Researching my Genealogy

Over the last few years I've become interested in researching my genealogy and finding out who my ancestors were. While researching, I've been able to trace my ancestry back in some cases as far as the late 1500s. I also found, thanks to a list that my great-grandmother had compiled, that I am a direct descendant of John Robinson, who was the pastor to the Pilgrims in Leiden, Holland before they made their voyage on the Mayflower. I've also been able to determine what countries my ancestors immigrated from. For example, on my Mom's side I've found that most of her ancestry is French and Scottish and that they immigrated to Canada in the 1600s. On my Dad's side, I'm predominately English and Irish. They all immigrated to the U.S. much later, around the 1830s.

One of the sites that helped me the most is RootsWeb.com. I've been able to do most of my tracing there. My other sources are simply things compiled by my great-grandma and her brother and other info as told to me by my grandma.

Obviously, the first thing to do is to get as much information as possible from family members because they are more reliable than computer sources. Then you can use computer records. Also, something I've looked into is immigration and military records. As a whole the process is very enlightening. It's fun to see where I've come from and who my ancestors were, even if that is my only connection to them.

The pictures above are pictures that I found when I was helping my grandmother sort out all of her old pictures a couple of years ago. The first two photos show my great-grandmother, Mary Rosalia Lytle Woodard. First, at six months, in September 1912. Next, circa 1915. The final picture shows my great-great grandparents Charles Woodard and Edith Robbins on their wedding day in 1904. It's fascinating, really, to see pictures like this. I really enjoy it.