OHHURON-L Archives

From: "RON HATTON" <>
Subject: [OHHURON-L] Typical...
Date: Wed, 5 Aug 1998 16:03:15 -0400

MURPHY'S LAW OF GENEALOGY

> 1. The public ceremony in which your distinguished ancestor participated
> and at which the platform collapsed under him turned out to be a hanging.
>
> 2. When at last after much hard work you have evolved the mystery that
you
> have been working on for two years, your aunt says, "I could have told
you
> that."
>
> 3. You search ten years for your grandmother's maiden name to eventually
> find it on a letter in a box in the attic.
>
> 4. You never asked your father about his family when he was alive because
> you weren't interested in genealogy then.
>
> 5. The will you need is in the safe on board the Titanic.
>
> 6. Copies of old newspapers have holes occurring only on the surnames.
>
> 7. John, son of Thomas the immigrant whom your relatives claim as the
> family progenitor, died on board ship at the age of 10.
>
> 8. Your great grandfather's newspaper obituary states that he died
> leaving no issue of record.
>
> 9. Another genealogist has just insulted the keeper of the vital records
> you need.
>
> 10. The relative who had all the family photographs gave them all to her
> daughter who has no interest in genealogy and no inclination to share.
>
> 11. The only record you find for your great grandfather is that his
> property was sold at a sheriff's sale of insolvency.
>
> 12. The one document that would supply the missing link in your dead end
> line has been lost due to fire, flood, or war.
>
> 13. The town clerk to whom you wrote for the information sends you a
long
> handwritten letter which is totally illegible.
>
> 14. The spelling of your European ancestor's name bears no relationship
> to its current spelling or pronunciation.
>
> 15. None of the pictures in your recently deceased grandmother's photo
> album have names written on them.
>
> 16. No one in your family tree ever did anything noteworthy, owned
> property, was sued or was named in a will.
>
> 17. You learn that your great aunt's executor just sold her life's
> collection of family genealogical materials to a flea market dealer
> "Somewhere in New York City."
>
> 18. Ink fades and paper deteriorates at a rate inversely proportional to
> the value of the data recorded.
>
> 19. The 37 volume, 16,000 page history of your county of origin isn't
> indexed.
>
> 20. You finally find your great grandparents' wedding record and discover
> that the bride's father was named John Smith.
>

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• [OHHURON-L] Typical... by "RON HATTON" <>