Family Tree

Good morning! 
Yes, it's me!  Jewels, from Jewels Journal! I am back! as you may know my last blog I took a photo a day and posted the picture with a blog for 365 days. I have wanted to get back to a challenge, so with Canada turning 150, and I am now in my 60's. I thought I would write and photograph life around me. Here goes...

                                                                 Family Tree
My daughter Kim recently asked for my help gathering information for one of her college courses....genealogy! She requires information about her/our family, 3 to 4 generations of it! Where to start? Where to look?  I guess starting with the basics, mom and dad, siblings, aunts, uncles etc. The next step would be to talk to our grandparents, other senior members of the family.(I look around me and realize I am slowly becoming a senior member of the family! How did that happen!! ).

This will involve a call to my mother in law, and possibly a dinner with my mother.  Yes, there are many stories about the past and names to add with dates and places.

Where else can we search?  In my own treasure boxes. I recently found my baby book tuck away safely.  A wee bit worn, but filled with memories....my parents hand writing, birth cards, clips of my hair, and a family tree! The information contained within was mostly on my mothers side, but I was thrilled!  A good start. I had learned that my grandmother and great-grandmother were both named Frieda...my mother's name is Elfriede and my grand daughter Audrey's  middle name is also Elfriede.  I think this is wonderful! Now on my Father's side of the family, Arno was my grandfather's and my father's first name (Really,  an Arno junior?). My brother Martin, my son Nathan, and my grand son Donald also share the Arno name. 

Where else? Do you keep the birth announcements from family members, or the card you get at funerals? Information is everywhere! Do we still do baby books for our children or brides books? Maybe this is something that we should start or continue with as it is a great source of information for tracing family. This helps all generations discover their heritage. 

We have all seen the ads on TV, with Ancestry.ca. That finding your family, your heritage is a click away... for only a nominal fee... at 3 different fee levels you have access to billions of sites to find your long lost family members... they do offer a free trial,  cool!  

I did start a family tree through this site some time ago, easy clicking on areas to search. Names pop-up, and you check to see if it is the right familiar line,  just a click away to see the information but only with a membership.  Even with free trial  version you must give your credit card information; I am concerned and hesitate giving out my credit card information on line.  A bit old fashion I guess.   Back to more research! 

Karen, my wonderful sister in law, with the help of family members, and doing what I suggested above, (talking to family)  were able to created "The Toop Family Book" a record of Toop members. This is a great help to me as it filled in a lot of the blanks in my records and help for Kim.  Agh, now for the Hennig side of the family. I am now wondering what kind of information is really available to a paid membership....hmm! Kim has sure given me a challenge!!

When I look at my children, and my grand children I see family traits in their appearance, their personality, even their traditions.  I think that one day they will be curious about their heritage as I am taking an interest now.  Who's who in my zoo! 

I know that information is out there, internet sites, family members that recall family history, even stories of their own youth! My parent and Grandparents were entangle in the world war conflicts and recall places that were bombed,  evacuations (all you possessions had to fit in satchels or a baby carriage). I am afraid some of my grandmother Julianna and Grandfather Arno's story may be lost forever. I wonder who were their parents, their siblings. Where did they or their children live? How is my grandmother Julianna connected to the Grimm Brothers? A story all in of itself.

Yes this grandmother (Julia, wonder where that name came from?) will be making up a family tree...placing in a photo album, or a family book. So, the next time someone is taking a college credit course like Kim, or my children's children ask, I will have answers! 

Back to the internet to do more research!

Happy New Year!

Jewels

Donald Arno & Audrey Elfriede