Anyway, in this dream that he had, (a nightmare for sure), a tornadic wind came along and lifted his house up into the swirling clouds and all the photos and papers that he had faithfully preserved for posterity were scattered. Up until then, the genealogists in his family were his mom, Eunice Tucker Hill-Hall and his sister, Beatrice Meda Hunt.
I wonder what triggered this dream. I know that his mother was always "encouraging" him to become more involved in her family history hobby. And even though, this was before the Internet, my dad loved to hop in the car and travel to various places and meet people. I think Genealogy became a really good excuse for him to take to the highways and byways in search of adventure, family stories, etc.
His natural ability as a story teller was probably also a factor in bringing him round! And he, perhaps, sensed that he wouldn't always have his aging mother around to guide him on this journey.
You have to realize that while not ancient, our home was one of the older remaining edifices in the area. It had been built in 1941-ish or so. In Florida, that is ancient! Anyway, the "old house" is still standing as I write this, but not without a few makeovers, repairs, and general over haulings! For whatever reason or prompting, my dad became The Family Finder! He was to become prodigious in this journey, writing hundreds of letters, visiting libraries and archives, and interviewing perfect strangers.
One of the collections I came across after he passed away was a thick sheaf of death certificates. They were photocopied from the records of Mississippi, his family's stomping grounds. Photocopying back then doesn't translate well 30-40 years later.
At the age of 73, I can barely read my desktop screen; maybe after my cataract surgery...
Anyway, with the aid of a magnifying glass, I hope to be able to preserve the information that I can glean from these priceless pages. Death Certificates are notorious for possible mistakes; the informant may not be related, for example. The informant may be a close member of the family who is upset, grieving, and bombarded with all kinds of issues. Or, the informant might be aged, in poor health, or whatever. It is with a sense of adventure that I am tackling this; actually, with a sense of apprehension, also!
How will I preserve the data? Via Familysearch memories? Or some other vehicle? Or, send as document to family members? What is your suggestion? Should I photocopy the original faded photocopy or just preserve the information?
