Week 15: Solitude (52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks – 2023 Version)

The theme for Week 15 is "Solitude." Is there someone in your family tree who lived by themselves or would seek out time to be alone? Celebrate them this week by writing part of their story. Click here to check out all the themes for 2023.

When I saw this week’s theme, I thought, how would I know if someone lived by themselves or would seek out time to be alone? I can speculate as a mother, that like me, they may seek out time to be alone. When the kids were in school, I sometimes took a day off, so I could hang at home alone, or soak in the tub. It was to do genealogy! It can’t be that unusual in wanting alone time. Also, as the youngest of nine children, I never really knew what alone time was as a child. There were a few “hiding” places I would go, to seek out alone time.

I looked up solitude and read that it was an opportunity for introspection, imagination, and contemplation with yourself. Solitude of this kind allows us to be more creative. Loneliness is different from solitude. Being alone is a scary and dangerous place for some people.

Whether anyone in my family lived by themselves, I am not sure. I see many elderly couples or even elderly individuals who appear in census records with other family members. I find many single family members who lived in boarding houses or single siblings living together. I am sure there are those “hermit” members of family, that lived alone, however, maybe these are the people we can’t find documents for and don’t know they were “hermit” members. 

I have family who took off alone and moved out west to never be heard from again. Whether they remained alone or married and had a family, I just don’t know.

I think about the family member who left their homeland in Europe and traveled to parts unknown alone. How scary that must had been and how brave of them to travel despite being scared. Did they travel with friends, or maybe family that I don’t know about? Did they travel to meet up with friends or family?

I know after seeing this week’s theme, I will be a little more observant when reviewing census records for family, especially those that appeared to live alone. I will wonder what circumstance lead to them being alone, whether by choice or losing a love one, such as a spouse that they were living with.

Are you a solitude type person, do you have solitude type people in your family? 

Remember to have fun and Just do Genealogy!