Above all else, remain flexible
In researching family trees, I’ve learned to let preconceptions fall by the wayside, in the face of other proofs. Not everyone comes with that mindset.
This afternoon, a request to find parents of someone (long deceased) showed up on social media; three different groups, covering the local area. I dug into my notes, found what looked to be a possibility, and received an answer (within minutes) that this wasn’t the correct family. OK. So be it.
But when three other people (all with reasonable research skills) also throw their token on the table, and all offer similar solutions to my own… I wonder what makes the original poster so sure of his antecedents. You see, like me, the others offered up reasonable proofs. A known family, found in consecutive census reports, with a gravestone showing the dates for the couple (written in stone, so to speak); the OP insists he has the right information, despite our efforts.
Someone asked the reason why he is so sure, and he came back with “I found it on [x] site”. I’m new to this whole thing, but I am sure that one site does not give a family tree very firm rooting. I’m going to step away from the question, now. Education is often wasted on those who cannot alter a mindset in the face of new evidence. I assume that the OP has a single pen, one large sheet of foolscap and a ruler that will not bend. May he hope for a clement spirit that will lay bare the path he wishes to follow.
