Since most genealogy software can now generate timelines, I thought it would be fun to dig a little deeper into the 
current events of my ancestors’ lives. What a great blog topic!
For example, my great-grandmother, Ella Snow, was born on 19 March, 1857. She shares a 19 March birthday with Western artist Charles Russell (1864), lawman Wyatt Earp (1848), and orator William Jennings Bryant (1860). Ella’s husband, James Hendrickson, died on her birthday in 1929.
A few days before Ella’s birth (6 March), the U.S. Supreme Court handed down the Dred Scott decision—effectively excluded Blacks from rights of citizenship under the Constitution. I bet that was a topic for discussion around the dinner table.
And, on Ella’s 8th birthday, Confederate General Joseph Johnston made a last-ditch attempt to stop Sherman’s drive through the Carolinas, at the Battle of Bentonville, North Carolina.
During Ella’s lifetime, Queen Victoria ruled England, the Homestead Act opened the west, the Russians sold Alaska, Custer was killed at the Little Bighorn, a hurricane killed 8,000 people in Galveston, Halley’s Comet appeared, the Titanic sank, millions died in a flu epidemic, and Wilbur and Orville climbed into their little plane down at Kitty Hawk.
What history she saw!
As 21st century genealogists, we need to understand the forces that impacted our ancestors’ lives. How better to do that than by searching the day-to-day events they would have discussed with the neighbors.
You might also like:
- What Happened During Your Ancestors’ Lifetimes?
- Placing Your Ancestors in Historical Context
- Genealogy and the Civil War Resources
- Be My Genealogy Valentine
- Preserve Family Memories With Today’s Scrapbook Resources
