Credit for the post title goes to author Lewis Carroll. It's a reference to his Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. The rabbit hole is the place where everything starts. The phrase going down the rabbit hole has become a metaphor for many things and often refers to starting a process that's problematic, difficult, unusual and can become more complex as it develops.
In my case, the rabbit hole refers to starting my family tree. It's something long thought about, but never started. My grandparents, grandparents, aunts and uncles are gone and, regretfully, family history was never discussed. Perhaps it's like that in many families?
So why did I suddenly get motivated?
It's because we stopped at Temple Square in Salt Lake City on our recent cross country road trip. I wanted to visit the Family History Library operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It's the largest library in the world that deals with genealogy and this was an amazing facility. Before I knew it, the very helpful specialists there were leading me down the path of starting my family tree to learn about my family ancestry; it hooked me into spending over 3 hours there.
Their FamilySearch website was previously called the Genealogical Society of Utah and is now the largest genealogy organization in the world. FamilySearch maintains a collection of records, resources, and services to help people discover their family history. You sign up with a free registered account to get access to what's become one of the most well used online genealogy sites. In addition, FamilySearch offers personal assistance at more than 4,500 family history centers in 70 countries. There's a local family history center here in Nashua, NH and I'm going there soon.
If your ancestors came to the U.S. from Europe, you can search immigration records online as well. Both my maternal and paternal grandparents (shown below) immigrated from Italy.
America's first official immigration center from August 1855 to April 1890 was Castle Garden. When it closed, the reception center for immigrants to the U.S. was relocated to the U.S. Barge Office on the eastern edge of The Battery waterfront. This facility operated until the U.S. Office of Immigration opened the newly built Ellis Island in 1892.
Castle Garden has a free database developed and funded by The Battery Conservancy that has 11 million records of immigrants who arrived at the Port of New York from 1820 to 1892.
You can search for ancestors who disembarked on Ellis Island in NY by creating a free account at the Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island website. It's where I found a record of my grandfather's arrival from Italy.)
(FYI - The entire collection of Ellis Island New York Passenger Arrival Lists from 1820 to 1957 is now available online at FamilySearch.org and the Statue of Liberty–Ellis Island Foundation.)
Another source to search is the U.S. Census Records in the National Archives. The first U.S. Federal Population Census was taken in 1790, and every 10 years since then. But, you won't find data from the most recent U.S. census because of a 72-year restriction. The most current year available is 1940. You will need a relatives name and state that he/she resided in to start a census record search.It may sound spooky, but gravesites are another way to discover your family's history and you don't have to go to cemeteries, but can do that online too.
Calling itself "the world's largest online gravesite collection," Find A Grave claims to have over 170 million memorials created since 1995. While I wasn't able to find all my deceased ancestors, I located the gravesite of grandparents and several family members and did not have to create an online account to search.
A similar site, BillionGraves claims to be the world′s largest resource for searchable GPS cemetery data. I had to set up a free online account to search its free index. According to its website, located information can be copied into partner sites including FamilySearch, MyHeritage and Findmypast.
Has anyone else gone down the same rabbit hole and, if so, please share any information. I have really become quite involved in this research the past 2 weeks.
14 comments:
I am trying not to go down this particular rabbit hole - I can get really quite obsessive when it comes to interesting projects and I really mustn't let myself go there just now :-)
Love the photos of your ancestors. You are lucky to have all these resources to explore and find out more. I bet my ancestors have barely left their villages and there will be very little records of their lives. I am of Italian descent, just like you. I wonder where your family hails from? We are from a tiny locale in Northern Italy, not on any maps.
Thanks for this interesting post. x
Great post and thank you. Other Half is very interested in genealogy and you have shared links he will find very useful.
I have skirted around the edge of the hole. :)
I have not gone into the rabbit hole, but am sure with the sites your shared, one could find most anyone they wanted to find.
I have 4 generations in the family Bible, that is all I desire, they are all gone now. enjoy your journey down the rabbit hole, I know a few who become addicted, so look out for that
I had a go at genealogy but failed miserably. Good luck with yours.
Wow that is interesting, my sister in law is very involved in discovering their families ancestry, it’s amazing what you find when you start digging,, amazing photos!
I am getting used to the rabbit hole. I never knew my paternal grandfather and am a little stuck on that part of my family. Still I have found a few things and I am hopeful for more. You know how I feel about family so this is important to me. Another place to try is familysearch.org. You can sometimes trace back a long way and it is quite easy. The only problem is that you only get the names of direct ancestors. No aunts and uncles or cousins.
My family tree goes back a few generations and then knowledge gives out. My great-great-grandmother immigrated to the United States with most of her children in the late 19th century and is buried at a place in South Dakota, just beyond the Minnesota border. I'm not entirely sure if I've been to her grave. My family passed through that way once when I was a kid.
You're enthusiastic. I wish you success. You inspire me to try again.
What a coincidence this post is.
I just started helping a friend research their family tree. We saw photos their grandparents graves on Find A Grave website. They are also from Italy. I'm going to check the websites you mentioned here. Thank you Beatrice. It's so helpful.
And I know what you mean by going down a rabbit hole... hehee
We have been tempted a few times to look into our family history but have decided against it. Wishing you every success with your search.
I have not done this type of research, but my uncle has done quite a bit of it for our family. It can be quite involved.
This is fascinating - thank you for providing so many informative links. I haven't done this type of research, and think that someone on my father's side did a few years ago - but have no idea how to find any of it. I'd be interested in doing this someday.
Post a Comment