Comments on: Ethics in Publishing Family Histories http://stephendanko.com/blog/2007/07/31/ethics-in-publishing-family-histories/ Documenting the Search for My Family History Tue, 02 Dec 2008 08:26:34 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.2 by: Julie Coley http://stephendanko.com/blog/2007/07/31/ethics-in-publishing-family-histories/#comment-51738 Thu, 28 Feb 2008 03:46:11 +0000 http://stephendanko.com/blog/2007/07/31/ethics-in-publishing-family-histories/#comment-51738 I am hoping for feedback on a different circumstance. I am writing a book about murders in North Texas 1892-1925. All of the stories that I am writing about originally came from a local newspaper, with complete details on the murder and subsequent trials. At the end of each story I am including a mini genealogy including the names of parents, spouses, siblings and children. Since the murders occurred in or prior to 1925, the children of the subjects are deceased, as I have proven with Social Security Death Records. I am simply trying to document a little bit of our local history. My question is, by mentioning the names of the children of the subjects of my story, am I treading on toes that I shouldn't be? All of my information is found on ancestry.com through census, birth and death records. Am I going too far with my information? Or am I simply informing future generations of some of the hidden secrets in the family's genealogy? Everything was going well with my book and my research until today, when I e mailed a person and asked their permission to use them as a source for some of the information that I found on their family tree on ancestry.com. There was no mention of the murder in their database. This person asked me not to mention names of family members in my story. However, I found the names of the children in the 1930 census and all of the children are now deceased. So do I respect this person's wishes, or publish what is already available in the public domain? I would like feedback about my dilemma. I am hoping for feedback on a different circumstance. I am writing a book about murders in North Texas 1892-1925. All of the stories that I am writing about originally came from a local newspaper, with complete details on the murder and subsequent trials. At the end of each story I am including a mini genealogy including the names of parents, spouses, siblings and children. Since the murders occurred in or prior to 1925, the children of the subjects are deceased, as I have proven with Social Security Death Records. I am simply trying to document a little bit of our local history.
My question is, by mentioning the names of the children of the subjects of my story, am I treading on toes that I shouldn’t be? All of my information is found on ancestry.com through census, birth and death records. Am I going too far with my information? Or am I simply informing future generations of some of the hidden secrets in the family’s genealogy?
Everything was going well with my book and my research until today, when I e mailed a person and asked their permission to use them as a source for some of the information that I found on their family tree on ancestry.com. There was no mention of the murder in their database. This person asked me not to mention names of family members in my story. However, I found the names of the children in the 1930 census and all of the children are now deceased.
So do I respect this person’s wishes, or publish what is already available in the public domain? I would like feedback about my dilemma.

]]> by: Administrator http://stephendanko.com/blog/2007/07/31/ethics-in-publishing-family-histories/#comment-44687 Fri, 01 Feb 2008 06:24:55 +0000 http://stephendanko.com/blog/2007/07/31/ethics-in-publishing-family-histories/#comment-44687 Ton, I have forwarded your message. Steve Ton,

I have forwarded your message.

Steve

]]> by: Ton Vrugtman http://stephendanko.com/blog/2007/07/31/ethics-in-publishing-family-histories/#comment-44665 Fri, 01 Feb 2008 04:34:19 +0000 http://stephendanko.com/blog/2007/07/31/ethics-in-publishing-family-histories/#comment-44665 My name is Ton Vrugtman, I live in Holland. I am completing a family tree which starts in 1694, at this moment already comprises of 150 family members. I am looking for ROSANNE VRUGTMAN whose details are not as yet on the tree. Please send this message to ROSANNE and I hope that she will contact me. Regards Ton Vrugtman My name is Ton Vrugtman, I live in Holland.

I am completing a family tree which starts in 1694, at this moment already comprises of 150 family members.

I am looking for ROSANNE VRUGTMAN whose details are not as yet on the tree.

Please send this message to ROSANNE and I hope that she will contact me.

