Genealogy Support Materials – Family Activities
Carol Clark
University of Virginia
Summer 2010
Family History - Background
In the “movie” I’m leaving here, I give a short explanation for why I do genealogical
research and how it can be helpful. I chose to give more details about this particular story in our
family’s history because the actions of these ancestors have had a definite effect on my life and
maybe yours. I probably will not have children, so I am passing this along to you. Even if you
choose not to use what I’ve given, think about passing it along to someone else who might find it
useful.
This is meant to be fun but also meaningful. Adapt it to fit your interests.
For family members under the age of 10, have an adult watch the movie first to decide
whether you should see it yet.
Before You Begin
Before you watch the movie, if at all possible, find another family member or friend to
share this experience with you. Having others to talk to will give you a chance to share your
thoughts and process what you’re thinking and feeling. Other people often have interesting ideas
that you might not have thought about, too.
Find time to talk about some things before you start. At dinner, in the car, or while you’re
in another place with the other people who are about to watch this, talk about these things:

Have you ever wanted to know more about your family history? Why or why not?

What do you know about your family?

What do you want to know more about?
Watching the Brief History
Remember to watch the movie with someone who will discuss it with you. I recommend
watching the movie twice. Watch it once to see all of it. Watch it again to pause and rewind in
places where you might find something interesting to talk about.
Talk About It
You can begin discussing the movie after you see it, but you may want to talk more about
it over time. That’s a good thing. Start with these three questions:

What did you learn?

How do you feel about what you saw? (Explain more about that.)

If you want to learn more, what else do you still want to learn?
More Options
If you’re interested, there are many more things you can do to explore the family history.
You have the rest of your life to do any of these things, but you can start now, if you want. No
matter how old you are, however, I strongly recommend talking with other people about what
you find as you go along. One reason is that it’s more fun to share, and your information might
help others. I have met other family members for the first time as I did my research, and we help
each other look for more information now. Also understand that we all find both good and bad
things in our family trees. Talking to someone about how you feel throughout your search is
important.
It’s kind of like a scavenger hunt…
It really is like a game, but it’s a game you get to create. Make a list of things you said
you still want to learn after you watched the movie. Post it on the refrigerator so others in the
house can help you with your search. Check items off as you go.
Decide where you’ll put what you find.
You’ll be collecting a lot of artifacts and clues along the way, so where will you put
them? I recommend getting a good-sized box, like an old hat box, to get started. Some people
keep scrapbooks or collections of photo albums and historical references on a special bookshelf.
I keep files and scan documents and pictures into my computer. Eventually I would like to build
a web page to share that information. Until then, I have an account on the website Ancestry.com
that helps me keep family tree information and documents online. I also keep printed out hard
copies of information, just in case. If you do choose to use Ancestry.com, talk to someone who
has either used it or have someone read the website rules with you. The most basic level of use
for the site is free, though.
Gather your materials.
Keep a journal for notes. Find a camera (digital, if you can). A digital audio recorder will
come in handy, if you have one. Find a blank genealogy chart that you like and run off multiple
copies; you’ll always want to keep paper back-up copies of your information. Collect pictures of
family members, and put post-its on the back with information about names and dates. Gather
any maps you might need as interesting locations come up. The web is a useful resource, too.
Narrow down your search.
Start with where you are and what’s important to you. Do you want to just find the names
of people in the family, the dates for when they lived, and the places they called home? Then
start by talking to the people in your house. Ask and begin writing those things down.
Interviewing Others
Talking to other people about the family can be great if you go about it thoughtfully. Start
informally, without paper or pencil or recorder. Have others with you, in a relaxed setting, if you
can. Just have a conversation over dinner, or while fishing, or during a car ride. Plan to have a
few conversations with them over time. Simply ask them to tell you about their family when they
were growing up. If they seem like they don’t feel like sharing, that’s okay. There are other ways
to find information. If they seem to enjoy it, thank them for sharing with you and ask if you can
talk with them again. Tell them you’re interested in the family history and arrange to record them
next time. If it isn’t comfortable and fun, don’t bother, but it never hurts to ask.
Specific Areas of Interest
For practical reasons, asking about family health matters is a good idea. Again, have a
partner with you when you bring up your questions. Some information will be useful, but it may
be difficult to hear. Write those things down to keep track of them for your reference. Other
topics are also valuable to ask about.

What were the jobs that members of the family had in the past? Why did they
have those jobs? What types of schooling or training did they receive? Do you see
any patterns?

Were members of the family religious? What did they believe? If they attended
places of worship, where were those places? Do you see any patterns there?

Where did family members live? Did they travel or move their families? Why?

What was going on in history when a family member lived? How did events
affect their lives?
Remember, our family members and ancestors have had different experiences from the
ones we have had. They may feel and think about things differently from the way we do. Try to
understand the context in which they lived. What you find may be very different from your own
life, but there are reasons for that.
Move Around
I LOVE to travel! And I love museums. Genealogy gives you excuses for both. I like
learning more about history when I know that one of our family members was a part of it. Right
now I live 30 miles from the Wilderness Battlefield where our ancestor Uriah Tadlock fought for
the Confederacy in the Civil War. Before I found out about Uriah being a part of the war, I didn’t
have much interest in battlefields.
Visit places where family members have been. Start with your immediate family. Ask to
see hospitals where people were born, houses they lived in, and places they went to school or
their places of worship. If you feel comfortable, visit cemeteries to find more information.
Go to museums to learn more about the times in which family members lived. History
can help give you more leads for more information about family members, too. If you can’t visit
places, then get help searching on the web. Remember to record what you find, either writing
down your thoughts, taking pictures, or recording your voice. Don’t forget to talk with others
about what you’re finding and how you feel about it. It can be a lot of fun, but often there’s a lot
to think about, too.
Contact Me
I also love having excuses to talk to my family. If I’m still on the planet, I’ll be happy to
talk with you. If you’re reading this and you’re a junior member of the family, just ask a parent if
you can contact me first (I don’t want to get you in trouble for a phone bill). We can video call
each other on Skype, you can call me, you can email, or you can send it through the post office
mail. I do want to hear about what you find, and I love sharing what I find out, too.
One Final Note
Remember, this is meant to be fun. I firmly believe in questioning everything, however.
Sometimes you might find information that contradicts what a family member has said or is
different in different historical documents. For example, some census records have misspelled
family member names. Whenever you find information that doesn’t match up, just write it all
down. Keep the information that doesn’t seem to match. But don’t argue about it. Not everyone
will agree, and not everyone will want to talk about snags in your research. That’s okay. At the
end of the day, though, there are plenty of people in the family who will support you. It can be a
nice way to bring the family together.