FAMILY HISTORY: Celebrating Family History Month!

1. “Faith, family, and memories — treasures that time can never erase.”

 Remembering the Days of Old: Celebrating Family History Month

Have you ever found yourself smiling at an old photograph or lingering over a story told by an elder? There’s something sacred about remembering where we came from—those people and moments that shaped who we are today.

October is Family History Month, a time to pause and honor the stories that have been woven into the fabric of our families. Scripture reminds us again and again to cherish the generations who came before us and to pass on their wisdom and faith.

“Remember the days of old, consider the generations long past; ask your father, and he will tell you, your elders, and they will explain to you.” — Deuteronomy 32:7

God calls us to remember. To listen. To ask our elders to share what they know. In doing so, we keep alive the lessons and faith that have sustained our families through the years.

I think back to family gatherings long ago—Sunday dinners, holiday celebrations, laughter echoing through the house. Those moments live in my memory, reminders of love, connection, and the faithfulness of God across time.

Psalm 78:2–8 tells us to teach our children about God’s works so that they, too, may place their trust in Him. Along with sharing the stories of Scripture, we can pass down our own family stories—stories of perseverance, answered prayers, and God’s hand guiding us through every season.

“A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children.” — Proverbs 13:22

That inheritance isn’t just material—it’s spiritual. It’s the faith, love, and character we build and pass along. Each time we share a family story, we’re leaving behind a piece of that legacy.

And Proverbs 22:6 (NIV) reminds us, “Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old, they will not turn from it.” When we help our children understand where they came from—and who (God) has carried us all the way—they grow roots that keep them steady when life changes.

So this month, take time to explore your family’s history. Look through old photographs. Write down your memories. Ask your parents, grandparents, or older relatives to share stories before they’re lost to time. You may be surprised how deeply those stories speak of God’s faithfulness.

Thought to Ponder:
Family stories are sacred threads connecting our hearts to the generations that came before—and to the God who has been faithful through them all.

A Prayer for Family History Month:
Heavenly Father, thank You for the generations before us who paved the way with love, sacrifice, and faith. Thank You for the stories that remind us of Your steadfast goodness through the years. Help us to treasure our family memories and to pass them on with care. May we honor You as we preserve the legacy of faith You’ve written into our families. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Happy Family History Month! May your heart be full as you remember, record, and rejoice in the story God has written through your family.

FAMILY HISTORY: Cherish Your Family Stories

 Since the beginning of time, the harvest has been a season of gathering crops from the fields and getting together with family and friends to celebrate. There are other things to gather this time of year besides our produce. With the holidays approaching and while you are preparing for family gatherings, swing your thoughts to your family history.   

Gathering family stories can be a fun and tantalizing activity. Collecting those tales from yesteryear (or even not so long ago) is something you will treasure. Letters, photos, and cards are pieces of memorabilia that enrich your family history.

Many folks write holiday family letters, happily chattering about their year. These letters are full of family information, so keep them with your research. One winter, my cousin blessed me with a batch of her old family keepsakes. In the collection of goodies were several letters written when a family member passed. One of the sisters included news from their hometown in Indiana and included at great length news of a friend’s wedding. What an endearing historical artifact for me. Here is the first page of the four-page letter my cousin gave to me: 

 

When you have old letters and photos, use the who, what, when, where, why, and how questions to document the details. When you read cards and letters, pay attention to the writer’s handwriting and their way of communication and spelling.

Here is the front page of the letter my 3rd great-grandfather wrote to his children after his beloved wife died. He spells the word 'much' as 'mutch' and 'which' as 'witch.'

If you send holiday cards, explain to your family about your interest in family history and genealogy. Ask them if they can supply answers to missing information and if they have pictures they will share. Share some of your family history information with them. You may be surprised at what you will get in return. 

Another suggestion for your get-togethers, ask your guests to bring a few family photos and the stories that go along with them to share with everyone. Don’t forget to ask questions and write the answers down so you’ll have details later. Think of it as an informal interview.

If you’re seriously savvy, use a recorder to capture every word and phrase of the stories you hear. If you know Great-grandma or Uncle Henry will grace your gathering, write your questions on paper so you won’t forget to ask her during the excitement of the day.

Here’s a neat tip about sharing photos with everyone. To prevent smudging the photos, place them in archival-safe sleeves. If you don’t know who the people are in any of your photographs, consider assigning a number to each photo. If anyone recognizes the people, places, events, and dates, you can easily write that information on your paper with the assigned photograph number. 

One last suggestion about vintage (actually all) photographs: never write on the backs of them. If you absolutely must, use a pencil.  If you use an ink pen over time the ink will bleed through onto the fronts of the pictures ruining them.

Not only during the holidays but at every gathering, enjoy the opportunities to discover your family history. 

 

FAMILY HISTORY: All From a Photo ~ Sacred to the memory of Isaac Haden

 ALL FROM A PHOTO!

In the summer of 2014 my brother and I were canvassing the Rocky Comfort, Missouri, cemetery (he was photographing the headstones and noting the necessary details, while I was recording the stones information). Running across the small headstone, we immediately wondered who “Ike” was. Was his last name “Colored” or was that describing him as a colored person?

 I set out to learn more.

 With the bit of information about him, I researched and found him through the 1880 and 1900 US Federal Censuses online at Ancestry.com. His name was Isaac Haden, born in Arkansas, in 1854 and died July 11, 1908. He was a servant in the Nancy (Farmer) Christian family, who lived there in Rocky Comfort, he was single, and he could not read nor write. Mrs. Christian must have cared for him a great deal, due to the inscription upon the little gray headstone, “Sacred to the Memory of Ike, Colored.”

 A side note: Nancy Christian’s husband, Capt. Robert “Bob” Christian was killed during the 2^nd Battle of Newtonia on October 28, 1864, in Newtonia, MO. He is buried in the Newtonia Civil War cemetery.

Christian is labeled as a “notorious member of the local militia” and a bloodthirsty guerilla who had a gang of followers who plundered the countryside. Christian served under Capt. James Ritchey, son of Matthew Ritchey, built the Ritchey Mansion in Newtonia.

To learn the rest of the story about Christian, follow the links below. Genealogy is an interesting hobby/occupation in which to partake! 

And all from a photo!

https://sites.rootsweb.com/~cappscreek/civilwar/bio/biochristian.html

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/5677195/robert-h-christian