[mairdie]

>>He simply fabricated elaborate connections

I’d rather think that sometimes people made sensible jumps of logic to who was most likely the progenitor. If you aren’t certain, but you’ve got good reasons behind your guess, if you DON’T guess then the connections will be lost.

But you’re quite correct that most of the old family books are sloppy because there’s nothing cross-checking them and the mistakes propagate. We’re catching them with things like WikiTree, which I’m active in.

Aren’t family stories WONDERFUL!

[Bob Ireland]

***sometimes people made sensible jumps of logic to who was most likely the progenitor***

Yes. this is quite legitimate where records were destroyed... all too common in Virginia - Revolutionary War, Civil War... But 'No', Wharton Dickinson was a shyster genealogist it turns out. I actually found a handwritten ms of his in the NYC Public Library - one of about four known to exist. None of them agreed with each other on much.

***Aren’t family stories WONDERFUL!***

YES! It is a field worthy of sharp minds, and folks who need to sharpen their minds. The rewards are fantastic! But be careful taking on one of our founding fathers! ;^)
Gotta run...

[bagster]

mairdie, you would have made a good Bene Geserit Reverend Mother. Sorry, Bob. No men.

Bagster