As I embark on the second year of this project, I need to tell you that I have a serious regret: I started my genealogy research and this blog too late to include the voice of my grandparents' generation. And because of that, this blog will forever have a hole.
Of my four grandparents, three have passed away and my grandfather is suffering from dementia. And none of their siblings are alive. In fact, what is truly sad is how close I was on at least one side of the family as my Nana - Elizabeth Cheney (nee Paulus) - passed away only two years ago (one year before starting this project).
I have many questions for my grandparents and their generation, and their answers would have contributed some great stories and information. I wish I could have asked Grandma (Helen Keenan) about life on the farm, teaching, and what she knew about her ancestors and Ireland. And I wish I could have asked Nana (Elizabeth Cheney) what she knew about her families from Germany and Wales as well as when and why her parents moved from Scranton to Wharton. I would have also asked her what it was like working at Picatinny. And these are just a few examples.
To be clear, it is more than just about the research. If I had asked these questions, it would have provided some great memories and great bonding with my grandparents. Now in some cases, my grandparents told us stories without us asking. I will try to include those, with the major caveat that the stories were told a long time ago and my memory might not be perfectly accurate.
The bottom line though is that a lot of oral history from my family is lost. But hopefully other families can learn from my mistake. Start genealogy soon and make oral history a big part of it. Ask your oldest living relatives to tell you about their lives and take good notes. You'll thank me later.
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