After my last column, which discussed what to do with all the “maybes” (those folks that don't quite fit in the family tree yet), I got several responses from readers seeking answers to this basic question--“How far should we go?”

The questions weren't exactly that and weren't all exactly alike, but that's what they boiled down to. Some wanted to know if we should include in-laws, and some questioned the value of all those distant relations. Another reader pointed out that a family member told her that straying from the direct line would be like “doing other people's homework.”

I began mulling over these questions and really don't have an answer. Yeah, I know. I can hear some of you out there--“Thanks a lot! That was very helpful.”

Bear with me while I explain. What I mean is that there really isn't the perfect answer that will fit everyone. Megan's article of 12 May 2005 probed the question of “Why We Search”, and just as our reasons vary, so might the scope of our search.

Some of us may begin with a goal of joining a lineage society, such as the DAR, while others may be interested in a seeking out the truth in a family legend. In these cases, we might focus our interest on one family or a direct line. But I'd be willing to bet that even those of us who started with focused goals like these have strayed into other family lines. (C'mon, you know you peeked!) And if we haven't maybe we should. Let's look at some advantages of casting a wider net...

[ Read More ] - Click Here