Keep researching those side lines!

[IgorStrav]

Hello all

I know we often have queries here about whether people should only research their direct lines, or go off on tangents to cover less direct branches of the tree.

However, I have now found two very interesting connections which would never have emerged unless I'd followed up the sidelines fully.

My great great great grandfather was illegitimate, and his mother didn't marry until he was about 8, and he was 10 when she had more children (or at least the ones I know about).

So I busily followed through my direct line for some time, taking no note of these half siblings. Quite honestly, there was enough to do tracking down all my greatx3 grandfather's children.  If I thought anything, I sort of believed that, being illegitimate, he wasn't part of a family, so to speak.

But I've now discovered, firstly, that one of my greatx3 grandfather's children married her cousin - they share the same grandmother - this came out from following up the half siblings and their marriages.

And, secondly, I've now discovered something else -  pause, whilst I think how to describe this to you  - the widower of one of these half siblings married his first wife's cousin (his mother-in-law's neice).

So this tells me a lot about my greatx3 grandfather and his connection with his mother's new family, and how close they all were in Kent in the 19th century.  They didn't live far from each other, but not in the same village, and also moved from census to census.

So I'm now thinking of creating a spreadsheet with the various people and their locations in the various censuses, because I think I may be able to find some more connections in where they lived

I bet I'm not alone in fiddling with my Ancestry tree and thinking that some of the addresses on the censuses ring a bell with me, and that they link with other parts of the tree........

[Sandymc47]

Great story Igor

I havent particularly gone down side lines alot as I have not had the time.
One thing I did find on my line was they all lived very near each other and I was born in the same area so I knew where the streets were.  It would appear to me in my families case that it was the boy or girl next door syndrome more than the fact they were related.
I dont think we have that kind of idea about marriage nowadays as they did in the 1800/1900's.  In those days there was no social security or handouts, you married a man who went to work and the wife stayed at home and did look after the children and probably both sets of parents as well if they were ill.
I am always surprised how quickly the men who are widowers get married again so quickly when they have children.  If they didnt have anyone to look after the children, they couldnt work and everyone would starve, so need was the necessity in those days.
Very interesting and I love everyday I am researching my ancestors or helping others to see how those people lived and survived in very hard circumstances. Its a great thing to read about and I am so pleased 4 years ago I decided to start doing my family tree.  One of the best things I have ever done.
regards
Sandymc

[Jeuel]

I'm a great believer in researching everyone.  So often you find pairs of sisters marrying pairs of brothers, or a neighbour or niece of someone else who's married into the family already.

Apart from anything else, it gives you a clearer picture of the times our ancestors lived in.  Knowing Grannie had 3 brothers who died young gives you more insight into what her childhood was like, for example.

I found that my gt grandfather's niece married the son of a widower who married another of gt grandfather's sisters.  The son was a lodger in the household for some time and the widower was gt grandfather's next-door neighbour for over 30 years.

[IgorStrav]

Oh yes, on I think two occasions I found that daughters from my family married sons of the family who lived next door....

How many times have I found things by looking really carefully at the census images themselves? 

[Jeuel]

Of course our own direct line may have been witnesses to their siblings' weddings or informants on death certs,  which again gives another glimpse into their lives.  I was able to link two families because the death of a child in one family was registered by a member of the other.

[momo22]

I too have found lots of lovely bits of info following the side routes, particularly 'missing' married sisters who have a known niece or nephew to stay  

The best thing was finding that my parents lines had in fact been joined many generations ago when a 3xs grt grand aunt on my mother's side had married a first cousin 4 times removed from my father's!! And no I didn't work out the exact relationship, my family tree program did all the hard work

[IgorStrav]

Well, Momo, you have people here who will share the thrill of finding that relationship.     Fantastic!

I bet your family didn't appreciate it much after the 10 minutes it will have taken you to explain it to them......

I was so excited last night when I found the link I posted about, but I somehow knew no-one else in my close family would be interested.

[Emine]

Oh do keep up with all the sidelines!

Some of us in modern times (even without the help of genealogy) know and interact with very extended families. A fellow recently died in my town whom my father grew up with and knew his whole life as "family" - despite the man being a first cousin once removed of my father's first cousin once removed. Likewise, my brother is good friends with our first cousin once removed, and their children are about the same age and will grow up not only as friends but knowing each other as "family".

Not everybody is aware of all the relationships, but there are plenty of distant ones still maintained. Despite several years of research, my father still only knows the same number of related males bearing his surname as he did before. I can imagine that such situations were far more common a hundred years ago.

[IgorStrav]

Just thought I'd tell you that following posting this message, a Rootschatter got in touch to say that my avatar, my dad, looked as if he had a family resemblance, and the names matched.

And I think we have just discovered we are fifth cousins once removed!  Now there's a side line and a half.........