http://www.njeffersonnews.com/features/x328562858/Progress-2012-Kermit-Dooley-loves-family-history
“In order to appreciate where you are today, you need to know where you came from and the hardships our ancestors went through.” This isn't the first sentence in the article about Kermit Dooley, but it is, just possibly, the core sentence for the motivation that drives Mr. Dooley in all he does. Read the article to learn of his family history journey. And I do mean "history".
I used to say that genealogists are some of the greatest people in the world to hang out with. I still believe it; I just haven't had the opportunity to do a lot of it in the last five years. I suppose if I were working the historical angle, I would say the same about historians and historical preservation. In actuality, these are not two different fields. Ancestors and history go hand in hand. And when we are focusing on one or the other, we'd best include a consideration of the "other".
I enjoy being among the family history crowd; they're usually trying to dig about the family tree, shake it and see what comes down, or whatever. In doing so, they find themselves visiting historical sites, reading books about historical events, and most especially, trying to figure it all out. Why were the ancestors where they were when they were? How did the actions of one family member impact the other family members?
Well, once again, I'm getting a little off track...and probably making no sense at this point. Hurrah for Mr. Kermit Dooley and hurrah for us; we are on a fascinating and rewarding journey together.
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