Many people want to learn about their family history, beyond where their parents or grandparents were born and raised…to find out the stories behind what brought them to where they are, or the famous people and events they encountered along the way.

A number of such people turned out Thursday night for a presentation called “Genealogy 101” presented by genealogical expert Elizabeth Edwards at the Knoxville Public Library’s temporary home inside the old East Elementary School.

Edwards tells KNIA/KRLS News even with the presence of websites and instant computer access, the process of finding your ancestors is a difficult one; and her presentation was intended to give those with serious interest a starting point.

“Telling people about their families and helping them understand why we do genealogy. Part of the reason we do genealogy is for the love of family; the more we investigate our family, the more we want to learn more about them,” Edwards says. “It’s very much an addictive hobby; it’s one of the fastest growing hobbies around. And it’s just interesting to talk to people about their names, and where they might have come from.”

Edwards says more people are delving into their family tree as a hobby, and often wind up learning stories about their family’s history which are surprising, sometimes difficult, and often heartwarming.

She says those who want to pursue this in earnest should start in their own basement or attic, looking through old family records and papers. Many crucial bits of information could be found there, leading you to stories and branches of the family you never knew.