Let’s face it: Not every event was recorded, and not every record has survived. For some ancestors, we might know only their name, the general geographic area and perhaps a date or two. Is it still possible to bring their story to life? And to do so without making assumptions about what we don’t know?

Writing About Their Environment

The key is to look at the context, or the time and place, in which the person lived. If you can’t write about your ancestor, write about their environment. Ask questions. The list below shows some examples:

• Who were their neighbours? (Hint: check census records if available at the time)
• What significant events were going on at the time- locally and on the world scene? (Hint: try searching for a timeline of their hometown)
• What sort of area did they likely grow up in? Was it a small farming village or an industrialised city? Were they alive during the Industrial Revolution?
• Did your ancestor live close to a forest? To a beach? What sort of wildlife might they have encountered?
• What sort of work did most locals do? Do you know your ancestor’s occupation? What sort of tasks would they have performed each day?
• Do you know their family background, or potential relatives? What are possible origins of their surname?
• If you know any dates, did these occur during summer, autumn, winter or spring?

Of course, there are many other questions you might ask. But these are a few examples that might help. Again: If you can’t write about the person, write about their environment and what their life may have been like. Although all individuals are unique—including your ancestor—understanding the context can help you visualise your ancestor’s surroundings— bringing their story to life.

Avoid Making Assumptions

How can we avoid falling into the trap of making false assumptions? By using questions in our writing (or words like “perhaps”). This separates facts from speculation. For example, consider two examples below:

Example 1: Now that Joseph Ruddick was a married man, he always worried that he would become like his older brother, George. George was widowed after only three years of marriage, and struggled to care for their two small children on his own. That’s why Joseph and his wife chose not to have any children. “I couldn’t care for them on my own,” Joseph would say.

Example 2: Now that Joseph Ruddick was a married man, he likely thought about his brother, who had become a widow after only three years of marriage. Might a similar tragedy befall Joseph? Thankfully, this never did happen. But the couple remained childless for twenty years. Did Joseph worry that if his wife were to pass away, he would not be able to care for their children on his own?

The first example made assumptions. The second example used questions and words such as “likely” to separate ideas from facts. 

Bring Their Story to Life

Consider a practical example: Suppose we know that our ancestor was James Douglas (fictitious), born on July 26, 1600 in Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland. His parents were Robert Douglas and Euphemia Stewart. James married Bessie Farmer in 1621 and had eight children, and then the family line continues from there. But nothing more is known about James. Nonetheless, after doing some research on Dunfermline, we find the details below:

James Douglas, son of Robert Douglas and Euphemia Stewart, was born on July 26, 1600, in Dunfermline, Fife. In the same year, the royal family also had a son in Dunfermline. He later became King Charles I of the United Kingdom. Interestingly, with the maiden name Stewart, is it possible that James’ mother was a distant relative of the royal family?

Three years later, in 1603, young Prince Charles’ father, King James I of Scotland, ascended to the throne of England, thus uniting the two kingdoms. It wasn’t until 1617 that King James returned to visit Dunfermline, an occasion of “tumultous joy” for the inhabitants. At the time, James Douglas was about 17 years old.

Although Dunfermline is roughly five miles (8 km) from the beach, the family may have visited occasionally. Even close to home, they could likely encounter some of the local wildlife. Fife is known for its forests of spruce and beech trees, creating an environment for squirrels, otters, migratory birds and other wildlife. Geese can often be seen in the ponds.

Tragically, on the 25th of May, 1624, when James Douglas was a young man of 23, Dunfermline suffered a terrible fire that consumed 220 houses. This displaced 187 families, which is significant considering that the population at the time was just over 1,000 individuals. It is very likely that James’ home was burned too.  

Another perilous situation developed in 1645, when the town was infected by the plague. James Douglas, now a married man, was no doubt concerned for the safety of his family during this time. Thankfully, at least both he and his wife, Bessie (nee Farmer), survived the outbreak. This allowed them to later have a son in 1647, whom they named Alexander. They had eight children in all: Robert, Mary, John, Euphemia, Bessie, James, Janet and Alexander.

No doubt some of you could write this account much better than I did. This demonstrates that it is possible to write a detailed family history even when we know very little about our ancestors themselves. In fact, you might choose to add even more details. My example didn’t state that July occurred in the hot summer when thunderstorms might occur, nor did I mention any other local families (apart from the royals) or what sort of occupations were common at Dunfermline at the time. And yet it was still possible to write five paragraphs!

Just one word of caution: Use details like pepper in your dinner— don’t overwhelm the story with too many condiments!

In summary: When you can’t write about an ancestor’s character, write about their surroundings. Ask questions to set the scene. By doing so, you will add depth to your family history even when certain details are limited.