“History is life; he who has not lived, or has lived only enough to write a doctoral dissertation, is too inexperienced with life to write good history.”
Louis Gottschalk (noted historian and professor)

Kent Daniels is a sandlapper through and through. He was born, reared, and still resides in his hometown of Lake City, South Carolina. His earliest memories are filled with chronicles of his confederate lineage and tales of local hero, Francis Marion, and the venerable General Robert E Lee. But don’t let his love of palmetto trees and warm breezes fool you, Kent is a man of the world and a historical enthusiast who has traveled far and wide to explore and examine descendants and retrace the branches of family trees.

Kent is a genealogist, historian, student, and teacher – and someone we can all learn a thing or two from. I had the pleasure of sitting down with Kent, to talk about his past, how he became enamored with genealogy, and the lessons it has taught him about his family, and life in general.

Talk about growing up in the south and how that influenced your love of history and family narratives.

My Grandfather told stories about the family, living in the South, the Confederate War, and the Revolutionary War all the time. I grew up in a time after World War II, a more innocent time when a child had a jungle and a forest to camp out in, open range to explore, a movie house to watch your heroes on the big screen, fields that became a battlefield to wipe out the British and the Yankees, and a backyard where you watched the stars at night – with images of Buck Rogers or Flash Gordon traveling from planet to planet. Radio and early television, especially watching the Swamp Fox on Sunday night on Disney, and pretending that I was one of his men.

Did your interest in Southern and Civil War history come from the fact that you are from the South, or was there something else about the subject that compelled you?

Growing up in the South, everyone had a sense of the Civil War (We actually had to
call it the Confederate War or the War of Northern Aggression.) Our Grandfathers (who all lived near by), would tell us the stories of their grandfathers fighting under Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson.

When did you know you wanted to educate people about history?

After I graduated from college in 1970, I became a counselor for the South Carolina
Department of Vocational Rehabilitation and lasted ten months on the job. I was asked by the Lake City Superintendent of Schools if I would teach and I told him I would try it a year. That one year, turned into 29. After 7 years teaching Special Education, I asked to be transferred to the high school in 1977. The Super told me to get certified, so I did. During the summer of 1977, I went to Europe to visit and tour with my brother and sister, and I told myself if I did not get my transfer to the high school, I would not go back to teach the following year.

When I came home from Europe, I received a phone call from the principal of the high school; he needed a social studies teacher. That year I had five preparations, World History, U.S. History, World Geography, Civics, and Economics and Government. I taught until the year 2000, when I retired from the Lake City public school system. This year, 2006, I have gone back to the classroom, teaching South Carolina History, United States History and World Geography.

Can you briefly explain Genealogy and how and when you first became interested in this subject?

Genealogy is searching for your ancestors. It may be just to find the name of your great grandfather or a Revolutionary War soldier, or a Confederate veteran (not many yanks come to the store.) But it can be much more, such as stories about a soldier or accounts about an immigrant coming from Europe or any part of the world and settling and raising a family – one just like yours. I started back in the 1960’s, as I listened to my grandfather and my father tell stories about their family; I wondered about my mother’s family. I started interviewing her aunts and uncles, and it sort of took off from there.

What makes a good genealogist?

One who researches the “history” of an ancestor, and doesn’t just stop at a name. A professional is one who knows how to research a family history, understands history, (such as reasons why people move, diseases that plague certain regions), and someone that can verify ancestry through credible documents.

When did your interest change from just looking into your own family history, to wanting to help others find out about their history and ancestors?

As soon as I began to research my family; friends and students asked if I would help them research their descendants. They wanted insight and information, and wanted to be the first to know about their family’s history and to be able to tell the story of a person’s past. One of my favorite projects involved the information I found about the past of a previously lost soldier from Virginia. By researching his military records, I was able to validate the story of his life. Genealogy is a sharing process. Its experience gained through finding someone that can give you new insight into your own studies.

What is the furthest you have traveled in search of someone’s family history?

Ireland, Scotland, England and New England. Simple as it sounds, the first key is to know the person’s name. Many travel far and wide without even knowing the basics of their family or who lived there. Most often in a case like this, the researcher will end up disappointed. Preparation is key.

How has the internet helped (or hindered) the work of genealogist?

There is much information out there, but most of it is not put together in any kind of logical order, so you must really know what to look for. Information is helpful, and sources are better, but you must remember to verify your findings if they are to have any real value.

There are lots of resources like ancestory.com on the internet. What can you offer that an online service cannot?

Sites like ancestory.com are great, but they do not truly tell a story. They can tell you the name of a long lost great grandparent, but they are not able to really piece together the story of ones ancestors, like a qualified genealogists can. We know the area, know the people, and know the best ways to get information about family history by using local sources that no on-line service can match.

Are there any national or regional genealogy organizations that you are involved with?

I am a member of several local organizations like the Three Rivers Historical Society in Hemingway, South Carolina, the Williamsburg County Historical Society in Kingstree, South Carolina, the Francis Marion Society, which was founded by my wife, Carol Daniels right here in Lake City, South Carolina. I am also the Commissioner of the Florence County Historic Commission in Florence, South Carolina. On a state level, I am a member of the South Carolina Archives and History Society, and the University of South Carolinian Society, both in Columbia, SC.

Tell me about The History Store, and what was your inspiration for opening?

My brother bought the building and he asked me to put something there. The only thing I could think of was HISTORY. The best way to tell about history is to show people. We stocked the store with a small collection of artifacts and now have a modest museum. We brought in books about our local area in South Carolina and the South in general, and have more recently added a variety of publications from the Three Rivers Historical Society. After much interest from customers and friends, we decided to expand our operation to help people with genealogy searches. To further state pride we have a line of South Carolina logo items and regional foods. For people who find sweetness in remembering their past, we sell nostalgic gifts and other memorabilia.

How long have you been in business? Are most of your customer’s walk-ins, or do you do business over the phone and internet?

We have been in our location on Main Street in Lake City for four and one half years. Most of our customers are walk-ins, but we do a fair amount of business on the phone and through our website (http://www.schistorystore.com)

Do you see yourself as a historian, a researcher, a history buff, a genealogist, an aficionado of family ancestry and research, or some combination of all of those?

A little bit of all - I do not think you can be just one.

What are your plans for the history store over the next year or two?

That is a $64 question. If we have a great Christmas season, we can pay the bills for the year, if not, who knows.

It’s been said that a good teacher is like a candle – consuming itself to light the way for others. And no matter what happens to his retail location, Kent’s burning desire to learn, research, teach will remain. He loves his work as a historian, and as long as there are people that need assistance finding out about their past, Kent Daniels will be there to help. It’s not the money, or the recognition, or any other sort of professional honor that drives him. It his love for the South and its rich heritage, and a sincere desire to help those with a similar yearning.

You can sum up the man in one quote, from life long inspiration General Robert E. Lee. “Do your duty in all things. You cannot do more, you should never wish to do less.”

-Paul Dailey is a freelance writer based in Boston, Massachusetts.