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Archiver > APG > 2004-01 > 1074131852


From: "Kate Lynn" <>
Subject: RE: [APG] RE: Is an adoption the end of the line?
Date: Wed, 14 Jan 2004 19:57:32 -0600
In-Reply-To: <NGBBJDFGELMCEMKJEOJJCEHDDFAA.barb@johnwylie.com>


Barbara,

Thank you for your thoughtful reply. Your opinion echoes my own; though
I am not sure if I can be considered "unbiased" since I am the mother of
three adopted children myself.

On a personal basis, I am not concerned about "blood line" requirements
for lineage societies; however, professionally this is often a major
desire of some clients. I'm inclined to question if pre to mid 19th
century "adoptions" were even recorded as such, particularly among the
"ordinary folk", but were simply arrangements of convenience in the case
of illegitimacy, or responsibility in the case of maternal death. With
the introduction of DNA I can't help but ponder the results if long
established "blood lines" in prestigious lineage societies were put to
the test.

I have recorded my grandmother's status as adopted and intend to pursue
both her known (adoptive) line, and try to unearth the birth family - if
it is indeed different. I use FTM, which provides for the recording of
adoptions. I have listed my own children accordingly though this was a
bit more ambiguous since I have birth children born during my former
marriage and adopted children who entered my life later (as a single
parent.) FTM would only accept my adopted children as resulting from a
"spouseless relationship." (Talk about an understatement! <g>) Still,
this breaks up the "family" I have established. Wish there were a
better way.

Catherine Foote Lynn


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Barbara Brixey Wylie [mailto:]
> Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2004 5:31 PM
> To:
> Subject: [APG] RE: Is an adoption the end of the line?
> Importance: High
>
> Catherine Foote Lynn wrote "I have found that my paternal grandmother
was
> adopted. What is the professional community stance on adoption as
relates to
> "inclusion" in a family line? Is it just a dead end?"
>
> This is a subject about which I have strong feelings, having raised my
three
> step-children and having a husband who is the most active grandfather
in the
> lives of grandchildren who do not carry his genes. (By the way, we are
on
> good terms with both our exes and their current spouses.)
>
> Identify it as an adoption and research either line or both. None of
us
> spring from the womb with our education, socialization, ethics, and
values
> developed. The "family of nurture" guides that. When our natal family
and
> our nurturing family are not the same--or when we have both--we need
not
> exclude either of them.
>
> Some lineage societies do require a blood line. Those of us who strive
to
> know the whole person in the context of his real-world experience only
limit
> ourselves to that if we need a kidney transplant!
>
> Barbara Brixey Wylie
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ==== APG Mailing List ====
> The Association of Professional Genealogists
> http://www.apgen.org/publications/apg-l/index.html



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