I tend to have a relative that I'm researching and I stick with him/her until I find a clue, a result, an all conclusive fact. It's as if I can't let go. Looking for them, you find the era of time they lived and you familiarize yourself with it. You have so many life scenarios that you hone in on and never know the truth, for it is so long ago. But that's the attachment.


I look for a reason to let go, searching and finding nothing. The frustration, but I don't. I owe them. To honor and give respect to someone I never met. I exist because of them.


In our family there was my grandfather, Eugene Coatland Hairston. Eugene's father was Tipp, and Tipp had a sister named Sallie, but I found that Tipp had more sisters and brother's yet unknown to me. I found Tipp's mother and father, Bob and Betsey Hairston. I never knew Eugene Coatland Hairston, but he is now so much more.


In our family, on my father's side, there was only Frank Boyd. We only knew he had sisters, Mary and Martha, I found out that they were twins and there were more siblings, a family of fourteen children. I found Frank's mother and father, Peter and Parilee Boyd. I now have great grandparents. I knew him, but he is now much more.

Finding and giving relevance to our ancestors, may not be easy but the wealth of information you find enhances who you are. Finding a name is wealth, yes it is!