We all have family secrets.  Why does no one ever mention Uncle George?  Was he the one who ended up in the Insane Asylum?  Who was Sarah’s biological father?  The truths may in fact, be somewhat sinister.  A murder, for example? How about a second family in America while the first family (wife and children) languished behind in Poland?  Some secrets may be absolutely horrifying or merely slight embarrassments.  Are they new or ancient stories?  Can you absolutely prove or disprove the legend?

If the saga is documented (for example, court records, newspaper articles, etc.), you may be certain that someday, someone else will find the story also.   Keep a good track of the sources of your information to ensure you are not merely repeating rumor.

Should you share the story?  It depends.  More questions.  Are the players still alive?  Would the revelation possibly injure reputations?  One revelation in our family proved to be something that most folks wished it to be buried. 

DNA has opened a whole new world of revelations.  DNA does not lie and sometimes illustrates relationships that we never knew.  And some of these findings are not necessarily welcome news. 

You might choose to share the story with family and friends, or you might choose merely to document what you have found for your own personal files.  Think carefully about the sharing aspect.  With today’s online society, it is all too easy to “spill the beans” broadly in corners you may never have imagined. 

To learn more, join your local genealogical society.  Guaranteed that someone will have already faced your dilemma and will be able to help. 

Ron Gilmore

Email:         rvg3@me.com

Website:     https://www.rgenealogy.ca