History,,,,
Greetings!!
Back way too many years ago, when I was a kid in school I absolutely hated history. I just could not get interested in it to save my life. I could not understand how it would affect me today. If I knew then what I know now I think I might have tried a lot harder to learn everything I could about history.
Genealogy is all about history. First, family history, but also the history of the times that involved our ancestors. Doing my family genealogy has lead me to a new found love of history. I think basic genealogy should be a history course in school to get kids interested in American and even world history.
Searching both sides of my family I found a long line of military men on both sides of the family all the way back to the Revolutionary War and beyond. Just one example is my great grandfather George W. Parker. I found he served in the Civil War. That intrigued me so I studied the Civil War and the role Grandpa George played in it. He served in the 143rd NY Volunteer Infantry Regiment. I was lucky enough to find a book about the 143rd. Amongst everything else was a list of the battles they participated in as well as how they traveled, who was wounded, who died, etc.
Reading the book I could visualize where they traveled. The routes they took and even the battles themselves. I was also able to research the individual battles. This brought history alive for me!
Through my research about Grandpa George and the Civil War I found another book that also intrigued me called Brass Buttons and Leather Boots. This book actually gave me some insight as to what the family back home was doing during the civil war. You see the area my ancestors lived in was known as a lumbering area. The bark was tanned into making leather, which was then made into the boots many Union soldiers wore during the civil war. Many of the men who were not actually fighting in the war were lumbermen. My ancestors were no exception.
As we unfold the lives of our ancestors we unfold history. They go hand and hand. It can't be avoided. Every ancestor played some sort of a role in history, whether it was a big role or a small one, each were involved. Someday our own lives will become a part of history. What role will your life play? Whatever you do, I hope you get involved in preserving history, your family history. Pass it down from generation to generation and help keep history alive!!
Until next time,,,,,,
Back way too many years ago, when I was a kid in school I absolutely hated history. I just could not get interested in it to save my life. I could not understand how it would affect me today. If I knew then what I know now I think I might have tried a lot harder to learn everything I could about history.
Genealogy is all about history. First, family history, but also the history of the times that involved our ancestors. Doing my family genealogy has lead me to a new found love of history. I think basic genealogy should be a history course in school to get kids interested in American and even world history.
Searching both sides of my family I found a long line of military men on both sides of the family all the way back to the Revolutionary War and beyond. Just one example is my great grandfather George W. Parker. I found he served in the Civil War. That intrigued me so I studied the Civil War and the role Grandpa George played in it. He served in the 143rd NY Volunteer Infantry Regiment. I was lucky enough to find a book about the 143rd. Amongst everything else was a list of the battles they participated in as well as how they traveled, who was wounded, who died, etc.
Reading the book I could visualize where they traveled. The routes they took and even the battles themselves. I was also able to research the individual battles. This brought history alive for me!
Through my research about Grandpa George and the Civil War I found another book that also intrigued me called Brass Buttons and Leather Boots. This book actually gave me some insight as to what the family back home was doing during the civil war. You see the area my ancestors lived in was known as a lumbering area. The bark was tanned into making leather, which was then made into the boots many Union soldiers wore during the civil war. Many of the men who were not actually fighting in the war were lumbermen. My ancestors were no exception.
As we unfold the lives of our ancestors we unfold history. They go hand and hand. It can't be avoided. Every ancestor played some sort of a role in history, whether it was a big role or a small one, each were involved. Someday our own lives will become a part of history. What role will your life play? Whatever you do, I hope you get involved in preserving history, your family history. Pass it down from generation to generation and help keep history alive!!
Until next time,,,,,,
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