My grandmothers sister's daughter is now 96 years old and quite frail. Her youngest daughter who is much younger than I, did a google search on her great aunt and discovered my post about her here on FR.
She contacted me. We have been corresponding. She has filled in many blanks in our family history.
One of my many regrets is that I did not interview and record a much more detailed history of my family when I was young and those knowing the history were still alive.
I would urge you all to talk to your older relatives record your family history for the benefit of current and future generations. Nothing helps explain who, what, and why you are as your are, as does a detailed family history.
Mine like most families has had its share of both saints and villains. Recording your family history is something you and future generations will treasure.
It is never to late to start.
CT, I must add emphasis to what you have said! And, if I have time during the day tomorrow, I may well copy your post to Friday's thread (unless you beat me to it ... *hint! hint*).
I have always wanted to trace my family history but never had the time or resources to do it. Now, through the wonders of computers and the internet, there is a wealth of information available when one is sitting at home in one's PJs, in between finding fault and fraud with the 'rats.
Months ago, I bought a genealogy software program and have spent countless hours trying to find out what I could about my family and hubby's ... to leave as a legacy for our kids and grandkids. It is simply amazing what can be found through some genealogy websites, though registration costs a bit of money.
And then when m-i-l sold her house, we gained possession of quite a few documents that have provided some wonderful tidbits of family history.
But I can find virtually nothing about my own parents or their parents. All of them are gone now and I am regretting so much that I didn't find out more when I had the opportunity. Ironically, I have the ancestry of one of my great-grandmothers traced back to the 1700s (through the research of a great-uncle who was a member of the American Genealogical Society so it's all well-documented) ... and don't know the full names of 2 of my grandparents. I even have the marriage license of my mother's parents ... and it doesn't have my grandfather's full name on it ... just a first name and a middle initial.
Everyone should get all the info they can from their living family members now before the opportunity is lost.