Michael, Not to add fuel to any statements or start a long thread, but I think this is a fine forum to express the things that you have stated below. I know that I feel differently than most people on having my personal information posted, but that comes from being in "Cowans From County Down" by Fleming since 1970ish!!! It has never harmed me or my family and I have tracked down many family members from the information that is in his book. I have had more problems from people that had access to my Social Security Number from a business deal than any information that has been posted on a genealogy site or in a family history book. I have much family information posted on my Silver Family and I have never heard of anyone having problems with that, but after some complaints our family data base that was password protected had to have some changes made to keep everyone happy. That problem was more from people stealing the info and using it in their published information. The Silver Family has a lot of interesting family history. For many of you that do not already know, your list manager is the 4th great granddaughter of an ax murderer. Frankie Stewart Silver was hung in NC for having chopped up her husband and burning him in the fireplace. The "Ballad of Frankie Silver " was published about five years ago - it has a lot of family history within its pages. Oh, by the way Charlie Silver was my 4th great grandfather - my line comes from their daughter Nancy Silver. This family has had many family histories written - with and without permission and I do not know of anyone that has ever had a problem. <g> My only problem is that once someone has your information incorrect, it gets passed all around incorrect and becomes almost impossible to correct. So my feelings are probably very different from the average person and I have very close friends that do not share my same feelings. I know that most of the information can be located and people are better off giving the information so that it is correct. One example of this problem of incorrect information. One of my dear cousins tried for several years to get my mother to give her some family history, she refused, so my cousin posted what her mother had given her. When my mother got a copy of the Thomas Family History, my grandmother was listed as dead - she died about 10 years later. When my mother read this incorrect information, she had a "hissy" fit. Now, correcting this mistake gave me the change to meet a cousin that I had never known. This cousin took me to my first Silver Family Reunion and has passed wonderful information on to me. Bottom line - if you want it correct, supply the information. Now this does not mean that I think those that want their information kept private should not have their request honored, but give some one in the family a GEDCOM or family information with the current info marked private and listen to how they fuss!!!!!!!!! <g> As a side note for those that do not know Dr. Cole, his website is worth checking out!!!! http://www.theColeFamily.com/hobby He has done an excellent service for researchers by publishing his findings. 50 years from now, his work will be a really big help to many young researchers as I am sure that many researchers today are pleased with the contents of Cowan Book. He is a walking book of knowledge on many surnames and he like each of you has the right to express his feelings. This is a little long winded, but I felt that it was a topic worth posting a reply. Now, for those that do not want to follow this thread please delete. <g> Thanks, Michael for sharing your thoughts on this subject. Laura Cowan Cooper List Manager At 05:18 PM 3/14/02 -0600, you wrote: >This is probably not a good forum to discuss this (and the issue certainly >won't be settled), but genealogy is not just a study of people who lived >more than 70 years ago. I've been actively working on my family tree for >almost 28 years. (I've had plenty of time to think about this.) Just >about everything in my computer database of over 83,000 people can be >obtained from PUBLIC records. > >The most accurate information about your immediate family should come from >you. But if you refuse to give it to me because of "privacy" concerns, I >assure you that I'll eventually find someone among your relatives who >aren't so anxious about these mostly imagined evil possibilities that have >an extremely low probability. My biggest concern with getting information >from your friendly cousin is that the vital statistics they share on your >family will be less accurate and less complete than what you could have >provided if you weren't so paranoid. > >Just because someone else will do something illegal with something good >that I've accumulated DOES NOT in any way suggest that I've done anything >wrong. We shouldn't be trying to make genealogists feel guilty about >enjoying their hobby. > >I'll continue to post the dates and places of births and marriages and >deaths for my family on the "world's bulletin board" and wouldn't hesitate >to do the same at the local grocery store. My household will not live in >fear. There are risks in life that are worth taking. (Haven't your >ancestors taught you that?) Let's not turn genealogy into just a study of >dead people. Personally, I much better enjoy the living people I've found >through my life-long hobby of genealogy. And it's exciting to think of >those I'll yet get to meet who share an interest in my family heritage. > >Very sincerely, >~~Michael S. Cole, M.D. > >Michael Steven COLE, M.D. >born: 28 Apr 1955, Harrison, Boone Co., AR >married: 16 Aug 1975, Searcy, White Co., AR >living: Fort Smith, Sebastian Co., AR > >http://www.theColeFamily.com/hobby > > >==== COWAN Mailing List ==== >Messages sent to this list will be archived. Do not send copyrighted >material or anything that you do not want available for public viewing >(your name & address, for example).