Worth a laugh! :) :-) :-)> > Wayne Howell wrote: > > and I followed the questions with my responses: > > > Imagine that you are doing genealogical research for someone else and > > they tell you: > > > 1) This relative was born less than nine months after the marriage of > > the parents--please adjust the info. > > Sorry, can't do that. Maybe they were "premature"? > > > 2) This relative was born out of wedlock--please adjust the info. > > I can leave marriage date blank, but I won't lie. Sorry. > > > 3) This female relative is much older than her husband thinks she > > is--please adjust the info. > > I'll simply provide no data, but put in the space "Living individual. > Private" and leave it at that. > > > 4) This relative was adopted and doesn't know it--please adjust the > > info. > > See Question 3. > > > 5) This relative was never adopted, but was raised as if they had > > been--please adjust the info. > > I can put the word 'foster child', if you like. I will not lie, however. > > > 6) This relative was not born in the US but wants others to think they > > were--please adjust the info. > > See question 3. > > > 7) This relative doesn't want others to know they had more than one > > marriage--please adjust the info. > > See question 3. > > > 8) This relative doesn't want others to know she had children by > > another marriage which she did not raise--please adjust the info. > > See question 3. > > > 9) This relative doesn't want others to know who his parents really > > are--please adjust the info. > > See question 3. > > > 10) This relative doesn't want others to know where she was > > born--please adjust the info. > > See (boy this is easy!) question 3. > > > For the sake of discussion, what would _you_ do in each (or any > > specific) case above.....and remember, this is research you are doing > > for someone else, and will carry your name as researcher. > > > People getting all buggy about who did what to whom, when, whre and why, > and trying to conceal it all, simply place too much weight on what > should be a pleasant hobby. Unless one is at risk for an hereditary > disease, is considering marrying someone who *looks* like one's own twin > sister, or is in succession for the throne of some country, genealogy is > really only academic in interest. I am descended from two selectmen in > Massachusetts. I am descended from a baron or something like that, in > Prussia, a couple Indians, a prostitute, a man who fled the state under > suspicion of murder, about five or ten people who deserted their > families, one guy who put a bullet into Jesse James (non fatal), one guy > who wrangled for Buffalo Bill, an old Indian fighter and an old Indian > several writers and maybe even royalty. Big fat hairy wriggling deal. > NONE of these forebears have ever paid a dime of my rent, but they DID > give me a sense of humor. I'm a mutt. EVERYONE on here is a mutt > (unless you can prove you're pure something-or-other on both sides...) > and we're ALL descended from people like Wierd Grandfather Euphonius > (who photographed nude llamas) and Great Great Grandmother Thistle (who > thought she was a canary) and Old Chief Running Joke of the Gotchagoin > Tribe. Relax and enjoy the ride. > > Life's too short to fuss about strange relatives.