Today's Featured Article
What Do I Care About Those People? They're Dead
by Lisa A. Alzo, M.F.A.

About a year ago, I began a genealogical quest to find out more about the ancestors on my father's side of the family. Although an avid genealogist for fifteen years, I spent most of that time concentrating on my maternal lines for my M.F.A. degree thesis, and subsequent book, Three Slovak Women (Gateway Press).

As I started my search, I realized that I had committed what could possibly be the number one sin in genealogy--becoming interested too late (i.e. after the generation who could tell me what I wanted to know had passed away). Well, almost, I thought. There was still my father, who was living with me and who, at seventy-nine, possessed a sharp memory. I had documents, photographs, etc. but there were many unanswered questions. One winter evening, I asked him about his ancestors in Slovakia. When he replied that he knew nothing, I asked, "Didn't you ever ask your mother or father about their parents or grandparents?" I was stunned by his reply:

"What do I care about those people. They're dead. I didn't know them."

I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. My father "tells it like it is." No pretense; no apologies. Dad's response was funny, disappointing, and frustrating all at the same time. With this one simple statement, my father put a serious knot in my perceived "only link" to the Alzo and Fenchak ancestors on my paternal side of the family. Talk about a brick wall! And yet, he was just as philosophical about his own eventual passing.

Since that time, I have started many of my genealogy lectures with my father's infamous quote. Usually it elicits smiles, nods, and laughter because at one time or another I think many genealogists have experienced a similar lack of interest from family members or relatives. Some people can't remember; others have a "selective" memory about the past, or refuse to share any information. Finally, there are those like my father--they don't have the information, and have no interest in their ancestors even if you eventually manage to track them down!

In addition to being a great introduction for lectures, my father's quote has given me cause for reflection on several occasions. I thought I would share some of these thoughts in this article. Perhaps you will recognize similarities in your own experiences.

Who Cares?
There have been previous articles in ADN about what motivates genealogists, what lengths they've gone to, and why many are addicted to this "hobby."

• "Why We Search"
• "Extreme Genealogy"
• "More Extreme Genealogy"
• "Still More Extreme Genealogy"
• "The Addicted Genealogist"

What about those who don't share the interest? My father may represent the extreme with his "Who Cares?" attitude. Then there's my husband. He listens to me talk incessantly about the research process, but he knows very little about his own family. He's curious, but not so much to perform the research himself, so I finally persuaded him to let me investigate his family lines. Even more intriguing is that my husband thinks of genealogy as being "ultimately depressing." To quote him, "If people today can claim to know so little about their ancestors four or five generations back, won't the same fate befall us? If so, why strive for anything?"

By his own admission, my husband's mental outlook could probably provide sufficient material for a week long psychiatrist's conference (or at least an episode of Dr. Phil). However, my husband has raised some interesting points. For instance, when do you stop caring about a person in your family tree? You care about your grandparents because either you knew them or at least know about them. But as you go back to your great-grandparents, great-great grandparents, and so on, how much do you really know about them, and how much of a connection can you feel?

So why are some people compelled to find their ancestors, and others have little or no interest at all? Perhaps there are some psychological reasons, which I won't even attempt to address here. What I do believe is that while I know many "part-time" genealogists, I haven't come across any "half-hearted" ones. Most of the genealogists I've met are very passionate about the search for their ancestors. I also feel certain that there must be some unwritten, but "built-in" precedent for being a genealogist: More often than not, you and only you will be interested in your family history discoveries.

Dealing with Negativity
Sometimes it can be challenging to live with someone who has a less than positive attitude about genealogy. However, contact with other genealogists via e-mail, message boards, my ancestry classes, and at conferences, constantly renew my faith in the process and the journey. Overcoming negativity towards the past is one big step in preserving it.

Breaking the Ice
So what to do if you encounter someone like my father during the research process? Here are a few tips to help you work through the negativity:

• Ask questions about their life instead.
• Focus on a topic that the person is interested in. For example, with my father, I often turn the conversation to sports (he was a basketball player) or WWII (he served in the Navy). I discovered my father likes to talk about these two subjects. For women, you could ask about a recipe for a favorite family dish or have her talk about a specific tradition.
• Ask about a person they did know. I found my father liked to talk about his father and told me many humorous and interesting stories about my grandfather which helped me to get to know him. My grandfather died before I was born, so old photographs and those stories provide the only windows into his life.
• Use photographs or family heirlooms (address book, wedding picture, military medal, piece of jewelry, or bible) to initiate the conversation.

I hope to cover some additional tips in a possible future article. Of course, not all of these "ice breakers" will work for everyone. They are just suggestions and much will depend on the person and his/her personality and memories.

Keep Knocking
Fortunately, my father's lack of interest did not deter me. One trait I believe I inherited from the Fenchak side of my family is persistence. (Okay, maybe it's more like stubbornness.) Whatever you want to call it, I don't give up easily, and I find this quote from the "Graduation Prayer," by Andrew Costello, quite inspiring:

"When doors are locked, don't be scared to knock; if no one answers, come back tomorrow; if doors get slammed in one's face, try other doors--and never just stand there stuck, staring at a closed door. Keep asking, keep seeking, keep knocking, and doors will open."

