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Subject: How I got started
Date: Wed, 1 Jan 2003 08:03:34 EST
My mother and her cousin were interested in genealogy. They didn't have much
of either time or the money to gather documents and peruse dusty files in old
court rooms. This was pre-computer days, when genealogy was even more
challenging. But, they had collected family documents and newspaper clippings
and miscellaneous notes saved by my grandmother and my great grandfather.
They organized and preserved all that they had. They wrote letters to distant
family members. They stomped through old cemeteries collecting as many names
as they could. One day, with her eyesight and energy failing, my mother asked
if I would want to have the results of her years of effort. What could I
say? No?
"Sure, Mom. I'd love to have it all!" (Fingers crossed behind my back.) She
was delighted. "Well, then," said she, "do you think you could find out
something about (third great) Grandma Herndon for me? There were always such
wonderful stories about her and I would love to know where she came from."
Oh gee! I was stuck. The good news was that there is an LDS library nearby.
The bad news was that I had never done anything like this and had never gone
near a computer. But, the staff at LDS are wonderfully helpful and patient.
They got me somewhat oriented and so I began the search for Fanny Herndon.
Couldn't find her and was getting really rattled trying to go through all
those computer discs and make that peculiar machine behave for me. Finally
it occurred to me to look for her brother, Archer. A man might be easier to
find. So, I started over. Typed in the name. Changed the computer discs
umpteen more times. My patience was wearing VERY thin. But, then, on the
screen, there they were, all gathered together! There were Archer and
Grandma Francis Herndon with all their siblings AND their parents! I gasped,
"OH MY GOD!" in a loud, inappropriate voice. This was in a church after all.
Bless them, they didn't throw me out. I was hooked. This first family I
"met" was marvelously colorful and interesting. I've been chasing ancestors
ever since. Thank you, Mom.
Phyllis Braga in the NY Helderbergs
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