Sharing Family History For Christmas!!

Can you believe I am thinking  of Christmas in September?  I am giving  you plenty of time to think about giving Family History gifts for Christmas to family members.

Sharing the information you have about your ancestors and posterity can be a wonderful gift this year, and every year!

There are many forms these gifts can come in; 

R Pedigree charts or Family Trees,

R Journals, Histories,

R Photo book, Create a picture collage,

R Family Birthday Calendar, Family Blog,

R Family recipe book

R Family “brag” letter, share the comings & goings of your family

R Tradition Book, so that traditions can live on

R It may be as simple as passing on a box of memorabilia, pictures, letters etc you have had for a long time.

The list can go on and on. (If you want a longer list I can send you last years Ward Family History  newsletter)

There is no right way to do any of the above ideas. Do any of them in the way you want them to turn out. If you are just not  sure how to get started there are all kinds of “helps” and ideas on the internet or, any of the Ward Family History Consultants would be able to help you get started.

Start now. Put your ideas on paper of what you would like to do. Then begin right away so you not rushing at the last minute  just before Christmas is here. You know how time flies!!

Lets remember Sharing is what Family History should be all about! 

Sharing Your Treasures

  

What are your treasures in life? The answers will vary from person to person and mostly depending on your stage in life. Some of us may treasure our worldly possessions; home, land, jewels, clothing etc. Others may treasure their testimony of the gospel, covenants and their family. Where does your treasure lie?

We have read great books about pirates and sailors that live only for the treasure of gold and jewels. Earthly treasures that are here today and gone tomorrow. Seek for treasures far better than gold; genealogy is a true treasure.

Recently I received information that a distant relative has in her possession three diaries of a relative of mine. She has not transcribed them or shared them in any way. I would love to know what was in them! To see the books would be nice, but what I would really like to read them!! I don’t even care if it is straight out of the original books, they are treasures to be shared. But, the real treasure is what is written on the pages!

The following paragraphs are taken from Mormon Times article by Russell Bangerter  Researching Family History: Finding and sharing our genealogical treasure

“We may learn that by sharing our genealogical treasures ….. a door may open for us to form a family organization where everyone can have a part of doing something within their means and capability of helping the work along. Whatsoever is shared with others comes back to us ten-fold. This principle, as with anything else, is also true with genealogy.

What happens at the end of "Uncle John's" life if the genealogical treasure is found in a dumpster because a son, daughter or other relative who simply did not understand the precious treasure trove they inherited? Rescue it from the dumpster! Share it with other relatives. You can be sure someone eventually is going to come looking for it. Once you have found your treasure chest, you may want to have a website created where other relatives can obtain copies of the documents, photos and genealogy. These are the real jewels of genealogy!” (If you aren’t sure if genealogy is worth your time and efforts read all of Russell Bangerter’s articles– it may change your mind)            

Leslie Albrecht Huber –author, shared her thoughts featured in Heritage Quest magazine in 2005 titled Sharing Your Discoveries.

Leslie, talks about finding her 3rd great-grandmother’s birth record. She had been looking for months for any information on her grandmother. She knew when she came to the US but knew nothing before that.  It had been a lengthy process of trial and error. While in this project of finding her grandmother she came across something unexpected. She found that someone else had already submitted her Swedish family some generations earlier. She tracked down the name of the submitter and with little effort found the submitter’s daughter. This person said that her mother had done lots of genealogy research, when her mother died much of the information had gotten scattered and filed away to be forgotten. She agreed to make some copies and send them along. A few weeks later a large envelope arrived in the mail. There was page after page of family information in great detail back to the 1600’s.

She goes on to say that she had thought she was forging new territory in looking for this grandmother, but now realized that was obviously wrong. She was thrilled and disappointed at the same time. She had

spent months of hard work when the information had already been put together but had never been put in place for others to see!

Leslie also says that this experience is not uncommon for genealogists. People often spend a lot of time carefully digging for family information, only to leave the treasure buried when they are done. These family history discoveries become well-kept secrets, often not available to anyone, especially if you are to die. Share, share, share!!

The easiest and most obvious way to make sure others know about the new family history information is to give it to them! Spread your knowledge far and wide within your family.  Distribution is easy today. Make photocopies, copy data files on to CD’s etc. Find ways that work best for you.

Last note; paper copies can be expensive, then there is the mailing expense also. Think in terms of other new media, use e-mail and blogs and other internet methods to share your pedigree files or computerized family history information. It is free and only take a few seconds.

Our Heritage- Anson Call

I need  to preface this blog by saying that there are many stories about Anson Call, his life, his family, his service, his travels and his wives and much more. I have had this book pictured here for several years.

