Genealogy Blog
September 26, 2007
False and misleading family history information
Take it with a grain of salt – a saying (or
cliché) that, according to Wikipedia, dates back to 1647. It can most
definitely be applied to what information we find on the internet.
This information of course includes family tree information, sprinkled
across millions of web pages. (Just Googled the term “family tree”…came
up with 2,270,000 results. )
I always assume the
information I find online is not necessarily fact…but leads. More
accurately, hints to assist me in pursing a family line. It isn’t just the
internet information that needs to be viewed with a skeptical eye, but
documents handed down from family members.
Years ago my grandmother
gave me a rolled parchment, with teeny tiny hand writing, listing generation
upon generation of our ancestors. A notation on that parchment, was a
belief that one ancestor, Gabriel Chalmers, was believed to be the
illegitimate son of Scottish poet, Robert Burns, and his mistress,
Maggie Chalmers.
Sure enough, there was a
Maggie Chalmers associated with the famous Burns, and letters existed
between the two. While they were friends, I never found information
stating they were lovers.(Yes, I saw them in a book…and we all know, if
it is written, must be true! )
Yet, is that Maggie, our
Maggie? According to a more recent history of our family, in Our
Family Clint, by a distant cousin, Elaine Kirkham, Gabriel’s mother’s
married name was Chalmers…her maiden name was Dickson. Plus, John
Chambers is listed as Gabriel’s father, and John Chalmers as paternal
grandfather. (Seems Maggie Chalmers was a fairly common Scottish
name, and I’ve heard Gabriel’s mother referred to as “Mary”.)
Had my data from that
dusty and aged parchment made it verbatim on the internet, without the
benefit of the newer, updated information, would my family members then
assume they are descended from Burns? While I haven’t verified all of
Kirkham’s research, I would personally give her data more credence than that
of the parchment.
I recall reading about a
professional genealogist, who was hired by some wealthy people, eager to
discover they hailed from worthy and notable ancestors. So as not to
disappoint his clients, he fabricated genealogy evidence, and gave them the
family trees they wanted. Unfortunately, his counterfeit research
polluted the pool of information.
I have also come across
internet articles about online programs generating false family trees, in
hopes to capture hits from surfers searching surnames.
The bottom line…take it all with a grain of salt.
- BAJH
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