Genealogy started for me at about the age of 4 at a family reunion in Hartford, Connecticut. My mother's 7th great-grandfather was George Stocking, one of the founders of Hartford. The Stocking family is large and we had a massive family reunion there in 1986. I remember the exact moment I became enthralled with genealogy:
My family went to the Ancient Burying Ground in Hartford to visit the graves of our ancestors dating back to the 1640s. Not only did we find their beautiful old graves nestled in between the modern buildings of a bustling city, we also found the Founders Monument. If you are a Stocking descendant or want more information about the founders of Hartford, Connecticut here are some good links:
http://www.foundersofhartford.org/sites/
http://www.cslib.org/foundhtfd.htm
I may have been only four but a learned some valuable lessons. 1. Start with your family. You'll be surprised with what you find. In my case there was an entire database. My uncle was instrumental in the computer programming to put together the book.
2. Nothing beats actually being at the physical location.
Next post I'll expand more on using family members as primary sources.
The photograph to the right is a picture of my maternal grandparents, Helen (Kacvinsky)Stocking and Andrew Stocking at the Stocking reunion in Hartford in 1986.
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