We hear about being politically correct. Our choice of words and phrasing comes into question all the time. Is that racist ? Is it offensive to others. It is getting to the point where you are hesitant to write or say anything at all.
Yesterday evening I was working on my family tree. I have an interest in genealogy and subscribe to Ancestry.com. As you may have seen on television, a little leaf will begin to shake when a " hint " is available. I had several shaking leaves and began to investigate them. Clicking on the one for my Great Great Grandmother I find her listed on an official government census schedule.The date is 1880. This schedule is called, " Defective,Dependent or Delinquent Class records. " Doesn't sound very politically correct to me. Further reading I find the description of this record. " Pauper and Indigent Inhabitants of Institutions,Poor Houses, Asylums, or housed at Public Expense in private housing. " Oh my, that is rather blunt. In 1880 they told it like it was !
It was interesting to find Great Great Grandmother, and Great Great Grandfather listed in this schedule. Gr.Gr. Grandfather suffered from rheumatism according to this listing. They were still living together in a private home. I can only assume it was at public expense of some fashion. I will now do further research on just what the program was.
I'm sure you have seen the ads on television. They show people making discoveries about their ancestors. The finds are always about something exciting. Perhaps it is a war story or some accomplishment. So far, that has not been the case with my family tree. Oh, I have found plenty of Veterans, from each and every war, no heroes though. I have gotten a glimpse of their lives,that is true. But, finding your great great grandparents on a list with that title is not fun ! Just goes to show, life has always been tough. I'm positive there was a stigma attached to being on that listing.
I do enjoy making these discoveries. It is always interesting to learn another detail about your ancestors. All those little details add up to give you further clues. Each generation influencing the next. Knowing what those influences were can add insight. The variable is the reaction to those influences. How were their children influenced by their parents circumstances ? Were they ashamed ? Great Great Grandfather had served in the civil war just fifteen years prior to this. There were no veteran benefits at that time. Well, there was one. A widow could file for a pension. My paternal Great Great Grandmother did so and received four dollars and thirty cents a month. Living Vets got nothing.
I will keep investigating those shaking leaves and seeking new branches. What discoveries await ? I think we all hope for the amazing. The reality is normally we find the mundane. The really great stuff we already know about. That is because it was talked about and remembered. The everyday stuff of life is seldom noteworthy.We must also remember that in the past people seldom talked about life's trials and tribulations. It just wasn't done. The deceased were just that, deceased. We don't talk about the dead. Those having hard times were not disparaged, they were helped. Nothing was said, at least not publicly about that. Medical issues were kept private. Attitudes were quite a bit different. We have been influenced, influenced by the past. Another circle in life. I'm hoping we return to that portion of the circle were we had manners and discretion. Compassion in the place of arrogance. We need a little more of that.
Yesterday evening I was working on my family tree. I have an interest in genealogy and subscribe to Ancestry.com. As you may have seen on television, a little leaf will begin to shake when a " hint " is available. I had several shaking leaves and began to investigate them. Clicking on the one for my Great Great Grandmother I find her listed on an official government census schedule.The date is 1880. This schedule is called, " Defective,Dependent or Delinquent Class records. " Doesn't sound very politically correct to me. Further reading I find the description of this record. " Pauper and Indigent Inhabitants of Institutions,Poor Houses, Asylums, or housed at Public Expense in private housing. " Oh my, that is rather blunt. In 1880 they told it like it was !
It was interesting to find Great Great Grandmother, and Great Great Grandfather listed in this schedule. Gr.Gr. Grandfather suffered from rheumatism according to this listing. They were still living together in a private home. I can only assume it was at public expense of some fashion. I will now do further research on just what the program was.
I'm sure you have seen the ads on television. They show people making discoveries about their ancestors. The finds are always about something exciting. Perhaps it is a war story or some accomplishment. So far, that has not been the case with my family tree. Oh, I have found plenty of Veterans, from each and every war, no heroes though. I have gotten a glimpse of their lives,that is true. But, finding your great great grandparents on a list with that title is not fun ! Just goes to show, life has always been tough. I'm positive there was a stigma attached to being on that listing.
I do enjoy making these discoveries. It is always interesting to learn another detail about your ancestors. All those little details add up to give you further clues. Each generation influencing the next. Knowing what those influences were can add insight. The variable is the reaction to those influences. How were their children influenced by their parents circumstances ? Were they ashamed ? Great Great Grandfather had served in the civil war just fifteen years prior to this. There were no veteran benefits at that time. Well, there was one. A widow could file for a pension. My paternal Great Great Grandmother did so and received four dollars and thirty cents a month. Living Vets got nothing.
I will keep investigating those shaking leaves and seeking new branches. What discoveries await ? I think we all hope for the amazing. The reality is normally we find the mundane. The really great stuff we already know about. That is because it was talked about and remembered. The everyday stuff of life is seldom noteworthy.We must also remember that in the past people seldom talked about life's trials and tribulations. It just wasn't done. The deceased were just that, deceased. We don't talk about the dead. Those having hard times were not disparaged, they were helped. Nothing was said, at least not publicly about that. Medical issues were kept private. Attitudes were quite a bit different. We have been influenced, influenced by the past. Another circle in life. I'm hoping we return to that portion of the circle were we had manners and discretion. Compassion in the place of arrogance. We need a little more of that.
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