Regards

Ton Vrugtman

]]> by: sue maxwell http://stephendanko.com/blog/2007/07/31/ethics-in-publishing-family-histories/#comment-38850 Mon, 07 Jan 2008 04:38:15 +0000 http://stephendanko.com/blog/2007/07/31/ethics-in-publishing-family-histories/#comment-38850 I will bring up an entirely different viewpoint. I suspect that many of you have read of near death experiences, which, in a non- spiritually oriented world, might prove that people still exist after death. For me, I don't need these stories to believe that- I believe it. Therefore, when I discovered a discretion, or skeleton, in the closet of a person that was very important to me, it took me awhile to adjust to the idea. I talked about it at first. But then, I felt that I couldn't make a judgement about a situation, as I didn't know all of the situations and all about the lives and feelings of the people involved. If I believe they still exist in spirit form, in a spirit world, and even before their death, my have regretted and repented of what they did, and have been forgiven, then WHY should I make their private lives so very public. If when God forgives, He forgets, He wipes out that act. Should I, then, make it public, as it is no longer on the Agenda. I still puzzle about this, as to whether or not to talk about skeletons. Today, the news media likes to bring out every skeleton in every public person's closets. I detest this- it started with Watergate. What if that person has become a changed man. Do we need to drag out his dirty laundry? I think this is a tough question, and when I publish a book for the public, which I am doing, I will not make these skeletons a part of the story. I will keep them in my personal family history information, as a moral lesson for those to follow. Skeletons are a great way to discuss moral subject, and the consequences of right and wrong- and there always are consequences. Sue I will bring up an entirely different viewpoint. I suspect that many of you have read of near death experiences, which, in a non- spiritually oriented world, might prove that people still exist after death. For me, I don’t need these stories to believe that- I believe it. Therefore, when I discovered a discretion, or skeleton, in the closet of a person that was very important to me, it took me awhile to adjust to the idea. I talked about it at first. But then, I felt that I couldn’t make a judgement about a situation, as I didn’t know all of the situations and all about the lives and feelings of the people involved. If I believe they still exist in spirit form, in a spirit world, and even before their death, my have regretted and repented of what they did, and have been forgiven, then WHY should I make their private lives so very public. If when God forgives, He forgets, He wipes out that act. Should I, then, make it public, as it is no longer on the Agenda. I still puzzle about this, as to whether or not to talk about skeletons. Today, the news media likes to bring out every skeleton in every public person’s closets. I detest this- it started with Watergate. What if that person has become a changed man. Do we need to drag out his dirty laundry? I think this is a tough question, and when I publish a book for the public, which I am doing, I will not make these skeletons a part of the story. I will keep them in my personal family history information, as a moral lesson for those to follow. Skeletons are a great way to discuss moral subject, and the consequences of right and wrong- and there always are consequences. Sue

]]> by: Donald McEdward http://stephendanko.com/blog/2007/07/31/ethics-in-publishing-family-histories/#comment-38732 Sun, 06 Jan 2008 14:30:13 +0000 http://stephendanko.com/blog/2007/07/31/ethics-in-publishing-family-histories/#comment-38732 I agree with Joe Bob. I have gathered material on my ancestors for over 70 years and I will share it with anyone and if they want to share it with anyone it makes me very happy. I'm nearly 90 years old and am so thankful that I lived long enough to get into the computer age that has made it so easy to record and save the information that I have gathered. Some of the comments remind me of one of my favorite sayings," If you are looking for problems you will certainly find them." I don't look for problems I look for opportunities and usually have found them. Have a happy new year. I agree with Joe Bob. I have gathered material on my ancestors for over 70 years and I will share it with anyone and if they want to share it with anyone it makes me very happy. I’m nearly 90 years old and am so thankful that I lived long enough to get into the computer age that has made it so easy to record and save the information that I have gathered. Some of the comments remind me of one of my favorite sayings,” If you are looking for problems you will certainly find them.” I don’t look for problems I look for opportunities and usually have found them. Have a happy new year.

]]> by: JOE BOB http://stephendanko.com/blog/2007/07/31/ethics-in-publishing-family-histories/#comment-38104 Wed, 02 Jan 2008 16:59:21 +0000 http://stephendanko.com/blog/2007/07/31/ethics-in-publishing-family-histories/#comment-38104 Family anger is the worst offense-- I cannot for the life of me figure out why others who say they wish to share get so upset when you share what they shared. Family anger is the worst offense– I cannot for the life of me figure out why others who say they wish to share get so upset when you share what they shared.

