]

On one of my lines, several centures back, the father of a child is listed only as "a knight in the forest." Obviously, that's where that particular line hits a brick wall.

 

[Feathers in Hair]

Thanks for posting the link, Jonny! I think that's going to be very helpful in my search! (Especially once my computer decides to cooperate with the software, hehehe!)