An Introduction to Our Genealogy Activities

Genealogy… just what does that term mean? Nearly everyone has some idea what this term means, a bunch of dry old stuff about our ancestors that has little relevance to our life today, right? WRONG!

The dictionary defines “genealogy as:

1. a record or account of the ancestry and descent of a person, family, group, etc.
2. the study of family ancestries and histories.
3. descent from an original form or progenitor; lineage; ancestry.

As true as all these statements are, they offer so little in the way of the real illumination that the study of one’s ancestors can bring to the lives of all of us. Who am I? Why am I the way I am; why are my eyes blue, my hair red (or, perhaps, non-existent); why do I like math, how long can I expect to live, and on and on and on…

And the obvious answer to all these questions lie in our genetic make-up (i.e. the DNA we inherited from our ancestors) combined with how and where we were raised – this is the old “nature versus nurture” question that’s kept generations of young folks awake late into the night, arguing the merits of either of these variables. But the obvious answer is BOTH of these elements are critical to answering the questions about the “why am I the way I am”. Most of us have a pretty good idea of how and where we were raised since, after all, we lived through the process. But what about the influences of our inherited genetic make-up, passed down to us through all the generations that came before us? This is where the importance of genealogy comes into play. The more we can learn about our ancestors, the more we learn about the “nature” component of answering the question “why am I the way I am”.

This is the very reason CDS-NorAm is expanding our support to those of our members who wish to dip their toe into the pond of their past. If you are an active member of CDS-NorAM, you’ll be able to peek under the cover of our Enhanced Genealogical Topics in the Members Only area and discover tips about how to get started on your journey into the past, perhaps get some help on a particularly vexing trouble area you’ve bumped into, learn about the Davidson DNA Project (open only to those whose surname is Davidson or Davison), and even see some archived family trees, or, perhaps, upload your family tree. All these enhancements are open to ANY member of CDS-NorAm, regardless of what surname you bear. If you are not a member of CDS-NorAm, you can learn how to join at the Membership/Renewal menu.

So, come join us as we start this exciting journey, discovering the secrets of your ancestors!