What is your limit without hard proof in genealogy?

Question

I am researching my family history and have been able to go back to about AD 730 on my side and to AD 120 on my wifes side. Here is where the debate is.

Everything I have on my side of the family is verifable with birth certificates, marriage records, baptism records or the World History books.

Obviously AD 120 in Wales won't have a whole lot of official church or civil records hanging around for me to look at, but I have found some sources that, if I were to follow the leads, will lead me to AD 120 - but again, no birth certificates, baptism records, marriage records or the like.

So the question is, "How far are you willing to go without proof?"

Thanks.

Answer 1

I understand where you're coming from, and it's exciting to have links to early Western history. The problem is separating the fact from the folklore. In my own work, I usually stop the tree itself where the evidence ends and mark it with BOT (beginning of tree). Then start a second tree and do the "unverified" work in that one and add in the folklore (noted as such) in association with that tree. It keeps the integrity of your work unquestioned, but lets you share the other "finds" with people with the full disclosure that it's based on things that can't be verified but are still longstanding and very interesting.

Answer 2

Hey AMDG,

The Mayflower Society demands 2 forms of documentation for each generation. If you do manage to tie into their genealogy, you don't have the proof, but they do. So, the answer to your question includes how much do you trust your collaborators.

You should not trust family trees posted with no evidence. You can trust DNA to show that there are family ties, but not specific. I follow the rule for myself, one hard piece of evidence: Marriage, Family Bible, Deed, Birth, Death, and I use OBITs too. That might not be enough for others.

As far as getting to 120 AD, if you can tie into an historic figure, like Charlemagne, then the rest is history - and very well documented, at least for some of his lineage. You can trust that, but you need to be sure of the connection to Charlemagne. One little slip with the milkman, and your tracking someone Else's genealogy. I highly recommend getting into some of the DNA research projects for your ancestral names. That will at least provide a level of confidence.

Answer 3

I will state that some information is commonly accepted and that I myself have found no conclusive proof yet. Sometimes circumstantial proof is needed as impetus to actually get on track.

I have taken my lines back to abt 1000. Yes I enter peerage and I accept that line because I checked it against the College of Arms in London which says the line is documented peerage/royalty. As one of the most prestigious British genealogy keepers I take that as conclusive proof.

I will share my information and will state if I have conclusive evidence or not for it. When I share a file I include all references I used to gather the information.

Answer 4

Don't just copy someone else's work or opinion. I have found evidence that many people just don't know what they're doing when it comes to documentation. So many mistakes were made in the past, and it is a long and tedious journey to the truth, if we ever make it. I am not willing to go anywhere without some indication that it is the right direction. Good luck.

Answer 5

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Answer 6

It depends upon your objectives with genealogy. If what you have is sufficient to display on your wall to family and friends you can always indicate questionable stopping points.

If your purposes are the same as what Latter-day Saints use then you must make all efforts to assure the correctness of your research.

It is admirable that you've acquired such detailed and lengthy information on your ancestry.

Answer 7

Just for even getting the possible facts that would be exciting. Just always note where the infomation comes from.

Answer 8

That's FAR ENOUGH !