Family Research
In 2000 my husband and I realized that we knew little about our ancestry, and family members who knew the information were aging. We decided that we would like information about our family at least back to our great grandparents. I honestly believed that this was going to be a combined project, but I loved doing the research and problem solving and my husband loved learning about my discoveries. My ancestors were all in America by 1880 - pre-Ellis Island. My husband's family only started to arrive in 1900, so the approach and the records were vastly different. I love learning new things and New York City has wonderful resources between the New York Branch of the National Archives and the Milstein Division of the New York Public Library.
Over the course of the next several years, I easily completed research back to our great grandparents - with census records, passenger lists, naturalization papers, and birth-marriage-death certificates, solving a few family mysteries along the way. However, the family that I knew the least about was "Parker" - my maiden name. One of my goals this year was to review my research records and resume the search.
These 3 journal pages were done as I prepared for the project.
I kept detailed research journals since the beginning of my research - and I'm now on #8 (4000pages)!
P
Packing for Research Day: I spent all day Tuesday at the New York Public Library - trying hard to find the father of my Great-great grandfather John Parker, in Wilkes County, North Carolina - through marriage bonds, land deeds, estate sales and inventories - collecting information about every Parker head of household in Wilkes County in 1820. I will continue to research these Parkers until I have enough information - but research in the South is very different because the records are so different and so many were lost in burned courthouses during the Civil War.
Comments
WOW - this is very serious ! You have done so much work already. I am only just dabbling in family history at the moment. A fair bit of mine has been traced by others already, so I am enjoying finding out the details of more recent generations. And I am finding that drawing of family history objects is very relaxing after doing research in front of a computer or microfische for hours.
Posted by: Alissa | April 17, 2010 5:48 AM
A real detective job! I like very much your reportage drawings. Good luck in your research, it must be very interesting and informative.
Posted by: Benedicte | April 17, 2010 8:33 AM
Great drawings. What a huge project. I didn't realize there was so much to looking up family records. Your kids will thank you for it!
Posted by: Timaree (freebird) | April 17, 2010 11:27 AM
Shirley, I have Parker ancestors from VA and western NC. My link to the Parkers is a Sophia who married a Witt. Her father was Willis Parker. In 1850 he was living in Cherokee county, NC with his family. Email me privately if you want.
You are a woman of many projects!
Posted by: Linda T | April 17, 2010 12:30 PM
I so admire your tenacity and dedication to this project. And your drawings are just frosting on the cake! nancy
Posted by: nancy t | April 17, 2010 9:02 PM
Sounds like a really fun detective job looking for family history and all. =) I would love to take part in a quest like that too someday. I love the sketches and I wish you all the best Shirley. Thanks for your comments, I am glad you like the kitten
Posted by: Alex Tan | April 18, 2010 12:39 AM
Wow! I have a friend who did something similar (though not as extensive) and made some amazing discoveries about her ancestors. What an interesting project!
Posted by: Jana Bouc | April 19, 2010 2:55 AM
Wow Shirley, what a fabulous project and to fill 4000 pages - a true diary of your personal History. A True treasure for your children and their children.
Posted by: sandy | April 19, 2010 11:44 AM
I relate to this post so much!! My mother is our family detective, and I love hearing about the things she discovers. And it's fun to see her get so involved in this as a hobby. It also works out well for me, since I like to travel with her to find places to sketch! You've been at it for quite a bit longer than she, but I can tell she'll be right with you on the volumes of material she finds!! Wonderful sketches!
Posted by: Raena | April 19, 2010 9:44 PM
I relate to this post so much!! My mother is our family detective, and I love hearing about the things she discovers. And it's fun to see her get so involved in this as a hobby. It also works out well for me, since I like to travel with her to find places to sketch! You've been at it for quite a bit longer than she, but I can tell she'll be right with you on the volumes of material she finds!! Wonderful sketches!
PS My mother just informed me that we also have Parkers...though, she only has them in Texas so far.
Posted by: Raena | April 19, 2010 9:48 PM