WAY OT - Tell me what you know about family trees

I found Ancestry.com to be a total mess. One great grandfather was shown to have 8 wives...all named some variation of Susannah, spelled 8 different ways. Apparently no one had actual verification of what was posted there. My sister likes to putter around in ancestry do she keeps a membership, but to me they are not worth the $.

The LDS family history centers can be terrific, and the LDS church has connections to search out African histories. Check for the chapel closest to you - most have a center right in the building, staffed by volunteers. Their Family Search website DOES require documentation of entries so it is more accurate. Also their records go way back...so you may discover that some of the search has already been done by someone whose lines cross your own.

My dads sisters did genealogy for the DAR, so his side is pretty well done. Mom's side? Not so much...secrets, secrets! That is, until my sister discovered a Mulatto great grandma....and maybe a touch of Jewish heritage as well. Imagine that, in the rural south!

LDS in Salt Lake City is a terrific source of information. Usually your local library can get you started on sources to use in your local area. I too had trouble with Ancestry.com and was lead astray several times with their information. A big problem I ran into was researching the Native American side of my family--for instance because my grandfather lived in West Virginia it was illegal at the time for "whites" to marry "non-white" and my grandmother being pure Native American was considered "non-white" Well, granpa got around that by having his friend-a local J.P. ( who performed the ceremony) list her as "white" on the marriage certificate he also gave her an "English" sur name.
Worked for them but has made it almost impossible to research granmma's family. Your family church might have records that would be of use to you, also census records and tax records, Usually any public record will be on microfilm at the library. Be warned this research can take on a life of it's own but it really can be fascinating to see the twists and turns your family tree can take.

I really want to do something like this, too.  From what my father told me many years ago (he died over 22 years ago), his aunt had at one time mapped out his side's lineage and we supposedly were related to Rebecca Nurse (or Nourse, have seen it spelled both ways), one of the first women executed in Salem, MA at the beginning of the witch trials.

Thought that was interesting... I'd like to know more!   ;)


tori