Have you talked to every possible relative who may have information or know something about your family history? If you think you are the last person in your family, are you really the last one? You may be…but it’s possible you are not as well.
The list of people of whom you can ask questions starts with parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents. If they are not alive, do they have any siblings (full, half, or step)? If there are no siblings, do they have any first or even second cousins to whom you can reach out? Any of these individuals may know something of your family history, have access to pictures or family history ephemera, or remember information about your closer family members.
This also applies to a lesser degree to individuals to whom you are related only by marriage and not biologically.
It’s also important to remember that it’s not just the older generations that may be able to help you. Your own first or second cousins–even (gasp!) younger than you–may have information of which you are unaware or family history ephemera that passed down to their branch of the family.
No responses yet