Finding Family Stories

Last week I told you that many of us don’t know the names of all four of our grandparents. While that is sad to me, the chase to find that one elusive ancestor is so much fun, it makes the lack of knowledge bearable.

My mother died at the age of 73 in 1996. My sister and I had barely gotten our toes wet in the genealogy pool. She passed away without knowing the truth about her father’s lineage. And without knowing many of the family stories from her mother’s and her father’s sides. Her father’s side is the most colorful. Thus far.

WHAT MAMA DIDN’T KNOW

Mama never knew she had Native American heritage. If she did, it was like so many things back in those days—if it seemed a story would dishonor the family name or bring people all-too-willing to throw sticks and stones, let alone name-calling, then things were left unspoken. Those stories died along with the ancestors who could have shed light on them. What was once hush-hush has now become one of the most coveted of ancestries, next to royalty—Native American heritage. It seems everyone wants to prove descent from one Tribe or another.

I’m not sure how much of his heritage my grandfather had knowledge of. As unbelievable as it sounds, my grandfather, Wilburn Bass, Mama’s daddy, was born prior to the Civil War. May of 1859. He met and married my grandmother, Ludie Smith, when he was 48 and she was 20. Yes, I know it sounds awful, but you have to remember times were different back then. Grandpa’s first wife bore him several children, the last of whom was born about 1900. Nancy, Grandpa’s first wife, died shortly after the birth of the last child and he needed help to raise his children. He knew Granny and asked her three times before she finally said yes. Those two things make an interesting story in themselves.

SEARCHING IN VAIN

On my Daddy’s side, we’ve looked for the final resting place of his grandmother for decades. She isn’t by his grandfather’s side in the graveyard. His grandfather died at age 28 from a bowel obstruction. His grandmother sent her two children to live with her siblings and years later, when she was 42, she married the 21-year-old son of a neighbor. This became the seed for my first novel, Grave Consequences.

You never know what little stories you will dig up about your ancestors. Good places to start to pull out little details are wills and land deeds. Such documents often have information in them that we overlook the first time through. Make a list of all the names in the will. Check to see who the witnesses were. Who was left what? These little clues can often lead to some interesting family stories, sometimes interpreted as family secrets.  Sometimes the information is astoundingly wonderful, like discovering my mother’s Native American roots. She descends from the Nansemond Indian Nation.

But other times the discoveries are heartbreaking like Daddy’s grandmother’s story. Those stories we think are not important can lead to things such as the publication of a novel. I had no idea when my sister and I started our genealogy journey that I would one day write a book and get it published. But God knew.

KEEPERS OF THE FAMILY STORIES

I’m not saying everyone who gets involved in genealogy is destined to become a writer. But, you never know where that road may take you. Several cousins have written genealogy books about one lineage or another in my family. I am forever indebted to them. Perhaps you could do that for your family. What a legacy you would be leaving for future generations.

Should you decide to undertake such, and you don’t know where to begin, contact me and I’ll help you to the best of my abilities. I’m no professional genealogist, but I have learned a few things through the years.

Happy hunting. I hope you find that one nugget that will open up a whole new world to you and show you a side of your ancestors you never knew before.

Blessings, y’all.

 

Here’s the thing: No matter what the stories may be or what legacy your ancestors left for you, it isn’t too late for you to leave a lasting legacy. As David Phelps sings below, be sure that your legacy is one of love–for God, your family, your country. A legacy that will lead them to eternity. Have you made sure that’s where your legacy will lead your descendants for generations to come? It isn’t too late. Pick up your Bible and dig into God’s Word. Follow the One who tells us HE is the WAY, The TRUTH, and the LIFE! His name is Jesus. Make sure He is the legacy you leave to your children and their children for generations to come. If you don’t know where to begin, contact me. I’ve been on this journey for a while. I’ve made mistakes and have had to make U-turns, but I now know the way. I’ll be glad to share my knowledge with you.