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Many genealogists go straight to online trees when they encounter a new surname in the family tree. There’s nothing wrong with that. It’s part of the initial literature search we should all do. We need to see if someone else has already researched that particular line before we spend hours reinventing the wheel.

It’s what happens next that’s marks the difference between a beginner and an experienced genealogist. Many beginners will begin copying those lines directly into their trees. It’s easy to do, especially when many online trees show the same information. Everybody can’t be wrong, right? Well, they can be if everyone copied information from the initial incorrect tree.

This episode of Maple Stars and Stripes will present just that situation; but the episode also demonstrates how to look for clues elsewhere, especially in original documents. Don’t be that person who spreads falsehoods; be the one who searches for the truth!

I’ll also introduce you to the project I’ve been working on while on hiatus; Annette Smith of the AFGS will share a tip regarding nationality; we’ll see what’s interesting in the current issue of the ACGS’s American-Canadian Genealogist; and we’ll look at what’s happening in the French-Canadian world.

Be sure to check out the show notes at https://maplestarsandstripes.com/94 to follow along with this cautionary tale case study.