Musings

It’s been a while since I posted anything here. And it’s been a while since I’ve touched any of my genealogy. And so goes this perpetual hobby…

But this brief intermission hasn’t been without noteworthy events. I learned, or rather was informed, that I am related to someone at my Nashville church. This came as a surprise to me since my family rarely seems to have ventured far from West Tennessee. This made attending the wedding of my newfound cousin that much more meaningful.

I’ve found it interesting that most female genealogists tend to focus on their maternal lines. Male genealogists, like me, are usually obsessed with the paternal line or following their last name – a practice that has left me wanting. Is this genealogical sexism or just an innate need to relate to our ancestors if only in a superficial way? A recent episode of “Nova” talked about the history of domesticated dogs and how scientists usually focus on mitochondrial DNA (DNA passed down through the maternal line) because it changes very little over time. Perhaps there’s greater value in following the maternal line.