I generally try to live my life by this philosophy, and now apply it to my genealogical quests as well. What about you? Next time you encounter a version of "What do I care about those people? They're dead," don't stand there stuck. Keep knocking!

One final note: I wrote this column several months ago. My father passed away on November 27th. And I just want to say to him, "Dad, we do care."

If you'd like to share your experiences with your less-than-enthusiastic family members, and/or can provide an example of how you dealt with the situation, please e-mail me. Perhaps I will share some additional stories in a future article.

Lisa Alzo is the author of Three Slovak Women (Gateway Press), Baba's Kitchen: Slovak & Rusyn Family Recipes and Traditions (Gateway Press), and the recently published Finding Your Slovak Ancestors (Heritage Books), as well as numerous articles for genealogy magazines. Lisa teaches Eastern European, Slovak and Great Lakes Region genealogy classes for MyFamily.com, and is a frequent speaker at national conferences, genealogical and historical societies. She can be reached through: www.lisaalzo.com

Lisa's Upcoming Classes at Ancestry.com:

• Intermediate Slovak Research, 23 February 2006
• Intermediate Eastern Europe Research, 23 February 2006

Details and links to upcoming events where Lisa will be speaking can be found at www.lisaalzo.com.

Copyright 2006, MyFamily.com.

Access a printer-friendly version of this article, e-mail it to a friend, or submit your feedback.

WANTED: TROUBLESOME IMMIGRANT ANCESTORS

Did you find a troublesome immigrant ancestor in your family tree? Ancestry Magazine wants to hear about it. Turn your research problem and the story of how you found a solution (approximately 1,200 words) to editoram@ancestry.com today.

Ancestry Quick Tip Jamboree

It's time for this week's Ancestry Quick Tip Jamboree! Thanks to everyone who has sent in a Quick Tip. Please keep them coming so that we can keep this tradition going. You can send your tips to: ADNeditor@ancestry.com.

Quick Tips may be reprinted, with credit to the submitter, in other Ancestry publications, so if you do not want your tip included in a publication other than the Ancestry Daily News and Ancestry Weekly Digest, please state so clearly in your message.

Have a great day!
Juliana

Label Outgoing Photos Too
Barb Fausett
Frankfort, IN

My family is constantly requesting copies of old family photos, as I am the family historian, photo keeper, etc. I make them copies on my copier, and before I give them away, on the back I write names of those pictured, parents' names (if a baby, child), ages, date photo was taken, place photo was taken if known, etc. I have found that most people do not identify their photos. They stick them in a scrapbook, frame, shoebox, or other form of storage, and later generations have no clue who they are. It takes a little bit more of my time, but I am willing to expend the time to keep family history known to those who come after us.

Keep Email Addresses Current on Posts
John Robert Arthur McGinn
Thunder Bay, Ontario Canada

I am a member of Ancestry.com and I follow several boards -- both surname and localities: Cook/Cooke, McGinn/McGinnis Morris as well as Simcoe, Grenville Leeds Frontenac, York, Mohawk Valley, etc.

I too have found old posts done a few years back on these boards which pertain to my research, BUT when I email the authors who posted years back, the messages often do not get through to the intended recipient author because they have changed their email address.

So please! If you change your email address, please make sure that you update the change at Ancestry.com! Don't give up on old posts that maybe did not produce response at the time of posting! Genealogy is a social hobby and there is a tremendous value in the knowledge exchange occurring on those Boards!

Yours truly,
J. Rob A. McGinn, DDS

More on Scanned Clippings
Steve

Regarding the article tips " Scan Clippings" by Bob Walter and the earlier tip "Notes on Clippings" by Marge Clark, here is what I do, especially when I send copies to other people. I scan the microfilm copy and then use a photo program to improve the overall quality and trim it to size. (I use Adobe Photo Deluxe 3.0.) I also leave extra space at the bottom of the article and use the "eraser" tool to remove the unwanted text. I then use the "text" tool to add the name of the newspaper, the date, the page number and the column number of where the news item was found. I usually use a different text color to distinguish from the actual article. Save it as a .jpg or .gif and send it in an email. Works great and the recipient has the article and documentation of where it came from right with the article.

Access a printer-friendly version of this article, e-mail it to a friend, or submit your feedback.

Clipping of the Day
Adams Centinel
(Gettysburg, Pennsylvania), 24 January 1827, page 3

Public Lead Mines
From a report laid before the House of Representatives, relating to the Lead Mines belonging to the United States in Illinois and Missouri, it appears that at the public mines in Illinois, there were employed, on the first of July, 1825, about 100 men; on the 31st Dec. 1825, 151 men; on the 31st March, 1826, 194 men; on the 30th June, 1826, 506 men; on the 31st of August, 1826, 453 men. In Missouri, the number of miners, teamsters and laborers, (including slaves,) in the public and private mines, was about 2000.

