Rockwall, TX (February 6, 2024) – This is the kind of thing that a genealogist dreams of – finding a family history chart you never knew existed!
While preparing for the monthly meeting of the Rockwall County Genealogical Society, members Lisa Stevenson and Denise Slosar were approached by Tina Hughes, a Rockwall County reference librarian saying she had something that might interest them.
Tina presented a handwritten family genealogical chart measuring 24” by 36”, signed by the lady who created it in 1973, and including ancestors back to 1598! Tina explained that she received the detailed chart from someone who found it folded up inside a book purchased at a garage sale. Not knowing what to do with it and not wanting to throw it away, the purchaser took it to the library. Tina held onto it knowing the Genealogical Society might be interested and asked Lisa and Denise if they could find a descendant who would want this magnificent piece of history.
And so, the search began.
Denise began research on Ancestry.com to locate this ancestor in someone’s family tree, eventually finding seven public trees.
Only three of the tree owners had been active in the prior two months and the others had not accessed their accounts for over two years! However, to be fair, Denise contacted all seven owners of all the trees via Ancestry.com. Several days later, she received a message from one tree owner stating that her husband’s second cousin was listed, and she would be very excited to receive the document. Over the next few weeks, Denise received more replies. With multiple requests coming in, she had the document scanned so that it could be sent to several people.
Finding the ancestors was rewarding, however one mystery remains! How did this document find its way to Texas as the author lived her whole life in California? They may have found some answers, but that mystery may never be solved!
“It is wonderful to have a library with talented people who want to help the public,” said Denise. Also expressing great appreciation that Tina Hughes took the extra step needed to locate a home for this special document.
Genealogy can be difficult but extremely rewarding, which is a lesson to us all. Talk with your relatives while they are still here! When they pass away, it is very important to go through your parents, grandparents, and family members’ belongings. You never know what you will find and how valuable it could be. Most people assume that all they will find is junk, but that is certainly not always the case because you may uncover priceless mementos and family history.
For those interested in researching ancestry or who have questions, the Rockwall County Genealogical Society is an excellent resource for members and non-members. The Society is here to serve the community and welcomes anyone to attend meetings. The Society meets on the first Thursday of the month from 6:00pm-8:00 pm in the Genealogy Room at the Rockwall County Library. You can reach out to Denise at dlslosar@gmail.com for more information.
Submitted by Denise Slosar, edited for publication
50 Year Old Genealogical Chart Finds a Home added by Melanie M on
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