Family History

This file has ideas for collecting and writing your family and personal history. See also Heritage Albums, Genealogy, Journaling and Scrapbooking.

Suggestions to Consider in Writing Your Personal History

(Rebecca B.)

Your ancestors: Your impressions of those your knew personally, a general sketch of those you did not know or perhaps stories from other family members; include your mother, father, grandparents, great grandparents, other relatives.
Your Parents' Life Before You Arrived: Where did they grow up; how did they meet; what was their day-to-day life like?
Your Arrival: When, where surrounding circumstances and conditions.
Your childhood: Playmates, trips, associations with your brothers and sisters, health, diseases, unusual happenings, visitors in your home, visits to grandparents/relatives that you remember, religion in your home, financial conditions.
Your Brothers and Sisters: Names, date of birth, place of birth, accomplishments, your relationship with them-growing up and now-occupations, names of spouses and children.
Your School Days: Schools attended, teachers, coursed studied, special activities, friends, achievements, socials, report cards, humorous situations, who or what influenced you to take certain paths or to do things that you wouldn't have otherwise done, graduation
Your Activities Between School Sessions: Vacations, jobs, social groups, hobbies, tasks at home, church functions, fun and funny situations
Further Schooling: Colleges, courses or vocational schools attended after high school, friends, activities, why you chose certain subjects.
Your Courtship/Marriage: Special dates, best and worst dates, meeting your partner, first impressions, how the question was popped, marriage plans, the wedding, parties, showers and receptions, gifts honeymoon, meeting your in-laws, what influenced you most in your choice of a spouse.
Settling Down: Your first apartment/house, who did you live with? Your first home with a spouse, activities in your day to day life, spats, making ends meet, joys, sorrows, in laws
Your Vocation: Training for your job, promotions, companies you've worked for, salaries, associates, achievements, your own business.
Your Children: Names, dates and places of arrival, health of mother before and after, feedings and thought when you first found out, who you told and how they reacted, how father fared, characteristics, habits, smart saying and doing, firsts, growing up, accomplishments, likes, dislikes, hobbies, schooling, accidents, sickness, marriage, vocations
Your Civic/Political/Religious Activities: Interests, beliefs, values, positions held, services rendered, clubs, groups you've belonged to, associates and friends.
Your Interests: Hobbies, sports, dramatic and musical activities, reading habits, travels, favorite songs, movies, books, writers, poems, etc.
Your Plans and Hopes for the Future:
Your Encouragement and Counsel to Descendants: Your hopes for them, family traditions, and activities, your feelings about them, your ideas and values that you hold dear.
Hints on Writing Your Life Story: Tell your story plainly and with directness. Write truthfully. Include uplifting inspiring experiences and occurrences or feeling that are sad. Remember to include the "everyday" which you might take for granted. Humor helps to make for easier reading. Include news clippings, top songs, or movies from the particular time and which ones you liked and disliked, or your thoughts and feelings on them. If you can give the why of your decisions or situations, it will help other to better understand you. Illustrate as many pictures as possible.

Collecting Your Family's History

Scrapbooking is not just a craft. It's about preserving our family history and trying to collect as much past history as we can to preserve it. In the end these written memories are at least as valuable as the photos and maybe even more valuable.

This list of questions is a valuable resource for collecting your family's history. At your next family gathering take this list and interview your family members. You can go through the entire list in one sitting or break it up into several sessions. You may want to audio or video tape the session for an additional record of the conversation that will include the emotions of the story teller.

These questions was mostly compiled by Joanne Todd Rabun. I (Denny Davis) edited it and added things from other sources. Before printing it you may want to change it to better fit the person you plan to interview. Some of the questions apply to people born in the early 1900's.

