Skeleton In My Closet

It sneaks up on you. It is quite insidious. I am talking about the fastest growing hobby, genealogy.
A little over a year ago, I signed up for a genealogy course. I really had no idea what was involved in the whole process. However, I was ready to dabble in my family history. Just a little hobby on the side of my life.
The one instructor that I spoke to in class told me to prepare myself for something more than a hobby that is picked up from time to time. She said be ready for genealogy to consume your thinking, your activities and your life in general.
Not me, I thought then. I had a life!
Yes me I now know.
I have a 'skeleton in my closet'. I thought a few well placed calls and I would find out who this nerdowell maternal grandfather was. Thus with my basic course behind me and a “how to” book on genealogy, I began my search.
All genealogists tell you to start with what you know. But not me, I had this great need to get to know this mystery guest in our family. Thus for one year I have spun my wheels trying to find information on him. For one year I am no closer than finding him on a marriage certificate to my grandmother. What this gave me was another name, another alias. My family only heard the most derogative remarks about “Patrick Sullivan”. So why did his name appear as 'Bob Windsworth Sullivan” ? The deeper I dig the more mysterious it all becomes.
Along the way I have learned about census records in both the States and Canada. I have learned about immigration records from Ellis Island. I have learned that you have to be to the 4th floor of the library right at opening to get a computer to play on. I have a new respect for librarians and their vast knowledge and ability to put their finger on exactly what you need, when I don't even know what I need. I have bookmarked my favorite sites such as Canada archives, Saskatchewan and Manitoba archives. And I have spoke to some of the nicest people at these places trying to get just a little closer to what I need to know.
I have learned that the cemeteries have the coolest sights with the darnedest information. There is nothing quite like the feeling of tiptoeing through the cemetery from the warmth of your own home.
I also know that copies of certificates are available for a cost.
I have learned that FOIP is going to be the death of genealogy.
Along the way I have picked up history pertaining to divorces pre 1968. I have learned about criminal versus civil court. I have discovered history like I never knew before.
It is a patient exercise in process oriented discovery. One tiny piece of data at a time.
In frustration of going nowhere fast on my grandfather's history, I decided to do what genealogists are suppose to do first. I have started with what I know. I have started with me and am working out in each direction. In genealogy every date and event must be backed with documentation and the resource sited.
Well this brought on a new level of aggravation. First of all, I did not know as much as I thought I knew, but in this case I can call and ask for verification. It gets a little touchy when you ask for copies of birth certificates and marriage certificates. No I am not going to take over your identification. Not in my family anyway! It also gets a little touchy when you need to contact ex- wives. I haven't gone there yet, but it will come soon. Do I really want to dig up that stuff again. I have spent many hours over the past weeks at my computer adding names, dates and scanning documents and papers. My kitchen table and desk and floor are covered with papers. God bless Bill for his patience.
I wake up thinking about genealogy. To that end I was quite delighted to go out for the evening this week to take my mind off of it. Little did I know that “Riverdance” would send me back to my Irish roots. Honest to god, I kept visualizing my grandfather (I have a few pictures) up on stage mocking me by tapping along with them in all his Irish glory.

It is nice to have distant family members who have done family genealogy and are more than happy to share it with you. And it is nice to have one member of the immediate family who has a sharp mind for detail and just as sharp of memory. My sister in Saskatoon is such a person. And to that end, I have decided to take a quick trip to Saskatoon to pick her brain. I will try not to pick it clean. So now I am taking holidays based on genealogy. I was warned this would happen. I can't wait to tell Bill that I need to go to Salt Lake City to the biggest site of genealogical data anywhere in the world, The Mormon Archives. It is the mecca of all genealogists.

“If you can't get rid of the skeleton in your closet, you'd best teach it to dance.”
by famous IRISH playwrite George Bernard Shaw.
WendyH