Crossing the 'big pond'

As you progress in your family research, there will come a time ... after you have backtracked across America ... possibly after you have made your way northward to Virginia or New England ... when you will mentally stand on the shores of the Atlantic and contemplate whether to go farther and find your ancestors across the "big pond."

Right now, I'm so caught up with learning about how my ancestors lived in the 1700s and 1800s in America that what came before them in Europe doesn't interest me. I may change my mind when I get there. But many people are intrigued by finding their "foreign" ancestors, and take the plunge right away.

If this is your thing, then the LDS Family History Center is definitely the place to go. In her continuing series of genealogy articles for us, Nancy Montgomery of the Family History Center in Newnan discusses just that. Nancy writes:

"What records are found at the Family History Center? The center has computer records, which include the Ancestral file (pedigrees), International Genealogical Index (vital records), military records (Korea and Vietnam), Parish records of Scotland, and the library catalog. The computers cannot access the Internet.

"There also are many thousands of microfiche, which are records on 3X5 black film. These records include surname directories, locality information and the fiches that patrons have ordered. These records only cost 15 cents and are kept permanently at the history center. There are four file drawers full.

"Some records are recorded on CDs. Newnan has the 1881 British census, 1851 British census, the 1870 North Carolina and South Carolina censuses, Early Tennessee Settlers, Complete Book of Emigrants 1607-1776, Freedman's Bank Records (a wonderful source of information about early freed slaves), Vital Records Index of Western Europe, and many more.

"The Family History Center also has a wonderful staff of volunteers. Most of these men and women are skilled in genealogy and are delighted to assist patrons with their problems.

"All Georgia census records can be found at the Fayetteville Library. All other (out of state) records (census, marriage, death) can be ordered from Salt Lake. The cost is $3.50 and you can work with the films for a month.

"Why do we go to so such effort and expense for our genealogy? We do not do our histories to put them on the wall and boast to our neighbors about our famous family members.

"The first reason we do family history is for ourselves and our children. By learning about the past, the present is better understood and the future is more predictable. By knowing the habits, occupations and health of our ancestors, we can see patterns in the lives of our families.

"My Gibson family came from Ireland during the potato famine. I have such compassion for the Irish who left their homeland during this period. The journey to America was filled with danger and it took the brave and strong to survive. I am grateful for the freedom that we have in this country and that I do not have to face similar trials.

"My Davies family members were builders, joiners and masons. It does not surprise me that my son is always building onto his home. The health issue is interesting and sometimes alarming. Diseases such as heart problems and cancer can be traced from generation to generation. Many problems can be foreseen by examining death records.

"The second reason we do genealogy is for our ancestors. We will see them again. The Church of Jesus Christ of LDS does baptisms, marriages and sealings for the family members that never had an opportunity for these ordinances. They then can accept it, if that is their choice. It is like buying a theater ticket for someone ... then they can decide whether to use it or not. The ordinances cannot be done after we leave this life.

"Henry Forrester, of my father's mother's family, was burned at the stake in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1538, because he had an English copy of the New Testament. This was just prior to John Knox. I want to make sure that Henry has all the opportunities possible. History becomes so much more meaningful when your family is a part of it." Nancy Montgomery

Although not totally, since I am not a member of the LDS church, I'm a lot in sync with Nancy on the genealogy philosophy. A friend once questioned my reasons for doing genealogy and alluded to its having something to do with my "worth." I answered quickly and without hesitation that it had nothing to do with me. Have you ever known about relatives and wish you knew, or could have known them? Well, that's what this is doing for me.

My great-grandfather Fowler died 20 years before I was born but, because some generous souls have preserved records and made them available to me, I feel as if I know him. I have read about him in newspapers and court records. I have tracked him from his birth in Gwinnett County in 1849 to his death in Cleburne in 1919. I know his wives, his children, his friends. I have seen the land on which he lived ... stood in the church where he prayed.

There is a closeness with the Fowlers of the 1800s that I never had before. I have met fourth and fifth cousins I never would have known had it not been for my interest in genealogy. One has become like a sister to me. Now I'm finding McWhorter, Boyd and Payne relatives and experiencing the same thing.

Does this have something to do with worth? No. It's more like something to do with family.

Please share your family stories with us. Tell us where and how your family lived ... where they worked ... and where they prayed. Send mail to The Citizen, Drawer 1719, Fayetteville, GA 30214; e-mail jkilgore@thecitizennews.com or jodiek444@aol.com.

Until next week, happy hunting!