What is your full name and why were you named it?
Were you named after somebody else?
Did you have a nickname as you were growing up?
---if you did, what was it and why did they call you that?
Have you had other nicknames as an adult?
What do family members call you now?
What do you know about your families surname?
---alternate spellings
---country of origin
Where were you born and when?
Do you remember hearing your grandparents describe their lives?
---what did they say?
What were the names, birth dates and places, marriage dates and places and occupations of your grandparents?
Did you know your grandparents well and were you especially close to any of them?
Do you remember your great-grandparents?
---What do you know about them?
What were the names, birth dates and places, marriage dates and places and occupations of your grandparents?
Did you know your grandparents well and were you especially close to any of them?
Did your family keep in touch with distant relatives?
Did your family have frequent reunions and get-togethers?
Did your parents, grandparents or great-grandparents come from a foreign country?
What family stories have you been told about your countries of origin?
Who was the oldest person you can remember in your family as a child?
---what do you remember about them?
Whom did you most admire when you were young and why (both in your family and in public life)?
Did you choose someone to pattern your life after -
if so who and why?
What was your position in the family - oldest, youngest, middle, etc.
Were there any advantages or disadvantages of that position?
Did you get along with your siblings as a child?
Did you have a close relationship with your siblings as an adult?
Do you remember your family discussing world events and politics?
How did you get your mail - and how often?
What were your duties and responsibilities as a child?
Was there a chore you really hated doing as a child?
Did you get an allowance - or did you earn your own spending money?
Did you contribute to the family income?
Who did the cooking, cleaning, ironing, washing dishes, laundry, etc?
Did your mother work outside the home?
What did your father do for a living?
Were your clothes store bought or sewn at home?
Who taught you to cook and when?
Did you learn to sew, crochet, knit, embroider, etc.
- if so who taught you?
Did you ever learn the mechanics of a car - if so who taught you?
How is the world now different from what it was like when you were a child?
What are your opinions on the following changes or inventions:
- the proliferation of consumer goods like freezers, dishwashers, clothes dryers, TVs, cars, etc.
- the changes in fashion - clothes, makeup, etc.?
- the revolution in transportation and communication?
- the struggle for political and civil equality?
- the breakthroughs in medicine and longer life span?
- the technological advances like computers, internet, email, etc.
What do you think has been the greatest advance or invention in your lifetime?
Is there anything that has caused you concern through most of your lifetime?
What do you see as the greatest concern for the state of the world today?
What kinds of books did you like to read?
Do you remember having a favorite nursery rhyme or bedtime story?
---what was it?
Do you ever remember not having enough food to eat because times were hard for your family?
What were your favorite toys and what were they like?
What were your favorite childhood games?
Did you have any hobbies or collections?
How did your family spend its evenings?
What did Saturday mean to you?
Where did you live as a child - farm, city, small town, etc.?
Describe the houses you lived in as a child.
What other buildings were on the same property?
Did you have a yard, a fence, a swing, trees, etc.
If you moved as a child tell when and why and how you felt about it.
Did you have a room of your own or did you share it with someone else?
Did you eat in the kitchen or the dining room? - what about when you had company?
How was your home heated?
How did you keep cool in summer - go barefoot, etc.?
What did you wear in winter to keep warm?
Do you remember any blizzards, tornadoes or floods?
Do you remember ever not having electricity? - if so when did you get it?
Did you ever use candles or kerosene lanterns?
Do you remember ever not having indoor plumbing? - if so when did you get it?
How often and where did you take a bath before you got indoor plumbing?
Do you remember ever not having a refrigerator?
Where did your family get water - and was it plentiful?
Did your family have a garden - and who took care of it?
Did your family have fruit trees?
What vegetables and fruits were canned or preserved and who did it?
What were your schools like? (location, size, etc.)
How did you get to school?
What was your favorite subject in school and why?
What subject in school was always the easiest for you?
What was your least favorite subject in school and why?
What recreation was provided or allowed during recess?
Who was your favorite teacher and why were they special?
How do your fellow classmates from school remember you best?
What school activities and sports did you participate in?
Were you ever given any special awards for your studies or school activities?
What kind of grades did you get?
How many years of education have you completed?
Do you have a college degree?
---if so, what was your field of study and why did you settle on it?
Did you like school?
What did you like the most and the least about it?
What did you usually wear to school?
---describe it.
What special holiday traditions did you family have?
How did you spend Christmas - did you decorate a tree, exchange gifts, visit relatives, attend church, etc.?
Do you remember any special 4^th of July celebrations?
How was your birthday usually celebrated - gifts, cake, party, etc.?
Did your family entertain often?
Were there any fads during your youth that you remember vividly?
Did you and your friends have a special hangout where you liked to spend time?
---where was it and what did you do there?
Did you ever learn to swim, attend a taffy pull, make popcorn balls, etc.?
Name a good friend that you have known for the longest period of time?
---how many years have you been friends?
Has there ever been anyone in your life that you would consider to me your kindred spirit or soul mate?
---if so, who were they and why did you feel a special bond to them?
