This came from another of my lists. It's pretty good.
Jenny
List Mom
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----- Original Message -----
From: "Mita Gililland" <mitag523(a)worldnet.att.net>
To: "Jenny Kernan-Cienfuegos" <jkernan(a)xpressweb.com>
Sent: Saturday, May 06, 2000 10:15 PM
Subject: Re: [GUFFEY] Fw: Misconceptions re Genealogical Research
Please send all your messages on this topic to daymongil(a)aol.com.
Thanks.
Jenny Kernan-Cienfuegos wrote:
>
> This came from another list.
>
> Jenny
> List Mom
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Ben Gantt" <bengantt(a)hal-pc.org>
> To: <GANT-L(a)rootsweb.com>
> Sent: Wednesday, March 22, 2000 7:50 AM
> Subject: Fw: Misconceptions re Genealogical Research
>
> > Hope no one is offended by me forwarding this. Sounds pretty good
to
> me.
> > Ben in Houston
> > --------
> >
> > MISCONCEPTIONS," by Michael John Neill
> >
> > This is a semi-serious look at some misconceptions that genealogists
> (and
> > non-genealogists) have about family history.
> >
> > 1) WE ALL HAVE A FAMOUS ANCESTOR, SOMEWHERE.
> > I've got the names of over three hundred of my ancestors and
have
> > yet to have any of them qualify as "famous." In
some cases, you may
want
> to
> > reconsider being related to someone famous. Hard-working, law-abiding
> > relatives are nothing to be ashamed of. Try and document your
ancestors
> > accurately, whether they were famous or not.
> >
> > 2) THERE ARE NO "EARLY" BABIES OR SHADY STORIES IN MY FAMILY TREE.
> > Trace your ancestry completely for six generations and then we
will
> > talk.
> >
> > 3) THERE WERE THREE BROTHERS WITH THE LAST NAME OF [TAKE-YOUR-PICK]
WHO
> > CAME TO AMERICA. WE DESCEND FROM THE YOUNGEST (OLDEST,
MIDDLE,
TALLEST,
> > SMARTEST, ETC.)
> > If this is true, then the number of families who had three
sons
is
> > beyond statistical expectations. Check it out.
> >
> > 4) IMMIGRANTS WERE ALL POOR.
> > There's no doubt that the vast majority of them were and came
to
> > America with only the clothes on their backs. Once in a
while though,
> you'll
> > find one who had a little bit of money and came to America hoping to
make
> > more.
> >
> > 5) LIFE BEFORE 1900 WAS ONE OF BUCOLIC PASTORAL BLISS, DOTTED BY
BARN
> > RAISINGS AND CHURCH SOCIALS.
> > Life before 1900 was hard. No running water, no electricity,
no
> law
> > (in some areas), rudimentary medical care (if any), child labor, and
few
> of
> > life's creature comforts. This only scratches the surface. I'm not
even so
> > certain life was "simple." If I want a loaf of
bread, I go to the
store.
> > Great-great-grandma likely did not.
> >
> > 6) EVERYONE LIKES TO HEAR THE TALES OF "NOTORIOUS" ANCESTORS.
> > Not everyone will think the story of
great-great-great-grandma's
> > four husbands, two divorces, involvement in a murder, and
the running
of a
> > tavern should be included in the family history.
> >
> > 7) CENSUS AGES ARE ALWAYS CORRECT.
> > You must be kidding.
> >
> > 8) OFFICIAL RECORDS SHOULD NOT CONTAIN ERRORS.
> > They do. The best way to deal with it is to try and research
> around
> > it where possible.
> >
> > 9) GENEALOGISTS ARE ALL RETIRED.
> > Not so. There are genealogists out there who have yet to hit
forty
> > or retirement. If you see one who has yet to hit puberty,
tell them to
> > interview their grandparents now. Most of all encourage them, gently.
> >
> > 10) GENEALOGY IS NOT AN INTELLECTUAL HOBBY.
> > Ever tried to read through (and understand) sixty pages of
court
> > records from the 1840s? I've taken calculus exams that
made more
sense.
> Same
> > thing goes for platting property in metes and bounds. Talk about
applied
> > mathematics.
> >
> > 11) MY FAMILY HAS A CASTLE IN EUROPE.
> > Some did, but don't believe it until you see it. Don't really
> > believe it until you see the deed, title, etc.
> >
> > 12) MY ANCESTOR SERVED WITH WASHINGTON, LEE, GRANT, ETC.
> > Choose your war , take your pick. There are lots of these
stories.
