Genealogy overoad... brain smoldering....

[Oldhiker]

DNA testing can be a good tool to Prove your genealogy.

[beloitpiper]

Congrats, man! How wonderful, but you really didn't need a reason to buy more kilts...

[Dirka Skene]

My grandfather is really into that genealogy stuff. He's spend hundreds of dollars pulling up census records trying to figger out where he came from. We've got lots of Scottish ancestry, Gunns, Skenes and Lamonts. There's some Irish, Greek, Italian and French in there too. That's all from my dad's side. My mother's side of the family is easy, Blackfoot Indian and English. It's really all interesting stuff, but too much of a headache for me. I'll leave the research to him.

[Cawdorian]

The information posted on the Ancestry and Rootsweb site is posted by individual researchers, some have the correct information, some don't. Some people have inserted deliberate errors into the information they have posted in a effort to determine who is copying their information. The truth is once it is posted on the internet it is public property and will be copied over and over again with or without the errors.

The sources of the information can increase your comfort level with the correctness of the posted information. Many of the sources are noted on these websites, the census is a reasonably accurate source. The early census takers were people who could read and write, they weren't the best spellers in the world. Many of our ancestors were not able to read or write, many names were spelled phonetically or as another member of the family thought it was spelled. Most of the old documents signed by our ancestors were signed with their mark such as an X or V. Many were smart people, owned land, served in the military, they just couldn't read or write. Many spellings of family names change from generation to generation within a family group. The census is accurate from the standpoint that it provides the names in a family group and their ages. You have to be aware that many names are spelled phonetically.

The court records such as pension affidavits, deeds, marriage certificates, birth certificates provide information such as parents names, dates and other information that can confirm the other sources. Use the internet as a guide, but try to find out where the information came from originally. In the world today we will never see all of the original sources or source documents. There are copies and transcriptions of some of these documents on the internet.

[Tattoo Bradley]

I'm not too much into hardcore researching. More than anything, just a general knowledge of who came over in the boat kind of thing. The info I found was all by the same fellow and most all of it has sources noted. Lots of census records in there. Was just neat to find so much info.

[Alan H]

having had a similar experience recently, and then having corresponded with the woman who did the massive amount of research, I know the feeling.

I nailed down most of my paternal grandmothers background through just one site run by Shawna Hall in North Carolina.

[Tattoo Bradley]

having had a similar experience recently, and then having corresponded with the woman who did the massive amount of research, I know the feeling.

I nailed down most of my paternal grandmothers background through just one site run by Shawna Hall in North Carolina.

I decided to correspond with the gent who's done the work. Waiting to hear back from him. If nothing else, I may be able to help him out in the direct line to me he was missing. I knew the Great Great Grandmother's and Great Great Grandfather's names, so that's how I tracked into his tree. But, he doesn't have any of the branches from her. He's obviously into the full tracing, so I hope I can be of some help there...

[Mr. MacDougall]

One of my great-aunts was a geneology buff, and traced one branch of our ancestry back to the Norman invasion of Brittain. She published it as a vanity-press book, back in the days before publish on demand, and I'm fortunate enough to have a copy. It's a fascinating little book, and has tidbits about my ancestors that make me say, "oh, cool," and "Aw, man, why'd I have to be related to him?!"

[Gryphon noir]

I have adopted the Matheson tartan because my great uncle is said to have worn a green kilt, aside from his old "regimentals" [a career military man, he fought in both world wars and retired as a sergent major in the 48th Highlanders]. The only green kilt that fit the description was the ancient hunting Matheson. The Stephen family [maternal ancestors] were long associated with the Mathesons, both in the Aberdeen area, and on the Isle of Skye. My great-great grandmother was a Matheson/Methieson/Mathieson [depending on which census or record you look at]. There are other clans and septs to which I probably have a connection, but I would rather determine that before wearing their tartan.
It has occurred to me that it would be quite wonderful to design a tartan to commemorate the 1000th anniversary of the recorded presence of the Stephens in Scotland. Other family names include Smith, Paul, and Chalmers, none of which seem to have a tartan associated with them.
I guess the long answer to the question of what colours one wears is that it is safest to go for those tartans that are most probably related to your family. Otherwise, google "interactive Tartan Weaver" and design your own. I think the cost is around $90.00 [Cdn] per metre for custom weaving, but something I'm considering anyway.