I agree Alan. You cannot accept on face value something that has no tangible evidendce. Man does that leave us Christians out in the cold lookin for tracks or what? Not being snippy, just sayin--
This last Saturday, we had the first really big Seminar since Ivan. The Genealogy Society used to have one a year but well, we've been slackers. Anyhow, we got a speaker this time with the real good bona fide, certified, and recognized pedigree. She does a lot of Seminars in Salt Lake City. One of the talks was on how to build a case when no evidence exist. Verrrrry interesting. I could feel the roots of my family tree start shaking in fear cause it knew I was a comin at it with both barrels. I guess it's kind of like a battle plan. Start on the outer side of the area and work toward the center. Trust no one. Dig if you have to. Entrench until you get the problem solved.
I had been told all of my life by the elders on my Mother's side of the family that we had NO Native American blood. Now, I knew all the lines weren't Spanish, but come on, they didn't want to talk about it is all. Soooooo, in a search of the Creek Rolls on people I may not have had on hubbys line imagine my shock, dismay, surprise and then anger when I discovered they'd lied to me. Mom's cousins were listed. Mom's Aunts n Uncles were listed. All because my Aunt, and the Eldest Uncle who were the 'ruling members' of the family did NOT want this to be known. It wasn't 'proper' in their day. Just as they had nothing to do with my Grandmothers line because of their wild and a bit crazy ways. Oh, then it hit me. That was the Native American line!!! Bingo!!! I had to go around the world to get to the information that was already in front of me but was 'hidden'. Hidden because it was considered improper by 2 people.
Guess who refused to even consider discussing the 'fact' (yes, like in legal, documented and signed on the dotted line) that my GGGrandfather had a 'love' child with his Black mistress? Even He, the Daddy, acknowledged her and she had his surname til she married. Didn't exist though because of the lack of entheusiasim on the subject from the 'rulers'. These same 'rulers' swore that same GGGrandfather married my GGGrandmother in North Carolina. They lived next door to each other here. Then, in late 1861 traveled from Pensacola to North Carolina to marry????? I don't think so. I do believe she believed her 1st husband was dead, til he showed back up. Another example of unacceptable behavior for that time but it happened. I'm here. Yes, they're mine. Gotta claim em. But there's NO proof they married. Sad but true. Sources are not really abundant, but I had to build the case on the information I had. Not a very well airbrushed picture. Not one to be proud of by those who let things such as propriety get in the way, but it is what happened. The same rulers had no qualms though, when it came time to stake their claim on the property the 'wayward' line owned. It made a nice subdivision.
Pam