If there were other children in your family, I’d like to hear about them. Who was the first-born child in your immediate family? What was their name, sex, and date of birth? Who came next: Keep going until you have listed all of your brothers and sisters in your immediate family. Was there anything unusual about the circumstances surrounding the birth of any of your brothers or sisters? I assume that your brothers and sisters were probably very central figures in your memories of growing up and even later in life. As we walk through your life memories, I will ask youmany more questions about your relationships with them. I just wanted to understand the birth order of yoru brothers and sisters. What about pictures of these people? Are their names written on the back to identify them? Where are these pictures located? In a box? Why not place them in an album?
Which of your grandparents were still living while you were growing up? Did they live close to you or in another city? Did you have a speicial relationship with any one (or more) of your grandparents? What was his/her name? Why were they so special? What did that gradparent do (or not do) that made you feel especially close to them? Can you think of any stories about your grandparents you would like to record here? Anything interesting? Any funny or favorite stories that thy liked to tell that you would like to record? Were any of your grandparents especially wise in some area? What “sayings” did they use quite often? What “bits of wisdom” did they try to pass on to you or to others? Were they happy or crabby type personalities? Why do you think they were this way? How did their personalities affect your relationship with them?
If your grandparents were here now and could read your “Book” is there something you would like to say to them? Or is there something you would like to thank them for? … Something you with they had done differently…? If there is anything else youwould like to tell me about your grandparents, please go ahead and type it in now…
Do you have pictures of your grandparents? Where are these pictures located? Are their names written on the back of the pictures to identify them? Ge these pictures out of those boxes and at least file them in some way. I really am a nag!
Do you know if your family name was changed when your ancestors originally came to this country? Did they change it later on for some reason? What reason? What were the names of your first family members to settle in this country? Where did they settle? What was their business, trade, or profession? What brought your original family members to this country? What professions did they bring with them? What language did your ancestors speak? Where exactly did they come from? If there is anything else you would like to tell me about your ancestors, please go ahead and write it in now.
Are you aware of a family crest? Do you have a copy of it? Tell me about the origin of this crest. Where is it kept?
I would like you to write “My father’s full name was _____ and my mother’s full name was _____ (maiden name). Is there anything interesting or unusual about their (your) last name that you would like to tell me? (i.e. nationality, etc.) How about your parents first or middle names? Were you named after either of your parents? Were you named after a relative? Which relative? Were they alive when you were born? Were you named after a famous person? Is there anything else that is special or unusual about how your name was selected, who decided on it, etc? Have you been pleased with the name your parents gave you or do you wish they would have chosen some other name? Why?
If you would like to offer some advice to your children (or to other readers of your “Book of Memories” about how a child’s name can affect his/her self-image, please do so now …
Why, its the study of the Lund's, of course! I am jumping in to researching our family history and seeing where it takes me. We are the Lund's. We come from Lund's, Ranson's, DeMacedo's, Lima's, Anderson's, Warner's, Ferreira's, Da Silva's and beyond! Since my own side of the family is from Brazil, it is quite difficult to track things down. Troy's side, on the other hand, has proven to be much easier. So, I'll be jumping back and forth and all around to learn about where we come from.
Are you related to us? I'd love to learn more about you and share what I know about our common ancestors!
