| Different researchers approach genealogy
differently.
Some concern themselves only with finding their direct line, linking
one set of parents to another. They ignore siblings in each
family, preferring to highlight only that they "descend from"
Harry, Arthur, George, etc. Others focus on going backwards as
quickly as possible, in the straightest line possible. When death
or divorce, and remarriage interfere with quick linking between
generations. Researchers get frustrated and quit easier when
research stalls; after all, as long as they know their gr-gr-gr
grandfather bore their relative, what difference does it make if their
gr-gr-gr grandfather married two more times and created two other
families?
Another group of researchers do "one surname" searches, but
concern themselves less with just one ever-expanding family. Their
collection may span boxes of documents or webpages.
Many people think of a last group as the "obsessive"
genealogist. However, they consider themselves more
"thorough." These researchers must find each child
within each family, even ones who died as babies and children. The
researcher feels dissatisfied until they know precisely where each
individual was born, lived, married, bore children, moved, went to
church, and where they died and were buried. They seek so much to
understand the entire family, they may even research
"neighbors" so to understand their family better. The
more details this researcher finds, the happier and more satisfied the
researcher feels.
Rather than a 30-100page "history," content with their
work, the thorough or "obsessive" genealogist may end up with
hundreds of family group sheets or typed pages listing each individual
family. My own genealogy book tops close to 1,000 print pages -
yes, rather wieldy to hold as a book!
So what is best? How far is "too far" in
genealogy? Just how many people make "a family"?
And, how many families make genealogy?
A short family history of a direct line is useful for:
- Filing a descendent chart.
- Filing for DAR or SAR.
- Proving a direct line only.
- To show younger family members a quick overview of their family
history.
- To prepare a short report, such as a homework assignment for
school.
One surname searches help show:
- Relationships in many families.
- Relationships of one overall family in a local, regional or
nationwide pattern.
- Migrational patterns of one surname.
- Changed surname spelling over generations and throughout
communities, including worldwide.
The thorough or "obsessive" approach will (in best cases):
- Account for ALL individuals related by blood to one smaller
family.
- Individuals adopted into (with or without legal adoption) or who
"assumed" a family relationship and the family surname.
- The complexities of family relationships.
- Document as many major life events as can be found for each
person.
- Show where and when small family groups migrated.
- Show more of the psychological, emotional, and financial
"histories" of small family groups as the researcher seeks
to explain "why" certain families or persons moved,
married certain people, attended certain churches, and even why
their parents used certain names.
- Illuminate the intricate relationships between families,
neighbors, communities, etc.
- And always, will leave the researcher frustrated by unanswered
questions, missing facts, and the need to know MORE!
- Will never, ever truly be a finished project.
All the research types bring in local, regional, national, and world
history, with major events explaining why certain families or persons
made certain life decisions. For example, a local flood--or a
volcano a world apart--affected farming, ruined crops, and forced people
into bankruptcy. A World War interrupted studies and life
plans.
By figuring "age at" marriage and births of children, or
entry into military service, individuals come "alive" during
research. The rich details found by piecing together information
found in old documents makes each ancestor more a "person" in
our minds and hearts. We see ourselves better through our
ancestors' choices, decisions, values, and beliefs. Our ancestors'
lives enrich our own, whether separated by decades or hundreds of years.
So which approach is best? How far is TOO far? That, my
friend, only you can answer!
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