Genealogy Blog
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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