how to write a family history book template

With a narrative account you may choose to tell the story: The stories of how you discovered your ancestors may not be quite as dramatic as Sheila Hsia’s but they will be fascinating to your descendants so by all means include them. Sheila continues to transcribe the records of over 15,000 kin. This story and that of how they were found, copied and spirited out of China this century is an incredible one. Records of the first 12 generations had survived two revolutions in China by being buried in clay pots by an illiterate man who didn’t know what they were, but knew they were valuable. She was planning on putting them all on computer but needed to translate them from Chinese to English on paper first. Now it isn’t unusual for someone to need 100 family group sheets, but 100 pedigree charts? My curiosity was piqued and upon enquiring I was told that her mother had recently been instrumental in getting family records going back to 2079 B.C. The younger one asked for about 100 blank pedigree charts.

One evening whilst on duty at the Burnaby, Vancouver FamilySearch Center two Chinese women approached the counter. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and episode 3 of PBS Ancestors series 2000) is that of Sheila Hsia’s discovery of 172 generations of her ancestors! I was fortunate to play a small role in this process in the following way.

Alex Haley deserves credit for his tale of black ancestry, Roots, which was phenomenally successful in promoting family history in North America, but it has since been shown to be partly fiction.Īn equally fascinating account ( The Ensign. Richard Houston’s Numbering the Survivors: A History of the Standish Family of Ireland, Ontario and Alberta, and John Phillip Coletta’s Only A Few Bones: A True account of the Rolling Fork Tragedy and its Aftermath, a history of the German-speaking merchants of the Mississippi Delta.

Two more classics of reconstructing ancestral events are J. Discovering Your Family History, which was enthusiastically received on television and helped fuel the family history boom in the 1970s-1980s. A classic tale is Donald Steel's delightful and masterful presentation on the English Honeycombe family.

The process of research can be just as fascinating as the actual discoveries. In addition to the information about your ancestors this can include accounts of how you did your research and discovered each one. The most common alternative is a narrative account and this can take one of many forms. Your choice depends partly upon whom you have chosen to research and partly upon the way you want to present the material to your chosen audience. There are many good methods of organizing a family history book.

How to write a family history book template