For fun: What is your favorite Genealogy Quote?

+16 votes
525 views

Probably many of us have some idea of what drives us to do genealogy, why we think it is important, or just a favorite quote or quip to share.

I found this in reading a book,  The Quiet Game,  by Greg Iles and I would like to share it.

Einstein said the arrow of time flies in only one direction.  Faulkner, being from Mississippi, understood the matter differently.  He said the past is never dead; it's not even past.  All of us labor in webs spun long before we were born, webs of heredity and environment, of desire and consequence, of history and eternity. Haunted by wrong turns and roads not taken, we pursue images perceived as new, but whose provenance dates to the dim dramas of childhood, which are themselves but echoes of consequence, echoing down the generations.

Now that's deep, but I like T-Shirt quotes too.  Please share your thoughts.

 

Lynn Wiggers

 

in The Tree House by Lynn Wiggers G2G6 Mach 1 (18.6k points)

17 Answers

+14 votes

Great question, Lynn!

I love this quote:

"Let them look to the past,

but let them also look to the future;

let them look to the land of their ancestors,

but let them also look to the land of their children."


-- Wilfrid Laurier

by Cynthia Larson G2G6 Pilot (180k points)
Nice.  It reminds me of something my Dad once said "We never own land, we only hold it in trust for our children"
Great quote, Cynthia!  I had not heard that one before.
I like this quote so much because it feels close to the reason I love genealogy and WikiTree so much--connecting back to our ancestors, and also forward in time to the children yet to come
+7 votes
I don't understand genealogy ... my dad and I have different 'genes' ... he wears Levis and I wear Wranglers ... ???
by Bob Jewett G2G Astronaut (1.2m points)
Does your daughter wear Rider  or Lee?
+11 votes
For that is the mark of the Scots of all classes: that he stands in an attitude towards the past unthinkable to Englishmen, and remembers and cherishes the memory of his forebears, good or bad; and there burns alive in him a sense of identity with the dead even to the twentieth generation.

ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON 1894
by Alex Stronach G2G6 Pilot (365k points)
Love that one.   That IS the way of the Scots.   Thanks for sharing.
Genealogists must all have a little bit of Scots in them.
+13 votes
If you shake my tree, all the nuts will fall out.
by Dave Welburn G2G6 Pilot (142k points)
lol - that sure applies to mine :D   

Yet I keep shaking.....
+14 votes
As my wife tells me when I spend too much time on WikiTree of an evening. "They will still be dead in the morning."
by Richard Ryker G2G6 Mach 4 (49.2k points)
One of my favorites as well.
Your wife must talk to my husband, Richard!  I think that is his favorite line.
+9 votes

Some family trees have beautiful leaves, and some have just a bunch of nuts. Remember, it is the nuts that make the tree worth shaking. – Unknown

History remembers only the celebrated, genealogy remembers them all. Laurence Overmire

Families are like fudge... mostly sweet, with a few nuts. Unknown

Where there is a will... there is a genealogist.  Twisted Twigs on Gnarled Branches

 

Sorry - couldn't pick just one :D

by Mindy Silva G2G Astronaut (1.1m points)
Don't apologize for that.  Too awesome.   I hope there are a lot of folks enjoying this as much as I am.
Very much. Best topic yet. Thank you!
+8 votes
"If you find skeletons in your closet, make them dance!!"
by Debbie Parsons G2G6 Pilot (151k points)
+6 votes
I'm going to get aa T-shirt made... I Talk to Dead People
by Lynette Jester G2G6 Mach 8 (85.3k points)
That's really good.   My husband walks by my computer regularly and says "I see dead people".
Everyone talks to the dead. Or they should. And when the dead answer back, that's when they begin to live again.
That is beautiful
I agree, no one is really dead if they are remembered.  What I really love is when I tell them I need info on a certain family, and BOOM!!! I find it. They answered me!!!
My Dad will be telling me things for years to come because I have his DNA!
Haha that Reminds of a line in of those mobster movies.

"Dad says too daughter: ":Your on your peyyth Down da sunny lane dayr,Tamy. Gotcha House,Ya Car,your career, and Ya new born family. But just remeber what's most important,above all Dat!

Daughter Says: What?,Huh?,What could possibly be more important?

Father Says: It's da fact ya got my DNA,which just to make you,ONE-HUNDRED-PERCENT-I-TALIAN.
Oh yeah!! Right now, my Jester cousins and I are working on the finding the DNA test takers of the siblings of my 2nd GGF, Jester-134. We have him, one sister and 2 brothers.  Trying to get the ones we have found to upload to gedmatch, is another story.
+8 votes

