Sentimental slob

For some reason, the theme music for the TV show, “Who Do You Think You Are?” makes me cry. I suppose I’m the Pavlov’s dog of genealogy. Every single time, hearing just a few musical notes elicits the same response -- tears!

Sniff, sniff. There’s no denying that I am a sentimental slob for peoples’ family histories.

Since the TV show isn't currently being broadcast on TLC, I've taken to watching the British version of the show which has been running since 2006. Many of the episodes are available for free on You Tube. You just search for “BBC Who Do You Think You Are?” And bingo, there are a ton of them.

The British version features celebrities who might be well-known over there, but here in the U.S. we've never heard of most of them. So for me, they are “regular people” and I identify with them.

Whether it’s a famous American or a Brit whose family tree is being researched, the reactions of the “star” resonate with me. They always say things like, “This information about my family history fills a gap I didn't know I had.” or “For some reason, I now feel stronger, knowing where I come from.” 

Ida Rissland

In one of the boxes of antique portraits I've been collecting for use in my artwork, I found a particularly lovely one of a young woman. On the back, it’s marked “Ida Rissland 1907.” 

When I first saw this vintage photo, I was compelled to look her up on ancestry.com. And here’s Ida’s story. Sniff, sniff.

According to the 1910 Federal census, Ida lived in New York City with her parents and siblings. She had two brothers and a sister. Her mother's name was Anna. Ida’s father, Rudolf Rissland, was a musician. Now you probably are reading this and saying to yourself, “OK, her father was a musician.” But for me, I’m like ... “Oh my God! Her father was a musician!” 

I’m not mentally unstable but I have an emotional response to these details. They bring people to life.

Using the various online documents, I tracked Ida over the years, 1890, 1900, 1920. In 1940, Ida answered the front door of her home in Fair Lawn, New Jersey and told the census taker about her husband, John and their two children -- like anyone would do.

Now when I look at her photo, I see Ida’s back story. I know where she was born, whom she married, and when she died. Obviously, it’s more of the Cliff Notes version of her life than her complete biography, but still, I feel that I know her a little. Ida Rissland is an acquaintance of mine. 

Perhaps I’ll use her photograph in a future piece of art.

So this should be enough for me. But as soon as I was finished researching Ida, I started wondering about her father. I wondered what instrument he played, and where. So I simply Googled him.

Rudolf Rissland was born in Germany. He played the violin in the New York Symphony Orchestra. In the immigration records, I see Rudolf and wife Anna traveling back and forth to Germany many times over the years. Who were they visiting?

And guess what Rudolf’s hobby was? (That was rhetorical.) He was an amateur photographer! How do I know that? Well, there is a photograph for sale at a gallery in New York of Anna Mary Robertson Moses (also known as Grandma Moses) shot by Rudolf Rissland, a New York City musician.

Now look back at that photograph of Ida. Was she smiling at her Daddy through the camera lens?

For the time being, I feel satisfied. I know enough. Now all I need is some sentimental theme music for my own family history show.