Geneology is a mystery. For several years I have had a problem with one branch of the family tree.
Yesterday I broke through the barrier - thanks to the fact that the London Metropolitan Archives went on line. This can be found at www.ancestry.co.uk and, probably, .com as well.
Not only did I break down one barrier but added to stuff that I already knew.
That said tracing the family history adds another tool to a writer's armoury - it teaches, me anyway, how to research.
In it's own way geneology can play a part in research for any kind of novel.
Take a look at the Census for 1880 in the US and you discover Morgan Earp in Tombstone stating his occupation as that of 'farmer'. Check it out at www.familysearch.org
OK so the Census for the US was taken every 10 years but it helps to know who was where at the time.
It is a useful tool.
Review of A Storm in Montana by Will DuRey
10 years ago
This is great news. Thanks for the tip.
ReplyDeleteI can't agree with you more. You run across all sorts of info, even if you're not looking for it. I will take a look at that uk site, maybe I can get through the barrier on my own family when I get some time.
ReplyDeleteThe internet is amazing. Just by sheer accident, I stumbled across a distant family member who had been assembling a family tree. Our common ancestor was born in 1768. He estimated that the extended family from that one ancestor was three and a half million.
ReplyDeleteHe had my grandfather and grandmother listed, but none of their five children, none of their sixteen children, and so on down the line.
I spent a few hours climbing the old tree and looking around.