FRAGEN EINES LESENDEN ARBEITERS 

Wer baute das siebentorige Theben? 
In den Büchern stehen die Namen von Königen. 
Haben die Könige die Felsbrocken herbeigeschleppt? 
Und das mehrmals zerstörte Babylon, 
Wer baute es so viele Male auf ? In welchen Häusern 
Des goldstrahlenden Lima wohnten die Bauleute? 
Wohin gingen an dem Abend, wo die chinesische Mauer fertig war, 
Die Maurer? Das große Rom 
Ist voll von Triumphbögen. Über wen 
Triumphierten die Cäsaren? Hatte das vielbesungene Byzanz 
Nur Paläste für seine Bewohner? Selbst in dem sagenhaften Atlantis 
Brüllten doch in der Nacht, wo das Meer es verschlang, 
Die Ersaufenden nach ihren Sklaven. 
Der junge Alexander eroberte Indien. 
Er allein? 
Cäsar schlug die Gallier. 
Hatte er nicht wenigstens einen Koch bei sich? 
Philipp von Spanien weinte, als seine Flotte 
Untergegangen war. Weinte sonst niemand? 
Friedrich der Zweite siegte im Siebenjährigen Krieg. Wer 
Siegte außer ihm? 
Jede Seite ein Sieg. 
Wer kochte den Siegesschmaus? 
Alle zehn Jahre ein großer Mann. 
Wer bezahlte die Spesen? 

So viele Berichte, 
So viele Fragen.

 


Brecht, Bertolt (1983). Kalendergeschichten. Reinbek: Rowohlt. Copyright Gebrüder Weiss Verlag, Dreieich (1953).

For all our not so glorious ancestors.

by Helmut Jungschaffer G2G6 Pilot (604k points)
Translation:

QUESTIONS FROM A READING WORKER
Who built the seven-door Thebes?
In the books are the names of kings.
Did the kings drag the boulders?
And that destroyed Babylon several times,
Who built it so many times? In which houses
The gold-shining Lima lived the builders?
Where did the evening go when the Chinese wall was finished,
The masons? The great Rome
Is full of triumphal arches. About who
Did the Caesars triumph? Had the much-sung Byzantium
Only palaces for its inhabitants? Even in the legendary Atlantis
Roared at night, where the sea devoured it,
The Ersaufenden after their slaves.
The young Alexander conquered India.
He alone?
Caesar beat the Gauls.
Did not he at least have a cook with him?
Philip of Spain wept as his fleet
Had gone down. Did not anyone else cry?
Frederick the Second won the Seven Years War. who
Won except him?
Every page a victory.
Who cooked the victory feast?
Every ten years a big man.
Who paid the expenses?
So many reports,
So many questions.


Really love this one.
The kings could not have survived without the ones who cooked their feasts.  They should not be forgotten.
That speaks to the importance of al our ancestors. Great quote, Helmut!
+3 votes
"Traditions in local communities, passed down the generations by word of mouth usually have their basis in fact, so should not be lightly dismissed." --David W. Gale, The Parish Church of Northam
by Martyn Mulford G2G6 Mach 3 (30.1k points)
Interesting.  In my experience, and I'm only speaking from personal experience, people love a good story and can't help embellishing.  So, there is usually a core of truth, so maybe they should not be lightly dismissed, but traditions should be examined carefully.  But then, I'm from the South, where another favorite quote is "Never let the truth stand in the way of a good story"
Family stories (especially very old ones) can be true. Depends on the family. While sadly most have forgotten nearly everything about their origins, leading to embellishments, a few actually have not. At any rate it's (it is) good to verify the stories, in some way, in order to be sure.
+6 votes
Whoever said "seek and ye shall find" was NOT a genealogist.
by Rose Edwards G2G6 Mach 1 (19.3k points)

Matthew chapter 7

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?

10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?

11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.

So this was said by none other than Jesus, the one who raised the dead and was here from the foundation of the World. I think he would qualify as the ULTIMATE GENEALOGIST.

That means "try harder". :P

I love it, I want the t-shirt.
The one who said that had all the answers. Genealogists are the ones left seeking.
Amen Martyn
+8 votes

Why waste your money looking up your family tree? Just go into politics and your opponents will do it for you. – Mark Twain

Genealogy: Where you confuse the dead and irritate the living. – Unknown

My family coat of arms ties at the back....is that normal?

It's 2018... Do you know where your-Gr-Gr-Grandparents are?

Genealogy: Tracing yourself back to better people.

I'm always late. My ancestors arrived on the JUNE flower.

Genealogists live in the past lane.

OK who peed in the gene pool???

by Steven Tibbetts G2G6 Pilot (410k points)
June Flower descendants. Awesome.
Mark Twain has the right idea.  Maybe if I run for office I'll get some help with my brick walls!
+4 votes

For me, it was from being interested in learning and wanting to connect the origins of names and different regions. And my highest interest in educational History. Is the history of Christianity from the first century in Turkey(Asia Minor),Egypt,and Rome too the history of the "Early Anglo-Saxon Christian Conversion" in in the British Isles,(named Briton), And also in Eastern Europe of Scandinavia and Germany.

There is some very interesting things going on during(too be brief and bold) the 1st thousand years A.D. along  those lines of the world and it's ancient History.(obviously...like I said though very brief)

Here:CHURCH FATHERS: Home you can find the grand majority of the Ancient writings from the "Church Fathers" or the "Venerable Saints". A lot of these writings have much great History. And priceless preserved history.

