As I've mentioned before I am LDS and we Mo-Mo's love ourselves some genealogy. This year I've really committed myself to doing family history. However, it gets complicated in adoption and many of the tools out there are not set up handle it. My personal plan for River is to do family history for both his biological and adoptive lines. Adoptive lines are easy peasy livin' greasy. Unfortunately, in the biological lines I've found myself getting stuck when family members are unwilling to provide the information. Because I am not related to them I feel the need to respect their desire for a certain amount of privacy. However, their lineage is my son's lineage and I want to be able to provide him with as much information on his biological family history as possible.
So my question is this…. Is it ethical for me to go around them to get information on their ancestors? Should I wait until River is old enough that he can do the research himself? I'd love to hear everyone's thoughts on this subject so I know how to proceed in a respectful manner to all involved while still focusing on the most important reason for the work… River.
5 comments:
That is a hard one. I guess I would try to do what I could without asking them for any information. I assume you already know some things, so if the info you have allows you to do some digging, then I would do that. But I would not ask for more information until River is old enough and wants to know. I don't know much how to do that genealogy, though, so I don't know what private information you need.
Why all the secrets from them?! That is so weird! River deserves to know! So I say go for it, without having to ask them. Whatever you can find out there is free information for you to have, so I say do it!
easy peasy livin greasy? I love you!
My belief is that it is the adoptee's perogative to search, to look at biological family history, it is one of the few areas in which adoptees can seek empowerement.Don't take that away!
My mom is not LDS but still goes to SLC to research family. I agree with pp, it might empower the adoptee. Plus, you can always have the information stored so if he wants to know, you'll have it.
I figure if people don't want others to know anything about them, don't get married. Don't get arrested. Don't give birth. All of that information can be found through courthouse records. It's public.
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