So we have a passion or interest in family history, but why do we do it in the first place?
What drives us to discover more about our past and discover who we really are? Are we simply all just detectives in disguise who just like unravelling a good mystery?
Simple answer is, it will be different for each and everyone of us, the driving factor why we choose to find out more about our ancestors lives and trace our family tree.
Can we put it to one defining moment, or is a combination of different factors that lead us on our own individual journey of discovery? Is it just a thirst for knowledge to find out who we really are and do we really actually have the same traits and looks as Great Uncle Henry?
I guess the answer to this lies with each and everyone of you, if you’re reading this blog, I would imagine you are a keen family history enthusiast, so your story will be individual to you. For me my own Father died when I was just three years old and not knowing who he was as a person has left me always asking questions and wanting to find out more. An inquisitive mind has helped me along the way and the “detective” in me thrives whilst pursuing this hobby. I also never give in, so that damned brick wall will come down one way or another!
So tell me what drives you and inspires you? What made you discover your family history? Please let me know………………..
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The Chiddicks Family Tree 
On Dad’s side it seems to be in the genes. My grandpa started it (oddly enough with everyone but his own paternal name). As I’ve been working on the family history stuff it’s remarkable the number of connections made on Dad’s side…so very many people doing genealogy, telling family stories, intrigued by the science of DNA and doing tests. (I got all my Dad’s sibs & him to spit into tubes.)
Mom’s side has been harder (much). They’re more secretive. They won’t won’t answer questions or do DNA tests for me. But Mom wants to know. She was jealous that I was spending so much time on Dad’s side, and now she’s really not well, so this year I’ve been trying to do her side while she still knows that I am. (Damn it, now I’m crying. Guess this is more important to me than I knew.)
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That’s a lovely story Jo, thank you so much for sharing it with me. We all have a personal journey that we are on and sometimes its nice to stop and pause for a moment and reflect on both what we have already achieved and what else we hope to discover.
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Hi Paul, My inspiration for pursuing my family history is two fold. In 2nd grade Sunday school class I got a bible with a place for a family tree in the middle. My Mom helped me fill it out to the best of her knowledge but I wanted to know more. My family was always in to history. We lived in a 1760 antique saltbox house. My maternal grandmother was always talking about our ancestors. That we descended from the Mayflower Pilgrims. Every Memorial Day week we would go around to all the cemeteries near Middleborough,MA and put geraniums on all of the graves of our relatives. My grandmother would tell us stories about all of relatives. She gave me our families Tilson/Tillson genealogy book. This is how I started in genealogy from about age 8 or 9 andhave continued for 40 years.
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Lovely story Jean, thanks for sharing, we each have our own reasons for doing what we do. I have a little bit of the detective in me and a bit OCD which definitely helps!
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