Preserving Family History - Why Is It Important?
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Send to a friend by YMAuthor: Janet Nugent
What do you know about your grandparents' lives, and what will your children and grandchildren know about them? For that matter, what will you grandchildren remember about you? Taking steps now to preserve your family history will only enrich those who come after you.
Have you ever had to clean out someone's house after their death? It can be quite a chore, and very overwhelming. In one way it's a fascinating inside peek into someone's personal life. Or, it might feel more like a treasure hunt. The only problem is, will you recognize the treasure when you find it? I'm not talking about the money stuffed under the mattress, but all the little things that, if put together properly, would tell a story about that person's life. And, if the deceased was a family member, that in turn would add to your knowledge of your family history.
After my father's death, my mother decided to move into an apartment, which meant cleaning out the house. We found a number of items that we kids had never seen before, including my Great-grandmother's china and my grandmother's china. My mother was able to tell us which were which. We also found a cute little coverlet, hand-embroidered, that turned out to be our grandfather's baby blanket, made by his mother. Our grandfather died before my mother's 2nd birthday, but evidently the coverlet was passed on to her, along with the history of it. If she hadn't been around to tell us, we would probably never know who it belonged to, or who made it.
One day I gave some of my nieces a pile of stuff to sort through. When I returned, they reported that there were only a few things to keep. I sorted through their "discard" pile, and came across a framed photo of our cousins. Since we seldom saw those cousins, my nieces didn't realize who they were, and figured it was a generic photo that the manufacturer placed in the frame. A piece of history almost lost. And the recipe book with the name "Esther Black" in it meant nothing to them. That wasn't surprising, since she died before I was born, and they hadn't grown up hearing stories about her. Another treasure almost lost.
The point is that unless the older generation tells the younger family members who their ancestors were, and what items belonged to them, your history, and the history of your family, could be lost forever. Why is that so important? Everyone is somewhat curious about where they came from. Did the stork really bring me? How did I get into Mommy's tummy? How did I get out? (That one usually isn't answered until high school health class!) As they get older they may wonder what country their ancestors came from. Are they Italian-American on both sides of the family, or only one? Where is the other side from? Their curiosity may wane over time, until the day their own child comes home from school with an assignment to do their family history, and bring in something that has been passed down in the family. Now what to do?! If only they had listened more to Aunt Mary's boring stories about her youth, and all the family she could talk about. If only they had asked their grandmother why she kept that black covered bowl close to where she always sat in the living room. Wouldn't it have been nice to know that her fiancée bought it for her in Japan, when he was briefly stationed there at the end of World War II?
Many people think that history is boring; trying to remember all those dates and famous (or infamous) people. But I've always believed that those dates and battles and historical events are only the hook to hang the real story on. So what does it matter now which battle was the turning point of the Revolutionary War? Would it be more interesting if you found out that one of your ancestors fought on the winning side of that battle? Would you then be more interested in that battle, and learning more about the life of those solders? And, more importantly, why your ancestor was on that side of the conflict: what drove him, or inspired him to take up arms?
History is the story of mankind, and all the individuals who have lived and died. Their stories go towards the making of the larger picture. Do you remember where you were and what you were doing on September 11, 2001? Do you remember what you felt? Now imagine how your parents or grandparents felt when the heard about the sneak attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese. Do you think they were as stunned as you were, or as angry, sad, or confused? Times and situation change, but people are still people, with the same feelings.
Now is the time to start recording your family history, starting with you and your ancestors. Make sure that your descendants remember your family's part in the overall story of history. Names and dates are fine, but try to bring them more alive by finding and preserving their possessions.
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