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"Great-grandma was a Cherokee Indian princess, you know." At the family
reunion or while interviewing relatives, you might hear family stories
like this or other lore about your forebears. Nearly everyone has a story
that has been handed down about their ancestors. Some of these legends
may be quite factual; others are myth. Almost all family stories have
some grain of truth, however. Family legends aren't usually created out
of thin air, and that tiny grain of truth may be the clue that leads you
to genealogical success. There are many myths that have worked their way
into family stories, and perhaps you've already heard some of these. Often,
they are about ethnic origins or how the family came to America. If you
haven't heard any of these common legends yet, make yourself aware of
some of the most common ones, since you may eventually hear variations
as you talk with family members.
The Cherokee Indian Princess Myth
It's always a Cherokee princess, almost never Navajo or Apache
or Pueblo or Lumbee. Native American ancestry is an extremely common family
story, and it seems it is always to an Indian princess. The Cherokee,
of course, are a large tribe with a diverse culture, divided by the Trail
of Tears. They intermarried widely, perhaps increasing the likelihood
of Cherokee/white ancestry.
One reason this princess myth may have evolved is prejudice. For those
who frowned upon a white male ancestor marrying an Indian woman, elevating
the woman's status to princess made the truth easier to swallow. Keep
in mind that any story that says you have Native American ancestry —
often Cherokee — may in itself be a myth. Even though it's currently
an "in" thing to have Native American ancestry, just a few decades ago,
it might have been the skeleton in your family's closet. Proving certain
ethnic ancestry can be difficult because of prejudice or popularity toward
a culture at any given time. Throughout history, some people who were
victims of prejudice may have tried to hide their native origins by changing
their name or claiming a different ethnicity.
The Three Brothers Myth
It's always three brothers who immigrated to America,
never two or four or five or six. Sometimes one is lost at sea during
the voyage over, or one went north, one went south, and one headed west,
never to be heard from again. There are never any sisters involved in
the big move across the ocean. Be wary of the brothers myth, and always
keep an eye out for additional siblings both in America and once you start
foreign research. You also want to confirm through your research that
there were, in fact, three brothers, that the three brothers were indeed
brothers and not two brothers and an uncle, for example, or that the three
brothers weren't just three men with the same last name.
The Stowaway Myth
For some reason, it is so much more romantic to have an ancestor who
came to America as a stowaway rather than a paying passenger. While there
are cases of people who actually did sneak aboard ships, this was not
common practice. If the stowaway was discovered enroute, typically, he
will be recorded on the last page of the passenger arrival list. I deliberately
use "he" because you almost never hear a story about great-grandma being
a stowaway. Even if you have the family story of a stowaway, still check
for a passenger arrival list, since if he was discovered and recorded
on the passenger list, he'll likely be on the index, too.
The Claim-to-Fame Myth
Everyone who has the surname Bradford or Alden is related to William
Bradford and John Alden of Mayflower fame, right? And everyone with the
last name of Boone is related to Daniel. And if your last name is James,
you're related to Jesse, of course. If you do have Native American ancestry,
then you must be descended from Pocahontas. Is that a red flag I see flying?
We all want a famous person to hang on our family tree, but we may not
find that person. I'm supposedly related to Robert E. Lee. My research
revealed that I really am. He's something like a ninth cousin, twenty
times removed.
The Wrong Ethnic Identity Myth
All Germans are Hessians who fought in the American Revolution. All French
are Huguenots. All Hispanics are Mexican. Of course, none of these broad
statements is true. We tend to lump certain groups of people incorrectly
into one category. "German" is not a distinct enough identifier in genealogy
any more than "Indian" or "Hispanic." If family stories indicate that
your ancestors were German or from Germany, were they Germans from Imperial
Germany, Alsatians, Austrians, Swiss, Luxembourgers, Germans from Russia,
or Poles from Germany? Even the records you uncover may not tell you more
than "Germany." This is why it is so important to learn the unique cultural
traits — customs, traditions, folkways — about the ethnic group.
Names, too, may be inaccurate indicators of ethnic identity. Just because
the name sounds Italian, is it? The name you are accustomed to may have
been changed or inadvertently corrupted over time, obscuring its ethnic
origins.
The Ellis Island Baptism Myth
This is the myth that an immigrant ancestor's surname was changed by
officials during processing at Ellis Island. No evidence whatsoever exists
to suggest this ever occurred. During its operation as an immigrant receiving
station (1892-1954), Ellis Island was staffed with hundreds of interpreters
who spoke more than thirty different languages. Inspectors compared the
names the immigrants told them against what was recorded on the passenger
lists. These lists were created at the ports of departure. There was no
reason to record or change anyone's surname once they arrived on the island.
More likely, immigrants themselves changed their names after they settled
in America to avoid prejudice and to blend more easily into American society.
Handling the Myth in Research and Writing
Now that I've shattered your favorite family story, how do you tell Grandpa?
Or should you? And how do you handle ancient family legends that you've
discovered through your research are false? Family legends are part of
your family history and should never be ignored or taken lightly. As mentioned
earlier, there is usually a kernel of truth to the family story. Rather
than bursting Grandpa's bubble with the facts, try to find out how the
story originated. When you write your family history, include the family
story as it was told to you, noting it as family "tradition" or "lore"
or "legend." Then explain, if you can, how the story originated, followed
by a discussion of your research findings. You may reveal that some elements
of a story were true and some were false, or that a story was totally
false. Even if you have not been able to prove or disprove the story,
acknowledge the lore and say it has yet to be proven. These family stories
give color to your family history, so record and share them as what they
are.
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