"The road is long with many a winding turn ..." How appropriate the lyrics
are to my genealogical journey which began in March 2000. What started out as
less than a pastime has blossomed into more than a passion.
It has in deed been a educational and rewarding trip. And what a trip it has been. Being an adventurous hands-on kind of person, I began without a map or even a plan. I found myself stumbling around in the dark until I struck up an acquaintance with a cousin who had been down the same path many years prior. Separately and together we have forded streams of sweat in search of our long forgotten ancestors.
During my armchair mission, I have stopped at numerous historical societies, public libraries, museums and cemeteries. I have taken pictures, asked questions, copied documents, asked questions, scoured through censuses, asked questions, and asked more questions.
I have mined the ubiquitous resource lodes and have struck pay dirt many times. My journey has also taken me through a maze of promising leads only to hit the proverbial brickwall. There is something to say about taking a temporary detour now and then to view new scenery and get a different perspective on the situation; then once again climb mountains of paperwork looking for that one scrap of information that might bring it altogether.
I remember the first time it happened to me. I had been beating the bushes in search of the children of my 5th great-grandfather. They seemed to be going in circles when all of a sudden the signs started pointing in the same direction. Eureka! There they were. What unimaginable surprise, gladness and joy I felt. It makes me smile just to remember it again now.
What has made the journey even more exciting are the people I have met along the way. People who were willing to assist me in my quest simply because we had an ancestor in common, or a surname, or because I asked for help and they thought they could. I have never actually met many of these dear people because they live @yahoo.com and other obscure addresses but the friendships forged are as true and real as those of a lifetime.
"The Ties That Bind" is purely a labor of love. Like the landscape, it is constantly changing. I hope you enjoy strolling through its pages and if you find that our families' paths have crossed in the past - I would love to hear from you! I hope you echo the same sentiments.
Stop by anytime. I'm bound to be here moving things from here to there as new facts are unearthed. It's tedious work that can weigh you down. I do not mind though because "he ain't heavy, he's family!"
Update 2008: During a 12-month trip touring the country in 2007, I was fortunate
enough to finally meet in person seven dear friends from Canada, New York and
Michigan whom I had met online over the years. What a thrill it was. Genealogy has
brought me closer to my ancestors and my online "cousins" without whose help I would
still be beating the bushes looking for clues.
