Will two cousins named Olivia ever cross paths? Olivia L. was raised on the West Coast and now attends college Out West. Olivia S., born in California, but living in New York State, is starting college on the East Coast in the fall.

When our children were about to start college, other cousins knew they would be at the same school as another cousin or, in one case, a cousin’s friend, so the connections flowed in. A cousin from Florida, and the cousin whose friend was from New York State, are each related to their unknown cousins, Olivia L. and Olivia S.

At an early age, our daughter met her cousin from Florida at his great-grandparents’ home in the Sunshine State. They had no contact again until learning they were at college together.

Olivia L., pictured with her pooch, and Olivia S., come from the same mold…they’re descendants of my grandfather, Harry Friedman. One descends from Papa Harry and my grandmother, Rebecca, and the other from Papa Harry and his first wife, Ida.

Do you ever sit and daydream of your ancestors looking down from heaven and getting a glimpse of their descendants? Will future generations know one another and follow the story of their ancestry? Will they at least care? Right now, “Ancestry” is all the rage.

I have a passion for family history, but it goes further. I contemplate all generations of the family. For example, my young cousins Olivia Lappin and Olivia Siegel run through my mind. Their families post pictures on Facebook, which keeps the familiarity for me.

The two Olivias probably know little about their roots as far back as my grandfather, Harry Friedman. Yet, I have built a close relationship with all three branches of the progeny of my great-grandparents on the Friedman side.

My great-grandfather Chaim Chaikel Friedman had three sons. Only two immigrated to America, my Papa Harry and his brother Gus. While their brother Mayer never left the old country, his daughter Dora was a pillar of my life.*

Both Olivias are my 1st cousins, 2x removed. In the case of Olivia L., her grandmother Alyce is my 1st cousin. Our mutual 1st cousin, Alan, was Olivia S.’s grandfather. Their great-grandfathers being brothers makes Olivia L. and Olivia S. 3rd cousins. My grandfather Harry Friedman, their great-great-grandfather, is their nearest common ancestor.

How much do the two young Olivias, “L.” born in 2003, and “S.” 2005, know about Papa Harry? Have they seen his photograph? Do they know he was an ice and coal delivery man who went about on horse and wagon? Do they have any inkling he was from Mozyr, Belarus, and came to the United States in 1906?

Have the two Olivias ever been told that Papa’s first wife died in childbirth with their eighth child, and my grandmother Rebecca was his second wife with whom he had four more children?

Papa’s second wife, Grandma “Beckie,” was from Darabani, Romania. She was Olivia L.’s great-great-grandmother. The story of her life remains a mystery. Marriage records show she was married before marrying Papa. There is still uncertainty about her maiden name being Davidson or some form of Silber. Birth records of each child with my grandfather Harry as the progenitor show a history of other live births. What happened to my grandma Beckie’s four older children?

Papa’s first wife, Ida Golod, was Olivia S.’s great-great-grandmother. I found where her grave lies in New York. There’s more, so much more.

That’s why I drafted a book about the extensive ancestry of our children on all sides. I want them to have their family history as far back as I can trace and share the information with all descendants of my great-grandparents. Papa Harry died before I turned two. My other three grandparents were no longer living when I was born and I never knew any of their ancestors.

My goal is to keep the memory of our ancestors alive by sharing the information I have with our descendants. Hopefully, the information will be appreciated, and, most importantly, the family chain will not be broken.

Maybe Olivia L. and Olivia S. will meet someday, just as our children have met many of the cousins I found through my family tree research. At least on paper, they’ll know their cousins.

Possibly they’ll develop friendships with their cousins. Wouldn’t running into them at the airport on the other side of the world be exciting? Our daughter Rina did that when she studied abroad. As she was about to return home, she heard her name called at the airport terminal in New Zealand. She turned to find two brothers from the Friedman side, friends from college, calling out to her as they traveled together exploring a distant continent.

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A cousin on my husband’s side, Arby, said he’s happy that Jack, his 1st cousin on my mother-in-law’s side, and I, married to his mother’s 1st cousin, have researched and recorded the family history so that his son Jordan will know the background when he's gone. Will Jordan be interested? Will Jordan’s daughters care?

Someday these girls may be in college with a long-lost cousin, or they’ll spark interest and develop a desire to learn about their relatives and far-back ancestry. Maybe my devoted years of research tracking down and meeting cousins, which Jack is now doing on the other side of his family, will be the impetus. When the time comes, at least they’ll have the family history to rely on.

To start the dialogue with Arby’s granddaughters, our son Moss will get to tell them about their cousin Sarah. He and Sarah met at college with the help of Sarah’s grandmother,* the daughter of my mother-in-law’s 1st cousin, and me, two enthusiastic family historians who happened to be related to Moss and Sarah. Moss can even tell about his stay during a semester abroad at Sarah’s apartment in Paris with a view of the Eiffel Tower.

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*See my blog post at sharonmarkcohen.com, dated September 28, 2021, FRIENDLY GHOSTS OF THE CATSKILLS PAST.

**See my blog posts at sharonmarkcohen.com, dated July 30, 2019, THE HISTORY OF THAT PIECE OF POTTERY, PART I, and on August 6, 2019, THE HISTORY OF THAT PIECE OF POTTERY, PART II. Also see RECIPES FOR LIFE AND SUSTENANCE, dated August 13, 2019.