“My all-consuming hobby for the past 12 years has been to write family folklore. I sit down to work at 10 a.m. and sometimes forget lunch,” said Phyllis Shunk (originally Schunk) Henderson of Auburn. At 77, Henderson said she spends several hours a day researching and writing about her family.

“This started accidentally and spontaneously, and is now the joy of my life. It has certainly opened wide vistas to me,” said Henderson, who was inspired by a Smithsonian Institute book published by Yellow Moon Press, “A Celebration of American Family Folklore,” by Steven J. Zeitlin, Amy J. Kotkin and Holly Cutting Baker.

Henderson quotes from the book that gave her a new purpose in life, “Daily, our grandfathers are moving out of our lives. When they are gone, the eloquent stories of suffering and sharing and building and healing and planting and harvesting, all go with them and what a loss. If this information is to be saved at all, for whatever reason, it must be saved now, and the logical researchers are the grandchildren.”

Her quest began in 1993, when Henderson researched her maternal grandfather’s information in preparation for a family reunion. She has since written profiles on more than 20 family members.

These profiles don’t include just documented statistics and facts, but also are laced with Henderson’s memories and those of other family members. She admits she wouldn’t be involved in writing about her ancestors if she didn’t see the value in how they had influenced her own life and the lives of others.

For those who desire to get started on writing their own family profiles and folklore, Henderson advises starting with a two-page profile sheet.

On it, put the person’s name; dates of birth, death and cause, marriage; names of the parents, siblings, children and grandchildren; naturalization statistics; facts regarding health and appearance; education and occupation; and personality characteristics. Round this out with your own memories, as well as recollections from family members, information from letters and journals, and you have a story that preserves that person forever.

“The written word can be a powerful inheritance. I’ve been astonished over and over again not just by the people (I have researched), but how times have changed, how crucial adjustment and acceptance are in our lives, how I’ve changed, how our country has changed, how our national ‘esprit de corps’ has changed, and how my inner spirit has evolved during this time frame,” said Henderson, known as the family historian.

“My intent is to leave these profiles to my grandkids as a legacy,” she said, stressing, “Memories are a family treasure.”

Follow the paper trail

Here are some tips that may be useful if you are beginning to collect your family history:

Start with yourself. Take some time to write your own autobiography. As you write, think of someone reading it 100 years from now.

Take advantage of the obvious. Interview everyone in your family, especially senior members. You never know where the tidbits of information may lead. Have specific questions outlined in advance. Use a tape recorder or camcorder whenever possible for later reference.

Search through family Bibles, records and photos, preserving everything.

Personnel at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Center will provide free assistance as you continue your research. Their Web site, www.FamilySearch.com, has an index of all the information available in the center’s archives. Pertinent microfiche can be sent to a local family history center for your review.