I teach genealogy classes, and volunteer at our library, helping patrons find their ancestry through the tools and resources that we have.
I have had close to 10 patrons get downright angry at me for what was found. Some include
(1) The topic of race,
(2) Adoption or other census facts showing that an ancestor was not a birth parent
(3) Occupation did not match famiy lore.
(4) Origin
I've help find three their birth parents, though I am very hesitant due to possible implications there.
But it is all worthwhile when the joy provided to 100's who have found their roots. Those tears are worth more than gold.
Today we are more understanding, than our ancestors. For bad actors, they often just went into near-full-denial blackout.
My surname derives from a chap (my g gf) that came from Sweden in his late 20s, married and fathered 4 children that lived to be adults (3 died during childhood).
Unknown until my genealogy studies uncovered this; he had also deserted the Swedish army, deserted a wife and children in Sweden before heading to Minnesota, then Dakota Terr.
In Dakota he was run out of town after his 6th child, but the woman (my g gm) allowed him to visit on sneaks, and had the 7th child. He then disappeared again, no grave location, etc.
So that is why nobody talks about olde Nils, very much !!
