I have been building my wife's and my family tree very regularly since 1991. I have found that 99% of the family tree information and stories that I was given by my relatives was horribly incorrect. For example, my name, Thomas McKean, is actually the same as the last person to sign the Declaration of Independence. I was told that my family was directly descended from this great Pennsylvania patriot. However, a quick look at the US Census records shows this to be incorrect. I am not related to this man. So now, I am very content, building my family trees with Census records, birth, death and marriage certificates. I am sure my tree is much more accurate than any story passed down by a family member. I am also sure, that when facial recognition and dna analysis become part of the tools that become the standard for identifying ancestors that much of what I am piecing together now will be found to be incorrect, too. Such is life. But what I can do now, is attach names to pictures of friends and relatives I personally know to and provide dna samples so that future family members will have more accurate information to work with, to properly build my family tree with much more confidence than is possible now. Internet tools, especially like Find A Grave's website, are amazingly helpful for genealogists to find where their relatives mortal remains came to rest. Find A Grave's website becomes bigger and better each day. Thank you, Find A Grave for all you do. Best of Luck, Thomas McKean

I have been building my wife's and my family tree very regularly since 1991. I have found that 99% of the family tree information and stories that I was given by my relatives was horribly incorrect. For example, my name, Thomas McKean, is actually the same as the last person to sign the Declaration of Independence. I was told that my family was directly descended from this great Pennsylvania patriot. However, a quick look at the US Census records shows this to be incorrect. I am not related to this man. So now, I am very content, building my family trees with Census records, birth, death and marriage certificates. I am sure my tree is much more accurate than any story passed down by a family member. I am also sure, that when facial recognition and dna analysis become part of the tools that become the standard for identifying ancestors that much of what I am piecing together now will be found to be incorrect, too. Such is life. But what I can do now, is attach names to pictures of friends and relatives I personally know to and provide dna samples so that future family members will have more accurate information to work with, to properly build my family tree with much more confidence than is possible now. Internet tools, especially like Find A Grave's website, are amazingly helpful for genealogists to find where their relatives mortal remains came to rest. Find A Grave's website becomes bigger and better each day. Thank you, Find A Grave for all you do. Best of Luck, Thomas McKean