The Not-So-Nice in Your Genealogy

So often we project that our ancestors were nice people.  But what do you do with the not-so-nice in your genealogy?

It's human nature to assume that others, including our ancestors, would think and act the way that we do.  Most people would say that they were a good person.  But human nature would also indicate that there are plenty of mean, nasty people in the world - and chances are that some of them were our ancestors, too.

Since most of what we know about them comes from newspaper accounts or governmental created records, we often have little to go on in deciding what they might have thought, or how they would have reacted to certain situations.  

Did they treat their spouse or children well?  Did they participate in their community?  Did the neighbors think they were someone who could be trusted? In the absence of evidence to the contrary, it is natural to assume only the most positive thoughts about an ancestor.

It is said that it only takes three (3) generations for a person to be forgottten.  You could argue that by the time you get to the great-grandparents level or even grandparents, much of the stories or folklore you know about them was handed down to you.  For instance, in my own lines, both of my grandfathers were gone before I was five (5) years old, so any stories/memories are heavily influenced by stories from my parents, aunts/uncles and older cousins.

Stories that are handed down about your ancestors can be heavily influenced by the perspective of the person tellling the story as well.  Think of the memories of an ancestor that a child would have versus the memories of an adult who know that ancestor for years.  Add a bit of distance and time, and each story has a bit of flavor that doesn't give you the full picture.

That's why it is always best to ask your older relatives about their memories of an ancestor, yet keep in perspective your relatives age and/or relationship with the ancestor at the time of the memory.  Someone who was only a child or rarely spent time with the ancestor would have a much different perspective than someone who visited them often.

As I am researching one particular ancestor, the terms "mean", "nasty" and "vile" keep being thrown about.  These stories are not just coming from one side of the family, but from multiple branches.  A few newspaper stories give some credence to how he treated his own family, and it's not pretty.  Part of me wants to try to understand why - so I'm collecting as many of these stories as I can.  

While I'll probably never know what really made this person act the way that he did, finding the documentation to back up the stories makes him more than just a name and some dates.

Descendants of Charles Wilson Lambertson & Pearl May Beals Facebook Group

Trying to gather information on more recent generations and helping to share family memories, photos and stay connected - I created a Facebook group page for descendants of my paternal 2nd-great grandparents, Charles Wilson Lambertson and Pearl May Beals.

Charles Wilson Lambertson (b. 25 Jan 1872 Preble Co., OH; d. 24 May 1958 Elwood, Madison Co., IN) & Pearl May Beals (b. 11 May 1878 Westfield, Hamilton Co., IN; d. 3 Aug 1970 Elwood, Madison Co., IN) were married 18 Apr 1897 at Cicero, Hamilton Co., IN.

They were the parents of the following children:

1. Clemon Beals Lambertson (1898-1994) m. June Gilliland m(2) Helen Fisher 
2. Orville Edward "Jack" Lambertson (1902-1983) m. Mary E. Herter m(2) Martha Stoner m(3) Hassie Hawkins  
3. Leona Dolly Lambertson (1904-1988) m. Clarence Everett Fetz m(2) Joseph P. Carpenter 
4. Gerald Lambertson (1906-1906)
5. Geraldene Lambertson (1906-1906)
6. Pauline Lambertson (1908-1992) m. Forrest VanNess 
7. Paul Lambertson (1908-1994) m. Goldie Laycock 

8. Elizabeth Charline Lambertson (1915-2006) m. Ralph Hershberger  

Descendants of Charles Wilson Lambertson & Pearl May Beals Private group · 12 members Join Group For the descendants of the various Lambertson families who descend from Charles Wilson Lambertson & Pearl May Beals.

 

Aunt Vera's Diary - February 23rd

In the summer of 2019, I was able to photograph the entries in the diary of my maternal great-aunt, Vera (Haley) Stuber.  The entries cover the years from 1968-1971 time frame and provide an interesting view of her daily activities. Items in brackets are my notes for further research.

Stuber, Vera Delphene (Haley). "Journal." MS. Fort Recovery, Ohio, 1968-1971. Privately held by Juanita (LeMaster) Steigerwalt, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Muncie, Indiana, 2020.

1968 - February 23rd - Friday

A real nice winter day.  I cleaned part of the house.  Clarence went to mill for chicken feed and out to St. Joe for some wood.

1969 - February 23rd - Sunday

Attended church in the A.M.  Too foggy to go at night.  We went to Gants in P.M. but they were gone.

1970 - February 23rd - Monday

Did a big wash.  Blankets & bed spread.  A nice sun shiny day, dried most of clothes out side.

1971 - February 23rd - Tuesday

Ironed, cleaned some drawers.  Snow flurries today.

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Vera Delphene (Haley) Stuber was born 10 March 1890 in Jay County, Indiana, daughter of Eli Weldon & Cora Belle (Metzner) Haley.  She married 14 February 1915 in Jay County, Indiana to Clarence Leroy Stuber.  Vera died 17 June 1987 in Portland, Jay County, Indiana. Clarence was born 4 February 1891 in Jay County, Indiana, son of Henry and Margaret (Metzger) Stuber.  Clarence died 20 May 1981 in Portland, Jay County, Indiana.  They had no surviving children.