How To

Oh, my goodness! Where do I begin?!

Story genealogy

I saw the term recently and it hit me like a tons of bricks. This is exactly what I’ve been trying to do. I want to

• bring my ancestors to life using heirlooms and other documentation
• preserve and record our family history, and in the process
• teach my children about their past.

It seemed like a monumental chore until I started CREATING STORIES.

Look closely at these four photos:

In a pile of keepsakes, I found a tiny diary. Inside on the first page, I saw the word “lovelaier.” I knew this must be lavalier, a reference to the ruby necklace that belonged to my great grandma, Orah (our malevolent matriarch). We have several photos of Orah wearing her ruby, a necklace gifted to me years ago. The story I wrote describing these treasures can be found HERE. (The link takes you to my other blog: Finding Merle).

Separately, I may not have made the connection; together, these pieces of information allowed me to complete the puzzle and CREATE A STORY about Orah and her necklace.

A keepsake, a diary, a photo, or any single item may be all you need to get started. Together with YOU AND YOUR MEMORIES, you are ready to start writing.

Memory, you say? Yes, it helps flesh out a story. To see how Susan uses memory to help profile ancestors, click HERE.

Help creating your stories

Click the links below to see examples

CREATE ANCESTOR PROFILES Read how to flesh out a story.

PIECE IT TOGETHER Piece a story together. Example above.

USING ANTIQUES Learn now to profile with heirlooms.

USING MIXED METHODS Write a story using random keepsakes.

USING PHOTOS Showcase an ancestor with photos.

Happy profiling! ❤