Researching Canadian Farmers: Your Ancestor was not Just a Farmer
Date: June 25 Time: 4:00 PM Stream: A
As the ‘Bloginator’ for the Ontario Ancestors Conference, I posed a few questions to our Speakers. It’s interesting to hear such different perspectives of genealogy research and a great bonus is a look into the people behind the talks.
Question 1: A brief Bio:
Current : Informer, columnist – Jefferson County, NY; President: Corona Genealogical Society (Former); Professor (PhD-folklore; MA-speech); S. Cal. Chapter, APG President; Corona, CA Family History Center director.
Question 2: What or when was the moment that you became interested in pursuing your family’s history?
I probably became interested when listening to my mother’s stories of her growing up, her relatives and dog. I always asked to hear those again and again. And my paternal grandfather was quite the storyteller as well. I could sit on the arm of his rocking chair for hours, listening to his tales about his Texas “people.”
Question 3: Please provide a bit of insight into what your talk will provide.
I’m from a farming family, but really didn’t realize it, or what it meant, until I started doing active research of the family and farm life. I grew up outside of Chicago, but spent much of my summer time in Wisconsin and Minnesota and figured out early that farming was/is not just an occupation: it’s a way of life, a purpose for existence…farming families are tenacious, inventive, and committed, or they couldn’t survive. I hope folks take away from my lecture a desire to be proud of their farming heritage, as well as ways to learn more about it.
Question 4: What is your ‘AHA’ moment – that moment when you finally found a connection (or broke a brick wall) you’ve been looking for in the records?
[As I’m already over the word limit] – one such moment leads to more, and I think that’s the way it should be.
Question 5: Do you have any tips for first-time genealogists?
Nurture curiosity, don’t suppress it; but be respectful at the same time.
