WARNER ROBINS -- Tracing family lineage isn’t as easy as looking on a family tree.
Dave and Carolyn Schomer have been interested in genealogy since 2000 and have started sessions to help others trace their roots.
At the Nola Brantley Memorial Library’s history room, the Central Georgia Genealogical Society has started holding Geographical Genealogical Gatherings for countries members are interested in.
England was the first country offered, and Carolyn Schomer said she had six people in the first class, which was held May 1.
During the May 29 session, Germany was the country of the week.
The Schomers have done plenty of research on both England and Germany. They have taken a few trips to Europe to locate their families. They have found relatives dating back into the 1600s.
The couple thought the best way to help was to narrow classes down to one country. “It helps folks with jumping the pond,” she said about finding relatives across the Atlantic Ocean.
While enlisting the help of the Internet as well as other sources, the class on Germany was of particular interest to Richard Gambill.
His family was from Germany and came to the U.S. in the mid-1800s. His father, a pilot, was shot down during World War II and died in a prisoner of war camp in Germany.
Finding those military records has proved to be difficult for Gambill.
Carolyn Schomer suggested finding someone who specializes in that type of research in Germany to help not only with the language but with knowledge of the area.
Barbara Schlafer, a Central Georgia Genealogical Society member, shared a map of Germany throughout the centuries and explained that borders change, towns merge and other factors make it difficult to find information.
Schlafer’s ancestors are from Yugoslavia.
She found information online with Gambill, and the group also exchanged e-mail addresses to keep each other abreast of any information they could find.
What Carolyn Schomer found most fascinating was people overseas are interested in finding out where their ancestors ended up after they came to the United States.
Even 12 years of searching and traveling isn’t slowing the Schomers down in their search of their ancestors. They have also done DNA tests to confirm lineage.
“It’s real addictive once you start,” she said.
For information, contact Carolyn Schomer at 922-2965, schomerc@gmail.com or Schafler at 956-5509, bschlafer@cox.net.
