Mad or obsessed?

[DorothySandra]

Tracking the offshoots is good practise. Besides, sometimes you find the answers to puzzles - someone missing from their family in a census, can turn up with his name spelled wrong while visiting a cousin, for example.

But really, it just keeps your hand in while you wait for inspiration!

[susan-y]

I often go off on a search for someone else just because a friend or relative mentioned they are curious about so and so..... Of course they always seem more fascinating than the members of my tree or that of my spouse .Likely because they are new to me! I have also searched those I refer to a shirt-tail relatives...just to satisfy my noseiness..ie. " I wonder why they married in to that family? etc"! Side shoots produce interesting grafts, Zen Rabbit. You may find some new cultivars

Sue

[Zen Rabbit]

Mmmmmmm Genealogy
I'm not obsessed honest guv

[Zen Rabbit]

Side shoots produce interesting grafts, Zen Rabbit. You may find some new cultivars

Sue

I like the gardening analogy as a gardener myself

[AnnB]

I like to look at the whole subject as more a way of life.........

Best wishes
Ann

[janbooth]

I'm with Jan on this one. My father's ancestors intermarried within the same families - for example my ggggrandfather married his great niece!! I have numerous examples - not quite such a close relationship in most cases, thank goodness - but most of the females seemed to have been used to acquire more property or to keep property within the same families - my husband says this interbreeding explains a lot - vbg! So, the further back I go, the more I find children within one family marrying children within an already connected family and, if I hadn't investigated the side shoots, I would have remained ignorant of a lot of family history.

I have now started investigating my sister in law's ancestors, so I must be an absolutely hopeless case!

Janet

[Mary Anne]

A quote I keep by me, and that my hubby definitely agrees with (according to him I am in the final stage ):

"Genealogy begins as an interest,
becomes a hobby, continues as a vocation,
takes over as an obsession and
in its last stages,
is an incurable disease."

I too have found people I had given up on ever finding by studying the side-shoots.
I also believe in a parallel universe where my ancestors hide, and decide to tease me at odd moments precisely when I am NOT looking for them! (hence the need to study side-shoots).


Mary Anne
(in my own little world, where they know me, so it's OK and I am safe here)

[junedye64]

I also get carried away with side shoots. They always seem to be richer than my main line.

I find it fascinating when a century before the ancestors were so poor, and gradually down the line including sideshoots, they become quite well off in good jobs and living in nice homes.

I'm definitely obsessed.

June

[daleaway]

All I can say is that thank heavens some of you ARE obsessed enough with research to want to help out total strangers with their family trees.
This one is grateful!

Dale in New Zealand

[Waitabit]

Ann, you have it right, definitely my way of life & these days suited to my available time.
I've found with a common search name,it was the only way to stay on the right line.
I followed Maternal G'parents back to the beginnings as portrayed via certificates & later on censuses.
Have only located 3rd Gt.G'Father proven, & from there followed each of his children & their children cheering when they were found lodging together or nextdoor.

Found one was being sought via a mailing list, studied hard -filed him away with wife & children only to discover that he was not mine, as my Gt.Uncle as he had in fact died a year after his marriage, aged 24. doesn't stop the other party still having his mixed with mine in his tree tho'.

Later when things were really difficult, I found cousins living in one house, which shored up wobbly lines.
'rah for the electoral rolls-London, even more findings of children not before known of.
Several times I located connections of a 2nd or 3rd cousins Family who in turn was able to add to or confirm my findings.

Am now looking into 2nd cousin - x 1 to solve mystery of his 2 step-brothers & where they went.
One known contact of this Family is also puzzled.

Oh, I know! I'll try another family line offshoot & see if they have a clue

Perhaps emailed persons will turn up some news.