> > Check them out before believing them. Document your
ancestor's
service,
> > accurately.
> >
> > 13) I GOT IT ON THE INTERNET, THEREFORE IT MUST BE TRUE.
> > Nope.
> >
> > 14) I GOT IT ON THE INTERNET, THEREFORE IT MUST BE FALSE.
> > Nope.
> >
> > 15) I CAN DO MY GENEALOGY ENTIRELY VIA THE INTERNET.
> > Nope.
> >
> > 16) I CAN DO MY GENEALOGY WITHOUT THE INTERNET.
> > Possibly, but it really saves time.
> >
> > 17) THE RECORDS IN STATE Y ARE CLOSING BECAUSE IT WAS POSTED TO THE
> > GENEALOGY MAILING LIST FOR THAT STATE.
> > Check out rumors before you spread them. Think before you
forward
> or
> > copy and paste this type of information to other people or lists.
> [Editor's
> > Note: For more on this, see the FGS Suggested Steps for Action in the
Feb.
> 9
> > Ancestry Daily News at:
> >
http://www.ancestry.com/learn/columns/dailyarchive/02-09-00.htm#4]
> >
> > 18) I CAN DO ALL MY RESEARCH ONLY USING VITAL RECORDS, OBITUARIES,
AND
> > CENSUS RECORDS.
> > Goodness! There's a vast treasure trove of other sources out
there
> > that you can utilize.
> >
> > 19) MY SURNAME HAS ALWAYS BEEN SPELLED THE SAME WAY, WE NEVER
CHANGED
> IT.
> > Maybe, but then again, maybe not.
> >
> > 20) EVERYONE REPLIES TO E-MAIL IMMEDIATELY.
> > Some genealogists have non-genealogy commitments, such as
family
> and
> > employment. Be patient and wait a few days before posting a follow-up
> > e-mail.
> >
> > 21) I CAN TRACE MY ANCESTRY IN ONE AFTERNOON AT THE COMPUTER.
> > Time for a reality check.
> >
> > 22) I CAN TRACE MY ANCESTORS IN AN AFTERNOON AT THE FAMILY HISTORY
> > CENTER.
> > (See number 21)
> >
> > 23) SOMEONE HAS ALREADY TRACED MY ENTIRE FAMILY TREE. I JUST HAVE
TO
> > FIND IT.
> > That's the tricky part-finding it! Then comes the fun of
> > documenting it.
> >
> > 24) DOCUMENTATION IS ONLY FOR GENEALOGICAL GEEKS WHO GET CHEAP
THRILLS
> BY
> > ASKING, "WHERE DID YOU FIND IT?"
> > How will you ever compare three different birth dates for
Grandpa
> > if you don't know where you obtained each date?
> >
> > 25) GENEALOGISTS ARE NUTS.
> > More likely they are truly focused on their research.
However,
> one
> > correspondent told me that working on genealogy "beats spending all my
> free
> > time at a bar."
> >
> > 26) GENEALOGISTS ARE RUDE AT THE COURTHOUSE OR LIBRARY.
> > Genealogists are people and a few are rude. Just make certain
> it's
> > not you. No family historian wants to walk into the courthouse just
> after
> > the most obnoxious genealogist on the planet has left the building.
> >
> > 27) GENEALOGY IS BORING.
> > You must be kidding. I've learned a great deal about history,
> > culture, and myself researching my own family.
> >
> > 28) YOU OUGHT TO BE DONE WITH THAT FAMILY HISTORY BY NOW.
> > Well, I would except every time I find one ancestor I have
two
> more
> > parents to learn about. [Ed. note: Genealogy is a terminal disease.]
> >
> > 29) THERE IS ONE BEST GENEALOGICAL SOFTWARE PACKAGE.
> > Most have their pros and cons. Pick one that works for you,
keep
> > alert for new packages, but only change when you have good
reason to.
Time
> > spent upgrading and upgrading and constantly learning new
packages
can
> be
> > spent doing research.
> >
> > 30) YOU ARE COMPLETELY ADDICTED IF YOU SEARCH THE INGREDIENT LIST
OF
> YOUR
> > BREAKFAST CEREAL FOR YOUR ANCESTRAL SURNAMES.
> > This is likely true, but I'm not admitting to this one in
public!
> >
> > 31) GENEALOGY IS EXPENSIVE.
> > The documentation can be expensive. Many will share copies
but
> some
> > will not. Spread it out over time if you don't have immediate
resources.
> >
> >
>
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