]]> by: K. English http://stephendanko.com/blog/2007/07/31/ethics-in-publishing-family-histories/#comment-38075 Wed, 02 Jan 2008 14:15:20 +0000 http://stephendanko.com/blog/2007/07/31/ethics-in-publishing-family-histories/#comment-38075 Thanks for this article, Steve--comprehensive, sensitive, and well-done. I, too, shared information with a new-found cousin and days later discovered that same info. posted on a genealogy website--which I now have to pay to read. Of course, the research was not attributed to me--and the new-found cousin said, "Well what ELSE would you do with all of that? Don't you WANT to share it?" Of course I do! But in my own way! I was hoarding the info. for a printed history, which was completed a year ago and since sold/distributed to family members. My dismay was not over the fact the details were posted online, but that there was no attribution whatsoever. Regarding family secrets, (Rosanne Vrugtman's comments) it is absolutely true that secrets that aren't shared will continue to haunt and stump family members for generations to come. Those who are living, and are affected by the "outing" of such secrets, may certainly feel shame--but please, if there is someone out there who knows the truth and is willing to share it for the sake of correcting misconceptions and not to be gleeful over the misfortune, perceived or otherwise, of others--please tell the rest of us. That way, we won't continue to search for marriage or divorce records that don't exist, dead-ends with name changes, and a paper trail that begins and ends with one person and just a small select handful of documents. Surely some sensitivity is involved when it comes to sharing family secrets-- Overall, the problem of proper attribution of sources would be solved if we could all harken (is that even a word??) to our freshman English courses: CITE YOUR SOURCES. How hard can it be? Thanks for this article, Steve–comprehensive, sensitive, and well-done. I, too, shared information with a new-found cousin and days later discovered that same info. posted on a genealogy website–which I now have to pay to read. Of course, the research was not attributed to me–and the new-found cousin said, “Well what ELSE would you do with all of that? Don’t you WANT to share it?” Of course I do! But in my own way! I was hoarding the info. for a printed history, which was completed a year ago and since sold/distributed to family members. My dismay was not over the fact the details were posted online, but that there was no attribution whatsoever.

Regarding family secrets, (Rosanne Vrugtman’s comments) it is absolutely true that secrets that aren’t shared will continue to haunt and stump family members for generations to come. Those who are living, and are affected by the “outing” of such secrets, may certainly feel shame–but please, if there is someone out there who knows the truth and is willing to share it for the sake of correcting misconceptions and not to be gleeful over the misfortune, perceived or otherwise, of others–please tell the rest of us. That way, we won’t continue to search for marriage or divorce records that don’t exist, dead-ends with name changes, and a paper trail that begins and ends with one person and just a small select handful of documents.

Surely some sensitivity is involved when it comes to sharing family secrets–

Overall, the problem of proper attribution of sources would be solved if we could all harken (is that even a word??) to our freshman English courses: CITE YOUR SOURCES. How hard can it be?

]]> by: Beverly Whitaker http://stephendanko.com/blog/2007/07/31/ethics-in-publishing-family-histories/#comment-37768 Tue, 01 Jan 2008 07:08:15 +0000 http://stephendanko.com/blog/2007/07/31/ethics-in-publishing-family-histories/#comment-37768 Our Northland Genealogy Society (Kansas City, Missouri) focused this past year on the subject of compiled family history. Your article would be of great interest to our members as a reprinted article in our newsletter, The River's Bend. May we have permission to reprint the article in our March issue? Our Northland Genealogy Society (Kansas City, Missouri) focused this past year on the subject of compiled family history. Your article would be of great interest to our members as a reprinted article in our newsletter, The River’s Bend. May we have permission to reprint the article in our March issue?

]]> by: Yvonne Romero http://stephendanko.com/blog/2007/07/31/ethics-in-publishing-family-histories/#comment-37764 Tue, 01 Jan 2008 06:25:23 +0000 http://stephendanko.com/blog/2007/07/31/ethics-in-publishing-family-histories/#comment-37764 Are we doomed to make the same mistakes writing history the way we want it to be known or is our goal to document what factually is or was? I guess I don't understand the "candycoating" and "smoothing over" of such facts as illegitimate children, etc. If we change the dates of marriages and such, we are lying not to mention, changing history. These are what our families endured, and no family, no matter what they say, is without some sort of problems. We are all human. Keeping secrets, is exactly why, my husband doesn't know who his great-grandfather is. Now how does that protect the family? Are we doomed to make the same mistakes writing history the way we want it to be known or is our goal to document what factually is or was?

I guess I don’t understand the “candycoating” and “smoothing over” of such facts as illegitimate children, etc. If we change the dates of marriages and such, we are lying not to mention, changing history. These are what our families endured, and no family, no matter what they say, is without some sort of problems. We are all human.

Keeping secrets, is exactly why, my husband doesn’t know who his great-grandfather is. Now how does that protect the family?

]]> by: Sherrilyn Phillips http://stephendanko.com/blog/2007/07/31/ethics-in-publishing-family-histories/#comment-37735 Tue, 01 Jan 2008 01:07:28 +0000 http://stephendanko.com/blog/2007/07/31/ethics-in-publishing-family-histories/#comment-37735 Thanks for this Steve...I must have missed it back in August. Very interesting how different ones have addressed and dealt with this issue......definitely not a black and white one. Thanks for this Steve…I must have missed it back in August. Very interesting how different ones have addressed and dealt with this issue……definitely not a black and white one.

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