March 2017 is genealogy month for the Kokomo-Howard County Public Library (KHCPL). On Friday, March 3 and Saturday, March 4, KHCPL held the program “Exploring Your Story.” Tammy Lively and Barbara Trice, two local community members, allowed the Genealogy and Local History Department (GLHD) to delve into their family backgrounds. The staff of GLHD spent many hours tracing both ladies’ genealogy. A portion of Tammy’s family was successfully traced back twenty-seven generations to England and included several members of the King Henry VIII's Royal Family. Barbara’s family was only traceable for 6 generations as most of the paper records for African-Americans begin after the abolishment of slavery.
To help with the paper research, Tammy took two DNA tests and Barbara took three DNA tests. The results of these tests, in general, confirmed what the paper trail indicated. Tammy’s heritage is largely European, and Barbara’s is largely African. Of course, despite what was found, genealogical research never really ends. No doubt, more will be added to each woman’s family tree as new information becomes available.
For those who like to search for family history, there are resources available to read and learn. There are also resources for pure enjoyment.
Family Tree Magazine is a monthly publication chock full of articles about how to look for information. This magazine can be downloaded from Zinio, read at KHCPL, or purchased from bookstores.
KHCPL also has many how-to manual on how to conduct genealogical research, which include:
- Finding Your Roots: The Official Companion to the PBS Series by Henry Louis Gates
- Journeys Home: Inspiring Stories, Plus Tips and Strategies to Find your Family History by National Geographic
For those doing their research, there are several companies with online sites offering short tutorials:
Genealogy is not all research, however. There are also many fictional books to enjoy that feature a genealogical theme. These include:
- The Quieting by Suzanne Woods Fisher. A young Amish woman is helping her father with his genealogical research when her Grandmother insists it is time to return home to be married. Conflict results.
- The Lost Quilter by Jennifer Chiaverini. Master quilter Sylvia Compson discovers a stash of letters in the attic of Elm Creek Manor and traces a tale back to 1859 and an escaped slave.
- Death on the Family Tree by Patricia Sprinkle. After her Aunt Lucy dies, Katharine Murray discovers her aunt's possessions and unwittingly discovers a branch of her family tree she never knew existed.
A search of the KHCPL catalog using the search term Genealogy Fiction will net several more print and audio books. And speaking of audio books – in addition to some of those mentioned above, check out Hoopla and OverDrive for audio books.
