Who Is To Blame?

Just read a post by Kellie at She Finds Graves called "When Skeletons Should Stay Skeletons" that details some of her not-so-nice findings when researching the family tree.  She quotes the old maxim about why genealogists research their families - so they know who to blame!


Isn't that true? Aren't we who go beyond just the names and dates and really dig into the whys and wherefores trying to figure out who we are and why we are the way we are?  I'm not trying to re-open the debate about "family history" versus "genealogy" - if some want to think finding out the dirt is gossip, they are certainly entitled to their opinion.  For many people, genealogy is seen as an expensive hobby, but it can be cheaper than therapy.


I'm not trying to suggest that the reason I act the way I do is 100% related to who my great-grandfather was - but I do believe that the choices made by my ancestors and relatives and how that family lore has been presented (or sanitized) has shaped how I believe my family was or should be.  The journey of discovery has tarnished my view some ancestors and given me more respect for others, in much the same way that the closer you are to someone you begin to see them for who they really are, warts and all.


Finding out that the reason no one knows much about a relative is because they were conveniently "forgotten" a few generations ago can be a thrill laced with an "ick" factor.  The question for me is always how to be tactful about revealing the truth.  Even in my family's current generation (and the in-laws, etc.) there are "issues" that are not discussed openly - even if everyone knows about them.  In a couple of generations, no one will be alive who even knows the facts and they will have to be "re-discovered" by a future family historian.

Lina Baker (b. January 1, 1886 Shelby County, Ohio)

Lina BAKER was born January 1, 1886 in Jackson Township, Shelby County, Ohio, according to this record found at the FamilySearch.org website.  Lina was the wife of Sidney Dewitt AILES, my paternal 2nd cousin 3 times removed.


Lina and Sidney were married on January 1, 1913 in Jackson Center, Shelby County, Ohio, and resided in Perry Township, Shelby County, Ohio.


Lina died May 7, 1973 in Pemberton, Ohio.  They were the parents of five children: Wayne, Clara, Mae, Ned and John.

Ohio Births and Christenings, 1821-1962 for Lina Baker

name:	Lina Baker
gender:	Female
baptism/christening date:
baptism/christening place:	Shelby, Ohio
birth date:	01 Jan 1886
birthplace:	Jackson, Shelby, OH
death date:
name note:
race:	White
father's name:	W. C. Baker
father's birthplace:
father's age:
mother's name:	Frederica Schmidt
mother's birthplace:
mother's age:
indexing project (batch) number:	C51425-7
system origin:	Ohio-VR
source film number:	562854
reference number:	2:2R7NL07

Ohio Births and Christenings, 1821-1962. digital images, From FamilySearch Internet (www.familysearch.org: February 9, 2011). 

Carolyn Chew (b. September 7, 1873 Darke County, Ohio)

Carolyn CHEW was born September 7, 1873 in Darke County, Ohio, according to this record found at the FamilySearch.org website.  Carolyn was my paternal 1st cousin 3 times removed, the daughter of Nathaniel Durbin and Margaret HEISTAND) CHEW.


Carolyn was still living with her parents in the 1900 census of Williams County, Ohio (age 27 - nurse) and the 1910 census of Lenawee County, Michigan (age 37 - teacher).   Although other members of the Chew family were found in later census, nothing further is known about Carolyn at this time.

Ohio Births and Christenings, 1821-1962 for Carie F. Chew

name:	Carie F. Chew
gender:	Female
baptism/christening date:
baptism/christening place:
birth date:	07 Sep 1873
birthplace:	Darke, Ohio
death date:
name note:
race:	White
father's name:	N.D. Chew
father's birthplace:
father's age:
mother's name:	Margaret Heistand
mother's birthplace:
mother's age:
indexing project (batch) number:	C04208-2
system origin:	Ohio-EASy
source film number:	1030768
reference number:	v 1 p 213

Ohio Births and Christenings, 1821-1962. digital images, From FamilySearch Internet (www.familysearch.org: February 9, 2011).