Writing a Memoir: Family Lies and Legalities

Writing a Memoir: Family Lies and Legalities

I joined Ancestry.com today because I wanted to do some family research and find out some facts about my lineage. It was a bust. I typed in my birth name and I don’t exist, no birth or marriage records and all extended family information is marked private except for records of dead people.

My next stop is the Mormon Church. My aunt is Mormon and has done genealogy for over 50 years. Of course, she may have deleted me from the family tree. I’m not sure what will show since my family disowned me and actively tried to erase my existence.

Either way, it’s time to write my story. I know my father was a liar, but he also sometimes told the truth which is why I was hoping to find more information about my heritage. For instance, my dad’s mom told me that my great-grandmother was full-blooded Cherokee but the family doesn’t remember her name and they were illiterate so there are no written records like what you might find in a family bible. My dad insisted that he was NOT part Native American. He was a devout bigot and any people of color had cooties so he certainly couldn’t have any color in him.

So, what’s the truth? I might never know.

My father also told me that my mother was married and divorced as a teenager before she met…