When I first started this column, I wrote that although the terms "genealogy" and "family history" are often used interchangeably, there is a difference between the meanings. It's very easy to switch from one to the other - I do it all the time myself. Nevertheless, there is a difference. It's subtle, but it's there.
"Genealogy" is the study of one's family tree - the name and date collecting, if you will. It's what Spencer Tracy referred to as the "begats" in Inherit the Wind. Genealogy helps us to put our ancestors in a certain time and place with others, evidenced by documents that record the events of their lives. Births, marriages, deaths, graduations, military service, immigration, citizenship and property ownership are several examples of the types of events I'm talking about.
While genealogy is at the heart of what we seek as family historians, genealogical events only make up blips on the timelines of our ancestors' lives. Family history is what happens between those blips, the things that can't necessarily be found in a document. Think of it this way: if information about a wedding (names, dates, places) are the stuff of genealogy, then discovering the couple's wedding song is family history.
This information can be found as original (primary) or derivative (secondary) sources. Original sources, those made at the time of an event or shortly thereafter, are preferable as they are more likely to be accurate.
But depending on the type of information you're looking for, don't discount derivative sources. If you have an ancestor that served in the military, then books about the conflict, military theater or specific battle they served in can help shed some light on their experience. Did an ancestor live through the Great Depression? Then look for sources on that topic, or narrow it down to include how it affected the region of the country or state where they lived. University libraries may be helpful here as they may have more specialized information regarding how past events affected the region.
And don't forget interviewing the older generations of your family before they're lost to you forever. Create audio or video recordings of the interviews and also take notes. Start by asking open ended questions to get them to talk ("What were some of the family stories your parents and grandparents told you?"), then ask for specifics to clarify or glean more information. Find out about your family's history and traditions from these treasured resources.
Genealogy and family history are not always easy. Sometimes it requires creative thinking and analysis to come to the right conclusion. But they are the yin and yang of family research, dependent on the other. Without family history, genealogy is just a list of names and dates. Without genealogy, family history is just...history. There's nothing to tie it directly to us to tell us who we are or where we came from.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Danny Klein is a librarian at the Jersey City Free Public Library's New Jersey Room and a founding member of the Hudson County Genealogical and Historical Society. He can be reached at hudsongenealogy@gmail.com or @HudsonGenealogy on Twitter.