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I turn history into memories, creating in-depth stories & experiences to bring ancestry back to life.
My Ancestry Journey
Grandpa was quiet - stoic, with a twinkle in his blue eyes that expressed more joy than one could imagine. He told stories of his childhood sailing the Long Island Sound; his Scottish father's traditions; and rumors of descending from a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Once, when I was a little girl, Grandpa knelt to look me in the eyes, his teal blue irises twinkling - and said,"Did you know you are a Daughter of the American Revolution?"
My Grandpa's genealogy knowledge was limited to the sources easily available in the late twentieth century. Crucial to his ancestral findings was family legend, passed down through generations, providing a general outline for his lineage. A few years after Grandpa's death, I slowly began to uncover his research - finding letters, 19th century published works, and various family trees scribbled along the margins of notebook pages. At age thirteen, I picked up where he left off.
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Since 2009, I have dedicated a significant portion of my life to genealogical research, education and exploration. It inspired the decisions I made early in life - beginning by declaring a history minor, with a concentration in colonial New England, to better research and understand my ancestors who explored Massachusetts in the 17th century. This trend continued - from choosing to study in Dublin, following my Irish heritage; to establishing a career in maritime shipping, echoing the livelihoods of my Scottish seafaring ancestors. All these decisions were subconsciously made with my ancestral quest in mind.
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As I grew older, and my research process became more professional and refined, I noticed a terrifying trend in genealogy: on the search to understand one's ancestry, most people follow threads sporadically, yearning to trace family ties as far back in time as possible. However, for every "glanced over" generation, there are entire lives that have been lived - stories that need telling.
I want to tell the story of those who came before, because genealogy is more than names and dates: it is the story of the lifetimes that made us.
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Join me on this journey of discovery.