Ancestry/Genealogy

you can run into some awkward moments, depending upon how the research develops. My Grandfather was something of a rascal it seems. He apparently fathered one child out of wedlock (about 1895 or so) was briefly married and then run out of town (probably by his Father), in Ohio ending up in Illinois, where he married my Grandmother (who turned out to be something of a mean drunk, but that's another story). They split in the 1930's and we believe he married again. The Granddaughter of his first & somewhat temporary wife found me through one of the research sites and we communicate as time permits.

His Sister also had a child out of wedlock & sent him off to an orphanage we believe as he ended up in Iowa while she married & moved to Detroit. The boy kept the maternal name as a last name, eventually shows up on a WWI draft registration, some church records and I was able to track the family down there. They had no idea of his family as he never spoke of them. I am not sure how much interest or happiness my contacting them created, but from my point of view history is history.

I have found in my research, Slave holders, Civil War Veterans (and deserters one of which was shot or hung), Possible Revolutionary War Veterans, A Car Thief, Alleged members of a charming group that starts with a K, Farmers, Blacksmiths, Harness Makers, Jewelers, Grocers, Shipbuilders and a whole bunch more. It's a whole lot of fun.....