There are certain to be more, but here’s ten myths–or combinations of myths:
- FamilySearch & Ancestry.com have everything.
- My relative’s name was changed at Ellis Island.
- Grandma was right.
- Grandma was wrong.
- “That” never happened in our family.
- If it’s on more than one website, it must be true.
- I can do all my research on the internet because the courthouse always burned.
- Genealogy has to be free.
- There will be a day I get it all “done.”
- We descend from one of three stowaway immigrant brothers who all married Indian Princesses immediately upon arrival.
Jane Coryell says:
Well, in my case, number 7 is pretty true. My two brick walls are both caused by destruction of records, including the New Jersey censuses from 1790 through 1820 and the records from Seneca County in New York.
Bella Conner says:
That last one is ESPECIALLY true for my ex husband’s family, and is so appropriate right now! My ex is German on his mother’s side, and always thought he was English/Irish on his father’s AND he, his sister and brother just KNEW they were 1/8th Cherokee! His dad always took them to powwows, they learned the dances and danced with the tribe, he ended up being an archealogist and works with gas companies. He and his sister hired a genealogist and paid big bucks to find the Native American ancestry, and NOTHING came up. It was suggested that this Cherokee woman was wiped from records because she married a white man. Well, his cousin just gifted him with a big 3 ring binder, and all the family tree links were in the front. He told me he looked, and found nothing, then he went in the other room in his office while our daughter paged through it. “Mom, dad is so wrong! But I don’t dare tell him….” So I looked… and found that the “link” went back to Great Great Great – but instead of it being his 3X great grandfather, it was his grand UNCLE!!! AND – BOTH had been married before, BOTH had children before, but NOT with EACH OTHER. At this time, she was past child bearing age, AND she was NOT Cherokee from Oklahoma, but CHOCTAW from ARKANSAS. AND there is a TON of tribal information on her! RIGHT THERE IN BLACK AND WHITE. And. NO, there IS no English or Irish, it was GERMAN, and it went from a German name right into being an Irish one (Conner) just because they moved here and wanted to “sound” American! IT”S ALL THERE… and you can read it plainly! But my ex says he can’t “find” it. I really think he “can’t find it” in his heart because the memories of his dad sharing powwows with him is too tender to rip away. So we aren’t saying anything. But at least my kids (who are adults) know, and that’s what counts.