During January, most people are trying to fulfill their New Year’s resolutions, but what if we stopped to celebrate the hobbies and interests that already bring us joy? While January is most commonly known for being the start of a new year, it’s also National Hobby Month, an observance designed to honor activities that bring people personal fulfillment. Calder Woods resident Mary Miller, 87, is the perfect example of an individual dedicated to a hobby. She is well entrenched in her hobby of tracing her family’s genealogy. During the past 30 years, Miller crossed the country and researched courthouse and military records to learn about her ancestors and their way of life. She even published a 562-page book chronicling the family’s history several years ago. What began as an interest in her father’s side of the family became a passion which has taken Miller on the journey of a lifetime.
“I was always interested in where my family came from and knew quite bit about by mother’s side, but my father’s family and their origins were a mystery,” said Miller. “It all started with a trip to the Dallas Library and the first piece of the puzzle, but it didn’t take long before I looked for the next piece. When my husband retired early we combined our hobbies – his love for trains and mine for genealogy – and traveled across the country for hobby train events that my husband scheduled around where I wanted to go. We traveled together for 10 years visiting family and friends while researching records and documents to learn more about my family’s connection to the various places.”
According to Miller, an added bonus in her quest for information was discovering not only the identities of her family members but the unfolding of early American history. Most of her male relatives served in the military beginning with the first war against the American Indians in the 1500s. From New England to Montana, Miller’s ancestors moved across the country, settling homesteads as they found opportunities to acquire land for their families and future generations.
“It’s been fascinating to see who these individuals were and how their decisions impacted where I am today,” said Miller. “In my research, I’ve uncovered 2,400 names and learned as much as I can about their lives. I find the names first and then uncover details with time. The earliest name I located was for a male ancestor who was forced to leave France in the 1500’s because of religious differences.”
After requests from family, Miller published a book detailing her family history and memorializing those who she found. Today, Miller is shifting her focus by chronicling her own life story for her children to have and share with generations to come.
“I want to get everything down on paper so my family’s stories will be preserved,” said Miller. “It’s important to know where we’ve come from and how that knowledge can inspire us moving forward. I have tremendous respect and admiration for our ancestors who travelled across the country as pioneers. They left everything they knew and created something special. I’ve always loved history, but this has given me an entirely new respect for who we are as a country. I hope others will want to look into their own family histories and see where they came from. You never know what you might find.”