Roberts Roots & Branches

I began working for a mortgage company several months ago.   Each day I work with many names and loan numbers.   Occasionally I will notice on the deed the words, “husband and wife as joint tenants,” or I will notice the place of employment on the “Verification of Employment” form.   Sometimes, I will even notice the pictures on the appraisal, but I don’t know these people and I don’t know their story; I work with their name and loan numbers.    One day at work, I realized that is how some people do genealogy; names and dates.   Some researchers will search for a name, birth, marriage and death dates and then move onto the next ancestor.   However, for me, I enjoy the search AND learning the story.   I am thrilled to learn everything about the ancestor whose name and dates I find.   I collect everything I can find about the selected ancestor and I look everywhere for records, documents and stories.   I analyze the informati...

My obsession and passion has now unavoidably become a hobby and pastime.    Yes indeed it is a sad day, however I am so very grateful for the years and time I have been able to focus and obsess on doing family history.   I have been abundantly blessed with a special and sacred opportunity to do family history work for 5 years without interruption.    I have been blessed to travel, connect with collateral relatives and research to my hearts’ content! I have had the flexibility to travel as needed to Rock Springs, Idaho, Nevada and Iowa.   I have had the flexibility to research at the Family History Library as needed and attended classes, conventions, and institutes as desired.    I have interviewed and met many descendants of Hugh and Margaret.   I have been blessed beyond measure. The day is here that I now have “other” responsibilities and duties and my time is limited to do research, publish the newsletter and write for t...

Several months ago I began working for a mortgage company.     The first thing I needed to do was change my automatic response!     Since 1994, I have searched surnames for ancestors and collateral ancestors, so you can imagine my “automatic” response every single time I see a surname at work! My instinctive reaction is to find out where they live and how old they are, but I have had to re-train my brain and frame of mind!    While at work, I have to be cognizant and “stop” doing genealogy every time I see a surname, but I can say I have changed my automatic response and no longer have the “urge” and yearning to search each surname— that is until I am home doing genealogy!

Regularly re-search in data bases  as they are constantly being updated.

"What happens if you are a descendant from someone on the “wrong” side-of-history or society?   What if your direct ancestor was the black sheep in the family?   What if your ancestor was a lifelong criminal?   What if you find out that you are a descendant from a scoundrel?   How do you handle knowing and learning about your heritage?   What do this ancestor’s actions reflect on you and your life?"  Viewing people from history as part of the great human family is a great way to approach and keep integrity the information and history of our ancestors, no matter which side of history they were on.   We all have the opportunity to live our lives; and our ancestors also had that opportunity—it was their life to choose how to live it no matter if we agree or disagree.   Be it shame or fame, they are still our ancestors! Source: Lott, Janet, Roberts Roots & Branches Newsletter, July 2015, #36.

Relatives traveled and lived  in groups with other relatives.