Be Curious. Be Very Very Curious.

To "Be Curious" could be the motto and seems to be the theme of December’s Archived Document Contest. Curiosity leads us to look closer and ask questions instead of merely being satisfied with simple facts. We can build a pedigree chart with simple facts but fulfilling family history research comes from wanting and obtaining much more information. This information provides color and interest to the stories we accumulate about our family history.

In December Ray Baalman encouraged us to pay attention when we see narrative in any list of events that occurred in our ancestor’s town or neighborhood. We should be curious and ask ourself how this event could have impacted their daily life.

Art Kelly encouraged us to use our curiosity to ask questions. He provided his testimony of how he hit what he called the “jack-pot” of ancestral artifacts including letters, pictures, and certificates. By communicating with a cousin he showed that he was worthy of being handed this treasure trove because he was curious and wanted more information about his family’s history.

Lawrence Clay

The winner of December’s contest was Lawrence Clay. Obtaining death certificates of his grandparents made him curious. Both of their death certificates provided a birth location that he didn’t expect. By asking questions a beautiful story was discovered that helped him understand his great-grandparents motives and life in more detail. Lawrence wins a subscription to "Your Genealogy Today" magazine for his entry to the contest.

Clay's grandparents Death Certificates

Be curious. Don’t be merely satisfied. Ask questions and watch the color of your family stories become vivid recollections.

January’s Archived Document Contest is in process. To enter the contest simply submit a digital image of an archived document that you obtained in any method other than downloading from the Internet. Provide how you obtained the document and how it pertains to your family history research. You can either post the image and narrative on the TriCity Genealogical Society Facebook page at www.facebook.com/TriCityGenealogicalSociety or email them to Susan Davis Faulkner at denmother4 at hotmail.com. January’s contest is sponsored by Technical Training Mall LLC and the winner will receive a $100 gift certificate to Red Lobster.