Discovering the thread - or entering the highway

My early explorations, those of recent history (the past three or four centuries)were a fascinating viewing of names, dates, places as they all interacted, weaving in and out, unknown stories of people finding one another, having children and dying. There exist old photographs of some of these ancestors: an old wizened dark eyed woman wearing a bonnet; a small studio portrait of a young proud greatgrandfather in his Union uniform; Hans as an older man, bespecled; Annie from Germany who married the soldier; her children. Documents dating to the early 19th century marking the passing of a child, or wills give reality to these mysterious ordinary people living their lives.

My interest in the images lay primarily in finding physical similarities through the generations, but there was no record of hair or eye color, nor were there many indications of interests, creativity, intellectual capability, spirituality or occupations. These people held secrets: I wanted to uncover them.

I concentrated on the matrilineal aspect which had ample evidence of recent creativity. Mother's parents were artists. Her maternal grandmother, Annie, created exquisite quilts and needle work. Her brother, his son and grandson are architects. Her uncle, a boat designer.Her daughter is a gifted artist, designer and architect. Great grandfather, George, worked for American Express in Chicago and invented an early copying machine and a rollup map. Both were granted patents, but there is no evidence of them having been particulary successful.

So what, one might say.

But this is the beginning of myth and legend, of the journey to uncover the secrets, the history that leads to ever increasing questions. Names like Alvah and Hale recalled stories that there was a connection to Thomas Alvah Edison and the writer of 'Mary Had a Little Lamb'. I remember, as a child, sitting next to my mother as she rummaged through boxes of photographs. She told these stories saying George's middle name was Alvah and that the old lady in the bonnet was the sister of Sarah Josepha Buell Hale. Sarah Hale, one of the first female American novelists, published the popular early magazine 'Goudy's Lady's Book' in the mid-1800s. She also promoted the creation of childrens' playgrounds and the establishment of Thanksgiving as a national holiday. Our initial digging came with this distinguished woman. She became real, her life story poignant and courageous. Perhaps my grandmother's independence and drive came from these same genes.

Special stories, enough to create wonder in my childish mind. The notion that somehow mother's family was more special than most crept into my consciousness. How could this be when my father's ancestors came over on the Mayflower!