 Genealogy
Family and Friends,
Welcome to my genealogy page and project. I continue to go through paper and
computer files, along with scanning and uploading photos, in order to construct
a complete family genealogical record.
If you are a family member, or visiting from one of the Facebook genealogy
groups,
I am looking for the following information: |
- Temnogrod (name changed to Rose)
Family - history, stories, anecdotes, and pictures of known
relatives, which would be matched with my pictures for identification.
- Family was born in Russia in the late 1800s
- Emigrated to Toronto, Canada in the early 1900s
- Grandparents had a total of 13 children
- Zaretsky Family - history,
stories, anecdotes, and pictures of known relatives, which would be matched
with my pictures for identification.
- Family was born in Russia in the late 1800s, some from
Minsk
- Emigrated to Toronto, Canada in the early 1900s
- Grandparents had a total of 10 children
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If you think that you and I are related, and you would like to work with me on
this very fascinating and gratifying project, please read the information below
and then
contact me.
For those of you who might be interested in doing your own
genealogy project, please check out
My Genealogical Research Methodology (opens to a new
tab). |
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 My
Motivation
Recently
my wife and our kids have shown a lot of interest in their ancestors. This was
my main motivation for doing this project. These pages are dedicated to the
family members who came before, made sacrifices, and went through tough times
in order to bring us to where we are today.
Please note, this is an ongoing project and I am
hoping to connect with as many family members as possible to make my
genealogical timeline even more complete. If you have pictures or stories you
would like to share with other members of the family please
contact me.
I am looking forward to speaking with all of you. Until then. |
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 My
Plan
For many years I wanted to trace my family history back as far as I
could, more specifically, the Temnogrod-Rose and Zaretsky family histories. With all of the mundane tasks
and projects that fill our daily lives, it is often difficult to find the time
to work on a project of this magnitude. With us now settled in our new (but
old) home in the Japanese countryside, I decided it was time to finally tackle this
project.
I have files and photos from way back in the day that stayed in storage until
this year, 2026. I spent a couple of months at the beginning of the year, almost
every day, sorting through literally tens of thousands of paper and computer files, and
scanned over 4,000 recent and old photos. Now I am taking the pieces of the
puzzle and putting them together in an organized and meaningful form. |
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 A
Few More Thoughts
Recently I began to notice a very disturbing trend. Thanks to social media, the
need for instant gratification, likes, and attention, has made people incredibly
focused on the present with an almost disregard for the past. While this view
might seem a bit too cynical, think for a minute how easy it is to "friend" or "unfriend"
someone, or even worse, simply ignore them altogether....and this is for people
in the present.
Now rewind to the past and ask yourself how often (probably not very often) you've pulled out those old
family albums, or the grunts and groans you heard (or made) whenever those old
folks decided to subject you to old photos or stories. Those photos and stories
represent the lives of the people, whose sacrifices and hardships allowed you
to, not only exist, but to have the comfortable lifestyles most of you now
enjoy.
I think about my family, both past and present, every single day. My thoughts
are filled with good memories of time spent with those you have passed, sad
memories of times when disagreements simply could not be worked out creating
distance between once close family members, and worst of all, regret for some of
the things, that looking back, I could have changed. Throughout all of it
though, I have kept a strong love for my family....through everything, they were
always there for me.
With love always.
Howie Hayman |
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About Genealogy
Genealogy does not strictly imply genetic inheritance. While
genealogical ancestry traces documented family lineages, it
often ignores that, due to recombination, you only inherit
DNA from a subset of ancestors. The vast majority of
genealogical ancestors beyond a few centuries ago are not
genetic ancestors, as genetic material is lost over time.
Key Differences Between Genealogy and
Genetics: |
- Definition: Genealogy is based on
records, paper trails, and family stories, whereas
genetics is based on DNA inheritance.
- Genetic Dilution: Due to
inheritance, you only inherit 50% of your DNA from each
parent, meaning that by the time you go back 5–7
generations, you might have no detectable DNA from some
ancestors in your family tree.
- Adoption and Non-Paternity:
Genealogy tracks legal or social relationships
(including adoption or misattributed parentage), while
genetics only tracks biological lineage.
- "Pedigree Collapse": You have more
ancestors on paper than actual unique genetic ancestors.
Many ancestors are "genealogical" but not "genetic,"
meaning they are in your tree but contributed 0% of your
DNA.
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While genetic genealogy (using DNA tests) can verify
traditional research, the two fields often diverge. |
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Why Research Genealogy?
"Genealogy" refers to the study of your own family's
history and the tracing of your ancestral lines. It is a way
to understand who you are, where you come from, and the
specific stories of your ancestors. |
- Key Aspects
of Genealogy
- Study and
Research: Genealogy involves using various
sources like oral traditions, historical documents
(birth, marriage, death certificates, census records),
and genetic analysis (DNA testing) to gather information
about your family.
- Tracing
Lineage: The primary goal is to prove the
connections between generations, often presented in a
visual format known as a family tree or a written
narrative.
- Discovering
Stories: Beyond just names and dates, it's about
uncovering details of your ancestors' daily lives,
occupations, personalities, and the historical events
they lived through.
- Reasons
People Study Their Genealogy
- Sense of
Identity and Belonging: Understanding your roots
can provide a deeper sense of self and connection to a
specific place or community.
- Medical
Insights: Knowing your family's medical history
can help identify hereditary health risks and inform
proactive health management.
- Connecting
with Relatives: Research may reveal previously
unknown distant relatives, with whom you can connect and
share information.
- Historical
Context: It can link your personal family story
to larger historical events, providing a unique
perspective on history.
- A Fun Hobby:
For many, it's an engaging pursuit that acts as a
detective-like puzzle, offering self-satisfaction in
solving mysteries and preserving the past for future
generations.
- Why Research
Your Genealogy?
- If you are interested in exploring
your own genealogy, a great place to start is by
collecting family papers and using online resources.
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