I began researching my family's history back in August and, with the
help of a few people I found on this site, have gotten back to 1666 in
Scotland.
But and interesting thing has happened as I searched. The years got
closer. Maybe I've become a junkie looking for the next big "hit" ...
another member of the line, 40 years further back in history, but with
all my digging and reading, 1666 didn't seem that long ago to me
anymore.
That all changed last week on a trip to London, surrounded by the rich
history of that burg and standing in Parlament and Westminster it all
started to sink in. Then I happened by The City area of London and saw
the monument to the great fire of London... 1666. When I put my family
history in the perspective of world events, it took on new meaning.
When I got back, I prepared a chart that shows family members against a
history timeline. If you haven't done this, I highly recommend it. Mine
is posted online for you to see if you like, http://www.planetcentral.com/timeline.gif
It has given me a new perspective on my family's history. To know that
my G-G-G-G-G Grandfather was 5 years old and walking around on their
farm in Virginia at the time Mozart was born is just so cool !
Steve