Reading the Records that Talk

Transcript:

Host (Heather Haunert):
Hi everyone, and welcome to The Family Treehouse, a podcast series brought to you by Storied, where I chat with people who have a passion for genealogy, storytelling, or both.

I am your host, Heather Haunert, and today I am very excited to chat with Amy Cross.

Amy has been researching her family for 40 years. When I wrote that, Amy, I’m like, “There is no way that’s even possible.” [laughs] She has also been professionally consulting for 10 years. She specializes in U.S. research and has completed more than 250 client projects—that’s incredible!

She has an amazing website, Ancestry Consulting with Amy, and her YouTube channel is full of fantastic videos. Amy, we are so excited to welcome you to the show today.

Guest (Amy Cross):
Oh, thank you so much. I really appreciate it. And yes, it’s true—I’m not old!

Host:
You started when you were one?

Guest:
[laughs] I wish that were true! But I did start when I was a teenager, so do the math… let’s not do the math too hard.

Host:
[laughs] Well, that takes us to our first question. I always love for people just to tell us a little about their background. How did you get started in family history and storytelling?

Guest:
You know, I was one of those weird kids that loved to hear the stories. Old people didn’t scare me. Some people are intimidated, but I loved to sit at a great uncle’s or my grandma’s feet and hear what it was like when they were kids.

I just loved it. I loved antiques, I loved things that tell stories. Behind me on the bookshelf, besides some books, it’s all family stuff. Everything back there has a story.

For example, I have an antique sewing machine in my office that my grandmother gave me. It’s probably a hundred years old. I wonder, “What was sewn on this? What did it produce all those years ago?”

And I was the only granddaughter on both sides of my family. My grandmas both took me in, loved telling me their stories, and shared their love of learning about family. In their own ways, they were genealogists. They passed that bug on to me.

Host:
I love that. And you’re so right—objects have stories. I often think, “If only this could talk!”

Amy, tell us—why do you think storytelling is such an important part of family history?

Guest:
If you don’t have a story to go with it, it’s just a name and date. It’s so much less personal.

Even if people aren’t trying to dive into full narratives, they still want to know more about the person. Whenever I do my videos, I always tell people: “Look at the image.” Don’t just read the indexed information—it’s only a fraction of what’s there.

A draft card can tell you about scars, missing fingers, height, weight, hair color—details you may not know if you don’t have a photo. Census records can tell you if a family had a radio, if they served in a war, and so much more. Newspapers? They’re a bonanza of information.

When you connect with ancestors through their stories, it changes the experience. It makes it meaningful. It honestly changes you.

And gratitude—your gratitude goes up when you learn what they endured. You realize, “I’ve got it good. I’m lucky they did what they did so I can have what I have.”

Host:
You nailed it. That just brings you closer to them—more than any name or date could.

Amy, when you write stories, do you follow a formula, or do you just wing it?

Guest:
Oh my goodness—I wish I had a formula! I’m not a good writer. Honestly, I’m not even a great speaker. I’m a “wing it” kind of gal.

If I’m giving a presentation, I have an outline, but if I try to read a script, it’s terrible. Even with YouTube videos—I tried teleprompters. Kiss of death for me. [laughs]

So I just shoot from the hip. And that’s why I loved when I saw you guys at RootsTech. Storied’s AI story-writing assistance was amazing for me. I gave it some basic information, and it gave me a draft. I could tweak it and make it mine. It was the start I needed.

Host:
That’s so encouraging. I think a lot of people feel like they have to follow a formula. It’s good to know it’s okay not to.

Amy, what resources or tools would you recommend for people just starting out?

Guest:
Well, I’m going to toot my own horn a bit—my YouTube channel. [laughs] My son suggested it years before I actually started, but once I did, I realized how helpful YouTube is.

Short, focused videos give you ideas, one concept at a time. There are also great tutorials on sites like Ancestry, Storied, and others.

Don’t forget local genealogical societies. Many people don’t realize they exist, but they’re a wonderful way to connect with others and get in-person help.

And one of my favorite things I do is coaching. I offer Zoom coaching—group or individual. When I did projects for clients through other companies, I never spoke to the clients. But I wanted to hear their stories. Coaching lets me cheer people on, guide them, and help them build their trees.

Most importantly: Don’t think you can’t do this. You can. It’s rewarding. Just give it a try.

Host:
Yes, and even if people don’t have much information, that’s what people like you are for—to help them find it.

Amy, I always love to ask: what’s a favorite family story you like to share?

Guest:
Oh, there are so many.

Recently I was cleaning my patio table—it’s an iron table with a glass top. It was my grandmother’s. Later my dad used it as a kitchen table.

My dad loved to debate—he’d play devil’s advocate just to make me think. One day, he got so passionate, he slammed his hand down on the table, hit a fork, and cracked the glass across the whole thing.

That memory came back as I was cleaning it. The replacement glass doesn’t fit perfectly, so it reminded me of the story.

I just love the conversations we had around that table. It’s one of my favorite memories.

Host:
That’s wonderful—and even better that you still have the table.

As we finish up, any last tips or tricks for people?

Guest:
Yes—two things.

First: you’re going to make mistakes. You’ll add wrong info to your tree. That’s okay. Don’t panic.

Second: write down where you got your information. Don’t be intimidated by the word “citation.” Just note why you know something. Even if it’s “Grandma Georgette told me so.”

That way, when you find conflicting info later, you know the source and can evaluate it. It doesn’t need to be formal—just do it somehow.

Host:
That’s excellent advice. Even just dropping in a web link is helpful.

Amy, thank you so much for your expertise and passion. I told her when we got on the call today—she just radiates sunshine. You’re always so pleasant to be around.

Guest:
Oh, thank you for having me. I enjoyed it.

Host:
Well, until next time, friends—embrace the power of your family’s untold tales and embark on a journey of discovery. Let the ink flow and the words dance as you weave together the threads of your ancestors’ lives.

Start writing your family stories today and let their voices echo through generations to come at Storied.com.

Have a great day, everyone!

[music]

And that brings us to the end of this episode of The Family Treehouse, where we celebrate the power of storytelling and preserving family legacies.

Storied is more than just a platform for sharing stories. Dive into historical records and newspapers, discover the hidden gems that bring your ancestors to life, and add branches to your family tree.

Thank you for joining us on this storytelling journey. Your stories matter, and through Storied they can resonate across time and touch the hearts of generations to come.

Keep uncovering your family’s history—and keep the spirit of storytelling alive with Storied.