Free Event Helps Discover Family, Ancestors
Clairissa Cooper
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 902 Chinn Chapel Road in Highland Village, will host Family Discovery Day from 9 a.m. to noon Feb 12. The event is free.
The program will include the following topics: using newspapers to unlock the past, solving mysteries with DNA, researching your ancestors using Family Search resources, writing your personal history, conducting oral history interviews, German research, and more. Family history experts will be on hand to assist through a help desk.
Many in the community have experienced success researching their ancestors. Matt, a resident of Trophy Club, was researching ancestors on his mother’s side and wanted to learn more about his great great grandmother, Francesca. He soon discovered she had more siblings than he originally knew about and desired to learn more about them. Records about their immigration from Sicily were difficult to locate, but after utilizing FamilySearch.org and the local family search center, he discovered all 13 siblings and additional family lineage dating back to the 1700s.
Through his research, he connected with a cousin through ancestry.com DNA testing who shared stories about additional family members, which eventually led to him a 96-year-old grandmother he didn’t know about. Matt organized a zoom call with her and additional cousins he hadn’t yet met, including relatives that lived within a 20-mile radius of him that were new connections.
Not only did Matt learn more about his past and new familial ties, but it also helped those connections mend some prior disputes and find peace.
Matt shared, “More importantly, [this research] gave these folks a chance to heal their prior conflict and come back together as a family.”
“Learning more about our ancestors helps to strengthen our identity. This event will help you learn new ways to discover your heritage and learn more about where you come from,” said Randie Sue Neibaur, a family history consultant for the Church of Jesus Christ.
“Come learn the stories of those who came before you. No experience is necessary. There is something for everyone.”
Childcare and family-friendly activities will be provided.
