| My mother's family is very large. She is the | | | | for their children as well as several of their |
| youngest of ten children and many of her siblings | | | | marriage certificates. The priest was very helpful |
| have large families. About every five years they | | | | in making copies of things for me and he was |
| have a family reunion. When I was in college I | | | | quite interested in the project. He asked to see a |
| was taking a genealogy course for my major. | | | | copy of the family tree when I had it completed. |
| One of the assignments was to make a family | | | | I was also taking a sociology class at the same |
| tree. My father also has a large extended family, | | | | time and had to do a history of an area. I decided |
| however they do not get together as often and | | | | that I would combine the two projects and do a |
| so I do not know as many of the first cousins. I | | | | history of the area where my mother and I grew |
| decided that I would make a family tree for my | | | | up. |
| mother's side of the family. | | | | I also went on line and to the local historical |
| I met with my mom to get as much basic | | | | society to gather additional information in order to |
| information as possible. My mother grew up on a | | | | make a family tree and gather facts about the |
| farm in a very small town. She was baptized and | | | | first settlers in the area. I spoke to the professor |
| married in the same church. After she married | | | | in the genealogy class and asked if I could include |
| my dad they bought a farm close to the same | | | | the history of the area along with the family tree |
| small town so each of her children were also | | | | for extra credit. She thought that this would be a |
| baptized and married in the same church. Several | | | | great idea. I compiled the first project. To make a |
| of her siblings had also settled in this same area | | | | family tree I found a basic outline to follow then |
| to raise their families. I decided to meet with the | | | | added in facts about the area that the family |
| local priest to look through the church records to | | | | grew up in. It was a fun project and I also |
| obtain information to make a family tree. The old | | | | included a map that showed where my mother's |
| record books were fascinating to go through. The | | | | family lived in relation to my father's family. I |
| old records were hand written in beautiful | | | | thought that in the future I could make a family |
| calligraphy. I found the marriage certificate of my | | | | tree of my dad's side of the family as well. |
| grandparents as well as the baptismal certificates | | | | |