Leo McKinstry, I found a statue of your uncle.
My wife did a geneology search on both mine and her family a couple summers ago. What we discovered only increased our national pride, not diminished it.
The family, not the state, is the foundation stone of society, and thus history. I am very interested in my bloodlines...and I teach them to my children and grandchildren. It is important to know who we are, where we came from, and the lessons learned from our ancestors. I see nothing wrong with the study of genealogy.
GENEALOGY n. The tracing of descent from ancestors; alternatively, a particular account of such tracing for a specific individual or family. In the English-speaking world, all those who take up this pursuit announce sooner or later that they can trace their descent back to Edward III. This should surprise no one with a rudimentary knowledge of mathematics; there are probably one or two well-bred basset hounds who could also trace their descent back to Edward III. What is really surprising is that Edward III seems to be regarded as some kind of ultimate antecedent beyond whom the genealogist does not venture, even though anyone descended from Edward III is also descended from his father Edward II, and so on. The author can guess only that the prudery of the late Victorian age (when genealogy became a family pastime) chose to draw a veil before the memory of Edward II in view of the sybaritic Plantagenet’s bisexual reputation and appalling death (see impalement).— Peter Bowler, The Superior Person’s Book of Words.
Where does this phrase come from?
When I learned US History as a kid, I learned about important events in our Nations history. When I studied my genealogy I learned that my ancestors were there. Fighting in those wars, moving West. They lived the history I only read about and it became more alive to me.
I happen to believe I’ll meet the ansestors on the other side so looking up their names now is a total waste of time. I agree with the author.
It seems this author doesn’t have an appreciation for history. Family histories are important to people within the family, nothing wrong with that! If the conversation bores you, politely say so and move on. Don’t criticize the interests of others and decry it as “bunk.”
Liberals would like to ban genealogy studies because it discriminates against the artifically-inseminated & surrogated children of gay couples.
It sounds as though Leo McKinstry is a bit ticked off that he doesn’t have the library archives all to himself anymore ... the peasants are running amuck and Leo has decided to do something about it ... whine!
My father's side of the family goes back into Georgia into the late 1600s and very early 1700s. They escaped England so they could worship ALmighty God as they saw fit. From their they literally spread across the nation, north and south...east and west.
My mother's family came from eastern Europe (Slovak Republic area) in the mid to late 1800s, and her father came from Austria right around the turn of the century. They escaped despotism and persecution and poverty to find a new life in America. They were successful.
Both families sacrificed life's blood in defending freedom and this nation.
The contention that somehow it is wrong to take pride in these things is ludicrous. I guess it depends on what a person is looking for and what they want to hold up.
Ping.
Perhaps Mr. McKinstry (with whom I share surnames) was just disappointed (as I was) to discover that the family name was not a distinct clan name unto itself with a designated plaid.
In truth, I have nothing against geneaology, but I’d really like to know the stories of my ancestors not just dates of birth, marriage and death. The real stories are few and far between.
My guess is that the author’s family were probably a bunch of drunken slobs from Scotland or some other such ignominious band of ne’er do wells.
Personally, I get frustrated trying to go back much more than 100-150 years, since our family were all in the Pogroms (and worse) of Eastern Europe at that time. However, I’ve become pretty fanatic about preserving what I can of my parents generational stuff. As I’ve learned through my friends at the County Historical Society, what we may see as pretty ordinary now could be a serious mirror into this time when looked at by 22nd Century historians.
Nobody ought to be upset because their ancestors weren't noble or rich or famous.
But genealogy does have its own interest.
It can demonstrate just how connected you may be to the country's history.
It's possible to attach too much importance to ancestry, but it's a little like rhythm or rhyme in literature.
It points out connections that we wouldn't notice otherwise and gives an immediacy to things that could otherwise appear dry and irrelevant.
Complete and utter horse$hit.
Most genealogists now more American history than other graduates of Liberal Arts Colleges.
Leo McKinstry, I found a statue of your uncle.
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The one thing I've learned from studying my family tree is that there's a reason some distant relatives are distant.
Having throughly researched the name “McKinstry” I discovered that it used to be spelled “My Kins Try” and that Leo is an unknown son of Elvis and entitled to half of all of Elvis’ earnings. Go for it Leo!
(maybe this will keep Leo busy instead of worrying about library patrons.)
