Myths debunked when doing family histroy.

[Erato]

People did walk. They had to. To mention just one example from my own family, in about 1849, gg-grandpa B.H. Chapman walked 40 miles (as the crow flies) from Moundville to Beaverdam, Wisconsin to buy a sack of flour, and then walked 40 miles back carrying the 50 lb. sack.

[coombs]

I did mention 1800 in my previous post, not 1900. In 1800 it was very commonplace of course to travel miles and miles on horse and cart as well, such as 100 miles or more from Manchester to Oxford or Manchester to London. And to walk a 40 mile trip then walk the 40 miles back.

I guess a journey from Oxford to Bath in 1800 on horse and cart took about nearly 2 days if the cart had to stop overnight. If it was non stop, it would be about 10-12 hours.

[sylvia (canada)]

In the 1800s, many of my ancestors walked from Oldham to Prestwich, to get married or have babies baptized in the Parish Church there. That was the "mother" parish, and was preferred to a wedding in the Oldham Parish Church, which was "too new".

One pair walked alone on Christmas Day to Prestwich, used 2 "professional witnesses", then walked all the way back to Oldham.

Christmas because that was the only day they had off from work, and alone because none of their friends could also go.

It is about 10-12 miles each way.

Just incidentally ............. St Mary's, the Parish Church in Prestwich has often been used for weddings of Coronation Street cast members.

[coombs]

Another myth debunked is that people only lied to registrars but rarely lied to the vicar in a church, such as for example if the baby's grandparents baptised the baby as their "final child, a late arrival" and that "it must be their last child as they would not lie to a man of the cloth". Or if a woman married during or after pregnancy to another man outside the genetic father and he said he was the father on the baptism. Some may say "He must have been the father as he would not lie to a vicar about the paternity". But people did, and I guess if he took another man's child on as his own then he was not really telling porkies to the vicar. Or if grandparents took their illegitimate grandchild on as their own "last child" they were not really lying to the vicar.

[lydiaann]

I have 'hints' of people who seem to have definite ties to my larger spread of family but who, for one reason only, have allied us to the Kemble Siddons family, despite there being a very comprehensive and public family tree of that family.  The 'connection' doesn't even have a surname that is present anywhere in that tree and certainly neither Kemble nor Siddons (supposedly my rellie is a daughter of that union).!

[Annie65115]

My maternal grandmother was convinced that her ancestors, the Marshall-Rawson-Uptons, were "really worth something" -- rich and important in their day. It was only latterly that the money had disappeared. A triple- barrelled name must signify something, hey?!

My mother firmly disbelieved this and always said that my grandmother had airs above her station.

It actually turned out that there was truth on both sides of the coin. There were no triple- barrelled names; but Miss Rawson did marry Mr Marshall, and their daughter (obviously a Marshall) subsequently married an Upton. Both the Rawsons and Marshalls were wealthy families in Georgian times but it seems that a predisposition to mental illhealth and a predilection for alcohol ensured that subsequent generations were poverty stricken and moved between prison, asylum and the workhouse.

[coombs]

A number of my ancestors were richer and of higher social standing the further back I have been able to trace. One Sussex ancestor was Sir Stephen Boord, who was a barrister and had land in Somerset and married my 11xgreat gran from Norfolk originally, whose father was a mayor of Kings Lynn and a merchant. Also I descend from the Raymond family of Eaton Socon, and Chadd Cockayne who is a gateway ancestor.

[Biggles50]

98% of people with a UK or Eu background have direct family lines linking them to King Edward III.

Everyone has a Gateway Ancestor, it is a case of finding them which is often more by chance.

It is only a big deal initially then when you delve into them further you realise that you are descended from murderous, treasonous, bigoted, individuals who would impale those in opposition to them at the drop of a hat.

You find a relative was hung drawn and quartered then find that the person consigning them to their fate was also a direct relative.

The red hot poker, yes, my Mrs is directly related to both sides.

[coombs]

Although not everyone can find the documentation to "prove" a gateway ancestor. And as we know the documentation is only as accurate as what was being told.