Recently, I was volunteering in the Lore History Room at the Concord Library. A man, who I would guess to be in his 60s, came in and asked for help to solve a mystery that had troubled him his whole life. He was emotional as he told his story and I could tell it disturbed him to his very core.
He had been adopted as a baby to parents who had given him a good
life, however, was an only child. His adoptive parents were now deceased and
neither of them had siblings. Any grandparents or other family members were
long gone. As the only one left, he felt alone and disconnected. He explained
that he had been desperately trying to find someone - anyone - from his birth
family. He needed to know if there were others with whom he was related. State
law prohibited him from getting any information from the closed adoption
records and he knew absolutely nothing about his birth family. He asked me, and
one other researcher in the room that day, if we could offer any ideas of what
to do. With few other options, both of us suggested the quickest and easiest
way to get information would be to take advantage of DNA technology and get a
test kit. Results could then be compared to others and perhaps he would get a
hit. Open to the idea, the man left feeling a little more hopeful and was
determined to do the test.
There are many practical reasons for doing genealogy research,
such as tracing inheritance, land records or medical conditions, but for
me, as in the case of the gentleman at the library, it's that need to feel
connected to others, both past and present. It's hard-wired into our very being. While it is truly exciting to discover
and document source information, I'm not content to just add names, dates
and facts to my database. I want to know the stories of their lives and the
historical context in which they lived. These stories help me to better
understand them, and in turn, my own place in history. It helps me feel
grounded, invested in my community and in the legacy I leave to my
children. Family history research is a celebration of the gift of life and
shows gratitude to those who came before us. Our ancestors’ life energy – both their
strengths and struggles – flows through the generations into each of us, as ours
will for those yet to come. Genealogy makes history personal.
Future blog posts will feature resources and reference material, historical
people and events, and stories about everyday life in Cabarrus County
Whether you are a curious amateur or a seasoned genealogy
professional, I encourage you to document your heritage, or help someone else
with theirs. Submit a copy to your local genealogy repository. The Cabarrus
Genealogy Society would be pleased to feature a story in our blog or journal. Contact us at cabarrusgenealogysociety@gmail.com . Don't
forget to write your own story - no one knows your life better than you. Leave
something for those who may be looking for you in the future!
Denise Steward McLain
Cabarrus Genealogy Society
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