tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1527613590529958801.post1395063105518904625..comments2024-03-21T19:08:05.737-07:00Comments on Genealogy's Star: Search for every ancestor, don't play favoritesJames Tannerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02989059644120454647noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1527613590529958801.post-32051862051654659162013-02-07T12:27:32.489-07:002013-02-07T12:27:32.489-07:00One of the first things I learned after "begi...One of the first things I learned after "beginning genealogy" was: research the siblings.<br /><br />A few years back (when I first learned this) I was researching an ancestor (Gladys Lillian Foster), and I couldn't find her anywhere prior to her at age 38 in the 1900 census -- as if she popped out of nowhere. I looked everywhere.<br /><br />Around that time is when I learned the sibling trick, and so I researched a brother. I found him pretty easily, and within a few hours pushed back about five (!!) more generations. A for Gladys Lillian, she had been hiding as a sibling under the name "E. G. Foster" (later revealed to be "Elizabeth Gladys").<br /><br />In short, she changed the name that she went by -- and only by researching the sibling did I find her -- or, more precisely, her ancestors. (I still haven't found her in the 1870 census!)A DC Wonkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09732615221598098540noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1527613590529958801.post-2616529576168733542013-02-06T21:06:27.428-07:002013-02-06T21:06:27.428-07:00This is a solid topic for blogging to share with n...This is a solid topic for blogging to share with newer researchers and even some of us seasoned ones too. This is exactly the reason why the Genedocs Hybrid Chart revolves around the skeleton of both ancestor and sibling information in birth order. If I had overlooked the sibling branches in any of my research thus far, I would never have made the cousin connections that resulted in all of the amazing ancestor and relative protraits, stories, documents, and personal experinces that bring a family tree to vibrant life.Eric / Genedocs Founderhttp://www.genedocs.wetpaint.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1527613590529958801.post-79402638875410576852013-02-06T14:52:34.278-07:002013-02-06T14:52:34.278-07:00James, an excellent post, but you say, "...I ...James, an excellent post, but you say, "...I found a large number of family group records with only the direct line ancestor listed as a child. So the pedigrees went back a number of generations showing only son to father and then to grandfather and so forth."<br /><br />Why are you calling the ~male~ line the "direct line"? The only parent of whom one can be 100% certain, without DNA testing of *all* parties, is the one who gave birth (until recent technological developments made surrogate pregnancy possible).<br />Geoloverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12050268303916428230noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1527613590529958801.post-30224120953466011372013-02-06T08:12:39.789-07:002013-02-06T08:12:39.789-07:00Thanks for this post. I have been following the s...Thanks for this post. I have been following the siblings of my recent relatives and wondered if I was being a little obsessive. I am glad to find out that I have not been, I have found a lot of information with the names of sponsors at each of Baptisms of my great grandparents children.Claudiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02714440790407126206noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1527613590529958801.post-87667331611259054682013-02-06T06:32:21.581-07:002013-02-06T06:32:21.581-07:00"Rewriting history to support our own persona..."Rewriting history to support our own personal world view is rampant in genealogical publications." An excellent point and an excellent blog James. Aside from the practical reasons that others in the family are important (siblings can help you find the parents, etc.) it doesn't seem like a real tree if only direct ancestors are included - more like a family stick!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1527613590529958801.post-55231694541402345342013-02-06T00:21:59.010-07:002013-02-06T00:21:59.010-07:00I totally agree! I was once given a tree where wom...I totally agree! I was once given a tree where women were mentioned at birtth then nothing else. I kept it as an example of misogynism (as well as inferior and limited research). The person's goal was to establish himself as the head of the family whichneven then took some complicated gymnastics. Add to that we can be slightly more certain of our maternal line. Adoption is tricky especially when it is hearsay.Cassmob (Pauleen)https://www.blogger.com/profile/18397134336319778519noreply@blogger.com