Family stories are entertaining and often fascinating! Besides adding color to your family tree, stories sometimes contain leads that can help you find more information about your ancestors. As Great Uncle Larry tells his anecdotes, pay special attention to names, places, and approximate dates. A reference to “Grandma’s Aunt Bessie”, “Cousin Charlie and his three sisters”, or “When I was about 17…” may have significance later on as you are researching those family lines. You may be able to piece together missing facts in a family line by finding research clues in tales like these.
Here’s an example of how I used clues in a story to find a family line. While researching my ex-husband’s family tree, I interviewed his grandfather, Patrick, and wrote down several stories that he told. One of the memories he shared gave me clues to a branch of his family tree that I didn’t have a lot of information about. Here’s a paraphrased version of what he told me:
When I was a kid, my brother Charlie and me got sent down to work for an old man. Charlie was in some kind of trouble and my folks sent me along so I wouldn’t get into trouble myself. Anyway, we worked the summer for this old man. He was really old and he owned all the land along Long Lake. I don’t remember who he was, but he was related somehow. He had a bunch of daughters. I think his name was Brown.
Patrick’s story was short and not very detailed. However, it contained enough clues to give me something to research! From the story, I identified the lake as the same lake where my great-aunt had a cottage, so I was familiar with the area. I dug into census records in the area and found information on Patrick’s grandmother, whose last name was Brown. Once I had all the puzzle pieces laying side by side, I figured out that the old man in the story was Patrick’s great uncle (his grandmother’s brother) and the “bunch of daughters” were Patrick’s father’s first cousins. The line fell into place very perfectly from there, all based on a couple of clues in a story.
When you’re listening to your relatives tell their crazy family stories, pay attention to these clues:
- Any sort of reference to a date. Whether the storyteller refers to their own age or may say something like “when I worked at the canning factory” or “right after Pa bought the farm”. Even something simple like “when I was little” will give you a clue about an approximate date.
- Names. The storyteller might refer to people by their titles, such as “Mom” or “Grandpa”. They might also use nicknames like “Minnie” or “Jack”. Basic knowledge of nicknames and how your family used those names will help you to identify the people in the story. Don’t be afraid to ask for clarification if your relative uses a vague reference. For example, if the story is about “my brother”, ask which one.
- Places. The family homestead or farm, small towns, places of employment, schools, and churches can all provide clues to the location of a story. Knowing locations can give you leads about the people involved. Remember that place-names change a lot, so you may need to do more research before you find a location on a modern map.
- Other clues. A reference to a family Bible, an old photo album, a plat map, or some other document about your family tree. Relatives who have no interest in or knowledge of the family tree won’t consider these things as that important. You may need to ask about them and make sure your family knows you’re interested.
It’s sometimes easier said than done to catch clues in family stories. That’s why it’s good to record your family member on your phone or computer if you’re able to. Not sure where to start? I have some tips for that as well.
Family stories can give you great leads toward facts in your family tree! The next time your aunt Edna starts to ramble on, pay attention, and take some clues from her stories. They may help you break through a brick wall in your research.