How old were you when you started dating?
Do you remember your first date?
---describe the circumstances.
How did you meet the person that you would later marry?
---describe them?
Do you remember where you went on the first date with your spouse?
How long did you know them before you got married?
Describe your wedding proposal.
When and where did you get married?
Describe your wedding ceremony.
---who was there?
Did you have a honeymoon?
---if so, where did you go?
What was your first home like and how often did you move?
How would you describe your spouse?
What do (did) you admire most about them?
How long have you been married (or were you married)?
What wise advice would you give to a grandchild on their wedding day?
How did you find out that you were going to be a parent for the first time?
How many children did you have all together?
What were their names, birth dates and birthplaces?
Do you remember anything that your children did when they were small that really amazed you?
What is one of the most unusual things that one of your children did regularly when they were small?
What was the funniest thing you can remember that one of your children said or did?
If you had it to do all over again, would you change the way you raised your family?
---how?
What did you find most difficult about raising children?
What did you find most rewarding about being a parent?
Did you spoil any of your children?
---how?
Were you a strict or lenient parent?
Did you find that you had to treat each of your children differently?
---if so, why?
How did you first hear that you were a grandparent?
---how did you feel about it?
What advice do you have for your children and grandchildren?
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
What was your first job?
What kinds of jobs have you had?
How did you decide on your career?
Did you make enough money to live comfortably?
How long did you have to work each day at your job?
How old were you when you retired?
What were the hardest choices that you ever had to make?
Do you feel like you made the right choices?
Who was the person that had the most positive influence on your life?
---who were they and what did they do?
Is there a person that really changed the course of your life by something that they did?
---who were they and what did they do?
Do you remember someone saying something to you that had a big impact on how you lived your life?
---what was it?
What wars have been fought during your lifetime?
---how did you feel about them?
If you served in the military, when and where did you serve and what were your duties?
If you served in the military, were you ever injured in the line of duty?
---what were the circumstances and what were your injuries?
How would you describe yourself politically?
Are you Conservative or Liberal and why?
What United States President have you admired the most and why?
As you see it, what are the biggest problems that face our nation?
---how do you think they could be solved?
Where have you lived as an adult?
List the places and the years that you lived there.
Why are you living where you are today?
Do you wish you lived somewhere else?
---if so, where would it be?
How tall are you?
What color was your hair as a young child and then as an adult?
What color are your eyes?
Describe your general health.
What major illnesses or health problems do you remember having?
Do you have any health problems that are considered hereditary in nature?
---if so, what are they?
What do you do regularly for exercise?
Have you ever been hospitalized?
---if so, what for?
Have you ever had surgery?
---if so, what for?
Have you ever been in a serious accident?
Has anyone ever saved your life?
---describe.
Have you ever saved anyone else's life?
---describe.
Have you ever been the victim of a crime?
---what happened?
Do you have any bad habits now or in the past?
---what were they?
If you could change something about yourself, what would it be?
Have you ever had an experience that you would consider to be super-natural or psychic?
Did you ever know something was going to happen before it actually did? --What was it?
What do you usually dream about?
What church, if any, do you attend regularly?
What church did you attend regularly as a child?
Describe your religious beliefs.
Do you believe in an after life?
Do you have a general philosophy of life?
What was the most stressful experience that you ever lived through?
What helped you get through it?
What is the scariest thing that has ever happened to you personally?
What kinds of musical instrument(s) have you learned to play?
Would you consider yourself creative?
What things have you made that others have enjoyed?
How would you describe your sense of humor?
What is the funniest practical joke you ever played on anyone?
What activities have you especially enjoyed as an adult?
What are your hobbies?
What did you like to do when you were not working?
What is the most amazing thing that has ever happened to you?
What is the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to you?
Have you ever met any famous people?
---describe what happened.
What organizations and groups have you belonged to?
---including groups as a child like scouts or 4-H.
Have you ever won any special awards or prizes as an adult?
---what were they for?
Describe a time and place when you remember feeling truly at peace and happy to be alive.
---where were you and what were you doing?
What is the most beautiful place you have ever visited and what was it like?
What is the longest trip that you have ever gone on?
Where did you go?
What has been your favorite vacation?
---where did you go and why was it special?
What was the favorite place you ever visited and what was it like?
Did you ever travel on a train?
---where did you go and who were you with?
When did your family acquire its first car?
---what was the make and how much did it cost?
When did you learn to drive and who taught you?
What pets have you had?
Do you have a favorite story about a pet?
---what is it?
Did your family own a horse and were you allowed to ride it?
Did your family raise hogs, chickens, cows, etc.?
What kind of meat did you eat and how often; did you slaughter your own animals?
Did you make your own butter or cheese?
Did your family sell butter or eggs?
Did your family plant crops and did you help with the farm work or chores?
Is there anything you have always wanted to do, but haven't?