Where do you draw the line ?

[Ruskie]

I hope you get a reply - let us know the outcome. 

(Love the link tedscout - think I've seen it before - I can't honsestly believe that anyone believes that)

[perth tiger]

of course the first part wrong is linking themselves to a couple of fictional characters like adam and eve. after that its all a bit pointless 

[tedscout]

  Perth

[CaileanMac]

I feel like anything before the 1780's is fairly speculative.

[Iain...]

I feel like anything before the 1780's is fairly speculative.

Hi Cailean !   I’m afraid that many on here will disagree with you.   Even me as a newbie to all this, I’m linked to a specialist friend (distant family) who has the Tyree census of 1776 and 79 and others as “old hat,” not to mention 1743 and 47 rental rolls plus the 1799 list of men liable to be balloted..., to mention but a few.   And how about headstones ?

I’ll be getting back to my original question soon..., I’m under the weather with work !   In the meantime, I’ve had contact with that American family !!   Really great person..., with an amusing story !   

[CaileanMac]

Hmm I don't entirely agree. Yes those things may help in that specific area but they are speculative in many cases. They may suggest a certain outcome, they may even heavily insinuate, but the reality is that after a certain period of time it is only speculation and you can never be certain.

It obviously varies from area to area, I find the records in the east of Scotland are slightly better than those of the west when you get into the late 1700s, but overall there isn't a huge difference.

[Andy_Keogh]

I take it these lines are linked to Gilcrist McCurdy or a Pethrick of the Cairn McCurdy.

I'm guessing that your 4xGreat Grandfather was either Charles McCurdy son of Francis or one of the early Morrisons to move to the Campbeltown area from Rathlin after leaving Scotland in the mid-1660's.

Regardless, I'd really like to know your connection to Rathlin Island and could probably provide more accurate details of your family history.

I can almost guarantee that your relation got their information from Elmer McCurdy's Geneological [sic] History of the McCurdys.

Some of Elmer's work is VERY well researched. Unfortunately loads is based on Legend. I've found much basis in truth for many of the Rathlin families but some of his dates are "Out" by over 100 years!

Cheers,

Andy Keogh

PS I have traced some of my Irish lines back to 1627-ish in Ireland but some the parents were born in Scotland. Probate records were very helpful but, sadly, very few of my lines were rich enough to leave wills etc.

[Maggie1895]

   I'd love to ask them to prove this one   http://www.jesusevidence.org/gen.html   

Wonderful, quite wonderful!    I really enjoyed reading that, it's a glorious mishmash of fact and legend, including all the 'Kings of Scotland'.  First I've heard that there have ever been any Kings of Scotland, only Kings of Scots. And as for the Stone of Destiny being in Edinburgh Castle, most unlikely.    There's a block of locally carved Perthshire sandstone in there certainly - the Stone of Destiny? Don't think so!

Iain, leaving that comic website aside, all the advice to test everything yourself is absolutely right. 

I learned that the hard way when I found my gr.gr.gr.grandfather on an Ancestry tree, complete with my gr.gr.gr.grandmother and some very detailed ancestors that I hadn't been able to trace at all.   Only problem was that he was also complete with a totally different set of descendants, and must have been a really good swimmer to be in Antrim and New York at the same time.    I did contact and ask if we could try and sort out the confusion, but got nowhere. 

Hope it works better for you.

[Iain...]

Andy and Maggie..., thanks for your offer of support, I just might get back to you for help ! Lol !

Unfortunately, I’ve been having quite a lot of trouble with my Wood family from Canterbury and as such I’ve not had much time to go north..., so-to-speak.   
In fact it's my maternal grandfather Malcolm Black who has his grandparents in Rathlin..., and it’s one of them who married a McCurdy.   
http://rathlin-island.info/?q=node/46

In fact, I must give my apologies to the others for not mentioning that I’m in contact with the American family who have their McCurdy’s going back to 1270.   And in fact, the person who started the tree is a young schoolboy, and everyone in his class had been given the task of creating a family tree.   As such, with his Mum having her origins in Scotland..., both set about aiming for a “first-in-the-class.”    A charming story and because of the background, one can’t be too critical about precision dating and names. 

Nonetheless, the problem gets more hazier when his aunt got involved !   Obviously a keen genealogist ! (perhaps a little over-keen)    Returning to their Ancestry tree today, I now find that even the Black family go back to John Black b1500. (and the exams are long-since finished..., lol !)   And of course the McCurdy’s stay the same with Chief Gilkrist MaKurerdy 1425-1486, then another 5 generations to Somerled Lord of the Isles Ruari 1270-
   
Phew !   Think I’ll stay in London for a few more weeks !   

Ps  If you want, I can send you the tree !