Family History or Legend

Where is the first source of family history?  Relatives.  Ask family questions.  The bias has always been to ask the oldest living female in the family, but it is a bias.  Sometimes the younger children inconspicuously overheard their parents or other relatives talking and gleaned unique bits of information. 

Often relatives deny knowing anything or say they can’t remember.  In this age of Alzheimer’s disease and memory dimming illnesses, we may be losing some valuable resources prematurely.  Nevertheless, don’t hesitate to ask questions in a different way.

Rather than, “do you remember when your grandfather died?”, how about asking, “How many grandparents did you have when you were born?” or “How many of your great grandparents were alive when you were born?”  Sometimes these bits of trivia will come to mind.  If you know when the relative you’re talking with was born, you have learned that certain grand or great grandparents were still alive and know their death date is likely after the birth of your source.

Always ask about places.  Dates are often tough to remember, but places might come to memory more easily.  For example, a relative didn’t remember when another ancestor passed away, but thought he had been buried in the Swan Point Cemetery in Rhode Island.  At the time a letter to Swan Point confirmed the location and then provided the dates.  Now much of the information is found online.

Don’t hesitate to ask relatives about family traditions, gatherings etc. 
A type of food often cooked can suggest family ancestry.  For example the making and eating of lefse likely denotes some Norwegian ancestry.

If family legend says that cousin Jacob came out to the California Gold Rush, don’t discount the information, but start doing some research in California.  If there is thought of a prominent ancestor, using his or her name in quotation marks, search the internet to see if there may be a family tie. 

Family legend can help demolish brickwalls and enrich history.