A Serendipitous Visit to the Genealogical Society's Library

When I was a young girl I found a small family tree in my parent's wedding bible that had been filled out for a few generations. I looked at it often and it really sparked my curiosity. It wasn't until I married and had children, though, that I developed the urge to learn as much as I could about my family history. That was in the late 1980s and early 1990s and I lived in a small town without easy access to a research library. It would be several years before online research was a thing. I tried to fill in as much as I could on some blank pedigree charts but that's as far as I got.

Fast forward almost ten years, past a failed marriage and the beginning of my life with husband #2 in a new city more than 100 miles away.

One morning after I settled into my new home, I read an article about the local Genealogical Society in the newspaper. It gave the address and library hours, so the following Saturday morning I took some "me-time" and went to check it out. It wasn't a huge library, but it was the first time I'd ever visited one devoted to genealogy research. I wasn't sure what I'd find, but I knew that my paternal grandparents were from the area so I decided to see if I could find them, or their parents, in census records. I can't remember now which years were available in the library, but I know for sure I saw the 1920 census. There they were, the names from the bible I'd seen as a young girl. It was easy. Then I discovered the Obituary Files. Members had been retrieving obituaries from the newspaper for years and years and saving them in alphabetical files. The files also included burial information for local cemeteries. Jackpot. I found so much new information so quickly.

Those obituary files led me to the graves of my paternal grandmother who died when my dad was a boy, my paternal great-grandparents, and, to my surprise, the graves of a set of 2nd great-grandparents! From their obituaries, I was able to add new information to my pedigree charts and fill in family group sheets. For the first time since moving, I felt like I really belonged in this city.

My interest in genealogy was always present, but when I found my ancestors in the library that day, it ignited my passion for researching my roots. I joined the genealogical society soon after that first visit and have attended numerous meetings, workshops, and seminars over the years. With more and more records available online, I don't need to go to the library to hit the jackpot anymore, but it will always be a special place for me.