THE FLIP SIDE OF THE COIN; FINDING UNPLEASANT TRUTHS

And here is the flip side of the coin. You will find family secrets that you may not, actually probably did not, know about. Trust me here, everyone has skeletons in the proverbial family closet. In this digital day and age we live in, everything is out there somewhere just waiting to be found. From historic newspapers to handwritten family Bible records, if you research long enough and deep enough, you are going to find one of these skeletons.

This does not mean you should go looking for them but you need to be prepared to find things that will probably surprise you. A word of caution here, as with family legends if you find something like this you cannot just ignore it. Depending on what it is, family members may ask you to continue covering these things up. You may want to cover them up as well, thinking this information “doesn’t matter” anymore. The problem with that thinking is that the information may or may not matter, you don’t know. Others will find this information as well and if this information was important enough to record in the first place, it is probably important enough to include in your family tree. You need to verify and source this information very carefully so you do not pass on false information and rumors.

Happy Hunting!

Roni

 

FAMILY PEARLS, YOU GET WHAT YOU GET

My great grandmother’s pearl necklace was borrowed to me to wear on my wedding day and later, after my mother’s death, it became mine. I treasured those pearls. Then I ended up in a situation in which I desperately needed money. After much soul searching, I took my great grandmother’s pearls to a local jewelry store that dealt in fine estate jewelry. Much to my surprise and disappointment, after checking the pearls out, the dealer informed me that they were faux pearls. In other words, fakes. I was disappointed on several different levels, on the other hand I was relieved that I still had the pearls, real or not.

The point here is that preconceived notions while looking at family history can be disappointing. Every family has that “legend” that has never been proven. You know, the stories that we grew up with and were told and re-told at every family get-together until they became real in our minds. While the legend may contain a grain of truth making it a good starting point for some family research, as a family genealogist your task at this point becomes providing proof of the legend’s authenticity. 

On the flip side of the coin are the stories that are whispered over the years. Generational gossip if you will. Stories that our ancestors were ashamed of and tried to cover up or sugar coat. Every family has at least one of these. While I am not advocating disrespect of our ancestors, it is part of the family history which we all strive to present truthfully and respectfully.

Happy hunting!

GENETIC GENEALOGY

Have you ever looked at an old photograph of an ancestor and seen yourself looking back at you? It can be an eerie experience but it can also make you feel connected to where you came from. My favorite discoveries as I research my family tree have been finding old pictures. This is why I have decided to look into genetic genealogy with DNA testing. 

As far as the DNA goes, I will be the first to admit I don't understand the raw data making learning how to read this my top priority. While I continue to chase down cousins found through DNA testing in the family tree, I will be working on understanding this DNA. The posts here will mostly be a reflection on genetic genealogy for the time being.

Happy Hunting! Roni