Climbing Your Family Tree from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Here is an article from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in which Tom McMillan, who works for the Pittsburgh Penguins, relates the findings of his year-long quest for his family history.  He was assisted by Elissa Scalise Powell.

I know it has nothing to do with my family; but I like how McMillan used his search for his family to broaden his interests in the past which to date had only included the Civil War. What I also found intriguing about McMillan's tale is that he knew so little about his family history before he started. I mean he had ancestors buried within driving distance of his house that he didn't know about. On the other hand, I have known from childhood a fair bit about some of my ancestors. Although, to be fair, Tom now knows much more about his family than I do about mine. I wonder why some families share information and stories about their pasts and others don't?

with thanks to: Elissa Scalise Powell via my Mother (added 12:30pm 8/22)