So don't automatically dismiss these family legends when you hear them told. But recognize them for what they often are--undocumented, unproved stories. Record these stories, note where you heard them, and resolve to find out if they are indeed true. If they turn out to be false, don't be disappointed. It is a common human failing to want to be someone we aren't, or to have experienced something we could not. In family history research, we have to be careful not to project these aspects onto our ancestors. It is usually more fascinating to find out how people really were, not how we wish they could have been.
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