Family Folklore, traditions, legends we all have these and for the most part
they are interesting,sometimes exciting, sometimes downright
unbelievable.Since I have seen alot of postings lately regarding what people
have "heard" in the family, but it can't be proven I thought I might cover
a
few ways in which they can at least start to be proven. Everyone knows just
how easily a repeated tradition can, over time become acceptable fact.
We all have family traditions. Some are colorful, some are entertaining;
some are exaggerations, and some are bold-faced lies. All can be used
genealogically, whether for actual clues or just to provide "colorful"
stories to add to the family history.
Most traditions are not completely false and contain a buried grain of
truth. Finding that grain of truth and determining the difference between
truth and fiction is not a simple matter.
One approach to sifting the fact from the fiction is to break the story into
those aspects that are potentially provable and those that are not. The
lines between potentially provable and not provable are not always clear,
but an attempt to categorize the story's aspects may further your research.
The phrase "potentially provable" is used instead of "provable" to
remind
the researcher that an event that resulted in the creation of records in one
time and place might not have resulted in the creation of records in another
time and place.
Potentially provable items are those that reasonably resulted in the
creation of some type of record. The record may or may not be an official
record. A knowledge of the typical records for the time period under study
makes the analysis easier. This knowledge can be gained by reading
listservs, genealogy books, and magazines, and by attending conferences and
other activities that expand your genealogical knowledge.
We will look at two traditions to see how they can be broken apart for
potential clues, and we’ll discuss briefly what information was discovered.
Tradition #1
"Riley Rampley served in the Civil War. He was with General Sherman on the
famous 'March to the Sea.' While on his way home (riding on a horse), he met
a young lady (Nancy Newman) who was on her way home from a house where she
had been serving. When he got home, he told his mother he had met the girl
he was going to marry."
Several aspects of this tradition might have generated records. There are
certain other parts that are difficult to validate unless diaries or
contemporary letters are found. I analyzed the story in the following
manner.
POTENTIALLY PROVABLE
Riley's Civil War service--through service records and pension records
The involvement of Riley's unit in the "March to the Sea"--through
regimental histories and Riley's service record
The marriage of Riley and Nancy--through marriage records
MOST LIKELY UNPROVABLE
Riley meeting Nancy on his way home from the war and subsequently telling
his mother he had met the woman he was going to marry.
What Is Known
Riley served in Company D of the Illinois Volunteer Infantry and was with
Sherman on the "March to the Sea." This information was obtained from
military service records and a history of the 78th Illinois.
Nancy and her parents moved to Illinois in 1863-64 while Riley was in the
service. This information was obtained from Nancy's obituary, her husband's
biography, and from research on Nancy's siblings. Land records indicated
that Nancy's parents owned a farm adjacent to that owned by Riley's parents.
It is likely that the first time Riley saw Nancy was after he returned from
the war. The couple was married in 1867, a few years after Riley's return
from service.
Tradition #2
"Grandma Haase was first married to a Mr. Beger. They lived in Warsaw (in
Hancock County, IL) and had two little girls, Frances and Louisa. Mr. Beger
died by drowning, and Grandma sold sandwiches to the men who came to sell
things at the river (Warsaw is on the Mississippi River). Grandma later
married my grandfather, Conrad Haase."
POTENTIALLY PROVABLE
The death of Peter Beger
The birth of two daughters or the existence of two daughters
The marriage of Peter and "Grandma Haase"
The marriage of Conrad Haase and "Grandma Haase"
MOST LIKELY UNPROVABLE
"Selling sandwiches" didn't require a license in the 1850s, and there
probably wouldn't be a way to document this.
What Is Known
Peter Bieger died in Warsaw, Illinois in November of 1855 (per his probate
records).
A guardianship case for his two daughters gives their names and dates of
birth. A newspaper article on his accidental death appeared in the Warsaw,
Illinois paper and indicated that he accidentally shot himself instead of
drowning.
No marriage record for he and "Grandma Haase" (whose name was Barbara) has
been found in the area.
A marriage record for "Grandma" and Conrad Haase was located in Hancock
County, Illinois in 1859.
Summing Up
Not every tradition will result in possible records. However, taking a look
at your family traditions may provide you with new insights to get a
jumpstart on your own research.
When including traditions in your family history, just be sure to clearly
label them as tradition.
ONCE A TRADITION BECOMES FACT, IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO CHANGE THAT FACT
BACK TO FICTION.
Debbie Jennings
debj(a)comsys.net
"Following the footprints through time"