The Gift That Started It All

By Mary Graybill

Originally published on The Leaf on the Tree

My love for genealogy didn't begin with curiosity--it began with love, obligation, and a deep desire to connect across time and distance.

2010 was a whirlwind of chaos and confusion.  I was recovering from my first and second spinal surgeries, when my grandmother was about to turn 90 in the coming year.  I couldn't travel to be with her, but I wanted to give her something meaningful--something that would say, "I'm with you, even from afar."  So I decided to build her family tree: a living tribute to her life and legacy.

I had no idea where to start.  Researching family history felt overwhelming.  But thanks to a dear friend who showed me the ropes--not just Ancestry.com, but how to dig through digital archives and lesser-known sites--I began to uncover the story of her father's lineage.  Bit by bit, I followed the trail of names, records, and ships to where her grandparents came to America.  That project, born of love and circumstance, opened a door I never imagined walking through.

I thought I was just doing it for her--but that simple gesture became the spark of a much bigger journey. 

And I had no idea what was coming next.

In the next post:

I'll share how I went from building one family tree to falling headfirst down a genealogy rabbit hole--thanks to one very vocal mother-in-law and a man named Josiah Kline.