I have been enjoying the current dialogue. (with a wry smile and a
satiric expletive)
I can not make the unreal assumption that our predecessors were more
honest/accurate/correct
than our  generation or our parents. Why ?

My father   misrepresented both his birth date and nationality  on
several marriage licenses' and
on his Soc. Sec. application.  In the 1930 census I am listed as his
sister under a
name very different  than  my birth/christened name. His obit in the NY
Times is full of errors
Birth date /age /University and family members.

   My mother used a birth date that does not match other records and no
birth certificate is to be
   found in the state records--using all conceivable dates and
potential names.
Her Soc. Sec.   application lists a mother's  fictitious name.
The marriage certificate of the person she claims as father is dated
more
  than a year after her  birth date as listed in the 1890 census.

There is an old saw, something  about how "History belonging  the those
who wrote it."

Family historians tread on very a slippery mine  field.
But the research is one fascinating obsession.
pjd

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