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Thursday, January 20, 2011

Tips on Tracking the Infamous Members of Your Family Tree

Do you have an ancestors that may have had a colorful past? Are there some family stories that just do not make sense?

I have always found that talking to the 'non member' of the family can give the best results. What exactly does that mean? Instead of talking to your father or mother's brother or sister, talk to their spouse.

My father came from a family that produced many male heirs. The ones that I grew up knowing or talked to later in life wanted to help with my family research, but did not have a lot of 'new' information to contribute. BUT, their wives, now they had some stories to tell!

Bottom line, do not overlook the spouses of your direct or indirect ancestors. I also found that while the spouse was in the room, the conversation was a bit mundane. But, once alone I got some great family stories that helped me break down some brickwalls and gave me some ideas on alternative research strategies.

If you find that an ancestor may have been on the "wrong side' of the law you might want to visit:

www.ancestorhunt.com/prison_search.htm

Good Luck and Happy Researching
Pattie

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