Genealogy and Family Resemblance

Genealogies. We all have them, and there seems to be interest more than ever in researching and finding our roots.  My mother, Julia Ruth Ingle Schultz, was an avid amateur genealogist. She amassed research upon research, spending hours in dusty courthouse basements, pouring over records, to discover our family history.  When she passed in 2010, I inherited all her work.  Cases and cases of notebooks, pictures, files.  They’ve sat, neglected, for 8 years.

Dad - William Andrew Schultz and his grandson Zackary Bigley

Late this summer, I found myself basically retired.  I resigned my position and both Tom and I decided that I might as well stay home.  So, I thought that my time had finally come to resurrect my quilting hobby.  That went well; at least until my sewing machine decided it wanted spa treatment!   So… what to do with all my free time now?  Ah – those boxes are staring at me!  I pulled them out, and no sooner than I did that, but two different people from two different lines of our genealogy messaged me with questions about Mom’s research!  One thing led to another, and now I’m engrossed in preserving ancient pictures, most of which are unidentifiable.

  

Dad and Zack

This whole ordeal has led to some interesting developments.  I found out that one of the women who contacted me, Allie Farooq, is a 4^th cousin of mine, through the Farmer/Gibson side.  Our conversations have led to what will eventually be a visit from her to pour over Mom’s research.   My children, who have never before expressed interest in this, have suddenly become fascinated by their history, to the point that my oldest, Chuck, has put together a genealogy showing not only my side of the family but his father’s as well.  He’s come upon roadblocks there, but he’s not giving up. 

We believe this is my Grandmother, Eva Gibson Ingle

My Granddaughter - Abigail Lynn Starks

It’s been interesting looking at old pictures.  Finding ones of my parents when they were young and carefree.  Discovering that my granddaughter, Abigail, looks JUST LIKE what we believe is her great-great grandmother.  Finding a picture of my father, and comparing it to my nephew – the resemblance is uncanny!   Seeing all the old houses that they lived in, that I lived in.  Just seeing how life has changed in the past century.  Many of the pictures are from the very early 1900s.  So far, I have a 1.5” binder full to the brim, and a second 1” binder!

If you have living parents, please talk to them. Hear their stories.  Write them down.  Go through the old pictures and write names and as much information as you can on them!  You won’t regret it later on, and neither will future generations.