As a child, did any of you ever play the game of gossip? Well, Ancestry is full of it. In looking at "research" done by others on a particular line, I found pages after pages of postings where the son and his wife were listed as parents of his mother. What makes this even worse is that they have the birthdates pretty close to correct and I am still wondering how someone born in 1670 can sire someone born in 1652. I am all for seeing what other people have--you never know what little tidbit will open up for you. More often than not, it will open up when you are trying to help someone else; it just works that way. However, whatever you find, does need to be backed up. Sometimes you can only back it up with circumstantial evidence. Genealogy is a combination of being able to find the documents, knowing and understanding the meanings in that particular time frame, learning some of the history and being able to put it together logically. There will always be some holes somewhere. While one may be able to find a succession of wills in the more modern times, keep in mind that when you get to the 1600s and even 1700s none may exist. Some of these names should be familiar to you: Fleet, Dorman, Hayden; very respected names and good resources. However, I would not take anything by them as Gospel without looking for the original documentation. If ANYONE makes a statement of fact and I can't find the documentation--then it just isn't so. Stop and think---how many years have you been working seriously--25, 30 years? Isn't it interesting that a President's genealogy can be miraculously traced and accepted as fact in a matter of months. Anyone can tack the term "genealogist" after their name. It takes more than that to earn my respect and regard for their work. The point is this: This is exactly the type of discussion that belongs on this mail list or any other. If one researches correctly, he/she learns more about this country than can ever be taught. It instills pride in this country and an appreciation of what our forefathers experienced. Copying and accepting without a great deal of investigation really cheats oneself. Jean -----Original Message----- >From: Craig Kilby <persisto@earthlink.net> >Sent: Jan 6, 2009 11:31 AM >To: vaculpep@rootsweb.com >Subject: [VACULPEP] Prove It > >All I ever asked or said was > >PROVE IT > >That is not being disagreeable. > >Regarding the the post about Mayflower descendancy. There are >probably about 25 million US citizens, many on this board, who have >descent from this group. And it can be proved, just as the poster >explained. And also as the poster explained, she had to document >each and every step along the way. She did. > >One does not prove an argument simply by saying "it is in a book." > >That was, is and always be my whole point. That is not being >disagreeable. > >If you are familiar with TV show "HOUSE", I am HOUSE. > >I do not suffer fools gladly, and fools by no means suffer me. > >------------------------------- >To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to VACULPEP-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message