If you’ve ever delved into family history/genealogy then you know it can eat up minutes faster than a squirrel running from Koda.
I’ve been intending to write a ‘family history book’ for quite awhile and had even started on it – and now I remember why I just left it.😳 It’s so very easy to get started down a rabbit trail – and there are surely a lot of them.
There are so many ‘family stories’ in my head that will be lost if I don’t get them on paper, but that’s definitely easier than it sounds.
I published my great-grandfather’s memoirs a number of years ago – and it actually took my several years to get that done. He had written them, by hand, in no particular order, in the fancy script of his day and was VERY difficult to read… but, very interesting. I’m so thankful he did that though, it’s fascinating reading.
The content wouldn’t be popular in today’s world as he was a Confederate soldier in the Civil War. I published most of it in an old blog back when I was working on it and am considering putting excerpts here – and may ramble on about some of my other ancestors since that seems to be where I find my self these days.
If you search the web you will find SO MUCH conflicting information. I “know” the last few generations of my family, but would love to have information beyond that – just difficult to determine which is accurate.
Hope you will share some of your grandfather’s ramblings here. My husband would be interested in reading them. Is there a way to get a copy of the book you wrote compiling his stories? My Paul is a huge Civil War buff and we have visited a good number of Civil War cemeteries. I wish we had written my mom’s stories before her stroke. Not sure she will remember them now. Would like to record her trying to retell them and maybe I can type them up. Going to visit her the end of the month but will only be… Read more »
Oh yeah, I so wish I had recorded stories – they only things left are in my head.
The book is available from the publisher at: https://www.lulu.com/en/us/shop/iris-margaret-ayres-smale/albert-martin-ayres-i-memoirs/paperback/product-1zr48y.html
and on Amazon (however I just checked and the hard copy on Amazon is $50+. I have no idea why, obviously not from me or the publisher – but it’s is available on Amazon for the Kindle:
https://smile.amazon.com/Albert-Martin-Ayres-Memoirs/dp/B005D3BH60/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1597099049&sr=8-2
Thanks for your interest. It is an interesting read (I think) and would be more so for a Civil War buff. My youngest son is also a huge civil war person.
Iris
Oh, please share it here from time to time. I always love to read those kinds of stories.
I gave my mom a book to write things in , but she’s never done it. The best times are when we sit around together and she (and Nancy) would recount some of the stories of their pasts.
XOOX
Jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
Oh, and you need to write those stories down, or record them. I so wish I’d asked more questions and even heard more stories. We had more time ‘back in the day’. Not so much distraction. I remember sitting out on the front porch in the early evening just hearing ‘stories’. No TV, no social media, heck, not even a phone.
My oldest grandson and his wife gave me a book last Christmas with “Iris Originals Ramblings” printed on the front. I’m trying to use it!
Iris
Both myself and my oldest sister have done some work with family history and genealogy and it is fascinating work! It is also quite hard and, you are right, it leads down rabbit holes sometimes. Plus you often find out “interesting” facts you did not know and were surprised by! I think that is amazing that you published a book about your great-grandfather’s memories. That is something your children and grandchildren will have that most families do not have. Good work, Iris!
Thanks Debbie,
I do think the memoirs were probably easier than what I’m trying to get into right now. It was about a single person and his life – the whole “family thing” is a big daunting. One bite at a time though!
Iris