Newbie stirs up a hornet's nest; new Boyd discovery

My article on "hornet's nests" several months ago has stirred up more than just a few persons with ruffled feathers, it appears. The latest is Kay VanSkiver of New York who reads the column online.

Perhaps it's because of the nature of my work in the media, or maybe it's because I'm just nosy (stop nodding your head, Mom), but I feel the truth is important, whether it's in gathering the news or doing genealogy research. And while the sources of genealogy research material haven't changed, the number of people doing research has ... drastically so. Whereas 30 years ago there may have been 10 or so people researching the same line (and in contact with each other), today there are hundreds. And, through the Internet, they can be in contact with each other within seconds. Anyone who doesn't listen to a new source of information today is not very smart.

Many theories and conclusions of yesterday are being dispelled when new information is discovered today ... a family Bible is found, new records are discovered tucked away in someone's attic ... a direct relative is finally contacted. I don't care how long you've been researching or how many books you've written ... you can be wrong.

Kay writes of her encounter with an experienced researcher who planted his feet and refused to listen:

"Being a newbee and searching for anything I could find on my father's surname, 'Woodworth,' I found what I considered a wealth of information published on a website, so I responded via E-mail expressing my enthusiasm.

"Now remember, this site had my maternal grandmother's and grandfather's names, dates and places of births and marriage, as well as the correct names of my father's siblings. Since this much information was absolutely the same as mine, and the fact that this man (the genealogist who published the information) was a seasoned searcher (he had done this for the past 20 years) I was confidant that the rest of his info was also correct, but I wanted to see for myself. So, instead of looking where he told me to, I looked into the census, biographies, and newspapers, microfilms, etc.

"I found an error in the early part of his research, which carried on throughout subsequent generations ... but that's not all ... I also found a folder with family group sheets, funeral memorial books, discharge papers, telegrams notifying my grandmother of her son's fate during WWII and diplomas to prove my family ties, so I E-mailed him with my findings.

"Boy, if he could have shot me over the net, I wouldn't be typing this right now.

"He refused to even check out my information and stated I was the one who was wrong.

"But that's okay ... I bet you he DID check and probably is more confused than ever. I also bet he is just dying to E-mail me for more information, but I think he is too embarrassed. That, too, is okay. Lucky for him I am not one of those to say 'I told you so ...'

"But he will never know that unless he swallows his pride and E-mails me, and if he ever does, I will simply give him the facts as I know them to be and he can take them or leave them.

"Well, that's my hornets nest, and I swear, I will never open another, but PLEASE don't hold me to it.

"A fellow searcher,

"Kay VanSkiver, Canaseraga, N.Y."

In a way, that is a very sad story, Kay. Everybody knows how bad information can stop you in your tracks. By refusing to acknowledge the existence of new information, there's no telling how many people this person is depriving of that thrill of finding the correct link and plunging ahead into new research. All I can tell you to do is to publish your information out there where everyone can see it and people will soon find whose information leads them down the correct path.

And, speaking of that "thrill" I mentioned above, it happened to me just a couple of weeks ago. Nobody can explain that feeling until it happens to you, but I whooped out loud when I read a letter from a newfound cousin who opened up a whole new collateral family for me.

For more than a year, I've been trying to find the maiden name of one of my Boyd wives. My mother's favorite uncle was Christopher Columbus Boyd (Uncle Lum), the brother of her grandmother. One of my proudest possessions is a photo of the two of them taken when Mom was about five years old.

The name of Lum's wife is given as â¤Sarah G.â¤* by all research resources I have found. Her gravestone ... even the family Bible ... gave me no more information than "Sarah G.H." Boyd. (At least I got another letter on her name.)

Then I found a new cousin, Virginia Groce Joiner (granddaughter of another of Uncle Lum's sisters), way out in Oklahoma City who solved the mystery ... and she had known it all along. (See what I mean about new information coming to light?) The problem was, Virginia was not online and if I hadn't found her, I'd still be sitting in the dark.

Virginia wrote me that Sarah's name was actually Sarah George Hannah Lambert. I was sitting on the sofa in my living room when I read Virginia's letter and I'm sure my dog thought I'd lost my mind when I whooped and jumped to my feet. Further reading told me that the information had actually come from Sarah's granddaughter, so it was fairly reliable.

I got busy. One day of searching Carroll County censuses, online family files and Genforum messages, and a couple of letters to my genealogy expert, Joe Baggett (who was researching the same family a year ago), gave me Sarah's family. She was the daughter of George R. Lambert and Martha Arnold who had moved to Carroll from Putnam County. It is so easy when you have correct information.

No one ... and I mean no one ... can explain that thrill you get when you find the missing link to your research. You just have to experience it for yourself.

And to those of you who refuse to listen to new theories ... who refuse to look at new information ... well, I wonder where you'd be if no one had questioned or investigated the theory that the world was flat.

Looking for your ancestors? Got a genealogy tip? Write to The Citizen, Drawer 1719, Fayetteville, GA 30214; E-mail jkilgore@thecitizennews.com or jodiek444@aol.com.

Until next week, happy hunting!