Letting Go of the Stories

Something to remember while doing your family research, and it might be the hardest thing you will ever do while researching.  “Let go of the stories and search for the truth”, some of you have already tackled a task like this and others haven’t found comfort in doing so yet.

Many of us have grown up with some of the most amazing family stories that have been passed down from one generation to the next. They were shared during dinners, holidays, and family reunions and even during visitations at funerals. For the most part they are that “stories” and as researchers we not only listen to the stories but we search for the facts, documents. Don't get me wrong not all of our family stories lack truth. I only bring this up because there are some who search for the facts to match the stories and either come up empty handed or with false documentation. While researching your families start with the facts that you do know and work backwards and then the stories will fall into place.

This photograph was taken in 1986 at family gathering. In photograph Fred Elfrank, Willard Estes, Ruth Strum, Mac Estes, Dallas Estes, Doris Collier, Dottie McLeon and Jean Hatson.