Traditions

Tradition is "the handing down of statements, beliefs, legends, customs, etc., from generation to generation, especially by word of mouth or by practice, i.e., a story that has come down to us by tradition."4 Some cultures, such as African American and Native American, hold tradition in high regard as a way of preserving a past for which few written records survive. Anthropologists have found that when tradition is the medium by which culture and family history are transmitted, the completeness and accuracy of the spoken word are likely to be carefully maintained by the storyteller.

Discovering information about the parents of an Austrian woman who had married a Native American of the Lakota Sioux tribe depended upon oral interviews with those who recalled the woman through tribal tradition. The details proved surprisingly accurate and led to the discovery of death dates and burial information about the woman's parents. The mother and father had followed their daughter to the Dakota reservation but soon departed. Oral tradition placed their destination as Chicago, and in this city was found the father's estate papers, which indicated that contact had been lost with one daughter-a daughter who resided on an Indian reservation.

Unfortunately, not all traditions contain as much truth as the one described above. It is not uncommon for less-factual stories to follow a pattern, perhaps of separation, lost wealth, or thwarted opportunity. One common theme is that of the "separated brothers." While there can be truth in such an account, it occurs so often as to be suspect. Usually, in this account, three brothers immigrated and separated soon after their arrival in the United States. One disappeared into the "West" and is lost to the others, although it is suspected that he became famous and, no doubt, wealthy.

Be skeptical about tales of unclaimed wealth. Southern variations may cite treasure buried to conceal it from Union soldiers during the Civil War. The East Coast version may include a castle and inheritance in Nottinghamshire, Devon, or Surrey, denied the American immigrant. In the Midwest, lost wealth supposedly results from the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, the family having hired a wagon to transport them and their goods from the scene and the wagonmaster speeding away with their possessions before the family could board.

Most traditions, however, contain a core of truth, an element that is surprisingly accurate and useful in research. The difficulty in proving these truths might be because the storyteller has assigned the activities to the wrong generation. More than one researcher has found "blended" generations a challenge to sort: was it Jacob's father who fought in the American Revolution or his grandfather? As your research skills grow, you may want to consult articles such as Helen F. M. Leary, "Finding Truth in a Family Tradition: Sumner Antecedents of Demsey S. Goodman," National Genealogical Society Quarterly 81 (3) (September 1993), as examples of methodology used to detect myth and evaluate evidence.

Record all the stories, even those that seem doubtful. Attempt to substantiate each through verification by other people (it is wise to have another person repeat the story rather than for you to offer leading questions) or through public documents. Include the traditions in your written record, but carefully identify them as such and note the sources of the information. These citations will be useful as you analyze information with an eye to proving or disproving parts of it.