| Dear Fellow Genealogist,
Put simply, genealogy is all about death.
The obvious reason is that most of our ancestors are dead. And records of death (certificates, obituaries, tombstones and so on) are among the documents most frequently cited by researchers. As such, genealogists are infamous for their love of the macabre.
But genealogy is also about a different kind of death. “We all die twice,” wrote novelist Amelia B. Edwards in 1863. “The first time is when we simply cease to be; the second, when we are forgotten.” It’s our job as family historians to preserve the stories, memories, personalities and heirlooms of previous generations—before they fade away.
Today’s newsletter will help keep your ancestors “alive” by fighting against time. Headlining is an article on a somewhat unusual subject: what not to include in your family archive. Certain items that people often save (newspaper clippings, pressed flowers, etc.) can be toxic, threatening anything near them.
We also include advice for finding two critical records: tombstones (via the database Find a Grave) and death certificates created by a government entity. Both provide evidence of a person’s whole life—not just their final moments.
Raging against the dying of the light,
— Andrew, Editor of Family Tree Magazine
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