Genealogy class connects past to present

Former U.S. Congressman and Secretary of State Daniel Webster is quoted as saying, “Those who do not look upon themselves as a link, connecting the past with the future, do not perform their duty to the world.” Understanding the chain of which we are a part is only a click away, thanks to a free family genealogy workshop offered by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints at 400 Ivy Street in Navasota.

The class is held every Wednesday from 6-7 p.m. and is staffed by genealogy mentors teaching tips and techniques for creating an account and navigating FamilySearch.org, an international, nonprofit organization dedicated to helping all people discover their family story.

Church member Jimmy Donahoo said, “I lost my mom in 2002. Since I don’t have children yet, my children will never know who my mom was.”

After setting up a FamilySearch account, Donahoo uploaded family pictures to his family tree which will be preserved and shareable with other family members.

He said, “My children and grandchildren will then have memories that I have of my mom. As I build those stories and put them out here, then anybody who is related to her, my cousins and anybody who is connected to my family tree, has the opportunity to look at some of these memories.”

What is FamilySearch?

FamilySearch’s own roots began in 1894 with the Genealogical Society of Utah which was created to help church members trace their family trees. Hand written documents were preserved on microfilm beginning in 1938 and that continued until 2002 when 100% of records were digitized. The first local family history center opened in 1964 and there are now more than 5,000 locations worldwide.

The FamilySearch website was launched in 1999 and quickly became the most popular family history website on the internet with 7 million hits per day. According to Family-Search.org, “In 2020, our average visitors per day is 400,000.” By 2018, more than 5-billion records have been indexed by volunteers and can be accessed on the website, through a mobile app, as well as in person.

DNA, mobility

While many people develop an interest in researching their ancestors upon retirement when they have more time, genealogy is not just the province of retirees.

The introduction of DNA has taken genealogical research to a whole new level by providing an estimate of ethnicity and ancestral origins. This has made it possible for distant relatives living on opposite sides of the world to discover each other and open the door to additional family history.

In addition, genealogy buffs no longer have to be chained to a desk and computer to research. According to Donahoo, the mobile app can be used during down time, such as while waiting in line to pick up children from school.

Donahoo said, “You don’t have to be a member of our congregation to take this class. The whole reason we’re having this class is to help people gain knowledge about their ancestors.”

For more information, call (346) 381-8844.