I've heard numerous people bear testimony on the blessings and things they have learned from doing indexing and family history work. Some of them really are quite special and really touching stories. I don't have any of those. Don't get me wrong, I know the importance of doing indexing and family history, but I haven't experienced anything like that and I probably won't ever. That's okay. I don't index for those experiences. However, lately it seems to be more personal or maybe I'm just getting more from them.
I've been doing it because it is super easy and for me it is a lot of fun. Plus anyone can do it! You don't need any education, or experience, or anything really! Just sign up on FamilySearch website! I personally enjoy interpreting the handwriting and catching glimpses into the past. I also feel like I'm doing a service. We all know how important serving is, so it is an easy way for me to serve without having to go out of my way to do it. Sounds bad right? Ha. I don't mean it that way. It's easy to do and it only takes a few minutes a day or as long as I want to spend on it and I don't have to leave the comfort of my couch.
Anyways, on to getting my point across. So I've been indexing. I've only done like 100 names, which really isn't that many. I haven't encountered that many unusual things. I've indexed a census from 1900's from England, WWI registration cards, and some death records. You only have to record certain parts of the files but I've been finding myself reading every single part of the record. It is kind of cool to try and picture a face for that person or imagine how I think they would have looked or what their life may have been like. It is crazy because so many people couldn't spell back then so I have to try and figure out what they meant by what they wrote. Sound-it-out...it actually helps! It's also crazy to see that so many people don't know where they were born or when they were born. It seems like common knowledge that you have to know about yourself, but so many people didn't back then! Plus I have come across some awesome things! Some of them are merchants from Turkey, or housewives, businessmen, farmers, and various other occupations. The death certificates have been interesting too. They have to write the cause of death. It's like an obituary but with causes; Cancer, disease, premature birth, old age, pneumonia,etc.
Today, I was working on some and came across some infants. So sad! They only lived like 30 minutes, a couple days, or like a few months. Most of the ones I have come across have been born prematurely. This last batch of names I worked on though had other causes: Malnutrition, burns, one of them looked like it said bruises, and another one was 3rd degree burns from a gas iron. So sad! They barely got to live their lives. Guess the Lord had bigger plans for them! It just breaks my heart. I came across some older people too that had different causes of death: suicide, accident on the highway, and even murder. Can you believe that? I mean I know that happens now but I guess it makes you realize how precious life is. Also, in my mind I like to pretend people die of old age or one day that will be my cause of death. Morbid, I know.
Have I gotten my point across yet or is it just me rambling? Ha. I know, I know, me rambling. Each name I do I feel connected to them in some different unexplainable way. They may not be my ancestors. But they are someones. I'm not doing that much, but I am helping. I feel as though I am uncovering just a part of their history that may lead to to discoveries of many other stories, or a link in the missing chain. (Maybe I've been watching too many educational family history videos. Ha) I just feel like my role is so vital. It may not seem much, but to me it feels like so much more. Also, I may be uncovering my own ancestors without even knowing it! For example, I found a Elizabeth Staton from Georgia. Staton is a name on my grandma's side. I haven't looked into it yet, but maybe just maybe that is my ancestor. Crazy!
Okay, I feel like I have rambled enough, and still feel like I didn't really get to my main point. Oh ramblings....bravo to those who kept on reading through this long post. Ha!
Keep on smiling. =)
xoxo
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