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I do it all the time since our (black) genealogy is intrinsically linked to the families that owned our ancestors.
Edward Ball, a journalist, is the descendent of an old prominent South Carolina Low Country family that owned hundreds of slaves. He did do genealogical research on some of the black slaves owned by his family to find some of their descendents whom he met, and then went backwards to trace the slaves' genealogy as far back as he could. He wrote a wonderful family history that combines the histories of both the Balls and the black families who made their wealth. It's called Slaves in the Family.
Since the internet got going, it's like there's really no privacy anymore. This is sad. Someone who claimed to be a "genealogist" doing "research" took down my wife's license plates, looked her up, and traced her ancestry back about 8 generations. My wife was furious (she worked with this person, but not in the same office). We also found out that someone was doing general and criminal background checks on one of our grown daughters...you know, those sites you have to pay $30-40 for "full details"?
Where do we draw the line between nosiness/stalking and true "research"? These internet tools are valuable if used for a legitimate purpose, such as law enforcement, employment, tracing your own family tree, or being hired/asked by the subject to conduct the, uh, "research". Just picking somebody's name out of a hat, or deciding to look up someone that you find romantically attractive, is not fair game. And it certainly isn't "professional".
Quote:
Originally Posted by UNC4Me
I have a BIL that is retired and bored. He finished his families geneology and had the b*lls to contact me demanding info on my family so he could "research" them. Um... No. Not his business and an invasive of my privacy. I keep getting emails asking for info and keep on deleting them. Hope he gets the message soon.
I've not annoyed or distressed anyone with my research.
Funny thing is, he doesn't really need your cooperation to start researching. Maybe he doesn't know that. So far.
So here's the thing; I frikin love genealogy. Unfortunately (or fortunately), my parents are immigrants and our ancestral records in the old country are burned, lost, or difficult to access. Recently (a few hours ago) instead of tracing "famous" lineages (Royal mostly) I've started choosing a random, European, historical figure of note and tracing their descendants. I'm not quite proud of myself but I managed to trace a family more than 250 years right down to the current day + Facebook profiles (I couldn't resist once I had names). My question is one of ethics and propriety, did I go too far? Should I message the family? Is it weird? Will they be creeped out? I know you all obviously cannot answer for the people involved, but what would you think? Would you share your findings with the family?
It's a lot of fun isn't it. I think its the same rush as finding gold.
Keep the information private.
I've not annoyed or distressed anyone with my research.
Funny thing is, he doesn't really need your cooperation to start researching. Maybe he doesn't know that. So far.
Clearly then, you are not a rude or pushy person. He is and pisses off various family members all the time for one reason or another. No, he doesn't need my cooperation nor will he receive it. I actually have complete genealogy records for both sides of my family, but it's MY family not his. There's no reason for him to have the information other than pure nosiness. My biggest fear is that if he "researches" my family he'll want to discuss it and I go out of my way to steer clear of him at all family functions and in general. Him having the information would make my life a living hell.
I've benefited from the kindness of strangers, both distant relatives and people that do lookups or make info available in some way many times. Also I've helped others seeking info. But if someone didn't want help, I certainly wouldn't bother them.
Here is a website where people voluntarily do genealogical research for others who are seeking help.
It's called Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness. ---> RAOGK - Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness
Thanks for posting this. I didn't know this existed, and will certainly check into participating.
OP, as others have said, why not get some training/certification and hang out a shingle? I've done searches for extended family and friends, and helped them discover fascinating things about their family history, while also connecting them with family they didn't know existed. Very rewarding. The only caution is that, once you tell someone you are going to do this for them, it can become very time consuming and overwhelming. I could do just this and nothing else and still not have enough to time to do it all properly.
Overall I don't see anything wrong with researching other families, as long as your own intentions are not malicious in nature of possibly compromising someone's "relative" privacy. Personally, I don't have a lot of free time to research other families. Were there lots of free time for me, I might do it for my own curiosity, however, I would never actively pursue an activity like this without a strong reason. I may help a friend here or there (or in-law) on occasion, but there is nothing extensive in my own research of non-family overall.
Just keep in mind, if you have genealogy research available online that's publicly available (or private), it may take years for people to find it and contact you on his/her own. I think that is the best approach by not actively contacting people about your research of their family unless someone asks you out of doing it as a favor.
Okay aside from my Genealogy I have been doing Two of My Cousins Genealogy (One on My Mom Side and other on My Mom side) for there other side of the Family that we are not related throughout. I will admit I haven't told them but they probably wouldn't even care.
With one cousin his Mother maiden name is Kennedy so I was curious to see when his most recent common ancestor with JFK was. turns out it a ancestor form the early 1600s.
However I would never trace the ancestry of complete strangers and especially would never contact them personally on the Phone, Email or Social Media. or any other kind of contact.
I think Famous People and other Public Figures are fair game and it is fine to trace their ancestry. Genealogist have researched their Ancestry especially all U.S Presidents and mangy politicians. They probably expect it. Most Celebrities I would think would not have a problem with it. I can see some who would
That being said I have also been tracing the ancestry of Many Celebrities, Public Figures, U.S Presidents, Royals and other Famous People on Ancestry also just for fun. I have many trees on ancestry, It is fantasizing and very addictive.
There is something a bit creepy in the fact that I can look up the ancestry of any random stranger on Ancestry. Suppose someone's family had an assortment of criminals who they had successfully distanced themselves from? It would not be very nice to dredge it up.
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