Around South County: South county resident explores the many branches of her family tree

Elinor Thompson decided about 10 years ago to begin researching her family history. That isn't uncommon. By some accounts, genealogy is the fastest growing hobby, surpassing stamp collecting, quilting and even gardening.

But for Elinor Thompson, who is African American, researching her family's history posed some difficult challenges.

Going back a few generations isn't very hard, recent records are well kept, and oral histories in the first person are relatively easy to come by in her large, extended family.

But going back before the early 1900s becomes tricky for a variety of reasons. In some cases, records...