It is a wonderful collection of stories of Mormon pioneers including a story of Anson Call in the last section of the book titled Rescuers 1856 (I think this book has been published by a different publisher now) see link. http://www.tellmystorytoo.com/book_tellmystory.php click on Rescuers - to see Anson's name on that list.
Then click on the Willie Handcart Company to see Emma Summer's name on that list.


**See side bar for other links on Anson Call


Now to the reason I am writing this; This summer our Stake Youth went on a trek. They had an assignment to "adopt" a pioneer ancestor and learn about them so that they would be able to put themselves in their place for a day, be that person. I was asked to visit with the youth on a "5th" Sunday while they all met together to tell them about researching their ancestors and give stories about my own ancestors. 


While looking for information to use- which, it isn't hard to find information - the hard part is choosing which story to use!!! I came across what Lucina Call Perkins said at the end of Anson's story in this book. I am sure I had read it before but knowing who my audience was to be, it meant all the more to me this time.


Lucina Call Perkins is the daughter of Anson and Emma Summers Call. She writes the following;
      "I thought my parents were wonderful people ..... I never remember trouble in our life, no big rackets..... His wives thought he was about the grandest man alive.... He would talk to all of us, children and parents. His girls and boys. Virtue? He really instilled in our minds that it would be better to die than to be un-virtuous... We thought he was a wonderful man. Whatever he said it was that way and there was no other way. It was the right way. I don't think his child would call him on anything. I never heard his children ever say a thing against him."


I had thought to title this blog Our Proud Heritage. Proud is not the word I wanted to use in speaking of Anson Call and his family. In this story it tells how Anson came to join the Mormon Church. 


Anson's father, Cyril, joined in 1831 and desired Anson to also join. But he was not interested. He said that the preaching of the missionaries was a "constant annoyance... I became dissatisfied with all denominations and myself. In the elders' passing through our country, they frequently stopped at my house, and in discussing with them the principles of the gospel they would cuff me about like an old pair of boots"


Anson struggled with fear and described himself as "proud and haughty." ... for the next six months he studied the Bible and Book of Mormon and tried desperately to over come his pride. He wrote:

    
     "When I finished the two books I became a firm believer in the Book of Mormon. I was then taught by the spirit obey the principles of the gospel.... I was proud and haughty and to obey the gospel was worse than death. I labored under those feelings for three months, becoming at times almost insane... To be called a Mormon, I thought was more than I could endure... I at last covenanted before the Lord that if He would give me confidence to face the world in Mormonism, I would be baptized for the remission of my sins; before I arose from my knees the horrors of my mind were cleared; I feared no man, no set of men."


So you see I could not use the word "Proud" in the title. Neither we- you and I, his posterity should be proud in our thoughts or deeds. Anson was and is a great example to us. It would be good for us to follow in his Christ like ways, be converted and live to be worthy of the Call name.

Anson Call is buried in the Bountiful UT,http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=11054484&CRid=77161&df=all& 

I will add some of Emma Summers Call's story some another time. 

Interesting Web Sites Help Us Find Our Ancestors

Find A Grave

Backside of headstone above

Find A Grave is a great resource and with help to remind us of our Ancestors.




These headstones were just added to Find a Grave.com a couple weeks ago. I will add more headstones as I locate them. Adding information to these individuals is quite simple. If you need further information on doing so, contact me. I will add what I have as I have time.

Is Family History Import? Why a Blog for the Call's

Beginning a blog is the hard part! Now I have started, the rest will be easier, I hope!


I thought of a newsletter- then there is the every time formating and e-mailing every time. With a blog you will get one e-mail inviting you then you can view when ever you wish (or not).


Family is central to Heavenly Father's plan for his children. So why is it so easy to forget ones ancestors? There are many reasons- to many to mention! I would like to know more about the Call Family's, history, ancestry, and genealogy. I love Family History and am hoping that you will want to share your experiences and histories with us, your family, so we all may know more about who we are. We are each a combination of our ancestors, all of them. Do you know who they are? Do you know who you are?


The Call's have a rich legacy and history. I hope the information we can share will increase our enthusiasm to know more.


I plan to add stories and histories- not all at once- so not to be overwhelming. Also I will add, genealogies of the Call family. This will include Milton H Call's line back, and Ethel Thurgood's line back. I would like to just add information about those that have passed on, not the living, this may infringe upon personal rights.


If you would like to Post and not just comment please let me know so that I can add your name to that list. Anyone may comment and ask questions- I will do my best to find the answers.


One last comment. On the cover of Milton's mother, Eliza Dittmore Call's, Journal or History is written; "People only live as long as someone remembers them". We all have had at least one of our own family members who have passed on. We want to remember them in every way we can, so that their posterity can also honor them by remembering their lives. I believe all of our ancestors would like to be honored by us knowing us knowing more about them. I hope you will join me in this blog!!