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!