Podcast Summary: Researching and Writing Family History or Genealogy with TL Whelan
Podcast Information:
- Title: The Creative Penn Podcast For Writers
- Host: Joanna Penn
- Episode Title: Researching And Writing Family History Or Genealogy With TL Whalan
- Release Date: August 4, 2025
- Duration: Approximately 56 minutes
Introduction to Tegan Whelan
Timestamp: [18:39]
Joanna Penn introduces her guest, Tegan Whelan, an Australian author renowned for her works in short stories, young adult, and middle-grade fiction. Tegan is also the co-author of The Family History Project, the Wirrabra Whalens, a comprehensive exploration of her family's genealogy.
Tegan’s Background:
- Residence: Hamley Bridge, South Australia, a small country town with a population of approximately 700.
- Personal Life: Alongside her husband, Tegan operates a dog and lamb rescue, having rehomed around 400 animals over 15 years.
- Writing Journey: Inspired by National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) in 2014, Tegan transitioned from aspiring novelist to a prolific writer, maintaining a steady writing habit since.
Understanding Genealogy and Its Appeal
Timestamp: [20:40]
Definition and Personal Motivation: Tegan defines genealogy as the study of lineage, focusing on tracing ancestors starting from oneself. She emphasizes the personal fulfillment derived from understanding one's heritage, stating:
"I think people are probably fascinated because we're all a little bit self-centered and we want to know a little bit more about ourselves."
— Tegan Whelan [20:52]
Key Motivations:
- Self-Discovery: Learning how ancestors contribute to one's genetic makeup.
- The Thrill of the Hunt: The excitement of uncovering hidden family stories and details.
- Creative Integration: Utilizing family history research to enrich fiction writing, ensuring historical accuracy and depth.
Researching Family History: Resources and Strategies
Timestamp: [22:53]
Starting Points:
- Interviewing Living Relatives: Tegan advocates beginning with current family members to gather firsthand stories and data, which serve as the foundation for further research.
Essential Resources in Australia:
- Ship Records: Crucial for tracing immigration and settlement patterns.
- Convict Records: Particularly relevant for Australian family histories tied to convict ancestry.
- Births, Deaths, and Marriages Registries: Available in each Australian state, offering vital statistics.
- Trove: An extensive Australian newspaper archive similar to the U.S.'s Newspapers.com, providing articles, birth/death notices, and more.
- Freedom of Information Requests: Accessing governmental records about ancestors, though this requires navigating specific protocols and eligibility criteria.
Global Resources:
- Ancestry.com: A comprehensive, albeit user-submitted, database offering a broad range of international records. Tegan cautions about verifying user-contributed data to avoid inaccuracies.
Practical Tips:
- Corroboration: Always seek original sources to confirm the validity of the information found.
- Local Genealogical Centers: Utilize state or country-specific genealogical centers for tailored resources and assistance.
Interviewing Family Members: Techniques and Questions
Timestamp: [32:10]
Depth of Inquiry: Tegan emphasizes the importance of moving beyond basic facts to uncovering rich, personal stories that bring ancestors to life.
Example Questions:
- Location-Based: "Where did you go to school?" "Where did you live?" "Where did you travel?"
- Personal Anecdotes: "What was your proudest moment?" "What unique habits did they have?"
Cousin Questions:
- Tegan and her team developed 13 specific questions, known as the "cousin questions," to guide their interviews. These questions are available on her blog for others to utilize.
Notable Story:
"One of the relatives always carried a $5 note in his overalls in case the ice cream truck came by. It not only shows personal quirks but also reflects the economic and social context of the time."
— Tegan Whelan [34:58]
Verifying Information and Overcoming Challenges
Timestamp: [35:24]
Methods of Verification:
- Multiple Sources: Cross-referencing stories told by different family members.
- Public Records: Utilizing official documents to back up anecdotal information.
- DNA Testing: Leveraging genetic testing to confirm familial connections and resolve ambiguities.
Challenges Faced:
- Inaccuracies in User-Submitted Data: The risk of incorrect information spreading within platforms like Ancestry.com.
- Access Barriers: Navigating strict requirements for accessing certain records, especially those involving sensitive or protected information.
