My Roots Run Deep in South Georgia

First, let me thank all of you for your kind words on the death of my cousin, Herbert. I was again saddened a week later when my cousin Reggie also passed away. Although they knew each other well, Herbert and Reggie were not related. Herbert came from my paternal grandfather's side of the family and Reggie from my paternal grandmother's. They both led long lives and they both made an impact on mine.

While reading your thoughtful condolences, I noticed a number of you referred to Herbert as my uncle. This is probably because in my post I explained that Herbert's mother was sister to my grandfather. If you haven't delved into genealogy, this is a common mistake. I didn't understand the whole relationship thing until I started working on my family tree a number of years ago.

Ah, genealogy, the hobby that ties you to your roots. The thing that can make other family members run when they see you coming. It can also be the tie that binds you together with family members you either haven't seen for many years or those you never knew existed.

Herbert and Reggie were my first cousins, once removed. Simply put, this means they were my daddy's cousins, the once removed means that they are also my first cousins with a difference of one generation between us. To my children they were first cousins, twice removed, because there are two generations between them.

Herbert and Reggie's children are my second cousins. Have I lost you yet? I know it can be so confusing, don't you think? This explanation from Genealogy.com might help clear this up a bit:

Cousin (a.k.a "first cousin")
Your first cousins are the people in your family who have two of the same grandparents as you. In other words, they are the children of your aunts and uncles.

Second Cousin
Your second cousins are the people in your family who have the same great-grandparents as you, but not the same grandparents.

Third, Fourth, and Fifth Cousins
Your third cousins have the same great-great-grandparents, fourth cousins have the same great-great-great-grandparents, and so on.

Removed
When the word "removed" is used to describe a relationship, it indicates that the two people are from different generations.

So, there you have it, a little genealogy tip from me to all of you. If you've never researched you family roots, I encourage you to do so. The stories, photos, memories, family events and love that have been shared are so precious to me, so if you've ever thought about researching your family, I encourage you to do so.