Retirement Hobby: Genealogy

by Regina
(Dayton, Ohio)

I retired last year, after working for a solid forty years for the same gas company. All four of my children have grown up and started families of their own.

I had always been interested in what my father had done during World War 2, so I began to research what he had done.

After visiting the National Archives and learning quite a bit more than I had thought I could, I began researching his family, my grandparents and aunts and uncles.

From there, my love of genealogy has sprung.

Using various websites and visiting state houses, I have been able to discover who the first of my family was that reached the states. Sans the cost of travel, this hobby has not cost me much. A few printer costs at archives and subscription costs to the websites I use. I have paid a few people for items they have sent me from the family.

I don't keep a journal, play bridge, nor create cards for friends. The only antiques I "collect" are family heirloom.

Wendy - Wish this had a few more details on how retirees can do this research.. but I did find the National Archives link to explore Veteran's records, as well as our nations historical records.

Looks Interesting!

Comments for Retirement Hobby: Genealogy

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family tree
by: joyce

I love tracing my family history with a lot of help whether its true or not. It keeps my mind occupied and its very interesting knowing were my ancesters came from.
Genealogical research as hobby
by: Anonymous

I followed my father around at family reunions. He was their historian and I learned a lot that stayed in the back of my mind.

When a newly retired brother-in-law started researching his family I became very interested. At the same time the lost records of my father were suddenly handed to my brother.

Three families set off to trace roots from Ontario, to Upper New York, and Pennsylvania. On the last day of that trip in PA, I fell and broke my hip.

After an operation and a rough trip home I got a friend to put my new genealogical record programme into my computer.

I could stand, sit in my computer chair and work away. I now have almost 9000 names in my chief family, including the parents of many spouses and have written a 371 page history with one hard copy to go into the archives in the area where the first pioneer settled in Ontario.

I have co-operated, mostly by e-mail with numerous other researchers. I have also written a much smaller history about my grandmother's own family and for the genealogical society another family that I had to research to understand hers.

My husband's family is French Canadian and it has been well documented by others. I am still collecting material for my mother's family.

It has been great fun and very recreational in periods when my bad leg was giving trouble (four operations). I also did a memory book for my siblings.

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