Talented Tuesday: Leonard Broida and the Broida Family Tree

Broida Family (Click for Family Tree)

Yesterday’s “Mystery Monday: Leonard Broida Artwork” post told some of the story of Leonard and his family, and his beautiful architectural drawings that have recently come back to the family. Today, we are going to share what might be Leonard’s most enduring legacy to family: the Broida Family Tree.

Leonard was very active in the Broida Family and their reunions through the 30s, 40s, and 50s, and served as family historian.

He also served as President, and his wife Anita (Meyer) Broida was the Broida Newsletter editor.

He spent an unbelievable number of hours and years interviewing and contacting people- in the days before cheap phone calls and the internet- to develop the incredible Broida Family Tree. I wonder how many SASEs he sent out over those years??

We are so thankful that Leonard was so dedicated, as he had known the earlier generations, who were children and grandchildren of the earliest documented; they held the memories passed down through the years. So much would have been lost to time without the work of Leonard Broida.

The last iteration we have of Leonard’s tree is from 1954, 62 years ago. Two-three more generations have been born since then!

We have learned in these days of online records that some of the tree is not quite accurate, and there are some confusing spots that need a bit of work to sort out.

It doesn’t matter- what a labor of love! Mitch Gooze is the current keeper of the Broida tree, and though his is electronic and thus not quite as decorative, the tree is now up to date as far as we know. I hope that this blog is also a way of keeping the family history alive- how I wish we had recorded interviews and the letters from Leonard’s correspondence! We have so many people who have contributed so much to the knowledge of the Broida family ancestors, and hope that trough the blog, social media, websites like Ancestry.com and Find A grave, we will learn much more.

I think that Leonard would be proud that the family has carried on his work, and so honored our ancestors.

Notes, Sources, and References: 

1. SASE= self-addressed, stamped envelope. For our younger generations, old-time genealogy consisted of writing a note with pen and paper or typing it on a manual or electric typewriter, then sending that note in an actual paper envelope. One always included a SASE, since asking for the favor of a reply with information. One would not burden the letter recipient with having to buy an envelope or stamp, nor take the time to address an envelope.
2. “Mystery Monday: Leonard Broida Artwork“-   http://heritageramblings.net/2016/04/04/mystery-monday-leonard-broida-artwork/

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