Today, I came across a genealogy website that I think is very interesting. The site, called Their Own Words, is a searchable collection of American books, pamphlets, letters, and diaries from the late eighteenth through the early twentieth century. While not the stuff of pedigree chart research, the contents of this website are very interesting to me because I am very intrigued by the stories of those that have gone before us. In other words, reading family history books and writing stories about family history are my favorite genealogy activities.
The collection is made possible by a collaboration between the Institute of Museum and Library Services of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and Dickinson College’s Dickinson Electronic Initiative in the Liberal Arts. Although the documents in the collection are all related to individuals who have been a part of Dickinson College throughout its history, they are of value to anyone researching ancestors from that locality during that time period because of the “slice of life” type of information that they provide.
Many of the documents in the collection are scans of handwritten originals, and the handwriting, though in many instances flowing and elegant, can be rather difficult to read. It is certainly worth trying though, as the content is very engaging. From the personal diary of a college student to a doctor’s account of the yellow fever epidemic that hit Philadelphia in 1793, these documents transport the reader back in time. It was hard to stop reading each of the documents because they were so interesting. There are many types of documents – political, personal, and otherwise. I even found a fascinating account of the Battle of Gettysburg written by an officer who had fought in it.