Family Archaeologist—First Blogiversary!

It reads “Heartfelt Good Wishes for your Name Day
Dated November 18, 1910, Josef Gärtz sent this postcard to his sweetheart, Lisi Ebner to arrive on her Names Day, Nov. 19th, 1910

One year ago today I posted the oldest missive in my collection, this sweet postcard sent from my grandfather, Josef Gärtz 
to his sweetheart, Lisi Ebner. (See:  Can Love Last 100 Years?) If you’ve followed along, you’ve learned a lot about their long distance courtship as the letters they wrote from fall of 1910-summer of 1911 persuaded them they must be together, and my grandmother made that fateful trip across the ocean. 

Josef Gärtz, summer, 1910

 Although I officially entered the blogosphere with my first post, introducing Family Archaeologist on November 17th, (click Welcome to Family Archaeologist to see the intro) I like to think of today as the beginning of the story. My goal has been to share my family’s letters, diaries, and original documents, dating back over the past century. My hope was that the stories of this one immigrant family, told in their own words, would find resonance with other readers.

Elisabetha/Lisi Ebner, June, 1910

By entering the genealogy and family history blogging community, I have been amply rewarded with the wonderful blogs I’ve been introduced to and their creative, prolific, and caring writers. I have met bloggers who have inspired me to write my family history, who have impressed me with their intelligent and thoughtful posts, who have introduced me to technologies and techniques to make blogging and family history research simpler, who have opened my eyes to self-publishing outlets, who have shared so generously their knowledge of genealogy research, and  many whose own family histories, documents, and photographs have been beautifully displayed and written about. I’ve been enriched by all of you.

I don’t always get around to visiting as many blogs as I’d like, but I do try to drop by every couple weeks just to see what others are doing and to let them know I appreciate their work. Thanks to all for your wonderful writing and touching stories.

Because I promised myself to post at least once a week, the blog has been my inspiration to look more closely at and really think about the meaning of all these letters and documents my family so carefully preserved over the past century. As E.M. Forster said, “How do I know what I think until I see what I say?” This blog required me to put into words the inchoate thoughts rumbling around in my brain about my family’s past. It has enriched my understanding both of my roots and actually introduced me to family members as they were in their youth. Old, careful souls were transformed into the young, rash, passionate people that existed decades before I was born. 

Thank you to my family for being such pack rats, for not only saving these treasures, but labeling and carefully preserving just about everything  so that my brothers and I can know you as you were—and can share your story with others.