A Northeast Girl Goes A Huntin'

roots!
the funny limbs that grow underground
that keep you from fallin' down
don't you think that you'll need 'em now?
"Your Redneck Past" -- Ben Folds Five

I’ve become more and more nostalgic about family history. Grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins were scattered in other areas of New England and beyond, so I didn’t have the experience of growing up with kin in my backyard. Interestingly enough, many of my childhood friends were in the same boat. My wonderful hometown truly was transient.

Now that I’m in Cincinnati, the nostalgia has grown even more. My mom grew up in the area and both of her parents were raised in southwestern Ohio. Very different from my upbringing! Not only were both sets of grandparents within a short driving distance, but cousins and aunts and uncles WERE in the backyard. Many of the people I’ve met in Cincinnati of my generation had the same experience. I marvel at this, and while I wish at times that I grew up with extended family nearby, I am definitely grateful for the immediate family that I had with me at all times.

This past weekend, I decided to dig up roots with some research and exploration. My first stop was the Cincinnati Public Library to attend the monthly workshop focused on genealogy research. The resources available at the library and online are limitless. It was daunting and definitely genealogy overload! I decided that the best course of action was to target a specific lineage – starting with me (which is what you do) and going through my mom, to her father, to his father, etc. Prior to this research, I had a general idea of names, professions, locations, but all of this was information that I had heard from someone else. Being in Ohio, I now had the chance to actual visit the places that my ancestors knew and loved. I was in the cradle of my family’s history! Before I knew it, I was in the car, headed north on I-75 to Hamilton, Ohio to see the spots frequented by my grandfather’s family. I could go on and on and transcribe all of my notes here, but for brevity’s sake, I’ll narrow down my conclusions to a few bullet points and photos.

Here’s what I learned:

Finding an obituary for a grandfather you never knew, while emotional, can fill you with absolute pride, respect, and love.

Tracing your middle name back several generations and seeing where it first appeared in the family line is cool. On Saturday, I was able to trace my own middle name back to the mid-1800s although I’m confident I can go back further.

Sorting through census records can shed light on where people lived and who lived with them…once upon a time. Ancestry.com and Family Search Labs (maintained by the Mormon Church) are excellent online sources. Just don’t let the handwriting bother you!

Scouring databases and publications is helpful, but at the end of the day, nothing beats “oral history” and getting the stories from the people who lived them. That's next on my to-do list.

And here’s what I saw:

Hamilton on the banks of the Miami River

My grandfather's childhood home in Hamilton

Farmhouse outside of Hamilton where my grandfather and his family lived in later years

What a day and I just scratched the surface.

All of this research makes me circle back to the quote at the very beginning of this post, which comes from a Ben Folds Five song. I’ve always been aware of my Ohio roots but being here has made me feel even more connected to, and appreciative of, those underground appendages. To answer Ben Folds’ question, I do think that I need them....and I want them more than ever.