So, you ask - What IS genealogy, exactly?
It's all a matter of personal interpretation. My own attempt to define the word, in an exact sense, has failed, as have all attempts to understand the whys and wherefores. All I know is that - once you begin, you cannot stop. Read on for more.

Websters Definition - ge·ne·al·o·gy
Etymology: Middle English genealogie, from Middle French, from Late Latin genealogia, from Greek, from genea race, family + -logia -logy; akin to Greek genos race.
Date: 14th century
1 : an account of the descent of a person, family, or group from an ancestor or from older forms
2 : regular descent of a person, family, or group of organisms from a progenitor or older form : PEDIGREE (a register recording a line of ancestors)
3 : the study of family pedigrees

The Definition according to "moi" -
Genealogy is the relentless pursuit of seeking ones roots, perhaps one's ancestors, and maybe others. It is the neverending search for "history" or better yet, "family history". It is the documenting of "events and circumstances of how I got where I am today" ergo; "from whence I came".

Genealogy is also about addication, the consumption of time and more important, it's about having fun. If you're not prepared, hang on to your hat, it's going to be a bumpy ride.
I am the first to admit that I suffer from Genealogy Pox. What? You don't know about this affliction? " Click here to open the page in a new window. ". and find out what it is.

Most of us don't care about it...until it's too late. If you have the slightest bit of interest, whether you are young or old, START NOW! Ask your older relatives all of the questions you can about their lives; where did you go to school; when; what was it like; when was the first time you rode in a car; what was the funniest thing that ever happened to you? Nothing is too trivial because it all tells a story. If you ARE the older relative, write it down, do it now, leave something for those that follow you.

Life is short but it can be more valuable if we know how we got to where we are today. This "genealogy" unites people and families and creates a sense of belonging, especially in times when family bonds are so fragile, not as tight as a hundred years ago.

Process - (a natural phenomenon marked by gradual changes that lead toward a particular result).

Genealogy is the process of finding YOUR family tree. It can create bonds and friendships between family members and distant relatives that never before existed. It may leave you with a deep respect and awe for those who came before you, YOUR ancestors. You may uncover a skeleton or two along the way, you may find out things you really didn't need (or want for that matter) to know, but, that's okay, we all have our "skeletons" and rattling some of those old bones may help you shed new light on your own life.

Story - (History; an account of incidents or events; a statement regarding the facts pertinent to a situation in question).

Genealogy tells a story, a sometimes poignant tale of how we got to be here, sharing the same small planet, today. It is an appreciation and a memorial to our ancestors whose lives may have an air of insignificance at the time. Genealogy is a way for us to understand our habits, our features, our traits, even the reason your second toe is longer than your big toe. It helps to explain, and helps each of us to understand, the unique mold from which we were cast, the mold that makes each of us "individuals" (with a few quirks that you might be able to blame on your great great great grandmother).

Fate - (the principle or determining cause or will by which things in general are believed to come to be as they are or events to happen as they do).

Fate is a phenomenon that occurs when looking into the lives of our ancestors. It may not have mattered to them at the time (as it may not matter to you right now). It may have just been their struggle to survive (as each of us struggle to survive in our own way). It is certain, however, that either way, we may not have been here if just one single event in the life of any single one of our ancestors had been done differently or had a different outcome. If just one person made a decision to settle in town A opposed to town B or, for instance, had gone to Germany during WWII instead of Japan, it's most likely you would not be a part of the family you are in, or come from, today.

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Now you know what it is...your own research of your own family history may include:

Ascending Genealogy

The discovery of the ancestors of a single person. The work method is simple: one searches for a person's parents, then his grand-parents, and so on, until you end up back as far as you can.

Family Genealogy

This would include the addition of cousins and other relatives. Some researchers do the genealogy of each member of the family (of all the brothers-in law, the sisters-in-law, aunts and uncles, etc.) and will seek out as many documents as possible on these people (land deeds, published books, photographs, etc.). Others will simply try to discover and collect all the names of this extended family without attempting to seek other details.

Descending Genealogy

This consists of tracing all the descendants of one or more persons; i.e. his children, grandchildren, etc. Some researchers glean all the printed and other recorded materials available at their local library; while the more enthusiastic will try to find all of the original registers in parts of the world where their family name is to be found, as well as the other variations of the name (such as "dit" names like "Pepin dit Lachance") slowly expanding their research to include tens of thousands of people, in addition to the origin of their spouses and in-laws (useful in certain difficult cases but essential to do a thorough job). A few will also include the children of the feminine descendants even though the latter no longer carry the same name.

It's been my decision to "do it all", and it may take me a lifetime and I may never complete it, but it's one heck of a start for the next person to come along and go with it. So, there you have it. That's what these pages are all about, my connections to the world at large...and some other people too.

After all this is my website.