Family History Month comes to a close

Each person’s life tells a story and history is found in all places, whether in everyday lives or genealogies no one expected. Scientists now have the potential to delve into the past, deeper than ever before. After thousands of years of different peoples intertwining in marriage, family history is scattered across the world.

October, Family History Month, comes to a close, and many different people choose various ways to celebrate family traditions.

Landon Goldsborough, ‘19, is on the worship team, and enjoys drawing in his free time. He explains some of his English family background.

“We have some fun family traditions we do for Christmas,” Goldsborough said. “Like how we have the same types of desserts on Christmas day, and the same meals around that time. I know that my great-great-grandfather on my Dad’s side was governor of Maryland for quite a while. It’s kind of cool to dwell on what difference you might make. I’m just thinking of future generations, and how they’ll look back on your generation.”

Ancestry DNA, founded in 1983, allows one to search through more than 20 billion records from over 80 different countries, according to a review written by Anna Burleson. 23andMe, founded in 2006, has the ability to trace certain diseases based off of genetics. With modern technology, countless things concerning family history that weren’t possible just a century ago are now possible.

From the FC boys basketball team, freshman Orion Tomlinson shares his view on family history and its importance.

Knowing your family history gives you a gateway to the past. It shows you what your ancestors did, what foods they ate, what sports they played. I’m Jamaican and Canadian, so I go to Canada every six months or so, and I go to Jamaica sometimes. — Orion Tomlinson, FC freshman

“Knowing your family history gives you a gateway to the past,” Tomlinson said. “It shows you what your ancestors did, what foods they ate, what sports they played. I’m Jamaican and Canadian, so I go to Canada every six months or so, and I go to Jamaica sometimes. But I don’t really have big family traditions.”

English and drama teacher Kyle Dodson is mostly Irish and gives insight on the significance of his background.

“In regards to my ethnicity, I don’t have any huge family traditions,” Dodson said. “But I always grew up where on Christmas Eve, there was always one present labelled as ‘open on Christmas Eve.’ Every year, it was always the same thing, it was always a new set of pajamas that were already washed. And I wore them Christmas Eve going into Christmas morning. It’s something small, but I always thought it was a fun, little way to make the Christmas experience last a little longer.”

Between 1811 and 1840, American pioneers ventured out onto the Oregon Trail, where they explored as part of Westward Expansion. Dodson went on to explain his connections to the Oregon Trail.

“I personally enjoy knowing about how my family got to the West Coast both on my father’s side as well as my mother’s,” Dodson continued. “I have strong ties to the Midwest, and on my father’s side, my grandfather was fascinated with family history, and was able to trace our family as one of the individuals to come out west on the Oregon Trail. I love the state of Oregon, but to know that I have that specific family tie to that original journey is pretty cool.”

For more articles, check out Strength and conditioning, P.E. classes encourage competitiveness, physical growth and Sadies 2018: California’s Great America. Interest continues to grow in developing family trees and generational ties, including websites which help individuals learn more via genetic testing and ancestry service like @23andme (see their Twitter feed below).

https://twitter.com/23andMe/status/1043108832942215168

David Tuck can be reached via email.