Sometimes we are so caught up in researching online that we forget one of the most valuable resources is often just a phone call away: our oldest living relative! If you are lucky enough to still have someone alive in your family who could give you valuable information about your ancestors, now is the time to interview them. What can you hope to learn from them? Plenty! Here are a few questions to get you started.
❶ What is your name?/ Where were you born?/ When were you born? These may seem like obvious questions but you may be surprised at the answers. If you’ve only known someone by their nickname, their full name may come as a shock.
❷ What were the names of your parents/grandparents/other relatives? Be sure to write down any or all first, middle, and last names. Records can be lost and this is one way to find hidden relatives.
❸ Where did your ancestors come from? If they don’t know, try being more specific such as “Where did your father come from?”
❹ What kinds of stories did your grandparents or parents tell you? While some of these may not be true stories, they often contain some elements of truth in them. Take notes!
❺ What kind of holiday traditions did your family enjoy when you were growing up? Sometimes holiday traditions can give you clues about your family’s origins.
❻ What historical events have had the greatest impact on you? It’s one thing to read about historical events in a textbook but it’s quite another to hear how those events actually affected real people. Just be aware that some events can be emotional for people. Put on your sensitivity hat.
❼ What do you know about your family name? Be sure to ask about both their maternal and paternal surnames.
❽ Did anyone in the family speak a foreign language? This is another question that can establish family origins.
❾ Can you describe the community and house where you grew up?
❿ Where are our relatives buried? Most people used to have family cemeteries. Tombstones often contain dates, etc., that can further our research.
If you happen to be the oldest living relative, now is the time to start writing down this information!
[Source: findmyancestry.net, 26 July 2016]