Picture are really worth a thousand words! When delving into genealogy and clues run short, try focusing on phenomenology and what you know to be factual for the time. Weaving together the details of what see, you can picture what life must have been like for your ancestors. Browsing through the photo gallery, you can ponder over the life they carried and map their story into a wonderful narrative. -dm
For example, you could start with this:
“My Grandfather was a Canadian immigrant in the fifties who fled a Portuguese dictator regime from the Azores.”
With the benefit of photos and research, your blurb can grow into this:
“Manuel was born on the western coast of Sao Miguel island on 7 February 1921. A paradise in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean on one of nine volcanic islands that make up the Azores archipelago, several hundred miles west of Portugal. Today the islands are fondly referred to as Europe’s version of Hawaii and sought out as a tourist destination. He was conceived in the aftermath of the First World War merely steps away from the crisp ocean coast.
My Vovo grew up in the ‘Great Generation’. Life after war saw the island remain status quo. Financial turmoil and social inequality were hardships he and the family faced. His age group lived through new innovations in technology and witnessed the introduction of radio and the telephone. The world was changing rapidly, yet in the midst of global warfare, the Azorean people still carried on and procreated. He was the youngest of four children but never knew his grandparents since being introduced so late. He was named in the honour of his father and was the only son to produce offspring, which carried the family name to the next generation.
My Vovo grew up to be humble and soft spoken. Even though he was a very quiet man, his presence was never unnoticed and he caught the attention of many. When out, he was quite sophisticated as a well dressed, well mannered, and extremely handsome man. He was ambitious and worked hard to carve out a new future for us. Landing in a country that provided safety and opportunity, he did what he needed to provide for the family. We all miss his words of wisdom and his great love for us. He lived honorably and his life story is the exceptional immigrant tale.”
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