tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641680.post3594946769809346266..comments2024-03-13T21:06:16.936-04:00Comments on Olive Tree Genealogy Blog: Are Genealogists Desensitized to Horrors and Tragedies?Olive Tree Genealogyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02381110998759242462noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641680.post-47890123985684708972012-08-27T16:05:58.330-04:002012-08-27T16:05:58.330-04:00Just one point - this James Martin was a coastguar...Just one point - this James Martin was a coastguard - the James Martin at the Red Lion actually died in 1844Keithnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641680.post-78349522521127944882011-03-01T14:16:56.593-05:002011-03-01T14:16:56.593-05:00Fascinating concept. I think all historians, genea...Fascinating concept. I think all historians, genealogists included, have to detach themselves when doing research.<br /><br />If we were emotional wrecks all the time, nothing would ever get done, I suppose.Geni Granthttp://geni.com/blognoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641680.post-60135616857312935772011-02-27T09:30:38.963-05:002011-02-27T09:30:38.963-05:00When I am indexing from newspapers, I almost alway...When I am indexing from newspapers, I almost always will read all newspapers in our area for the same year and/or time frame so I see/read the same story eight or nine times. There are times I hope no one writes for a specific obituary or a story, as they are difficult to read when I'm not related to them. For me the more difficult ones are the stories that involve those still living - the Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641680.post-49969737222858067762011-02-27T07:06:32.235-05:002011-02-27T07:06:32.235-05:00LOL! When I read "Desensitized" I was im...LOL! When I read "Desensitized" I was imaging all kinds of hand sanitizers being used. LOL! But I am right there with many... I immediately think, "NO WAY! They are gonna love this story!" I am not sure that is the genealogist in me or the historian in my husband, but we come together loving these kinds of stories with our ancestors. I feel the same way about finding a Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641680.post-86806321217255081482011-02-26T20:43:28.103-05:002011-02-26T20:43:28.103-05:00I have always encouraged the storytelling of our a...I have always encouraged the storytelling of our ancestor's lives and not just a rendition of the facts. It was my goal when writing my family history to make my ancestors real, human and I wanted the compassion of the reader. When my family sent me emails telling me they laughed and cried I knew I had successfully reached my goal and portrayed my ancestors in the most respectful, Lynn Palermohttp://www.thearmchairgenealogist.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641680.post-48316249811759929542011-02-26T18:51:14.868-05:002011-02-26T18:51:14.868-05:00I am really enjoying reading the comments you have...I am really enjoying reading the comments you have all left. I am still questioning though whether or not it is truly possible to internalize all that emotion from every ancestor's tragic death. If we feel each death deeply would it not be too overwhelming and make it too difficult for us to carry on as genealogists? <br /><br />When I worked with abused children I had to distance myself and Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09926182544340534481noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641680.post-1316053265894402172011-02-26T18:06:15.782-05:002011-02-26T18:06:15.782-05:00I don't think I am desensitized, but I am fasc...I don't think I am desensitized, but I am fascinated by certain stories and what I have learned has led me to be amazed that many of my ancestors lived as long as they did, considering how dangerous their lives could be. I do admit to being excited by the records tragedies leave in their wake, but I always find myself reflecting on such incidents and being thankful for what I have.Missy/Bayside Research Serviceshttp://www.baysideresearchservices.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641680.post-49408903820017848752011-02-26T12:23:56.228-05:002011-02-26T12:23:56.228-05:00I agree with Jen that I too became more sensitive ...I agree with Jen that I too became more sensitive to this sort of thing after I became a mother. It's amazing how motherhood changes a person. I am most sensitive to reading these kinds of stories about children. Whether it happened 5 years ago or 300 hundred years ago I am still horrified. I don't have quite as much trouble with adults. But these sorts of events are somewhat Marianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04738104230962644360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641680.post-48097440080075917392011-02-26T12:10:47.523-05:002011-02-26T12:10:47.523-05:00Here is another tragedy found in my family researc...Here is another tragedy found in my family research. The widow,I later discovered, was 5 months pregnant at the time. A sad sad story. A sense of empathy helps !