Every family has a story that they try to forget. A bootlegger uncle. A grandmother who “ran off.” A cousin who spent time “away” that no one will explain. These fragments of scandal are often whispered about or left out entirely. As family historians, though, it’s our job to dig deeper, not to look away.
When researching your ancestors, it’s tempting to focus on the proud moments such as military service, land ownership, long marriages, and community involvement. Nonetheless, a complete and accurate family history must also encompass the messy parts, including the controversies, secrets, and black sheep that shaped who our ancestors truly were. Scandals may involve criminal charges, out-of-wedlock births, mental illness, desertion, bankruptcy, or even time in jail. These stories can be uncomfortable to uncover, particularly if older relatives are reluctant to discuss them. However, they often hold the key to understanding sudden moves, name changes, or gaps in the record.
Ignoring these events creates blind spots while embracing them leads to insight and understanding.
In fact, the "troublemakers" in your family tree often leave behind the richest paper trails, including court records, police files, newspaper articles, asylum admission logs, divorce petitions, and more. These records can reveal not only the truth of the events but also provide valuable clues into your ancestor’s character, relationships, and community.
In my upcoming webinar, “Digging Up Scandals: Tracing Black Sheep Ancestors in Your Family Tree,” we’ll explore the types of records that reveal the stories many families attempted to conceal. You’ll learn how to:
- Recognize red flags that indicate a possible scandal.
- Approach sensitive topics with care and compassion.
- Access key Canadian records for criminal, divorce, asylum, and institutional cases.
- Put events into their historical context to better understand your ancestor’s choices.
And yes, we’ll discuss how to share these findings with your family without starting a family feud.
We want to believe our ancestors fit neatly into respectable roles. However, real people rarely conform to neat and tidy categories. They were flawed, complicated, and influenced by the circumstances of their time. Telling the complete story isn’t about assigning blame or creating drama. It’s about preserving the truth, honouring resilience, and giving a voice to those who were often silenced.
So, if your genealogy has reached a standstill, or if you’ve uncovered a hushed family secret and aren’t sure where to go next, this webinar is for you.
Day: Thursday
Date: June 12, 2025
Time: 8:00 pm EDT
CLICK to register here for this complimentary webinar.