The quote I'm going too put at the bottom is by one one of my favorites among the many ancient.writers "Saint Bede", in a one and only English translation of this work (and  isn't on the above website,but there is a well formatted Ebook version) called "The Reckoning of Time";written by Saint Bede in the years. C.722-C.725;Translated by Faith Wallis,1999,Liverpool University press;Edited by The "Editorial Committee of Liverpool University"(1999):.

''"Eosturmonath has a name which is now translated
‘‘Paschal month’’, and which was once called after a goddess of theirs
named Eostre, in whose honour feasts were celebrated in that month.
Now they designate that Paschal season by her name, calling the joys of
the new rite by the time-honoured name of the old observance"''

The "Editorial Committee of Liverpool University"(1999):.
Sebastian Brock, Oriental Institute, University of Oxford
Averil Cameron, Keble College, Oxford
Henry Chadwick, Oxford
John Davies, University of Liverpool
Carlotta Dionisotti, King’s College, London
Peter Heather, University College, London
William E. Klingshirn, The Catholic University of America
Michael Lapidge, Clare College, Cambridge
Robert Markus, University of Nottingham
John Matthews,Yale University
Claudia Rapp, University of California, Los Angeles
Raymond Van Dam, University of Michigan
MichaelWhitby, University ofWarwick
IanWood, University of Leeds
General Editors:Gillian Clark, University of Liverpool;Mary Whitby,; Oxford
 

 

by Living Smith G2G6 Mach 6 (61.0k points)
edited by Living Smith
Thank you for the Church Fathers site. Lots of reading ahead for me today.
Not a problem glad I could share, that site has a lot. (:
+3 votes
Oh what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to conceive
by Lynn Wiggers G2G6 Mach 1 (18.6k points)
that definitely defines my family "tree"
Personally I love practicing to conceive. It's awesome. Being successful at it raises several "issues" however. LOL
Clever.  Very Clever!!! :-)
+5 votes
Remember me in the family tree, my name, my days, my strife;
Then I’ll ride upon the wings of time and live an endless life.  – Linda Goetsch

History remembers only the celebrated, genealogy remembers them all. - Laurence Overmire

Walking, I am listening to a deeper way. Suddenly all my ancestors are behind me. Be still, they say. Watch and listen. You are the result of the love of thousands. - Linda Hogan (Native American writer)

When visiting a funeral home, wear old clothes, no make-up, and look like you have about a week to live. The funeral director will give you anything you ask for if he thinks you may be a customer soon. - Unknown
by Star Kline G2G6 Pilot (722k points)
+4 votes

From an Article called The Worm (it appears to be out of print) written by THE WORM'S EYE VIEW: EASY DUZ IT

            by Beth Maltbie Uyehara  BUYE@aol.com

"Hi. My name is Beth M. U., and I'm a geneaholic. My story's not a pretty one. I am sharing it here in the hope that it may help others avoid my pitiful fate. If you, too, are addicted to genealogy, I want you to know that you are not alone. There are thousands of us worldwide struggling in the daily battle against this cunning, baffling and powerful addiction.

(rest of the article which is very funny and then:)
 

It may be too late for me. But, science has found that young family historians -- those who are, as yet, only potential geneaholics -- can sometimes stop in time. Answer these questions to see if you are in the early stages of addiction.

* Home: Has genealogical paperwork taken over any room in your house?
* Friends: Is genealogy interfering with your social life? Do people edge away from you at parties when you burst into tears over the 1890 U. S. census?
* Family: Do your relatives' eyes glaze over when you explain your latest research? Do you find dead people more fun than live ones?
* Work: Is genealogy interfering with your job? How many hours of each workday do you spend on the Internet, or checking your RootsWeb e-mails?
* Marriage: Has your spouse ever asked you, "Aren't you done yet? How far back are you planning to go?"
* Health: Are you starting to show the physical and mental signs of geneaholic deterioration, such as red-rimmed eyes, a loss of interest in current events, a shortened attention span
for non-ancestral topics, excessive viewing of the History Channel?

 

by Laura Bozzay G2G6 Pilot (833k points)
+2 votes

I just got this one from Steve Harris

I can’t find my ancestors, so they must have been in a witness protection program!

by Richard Devlin G2G6 Pilot (506k points)

That one still tickles me every time i see it! laugh

Related questions

+4 votes
3 answers
279 views asked Jan 15, 2022 in The Tree House by Eddie King G2G6 Pilot (699k points)
+7 votes
2 answers
219 views asked Jun 3, 2019 in The Tree House by Beulah Cramer G2G6 Pilot (568k points)
+9 votes
9 answers
378 views asked Dec 16, 2022 in The Tree House by David Draper G2G Astronaut (3.6m points)
+25 votes
33 answers
+25 votes
31 answers

WikiTree  ~  About  ~  Help Help  ~  Search Person Search  ~  Surname:

disclaimer - terms - copyright

...