I prefer to speak of "family legends". For some 42 years my maternal great-grandfather was the vicar of a small village not too far from Lincoln. Seven of his children were born there and all except one son who died very young were brought up there. Legend No 1. The second youngest son was referred to as the black sheep of the family. He was an inventor and engineer and took out patents on a number of motor cycle related gearing products in addition to building motor cycles. He also, with a partner, built an aeroplane which is rumoured to have only left the ground for short distances when it hit bumps. My grandfather is reputed to have invested money with his inventor brother all of which he lost. The inventor's factory in Lincoln was destroyed by fire during the Lincoln riots in 1911 and some suspected that his financial state at the time may have been an influencing factor. Legend No 2. Two of the sons followed their father into the Anglican clergy. Notes left by one of my cousins said that the wife of one of the vicars had died when her husband was in his seventies whereupon he up and remarried in very short order and fathered a child. Her comment was "Dirty old sod". Reality. Both legends come back to the inventor. Yes, the motor cycle factory was burnt down in somewhat suspicious circumstances but there was no evidence of foul play. However, the inventor moved to Birmingham where he married his father's servant, resurrected his motor cycle business and eventually went into partnership with another leading motor cycle manufacturer. He fathered four children with his wife. After his fourth child was born, he fathered another four children with a woman from London and it would appear that he set up his second home, also in Birmingham. When his wife died, yes he was in his seventies, he immediately married the mother of their four children. He was definitely not a vicar. Oh! I am Lincolnshire born but merely because my father was temporarily working near Grimsby. Peter Jones -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Louis Mills Sent: 15 February 2014 23:43 To: Eng Lincsgen Subject: [LIN] Admin. note: Myths vs. Reality Hi, Missing Lincs,     So, for the benefit of everyone on the list, what is your "favorite" myth vs. reality?  Here's another example: MYTH:    My ancestor owned a farm in NETHER HEREBY.... REALITY:  My ancestor leased farmland in NETHER HEREBY...            Lou (list admin.) ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message