Genealogy exploration can be completed, in great part, through libraries and online exploration. Lots of documents are public information and can be accessed through a little of digging. However, family memories can actually flesh out your genealogical research, making your ancestors better known to you and your readers.
Here are a few things that can be discovered by asking family members:
Descriptions
Quiz your oldest relatives to see what they remember concerning their parents, aunts and uncles, and cousins. What were these relatives like? What did they do for a living? How did they spend their holidays and free time? Where did they reside, and what were their houses like? Did they have hobbies or pets?
Legacies
Pose unrestricted questions to encourage the stories to come out. What were your ancestors’ most important accomplishments? Did any of your ancestors invent anything? Did any of them publish a book or article? Are any speeches published?
Learn who served in the armed forces and in what branch.
Inquire about honorary degrees, rewards, trophies, and further acknowledgment. Did anybody win a competition or special event? Even a county fair pie-eating challenge adds to your research.
Pictures
A family history is much more appealing with images. Can you locate photographs of your ancestors? Maybe even childhood sketches exist someplace. What pleasure it would be to have an outline drawn by a great-grandparent in elementary school. Family heraldry such as crests are also great additions.