. . . .
The quantity of mineral land in Missouri from which lead has been obtained is about 3000 acres. The mine Shibboleth, since its discovery in 1811, has produced lead to the value of half a million dollars, and covers 30 acres. One public mine of ten acres, leased in November, 1825, has from that time to September, 1826, produced 680,000 pounds of lead, principally from one vein covering but a small superficial extent. The whole quantity of land supposed to be mineral is estimated at 400,000 acres.

Members with access to the Historical Newspapers Collection can view this clipping here.

Click here to subscribe to the Historical Newspapers Collection at Ancestry.com.

Fast Fact
Advanced Family Tree Maker Online Class
16 February 2006 with Cindy Rowzee

Once you get the basics down, there is so much more that you can do with this Family Tree Maker. You can create a great number of charts and reports, as well as calendars, books, timelines, etc. You can also use FTM to get ready for your next family reunion, keep track of your research, and make a family website to share with all your family online. Come and join me in this class to learn how to use these more advanced options within Family Tree Maker.

Prerequisite: Before taking this class you should have had a previous version Family Tree Maker class with Cindy Rowzee, the Basic Family Tree Maker 2006 class, or have a good working knowledge of entering events and sources. This class will not focus on entering information but in using that which you have entered to create trees, reports, books, etc.

This class comes with 30-days free access to U.S. Deluxe Records at Ancestry.com.

Product Spotlights

		Evidence! Citation and Analysis for the Family Historian by Elizabeth Shown Mills, CG, CGL, FASG, FNGS Normally this book retails for $16.95, but today you can buy it in the Shops@Ancestry.com for $12.95.

Thought for Today
Oscar Wilde

The truth is rarely pure and never simple.

You Are Currently Subscribed As: .

My Newsletters: http://www.ancestry.com/myaccount/newsletter/newsletter.htm?Manage Subscription Settings Here

Order now: These prices will only be available for a limited time. If you prefer to order by phone, call toll-free 1-800-ANCESTRY (1-800-262-3787). You can see a full description of and order today's products through the Shops@ Ancestry.com: http://shops.ancestry.com. For more product news, plus insider and exclusive savings offers from Ancestry.com, subscribe to Product Watch at http://www.ancestry.com/productwatch.

Subscribe to Ancestry.com: You'll get access to over 2 billion names from the comfort of your home--24 hours a day, seven days a week. For information about the various Ancestry.com subscription packages, visit: http://www.ancestry.com/rd/signup.htm. Keep in touch with your family and share information and data with a MyFamily.com site. Create your site at http://www.myfamily.com/banner.asp?id=ancnewsfooter. Search the Ancestry World Tree--the largest free database of family files available on the Internet. Add your family tree today. http://www.ancestry.com/rd/awt.htm.

Newsletter Subscription Information: The Ancestry Daily News is a free service of MyFamily.com, 360 West 4800 North, Provo UT 84604. It is available to all registered users. To manage your email communication (i.e., to unsubscribe from this newsletter or sign up for others), visit our http://www.ancestry.com/myaccount/newsletter/newsletter.htm? communication preferences center. Or simply reply to this newsletter, and type the word "unsubscribe" in the subject line of the message.

To Change Your E-Mail Address:
1. Go to the Ancestry.com home page at http://www.ancestry.com.
2. Log into the Ancestry.com website by clicking on the "Login" link in the header at the top of the screen.
3. Select the "My Account" link at the top right of the page.
4. Select the "Update email address" link (Under "My Account Information").
5. Edit your e-mail information and choose "Update Email."

Reprint Policy: We encourage the circulation of the Ancestry Daily News via non-profit newsletters and lists providing that you credit the author, include any copyright information (Copyright 1998-2005, MyFamily.com, Inc. and its subsidiaries.), and cite the Ancestry Daily News (http://www.ancestry.com/dailynews) as the source, so that others can learn about our free newsletter as well.

Feedback: By submitting questions, comments, tips, stories or letters to the editor to the Ancestry Daily News you grant MyFamily.com, Inc. a license to distribute or republish your contribution at its discretion, with credit to you as the submitter. We may edit your contribution for content, length, and/or clarity. We regret that we cannot respond to all questions, comments, tips, stories, or letters to the editor. For comments or submissions to the Ancestry Daily News, e-mail mailto:ADNeditor@ancestry.com. Please do not send subscription requests to the editor, as she does not have access to subscriber lists and your request will be delayed. Please use the unsubscribe instructions above and report any problems through the Help page at: http://ancestry.custhelp.com. If you would like to contact Ancestry.com directly, please write to: MyFamily.com, Inc., 360 West 4800 North, Provo UT 84604, Attn: Customer Service.

Ancestry: http://www.ancestry.com/rd/home.htm

Ancestry Help: http://ancestry.custhelp.com

Sales: 1-800-ANCESTRY

Copyright © 1998-2005, MyFamily.com Inc. and its subsidiaries