What’s in it For Me?
You may have been wondering, while reading a series on the benefits of discovering your family history, “what has it done for you?” I’m glad you asked.
Like most, I have some heroes and some villains in my family. I try to concentrate on the heroes, learning only from the villains not to repeat their mistakes. Let me tell you about some of the heroes.
Ancestors I Look Up To
There’s my 3rd great grandfather Joshua Seale (you can read more about Joshua here). Joshua was a people person who could inspire others. He was successful, and he was a leader. Joshua moved to Southern Mississippi when he was thirty five, raised a family with his wife Ellender, then he and most of his extended family moved around Mississippi and eventually wound up in Texas. Joshua could also see the potential in people. Like many of our ancestors, the Seales owned slaves. Joshua saw potential in one of his slaves, made him overseer of his affairs, educated him, and when they moved to Texas built him a church to minister to the slaves of their community.
Then there’s my 2nd great grandfather Valentine Brock. Valentine was a plantation owner in Southern Mississippi who had lost two sons during the Civil War. One of the main sources of information I have for Valentine is the Mississippi Baptist Association minutes. They tell me he was of service to several churches in his area, even though he was never a minister.
Lastly is my grandmother, Eleanor Jeter, Joshua’s great granddaughter. Ella was born and raised in East Texas, as a young woman received an education at Baylor in Waco then was one of the first women at what would one day be the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY. Afterwards she was sent to serve with famed missionary Lottie Moon in China.
My Takeaways
So what’s in it for me? From Joshua I learn to see the potential in everyone. No matter a person’s race, sex, age, or any other characteristic, everyone has something to offer, and I need to concentrate on that instead of their perceived faults.
From Valentine I learn that I can minister to others without being a preacher or church staff member. He also taught me that everyone has sorrow and hard times in their lives, but that is no excuse for not being all that you can be.
From Ella, I learn never to give up on my dreams. In her upper twenties, working and caring for aging parents in Oklahoma, many of us would accept that as their place in life. Ella did not, continued to pursue her dream, and wound up serving half way across the world!
From all these ancestors, I learn that service is part of the Thornhill family culture, and I have a lot to live up to and a long way to go. Fortunately, I have some time left!
What does your family of the past have for you? Contact us to learn more!
Merry Christmas to All!
