When we were young, that side of the family got together at least twice a year ~ once at Christmas and once in the summer for the famous Family Picnic. I recall one time when we were at Lowbanks Park on the shores of Lake Erie. It was the custom to set the tables up end to end and, as a result, they stretched quite a distance. Each family brought food and everyone shared and grazed up and down the tables. A passer-by in the park commented, “I guess you need more than one salt and pepper shaker at this table!”
These picnics were a great opportunity to reconnect and enjoy each other’s company. There was lots of food and lots of laughter and there were always lots of children at various ages and stages. Everyone watched out for them all. Robert Ross, my grandfather, while surveying the horde was heard to say, “Hivens a’mighty! I’ve stairted a breedin’ fairm!” [Robert and Maggie’s 8 children who survived infancy spawned 20 grandchildren who, in turn, produced 43 great-grandchildren]. But once he and my grandmother were both gone, it became more and more difficult to “gather the clan”. As often happens, some moved away and most of us were busy with the stuff of life. A couple of attempts were made to revive the tradition but eventually, it faded again.
By 2002, I was into family history research in a big way and thought I would try to get as many of the clan together as possible one more time. So, out went the invitation……
…….and what a great response!
Many who lived close by signed up to attend and many from “away” sent messages and stories about their family memories. Messages arrived via email and snail mail from Scotland, England, California, Alberta, and British Columbia. A few days before the event, I got a call from a cousin who asked if he should bring the family Bible.
Family Bible!!??
There’s a family Bible??
Who knew??
"Absolutely!”I said.
That’s a genealogist’s dream!
We gathered all the bits and pieces together along with photographs that relatives had squirreled away and put them on display. There were an amazing number of resources ~ each family group with its own collection. When put together, they made a wonderful display and a LOT of time was spent poring over them.
Stories were shared and memories recalled with lots of laughs all ‘round. [This is a family that knows how to have a good time!]. Through pictures and anecdotes, we gathered the thoughts and remembrances of even the youngest members present so that we could continue the story.
After this gathering in 2003, I put together a book for each family member who requested one. It included the handmade "tree" mentioned before (one page per family group) plus copies of the remembrances that had been gathered from "rellies" around the world (about 70 pages in total). When I think back on it now, the amount of work was tremendous but fulfilling. The problem with that format, though, is that now it is outdated and, as later research revealed, horribly full of errors.......but that was then and this is now.
I have learned a great deal about my family since those early days but I have learned much more about the power of the internet and programmes that make genealogical research easier. So much thanks needs to go to the huge numbers of people worldwide who transcribe old documents, census records, birth, death, and marriage registrations, etc. Having done some census transcription myself, I know it is an eye-blurring, bum-numbing venture but it's one way to give back to help others in their search. The number of resources now available online is astounding. I can't even imagine how one would have gone about this process in "the olden days". Once I linked into this enormous network, I discovered a whole "new" family on my father's side ~ most of whom had always been a mystery to me ~ as they had emigrated to this country many years before "my" Ross clan.
More about them next time...........
