Seniors a great resource for living history

The course of Pam Stokes’ life changed one evening in 1977. A typical teenager, she flipped on the television. It was there, on the small screen, that she discovered what became her life’s passion.

“I watched “Roots” [Alex Haley’s miniseries] and I wanted to find my people,” she said with a wide smile. “I got hooked into genealogy because I started doing my family.”

After earning a degree in genealogy from Brigham Young University in Utah, Stokes set about teaching others how to delve into their ancestry.

“It’s like putting a puzzle together, and the only piece you’re sure of is yourself,” Stokes said. “Some older people think ‘What’s the point now?,’ but they actually have the time now, and often the money to put into it.”

Seniors are a living history and their information, if not documented, could be lost when they pass away. Stokes used a tape recorder to interview older family members, because it enabled her to focus on the person and not on the note taking. The tapes are a nice reminder of the person’s voice, she said.

Tracking a family’s history may seem daunting at first, but a little patience goes a long way.

“Start from what you know,” said Stokes. “Your name, date of birth, state and county. Then it’s on to your parents. You’ll be going from the known to the unknown.”

Keeping copies of items found, such as birth certificates, marriage licenses, obituaries and family Bibles organized in one place can make the search easier, she added. Also, a person should always label photographs for future generations.

Forms such as the Family Group Record and Pedigree Chart are available to help with the organization of prior generations.

“We’re pretty good to the people who come in here,” said Elaine Goode, 65, volunteer at the Family History Center of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. “We show them the vital records books and the census and all, but we don’t do the research for them. We show them how to get court records, deeds and so on.”

The center, which has access to national and international data, houses enough information to keep someone busy for quite a while. Shelves holding books, including volumes of New England Historical and Genealogical Register, family histories completed and donated by other genealogists, and binders of Maine Cemetery Records by county, line the large room. Microfiche machines and computers are also available to visitors.

“Some seniors want to continue the work they have done,” said Marguerite Moore, 79, center volunteer. “They want to do it for their families and for the generations after them.”

These volunteers have a love of genealogy and are eager to help others. “We’re genealogy nuts,” said Goode with a chuckle as Moore nodded in agreement.

There is no charge to do research at the Family History Center on Grandview Avenue, except for a nominal fee for photocopies, and everyone is welcome. Membership or affiliation with the church is not required.

“Genealogy is more than just about who’s who,” said Stokes. “It’s the little things that connect you to family – little things that welcome you home.”

A painting hanging on Stokes’ wall appears in photographs taken at her grandmother’s house.

“I don’t know who the people are in the picture, but I know the painting was in her house and that gives me a connection to the past,” she said. “I think genealogy gives you a sense of where you are and where you belong, just having that connection to those you care about. It helps you figure out where you are going.”

To read more on genealogy, look for “Family Ties” by Roxanne Moore Saucier in the Bangor Daily News every Monday. But hang on to your seats. Time traveling with Roxanne can be quite a trip.

Carol Higgins is director of communications at Eastern Agency on Aging. For information on EAA, call 941-2865 or log on www.eaaa.org.