<br /><br />An accident, resulting in sudden death saddened the hearts of the people in the vicinity of Minden Village, on friday last, 7th, 1875instant. William Taylor, renting and working the saw mill on Gull River, near this village Terry Loucks U.E.https://www.blogger.com/profile/01393026824026440347noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641680.post-31885041770620004652011-02-26T11:39:31.189-05:002011-02-26T11:39:31.189-05:00I don't think genealogists are more or less de...I don't think genealogists are more or less desensitized to horrors and tragedies than any other group. It's part of human nature to be drawn to the gory. For genealogists, we get excited about horrific events in part because they tend to cause the creation of good records! In some ways, I think that genealogists are much more in tune with the circle of life (if you want to call it that).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641680.post-54347899564046980472011-02-26T11:36:22.700-05:002011-02-26T11:36:22.700-05:00If anything, I think my research has made me more ...If anything, I think my research has made me more sensitive to the aftereffects of events - not just horrors and tragedies, but even family alienation in the aftermath of lawsuits, etc. We can often trace the effects of those events - I have seen members of what was once a well-off family working in a laundromat on the 1930 census, most likely the result of the Depression.Greta Koehlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05429623811794360612noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641680.post-86328363330575240202011-02-26T11:01:41.743-05:002011-02-26T11:01:41.743-05:00This is a really interesting question. I find that...This is a really interesting question. I find that the more time that has passed since the event, the less sensitive I am to it. But, I do try to remind myself that this was an actual person, whose family had to deal with a tragedy. Still, it is great to have these kinds of details to add to a family's history, awful though they may be. They remind those who will read our research that we areAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08001528364923493538noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641680.post-24129841566190736662011-02-26T10:29:50.963-05:002011-02-26T10:29:50.963-05:00Honestly, I think I was more desensitized before I...Honestly, I think I was more desensitized before I had children. I used to be more interested in just the facts but now I consider how events must have affected the family and others involved.<br />And today when I discover the deaths of children under any circumstances, I am particularly saddened. I recently found the only child of one relation died in infancy. I am quite possibly the only JenShttp://www.jenasmart.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641680.post-92200391634688155392011-02-26T10:06:25.025-05:002011-02-26T10:06:25.025-05:00There are a number of tragic deaths I have found o...There are a number of tragic deaths I have found out about, mostly through records although a couple of the later ones were remembered by family and told to me by a family member. Several suicides, several murders. They are really fascinating because we can't really know all the circumstances surrounding the event and I have to admit they ARE exciting to find out about because it's not Lisa Wallen Logsdonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13003873811444854964noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641680.post-76874227544208952522011-02-26T09:38:31.062-05:002011-02-26T09:38:31.062-05:00For my research purposes, the sensational deaths t...For my research purposes, the sensational deaths that get good press have provided some great leads. I appreciate that part of the information, but always have reflection about how that may have affected the people that I am reading about.Kathleen Rileyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13559616478062179820noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641680.post-14796946644579825392011-02-26T09:23:56.495-05:002011-02-26T09:23:56.495-05:00Lisa I'm glad to hear that. I'm afraid tha...Lisa I'm glad to hear that. I'm afraid that my first reaction is invariably "Oh wow that's so cool!" It isn't until later that I actually think about the death - how dreadful it may have been for the individual. And MUCH later before I think about how the death affected others involved - victim's family, friends and so on. <br /><br />I'm not a cold uncaring Olive Tree Genealogyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02381110998759242462noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641680.post-40740316830587202682011-02-26T09:00:29.147-05:002011-02-26T09:00:29.147-05:00I don't feel like I am desensitized at all. I ...I don't feel like I am desensitized at all. I automatically tend to imagine and relive each death scenario as I discover it. More now than in the beginning 16 years ago, I appreciate each and every person individually.Lisa Wallen Logsdonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13003873811444854964noreply@blogger.com