One of the most sought after treasures by genealogists, is memory. Not computer memory, although that is nice to have too, but the memories someone shares. When a person tells a story of the past, either vocally or in writing, not only does the family historian get valuable information on events or persons from the past, but they get a unique perspective from the story teller. This colored lens, gives insight into the storyteller, a family historian will find invaluable.

Here is a short narrative given by my grandmother Virginia Abrams Fall. She is describing her maternal grandfather, John Thomas Guthrie:

“Memories of my grandpa are real good ones. He always made me feel loved. He was a great story teller. I used to set on his lap in the cool of the summer evenings in the back yard. He would always have his pipe and he would hum softly or tell me stories. He was very gentle. He had the bluest eyes that could sparkle and dark hair which turned to grey later on. His cheeks were a bright pink and of course being a farmer he was always brown.”

Thank you for reading,

J.R. Lowe