Why Genealogy?

This is a question I believe all researchers, both professional and personal, should ask themselves. For me, the answer comes quite naturally: genealogy is that special something in my life that just fits. It is the perfect amalgam of my love for my family, and my love for American history.

The first seeds of my interest in genealogy were planted when I was only nine. My grandmother's sister had compiled her genealogy. My grandmother held a great influence over me, and, when she showed me her pedigree charts, I was instantly devoted to the cause. I began to write to my older relatives, and ask them about the family. I still have letters that my great-grandmother wrote to me, telling stories of earlier generations, watering the seeds of my interest and allowing them to blossom. I am lucky enough to have grown up having known my great-great-grandmother, who died while I was in high school at the age of 103!

These connections with the older generations of my family served as connections to the history of this great Nation, and I learned not to separate that history from the people who lived it. This is why I chose to continue with my own family history, and to share my experience and offer my services to others. I hope that my passion for genealogy spreads to all those who are curious about their own family history.