Fudging Dates?

Always prove dates given to you by family members, especially early generations of the family. They may not be correct, for several reasons. One common reason for fudging dates is to make the first child arrive at least nine months after the marriage. One family history had my great-grandparents married a year earlier than they were to better "fit" the birth of their first child.

In another family, the birth date of the oldest child and the marriage date of the parents were modified to make the first child born a year after the marriage.

It is important to be accurate and not to judge. Great-aunt Myrtle might not like to hear that her parents "had" to get married, but she likely will get over it. It is important to remember that our ancestors were human. After all, if they weren't...what's that make us?