The fate of history and family lineage dwells within the people of the region. It’s the people of an area that restores and strives to pass on the treasures of history and genealogy from one generation to another. North Carolina has been transformed out of a wilderness filled with nature and wonder to the more modernized domain that we all know very well today. To those who seek the historical facts, filled with dates, incidents, paper documents, etc. the course is set to prove this incident happened here and on this day at this time. To those who seek a more personal experience travel a slightly different path. This path allows the ability to capture emotions and feelings that pertains to the historical story. This tradition is as old as North Carolina’s history itself. The art of storytelling dates back to the beginning. Regardless of your personal beliefs, the communication trend from one generation to another initially originated through verbal vocabulary. The story would allow the plot, a climax and a setting to demonstrate and capture feelings in order for those listening to remember the details and know their history.

Discovering your personal family tree is rewarding in itself due to the challenges that are a given when it comes to research. Preserving the data is just as rewarding and greatly cherished for generations to come. More and more hobby genealogists are swept away with the research and put off till tomorrow the thoughts of preserving the information they have already gained. This segment discusses the processes that pertain to the immortality of your work and learning how to research a more pleasurable and personal path with history and genealogy.

A Researcher Must Enjoy The Task Or Risk The Mistake Of Missing The Past

The historical genealogist has a job before them and the job should be met with dedication, commitment and a promise to themselves. Not all researchers seek a complete knowledge of lineage but an objective goal should be set for each person, or group or family members involved with the project. The most important rule reveals the enjoyment of the task. This relates to the title of this segment, The Song Behind The Plow. You need to enjoy your work, just as the farmers of long ago had to find a way to enjoy plowing the fields. When the research is overwhelming or you become frustrated, take a break from it for awhile.

Preservation means action taken to prevent deterioration. The following outline gives tips on how you can preserve your family history.

• Storing Family Pedigree

1. Never store you pedigree online ONLY!! Having an online tree is important and a great tool to share with others, but always have a backup tree on a genealogy gedcom software program. Whichever program you chose, create a backup source just in case the program fails at some point.
2. Store a hard copy of your tree on acid free paper in a protective secure location. If you have future plans for your research, this tip can be very valuable for publishing, donating, gifting, etc.

• Storing Photographs, Family Heirlooms, Books

1. Photographs-Store your negatives in a dark dry area and separate each negative. You can also contact your local library or historical society for more guidelines on restoring photographs and preserving them.
2. Family Heirlooms-Keep an inventory of your heirlooms for insurance purposes and take photos as well. Have items appraised if needed.
3. Family Bibles and Books-I highly recommend contacting your local library for preserving books in your local area. Each climate is somewhat different and assorted rules apply when preserving these items.

Storytelling combined with genealogy and history is a way of passing on your information to the future. There are many different ways in doing this, such as donating your gedcom to a local historical society or library. You can also consider donating your material to the state level, North Carolina State Archives or the National Archives. Either choice you make preserves your genealogy work for future researchers.

To begin your research off of the regular path, you have to create a starting point. An example of this from my own personal records is as follows:

Joshua G Motsinger(1837-1865) Joshua was born in Davidson County, NC to the parents of Felix Motsinger(1783-1872) and Christina Laughenour Motsinger(1793-1883). I traveled to the area of the family farm located on present day Concrete Works Road. The information was translated from the land deed and local citizens of the area. The original house was still standing and additions had been made to it around 1920 per conversations with local residents. Interviews and church records revealed more details on the family during the Civil War. Joshua worked in the mines located near present day High Point. He was never involved with combat but was able to provide for his family of two children and his wife, Elizabeth Smith Motsinger(1841-1905) all during the war years. This information was located with the Civil War Widow’s pension of 1901 and Civil War mine records located at the state archives and county records. The 1901 pension records are usually 5 to 10 pages in length and if you obtain a copy, you will find out many more details about the veteran and the widow’s family. The land was part of the original tract that Felix Motsinger(1727-1791) purchased back in 1763 and family members inherited the property all through the years. To read more about this family in a story format click on the following link, Shadows On The Heart.

As you can see, I have been able to locate a great deal of information about this family which allows everyone to personally experience the joys and sorrows they endured during their lives. This journey allowed me to visit the actual farmland, trace back to church records and much more. Only a few of these records existed online, the majority of the records were located in libraries, county archives of both Rowan and Davidson counties and with church members who stored records. Many personal interviews were conducted with older members of the family and knowledge was also obtained from the Southern Moravian Archives and local newspapers within the area. If you are unable to travel and visit the research area, writing to the local historical societies and libraries will guide you in the correct direction.

No matter how you decide to store or share your pedigree, always know that your family tree is magnificent. Be proud of your discoveries and cherish your journey as you conduct the research. Wishing you all a great adventure while you discover the history and genealogy of North Carolina.