Quiz can instill interest in family

Recently, at the suggestion of a good friend, I created a family quiz that I posed to my Thomas cousins.

Partly this was to share some knowledge with them in a fun way, but also to make sure they knew some of the basic facts about the family since we had no other Georgia relatives on that side.

Anyone can do this. The idea is not to get deep into the “begats,” but rather to focus on such facts as “Who was named for the family doctor?” or “Who was named for the lead character in a novel?” I also asked the year the Thomas family moved to Georgia from Charlotte. It was 1933, in the middle of the Depression, a job change for my grandfather.

Turns out at least three names the family has perpetuated today are based on three family doctors, none of whom was blood related.

The interest among my cousins has been lukewarm. Some responded quickly; others have said nothing.

The idea of a quiz came to my friend because he wanted to pass on family stories to his two adult sons, who no longer live near any relatives. An oral exam with the younger son produced interesting results; he remembered more than expected. So you never know who has been paying attention.

But often no one is writing down the facts to ensure their preservation. So put together your own family quiz, and test the waters. You will spark interest in some, hopefully get everyone to thinking, and then realize that even some of the basics need to be emphasized.

Colonial Germans

Vincent Exley, past president of the Greater Atlanta Chapter of the Georgia Salzburger Society, will be the Lunch and Learn speaker at the Georgia Archives at noon May 11. Exley will speak on the migration of German-speaking Protestants to Colonial Georgia starting in 1734. The society’s site is www.georgia salzburgers.com.

The event is free; bring your own lunch. For a list of future topics, check www.georgiaarchives.org or call 678-364-3730.

1867 voter list

“Georgia, Returns of Qualified Voters and Reconstruction Oath Books, 1867-1869” is now posted at Ancestry.com. It was scanned from the original books at the Georgia Archives and indexed by Ancestry.com.

This includes both white and black males who qualified and is one of the earliest records showing African-american surnames after the Civil War.

A 1995 book, “Index to Georgia’s 1867-1868 Returns of Qualified Voters and Registration Oath Books (White),” edited by J. David Brandenburg and Rita B. Worthy, is found in many libraries and contains a good introduction to the subject.