Getting Started - People

So, you’ve decided you want to start researching your family’s history and maybe you feel overwhelmed by the task ahead? Not sure where to begin? Well, you’re not the first one to feel that way, if it helps.

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step"

This saying teaches that even the longest and most difficult ventures have a starting point; something which begins with one first step. I always recommend to people starting on their journey of discovery that they begin as close to home as you can, yourself and the people closest to you. Start writing down the “tombstone” information you know; where you were born, the date you were born, who are your parents, where and when were they born and, if applicable, where and when they died, your significant other and their family's information, your children and their information, etc. The more you can jot down, the better launching pad you’ll have.

Now that you’ve captured the “tombstone” information, start recording any family stories you may have heard. While they may be outrageous and hard to believe, many of them will have some basis in fact, something that may be verified later on with more extensive research. One story that was circulating in my family was that my Mother’s youngest Brother was named for an Uncle who was killed in action during World War 1. The problem I initially faced was that no one by that name (or any variation of the name) was listed in the Canadian Virtual War Memorial (CVWM), a registry to honour and remember the sacrifices of the more than 118,000 Canadians and Newfoundlanders who, since Confederation, had given their lives serving in uniform. But instead of just dismissing this as a nice story, I kept the information on file and in the back of my mind. While investigating a different family mystery, I came across an entry in a War Record at the Public Archives in Ottawa that actually verified the story. It turned out that my Great Uncle had enlisted under an assumed name due to some “issues” he had as a young man back in his home town. I now had the documentation to validate not one, but two, family stories and to confirm personal vital information and details.

After you’ve captured all the information you can remember on your own, start talking with "FAN"s, other family members, friends and acquaintances of the family, neighbours, etc. You’ll be surprised by the information they can provide.

A couple of examples:

1. When I was attending my Aunt’s funeral in New Brunswick a few years ago, I was able to speak with some of her friends and neighbours from her home town, people I hadn't had any contact with as I lived in Ontario my entire life. When they found out who I was, they regaled me with stories about my Father; of when he was just a boy growing up in rural New Brunswick, the mischief he used to get into, his nickname (I had no idea friends called him "Prince" when he was a boy), etc.

2. Being a former Infantry Captain in the Canadian Armed Forces I have the greatest respect for those who have served, so I decided to attend a very special Hong Kong Veterans National Convention in 2005 (the Year of the Veteran) in Ottawa, to pay respect to the service of my Dad and others in my family. While there, I heard stories from their former comrades in arms, stories of their captivity in Japan and the abuse they endured, stories I had never heard from my Dad, my Uncle or any of their cousins. Ted Barris wrote an excellent book on this phenomenon called “Breaking The Silence” where “Nobody was ever to know the hell of their war.”

These two opportunities to interact with my Dad's "FAN" base, provided valuable information for me in the creation and documentation of my Father's Life Story.

Next time I’ll discuss some resources you can use to organize some of that family information you’ve gathered.