Reading History to Understand Our Ancestors

As genealogists, we can all agree that research has a storytelling quality. Whenever we find that missing piece of a puzzle, unlock a door, or reconnect with the past through DNA a story is being told. For those moments we try to imagine what life must have been like for ancestors who immigrated, fought in wars, and who may have seen fame during their lifetime. 

This is where History plays a part in genealogy. When we come to a place and a time during our ancestors' lives that requires the knowledge of what may be happening politically, nationally, and even at a local level it can be important to do a little history research through texts. These texts may be family Bibles, vital records such as birth, marriage, and death, newspapers, or other secondary resource information. 

A good example of a period to research may be the Civil War. It can lead us to not only locating elusive records, but to also understand that sometimes men might have enlisted in another state or a neighboring county to enlist in the war efforts because family members were also in that area. It's also important to understand that during this time not all men served themselves but may have paid individuals to go in their place. 

However, some individuals chose simply not to fight based on religious beliefs. All of these things are learned through history textbooks, lectures, books, and papers. Reading authors like Stephen Ambrose, Jan Morris, Doris Kearns Goodwin, David Donald, and Steve E. Woodworth can be additionally insightful. 

From my own experience, learning about local history through books has not only helped me in learning more about my community but also more about some of my ancestors who are mentioned in those texts. Without having the aid of local history books that were put together by our local Historical Society I may not have known about various individuals, businesses, and the history behind them. 

Having loved the Blue Ridge Parkway and these mountains I call home, diving into books also helped me to understand the economic climate of the 1930s through the 1950s. Authors like Conrad Writh, Anne Whisnat, Harley Jolley, and T.H. Watkins' book The Hungry Years make for great reads to understand the roads leading up to The Great Depression and The New Deal. 

The truth is we need to know history and have access to written works like this to realize the impact of the actions our ancestors have not just on our pasts, but also on our present-day lives. Overall for us to have a total picture of our ancestors it is important that history and genealogy cross paths. 

“When doing genealogy, you can't help but read some history. However, going out of your way to find books on the history of your ancestor's community at the time they lived there will only enhance your family tree and your understanding of your ancestor as a person. That is genealogical gold worth digging up on every branch of your tree. It's an investment in time you'll be glad you made.” (1)

(1) Moneymaker, Will. "Reading History to Understand Your Ancestors." Ancestral Findings, January 5, 2019.

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