Who’s Who in the Family

Many of your personal stories contain family members which are mentioned from time to time. Some have their individual stories while others may play minor rolls for now. You may have referenced a particular grandmother or favorite uncle often. Have you clearly stated which grandmother or uncle? Do you find yourself repeating the connection in other stories? Are there relatives you have not mentioned?

This may be the perfect time to create a family directory to clarify who’s who and to ensure everyone has at least some small part in your memoirs.

This directory can include each member of your immediate family as well as your aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents. You may choose to go back as far as you can with family members, even if you do not write stories about every individual.

Write a short paragraph for each person, recording their occupation, interests, and hobbies. Include their relationship to you and to other family members (i.e., the wife or husband of…). Give any dates of birth, death, burial, and marriage as well as the location of each where possible. In what town or part of a town did they resided or, if living, where?

You may wish to add something personal regarding your relationship with each person. This could be how close you were, what you remember most, what traditional activity you did with them.

No doubt this can be a writing that is continuous as you may wish to add more ancestors or to include new family members added through birth or marriage.

Consider placing this directory in the back of your compiled stories or as an appendix.


Enjoy,
Emily
“Memoing” My Memories
Topic 301: Who’s Who in the Family
©Aulicino, 21 Jun 2010