> Sorry if this is old stuff for you veterans, but I thought it might be > fun > >for > >others who have not seen it before.> > >> > >>> > >>> Murphy's Law for Genealogists > >>> *The public ceremony in which your distinguished ancestor > participated > >and > >>> at which the platform collapsed under him turned out to be a > hanging. > >>> *When at last after much hard work you have solved the mystery you > have > >>> been working on for two years, your aunt says, "I could have told > you > >>> that". > >>> *Your grandmother's maiden name that you have searched for, for four > >>> years, was on a letter in a box in the attic all the time. > >>> *You never asked your father about his family when he was alive > because > >>> you weren't interested in genealogy then. > >>> *The will you need is in the safe on board the Titanic. > >>> *Copies of old newspapers have holes occurring only on the surnames. > >>> *John, son of Thomas, the immigrant whom your relatives claim as the > >>> family progenitor, died on board ship at age 10. > >>> *Your great grandfather's newspaper obituary states that he died > leaving > >>> no issue of record. > >>> *The keeper of the vital records you need has just been insulted by > a > >>> another genealogist. > >>> *The relative who had all the family photographs gave them all to > her > >>> daughter who has no interest in genealogy and no inclination to > share. > >>> *The only record you find for your great grandfather is that his > property > >>> was sold at a sheriff's sale for insolvency. > >>> *The one document that would supply the missing link in your > dead-end > >>> line has been lost due to fire, flood, or war. > >>> *The town clerk to whom you wrote for the information sends you a > long > >>> handwritten letter which is totally illegible. > >>> *The spelling of your European ancestor's name bears no relationship > to > >>> its current spelling or pronunciation. > >>> *None of the pictures in your recently deceased grandmother's photo > album > >>> have names written on them. > >>> *No one in your family tree ever did anything noteworthy, owned > property, > >>> was sued, or was named in wills. > >>> *You learn that your great aunt's executor just sold her life's > >>> collection of family genealogical materials to a flea market dealer > >>> "somewhere in New York City." > >>> *Ink fades and paper deteriorates at a rate inversel proportional to > the > >>> value of the data recorded. > >>> *The 37-volume, 16,000-page history of your county of origin isn't > >>> indexed. > >>> *You finally find your great grandparent's wedding records and > discover > >>> that the brides' father was named John Smith. > >>> > >> > >> > > > >- > > > >