Photo of the Day

This is a photo of my paternal uncle taken in the home of his maternal aunt in Galena, Maryland in 2000.  He was always ready with his camera.  At the time this photo was taken, he was 45 years old.

James Odgers
1954 - 2007

Photo of the Day

This is a photo of my paternal uncle striking a goofy pose in the home of his maternal aunt in Galena, Maryland in 2000.  He was 45 years old.

James Odgers
1954 - 2007

Photo of the Day

This is a photo of my paternal uncle taken in the home of his maternal aunt in Galena, Maryland in 2000.  He was 45 years old.

James Odgers
1954 - 2007

Photo of the Day

This is a photo of my paternal uncle taken in his living room in New Castle, Delaware in the 1970s.  I wonder what was in the bag.

James Odgers
1954 - 2007

Remember the Living

While working on a family tree, it's so easy to get wrapped up in how far back one can trace their ancestry.  We would all like to know if we have roots dating back to the colonial days and from which country did our ancestors emigrate, if at all.  There seems to be a deep-rooted need in some of us to know where we come from, like it defines who we are today.  But sometimes that leads us to overlook the obvious - those family members who are right here with us today.  How many times

have I said, "I wish I had asked...while so-and-so was still alive?"

That's why it is so important to record EVERYTHING.  Get your family together as much as possible.  Get photos of everyone when you can.  Ask those questions you have.  Keep all those birth announcements, graduation announcements, wedding invitations.

Recording family history that is happening now may be more important than researching the past.  One day our great-grandchildren will be thankful that we did.

High School Keepsakes

I love when I come across keepsakes, something little that holds some sentimental value to a family member who is no longer with us.  This is a great example.  My paternal uncle kept his high school cafeteria pass and his high school Driver Education Certificate.  They must have been a reminder of some good times he had in high school.  For someone like me, it gives a glimpse into my family member's life.

Certificate of Baptism

Baptism records are a primary resource for family history research.  These records are more likely to be accurate because they were documented shortly after a person's birth.  They usually include birth date and parent's names, as well as where the baptism took place.

I was lucky to find my paternal uncle's Certificate of Baptism.  He was baptized on 3 November 1954, less than a month after his birth, in the Brandywine Methodist Church in Wilmington, Delaware. The same church where my grandparents were married.