- Technological Limitations: Difficulty in standardizing and formatting large family trees, particularly with families having numerous descendants.
Example of Verification:
"We discovered a funeral notice for my three-times-great-grandmother and confirmed her identity through DNA matching with a relative sharing the same surname."
— Tegan Whelan [43:05]
Utilizing DNA in Genealogy
Timestamp: [44:21]
Applications:
- Confirming Lineage: Matching Y DNA to trace male lineage.
- Identifying Previously Unknown Relatives: Such as confirming an uncle’s illegitimate child through DNA evidence.
Consent and Ethical Considerations:
- Obtaining proper consent from relatives before conducting DNA tests to respect privacy and ethical boundaries.
Organizing and Formatting Family History Data
Timestamp: [48:11]
Project Management:
- Collaborative Tools: Using platforms like Ancestry.com to allow multiple researchers to access and update family trees in real-time.
- Document Consolidation: Maintaining a single, comprehensive document that evolves into a detailed manuscript.
Formatting Challenges:
- Creating Readable Family Charts: Especially for large families, Tegan had to manually design charts in Word, allowing for customization in color, font, and layout to ensure clarity.
Efforts in Formatting:
"The family charts were manually handmade in Word to maintain control over readability and aesthetics, especially for families with up to 13 children."
— Tegan Whelan [50:04]
Publishing and Sharing the Family History Book
Timestamp: [53:00]
Distribution:
- Sales: Primarily to family members and individuals connected to the Mid North of South Australia.
- Library Inclusion: Donations to state libraries and genealogical centers to preserve the documented history.
- Market Presence: Selling the book at local markets, achieving modest sales but significant personal satisfaction given the niche focus.
Community Engagement:
- Tegan describes positive reception from relatives and community members, highlighting the collaborative and respectful approach taken during the publication process.
Final Reflections and Takeaways
Timestamp: [56:20]
Personal Impact: Tegan reflects on the profound satisfaction derived from uncovering detailed and meaningful aspects of her family's past, despite the challenges faced during research and formatting.
Encouragement to Listeners: Joanna Penn concludes by inspiring listeners to consider their own family histories or other personal creative projects, emphasizing the blend of personal fulfillment and storytelling excellence that genealogy offers.
Key Insights and Lessons
- Start with Living Relatives: They provide the most accurate and vivid stories, serving as a crucial starting point for any genealogical project.
- Use Multiple Resources: Combining interviews, public records, and DNA testing can provide a comprehensive picture of one's ancestry.
- Verify and Corroborate Information: Always seek original sources and cross-reference data to ensure accuracy.
- Be Patient and Methodical: Genealogy is a time-consuming process that requires persistence and attention to detail.
- Respect Privacy: Especially when dealing with living relatives, ensure that sensitive information is handled ethically and respectfully.
- Embrace Creativity in Presentation: Manual formatting, though laborious, can significantly enhance the readability and aesthetic appeal of genealogical publications.
Notable Quotes
-
Tegan Whelan on Self-Discovery:
"I think people are probably fascinated because we're all a little bit self-centered and we want to know a little bit more about ourselves."
— Tegan Whelan [20:52] -
Tegan Whelan on Family Stories:
"We wanted a lot more scaffolding around that and we really wanted to know who that person was."
— Tegan Whelan [32:10] -
Tegan Whelan on Overcoming Formatting Challenges:
"The family charts were manually handmade in Word to maintain control over readability and aesthetics, especially for families with up to 13 children."
— Tegan Whelan [50:04]
Conclusion
Joanna Penn's insightful conversation with Tegan Whelan provides a comprehensive look into the intricacies of researching and writing family history or genealogy. From the initial stages of interviewing living relatives to the detailed process of verifying historical records and utilizing DNA testing, Tegan's experiences offer valuable lessons for anyone interested in delving into their ancestral past. Her dedication to creating a readable and aesthetically pleasing family history book underscores the importance of preserving personal narratives in a meaningful and accessible format.
For those inspired by this episode, exploring one's genealogy can be a deeply rewarding endeavor, blending meticulous research with creative storytelling to honor and understand one's heritage.