Today I learned about sources of genealogical information that go beyond simple records of birth, marriage, death and the like. Commonly referred to as “home sources,” things like old photographs, military medals and other memorabilia can provide richness and depth to your family history in a way that the bare facts of a pedigree chart cannot.
As a child I thought that it was kind of boring whenever someone would take out a book of old family photographs at a family gathering. Fast forward quite a few years and I love it when I’m at my parents’ house or Thanksgiving dinner at my aunt’s house and someone inevitably reaches for a photo album. I enjoy finding out who the people in the pictures are and where the photos were taken because it presents me with a glimpse into what their lives were like.
Another group of home sources includes postcards, letters, and diaries. I have yet to see a letter or diary from someone in my family, but I know that it would be fascinating to read about their experiences. This type of home source captures the human experience in ways that a photograph cannot. The emotion of the writer has been preserved for future generations; it is an opportunity to know what our ancestors were thinking and feeling as they lived their lives.
After learning about home sources today, I hope that some day I will make time to write a family history. I’m kind of nosy, er, curious and I would enjoy spending some time looking at all of those wonderful things that my parents and other family members have saved. These objects are the keys to unlocking stories of my family’s past.
My lesson about home sources today also reminded me that as fun as it is to discover the past, I play a valuable role in preserving the present. It’s time for me to sit down and actually write in my son’s baby book, take some pictures, and write in my journal so that my life story and his can be available to our family in the future.