Photo by Any Lane
In Virginia R. Degner’s The Letters of C.M. Case, a historical novel and family book about the Second World War, readers are granted a peek at a firm and storied family history.
Being the third generation of an immigrant family who had to flee the “homeland” and leave everything behind, there is a certain allure within me toward families that have proper histories, those with ancestral homes, heirlooms appreciated from generation to generation, and a lineage that might even span through millennia (these are rare, of course; unless you, the reader, are part of a royal family).
Remembering where your roots are can be difficult—impossible, even—when you don’t have a reference point to follow, no traces to even investigate.
In a literal sense, all families have origins that stretch back to any particular time, but actually knowing when and where your family moved and made their names, who those personages were, and other things is a different thing entirely. That’s because when you have documents or heirlooms that speak of your family’s past, you have a more tangible connection to the past: a more substantive claim to history, as it were.
If this is the situation, ancestral homes are not just homes but spaces that hold dear memories, each room, each tile, and floorboard echoing with history—it’s enough to lift the spirit when you remember that the same ground you are walking on was walked upon by an ancestor of yours.
Remembering Where Your Roots Are
The concept of family histories has always been a fascinating subject. Whenever I visit friends whose families have been in this part of the state since its founding (with documents to prove it), I imagine what conversations might have happened within the walls, what perspectives they have shared with one another, and what events shaped their family’s identity. Of course, every family has an identity, and it would be wrong of me to declare that families without “proper” histories are inferior to those with—but for any of you who are remembering where your roots are, it can be difficult to do so when you can only go back a generation or two.
Take my family, for example; our history is a patchwork, just a hodgepodge of half-remembered recollections and fragmented memories. While some families can tell you which particular region their lineage stems from (and might even still be in contact with very distant family members—the wonders of technology), I can only say that my family—from both sides—are European and—from my surname—Germanic. Yet, I can’t really know for sure because there’s no tangible history there. Sure, I can do some DNA testing, but that still doesn’t tell me anything about who my family is or what wisdom they might have for me.
Of course, while I envy families with long and “proper” histories, it does not detract from the uniqueness and opportunity that I have.
If there is no concrete history of your family, then it is incumbent upon you to make it.
I am proud of where my family has come from. Though my heritage is lacking, it is still something that I cherish and appreciate. My family took a great risk to come to the United States and make a new life for themselves.
A Light Cast Forward
History is more than just a collection of dates, names, and places; family history is similarly so. Both are brilliant tapestries of experiences, stories, traditions, and values that seek to connect us, who are in the present, to the past and give us a foundation to shape our future.
Keeping our family history alive, whenever possible, is essential for several reasons.
There are many ways to keep family history alive. We can talk to our elders, collect old photographs and documents, and write down family stories. We can also create family trees, scrapbooks, and other memorabilia—maybe you can even publish a book about your family if there is enough material, like The Letters of C.M. Case by Virginia R. Degner, a historical novel and family book about the Second World War.
Keeping family history alive is a rewarding and meaningful endeavor.
So, if you want to start remembering where your roots are and keep your family history alive, here are some tips:
- Talk to your elders about their lives and experiences.
- Collect old photographs, documents, and other memorabilia.
- Write down family stories.
- Create a family tree.
- Scrapbook your family’s memories.
- Share your family history with others.
The Happy Hammock 