Wednesday 16 July 2014

How’s That Bio? Tell Their Stories

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Recently we had a very unexpected death in our family.  I opened my data base and went to this relative’s place and opened the notes and realized there were very few. That entire part of my data base was seriously lacking.

To me family research is more than the simple recording of dates and places.  It is the “notes” the story telling, the photos, videos, documents, multimedia.

Here is a sample of just a few images, the multimedia of my great grandfather, Charles Gratton Trumbo.  His death certficate, a photo of Charles, a photo of the home he raised his children in, his headstone, some receipts dated 1898 (two loads of "bark" and one of "hay") and the home where he was raised.



In the case of this family death, I found I had failed miserably.  I did have over 25 multimedia events attached, photos from birth.  I had marriages and children recorded.  But, there was almost nothing in the “notes” section.  I had written a piece or two about this relative on my personal blog, Reflections From the Fence.  But, the truth is, I had basically failed in my duties of family researcher and family recorder.  Did you hear that long sorrowful sigh?

I have frequently reminded others when they are sharing stories (these kinds of stories show up frequently in the Newsfeed of Facebook), to add them to their data base.  It is easy to forget to do that.  That little story about your relative, maybe the one about gramma eating dog food thinking it was a appetizer??  Or the one about the infamous card game and who skunked who.  Stories about favorite vacations.  Share information about your relative’s occupation.   Have some interesting insight as to why your relative chose his or her occupation, share it in your “notes”.

I have had family members record pages of memories of growing up, schools, holiday celebrations, their thoughts on the death of celebrities, and especially every day minutia.  These memories, these stories become what some researchers call the “color” of their data bases and their family stories.

And, oh, don't forget to record color for yourself, your parents, your siblings, your children, your grandchildren.  Wouldn't you just love to have stories about your great-great grandparents, their memories, maybe journals or diaries.  I have a very few, I am greedy, I would love to have more.  If you have journals, letters, diaries, have you recorded them in your data base?  Have you transcribed them?  Do you have images of each page?  

Share the color, hopefully you won’t open your data base to find a white, empty page staring back at you.  I failed.  I pray you can learn from my lesson, make your data base colorful.



* Collage courtesy of Collage.com
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15 comments:

  1. Nice wake up call! I too am very guilty lots of stories and bits and pieces in my head or in a folder that I haven't but in my data base! Thank you for e timely reminder.

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    1. You are welcome Diane. Good luck. Lots of work. Lots of fulfillment when we get it right.

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  2. Carol,
    Very nice. I want to know what software you used to make the collage of pics. Beautiful.

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  3. oops -- I just noticed collage.com. I'll check it out.

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    1. It is fairly easy to use Kathy, and thrifty, err, free.

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  4. Thanks for tbis reminder. You really highlight the importance of stories.

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  5. Carol,

    I want to let you know that your blog post is listed in today's Fab Finds post at http://janasgenealogyandfamilyhistory.blogspot.com/2014/07/follow-friday-fab-finds-for-july-18-2014.html

    Have a wonderful weekend!

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    1. Thank you Jana, I am sorry I am just now getting back here to find your wonderful post.

      As always, I am humbled to be included in such a great list.

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  6. An interesting view of what we should be doing as the family archivist. It is only through becoming a blogger, that I came to realise the importance of recording my own family memories of growing up in the 1950's and 1960's. Nostalgic to look back on and can be fun to write - plus my brother enjoyed reading the tales of his childhood too.

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    1. Stories can be a lot of fun, my kids love reading them too, and, so, do my grandchildren.

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  7. LOL we were on the same thoughts this month. YOU have always been an inspiration to me since I first began my blog. Keep up the good work! :-)

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    1. The inspiration is a two way street Fran. And, yes, I believe we did think the same this month! :-)

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  8. I'm sorry for your loss, Carol. I've had a similar experience, that 'oh, why didn't I write down those stories/capture that anecdote' moment. This is a timely reminder.

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    1. Thank you Rebel Hand. Write em down when you think of them. If you share on on social media chattering away with friends, copy it right to your data base. I have done that a few times. Never edited them much, just copied them off and pasted them in.

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