New family reunion coming to town

Every July 4th, or the first Sunday in July, the Staub family holds a reunion.  This year nearly 287 people signed up to attend.  I think that five generations are represented. 

The family matriarch, my husband's grandmother, died in 1986.  Since then all of his uncles and aunts have passed on.  This leaves my husband's generation to carry on the tradition of the annual Staub reunion.

So why am I writing about this?  It has been decided that our immediate family - my husband's brothers and sisters with their children and grandchildren - will hold its first reunion beginning in a few weeks.  Usually I don't get excited about reunions, mostly because my family didn't get together unless someone died.  No kidding!

I am excited because I can share my research with everyone (well, anyone who cares to listen), and hopefully get some of them excited enough to help with doing some of the research.  My ultimate goal is to seek out potential heirs to one day pick up where I left off.  I already have three possibilities; my son and his two cousins are all history majors, my son being the history teacher.  Someone, I hope, will assume this research when I no longer can.

So, in a few weeks I will share with you the results of our 'new' family reunion. 

Thank you for visiting my blog.

Family Reunions and In-laws ...

Good morning, everyone.

I need some sage advice.  My husband's family reunions (there are two) are fast approaching.  I've always been very bored going to them, so I haven't actively attended in the past few years.  This year I intend to do so and with the intent of gathering more material for my research and their ancestors' lives.

Have you successfully gathered research from the relatives at family reunions?  If yes, how?  If no, what didn't work?  There are several living Smith brothers or sisters to assist, but in the Staub family the Staub uncles and aunts (their parents) are gone.  Only the spouses are living.

How do I approach the family as a whole (they hold business meetings) to encourage their help with stories, data, and photos for my file?  Remember, I am an in-law!

This is what I tentatively plan to do. Maybe I need my husband to do this for me Feel free to send me your thoughts.

1. Tell the planning committee and/or the reunion attendees how my research project got started.
2. Have examples of my current research, such as pedigree charts and other reports, to show them what we can do with this information.
3. Tell them about this blog.  This may be the most efficient method for them to share info with me and to send photos, as well as my email address.
4. My plan to start Staub and Smith family web sites.  The intent would be to   allow sharing of stories, photos, and submit changes to the family tree. Could I do this with a blog, Face Book, or another social media outlet?
5. That in the future I intend to hand over my database files to a younger historian to continue the legacy.

I don't want to take work from their family historian or secretary. 

I also want to ensure that the newer generations begin to learn about their heritage.

I hope that the older generations begin to reminisce about the 'good old days'. 

Other suggestions for sharing their heritage would be most welcome.

As always, thank you!!!

Spring is blooming ...

... and in many ways.  Two families that I was researching opened up to a beautiful array of very distant relatives.  It is awesome that the records still resided with the families and, with the help of modern technology, I found two dedicated women willing to help me connect the dots, so to speak.  It is here that I would like to publicly thank Vanessa and Norma for their timeless dedication to uncovering our heritage.

With summer next on the horizon, families gather at their family reunions.  I have a deep concern for the new generations and how to teach them about their heritage.  If I have any readers who have conquered this issue, I would love to learn what you tried and that worked.  Two of my husbands' families play cards, horseshoes, games of all kinds.  There is a small business meeting after the last meal of the day, and by that time everyone is tired and ready to leave.

My family, on the other hand, no longer gathers for family reunions.  I lost contact with even my first cousins, and, sadly, we all live within a 10-mile radius of each other.  

So, I ask my few followers and new readers, what do you do to generate an interest with family to learn about their heritage?  (Especially when I married into the two families.)

Now, get out and enjoy this balmy spring day and pick some daffodils.