Good idea for a family history book

[Soapweed]

My mother's dad was born in 1898. He had six brothers and two sisters. In about 1986, a wife of one of the brothers decided to compile a family history. She wrote letters and gave notice to all the extended family members that this book was in progress. She financed the whole endeavor herself, and she made the details quite clear. If you wrote a story for the book, you got a free book when the project was completed. If you didn't write a story, you didn't get a book; it was that simple. The plan worked, and just about everyone wrote a story of their family memories. The book is called THE ANDERSONS REMEMBER, and it went to press in 1987.

The finished family history book is a treasured keepsake, and I thank Elizabeth Anderson for her great idea and the fortitude to see that it was accomplished.

[Northern Rancher]

A friend of mine has a huge extended family and they did a book. They were in that are around Kansas and Missouri before they headed north-some of the stories from around the Civil War are pretty hair raising. He had a cousin several times removed looked just like him back then. I found an old portmaneau in the attic last year when I was insulating it-it was full of letters back and forth from Canada to Scotland-I found the ones telling of war deaths and sickness poignant-I can't imagine finding out your only sister had died two months previous. Letters my Dad wrote home from basic training were pretty funny too-I guess with e-mail etc this link with history will probably be lost.

[nonrancher]

What a wonderful idea to have all the relatives add to the book. My big regret is that I didn't write down when my older relatives told stories of their lives.
I didn't start writing down my parents recollections until they began to get confused. Sad to lose all that history by sheer neglect!

[leanin' H]

My Aunt, Ann Alloway, built a great book called Western Utah Memories. She tells about ours and the neighboring ranches. The story starts with my great, great grandparents and goes through my generation. It is truly a treasure. The photos, stories and history are irreplaceable. As more of our older folks pass, we lose so much if they havent recorded thier life stories and amazing experiences. If you have the chance, pay any price, type till your fingers bleed, do what ever it takes to make it happen. The life we live is and will always be, because we are able to follow in the footsteps of those who went before and sacrificed so much. God bless em' and what a priviledge we are given to call them FAMILY!!!!

[Kato]

Family history is my favourite obsession. I've been working on mine for years, and don't intend to ever call it complete.

We were at a family reunion last summer where my cousin handed out a piece of paper to everyone there, including the kids, and told them to write a quick story about themselves. It was brilliant. We learned things about family members that we would never have found out otherwise. I got him to give me copies which I will keep with all my other family stuff. In years to come these stories will be priceless.