It is important that you get others in on the act when you are searching for your family members. Earlier in this book, I told you that I was a distant cousin to one of the men who helped Eliot Ness nail Al Capone. This man was from Scranton, Pennsylvania and is my second cousin, three times removed. I did not find this information out on my own.
Because I was connected to a site that allowed me to post information regarding family members, someone else who was also a member of the site was able to find me. They posted more information regarding my father’s family. This went on for several months until I found the connection. I also found a distant cousin who I can email on a regular basis who had some photos of my late great-grandfather that they were able to share with me.
The more people you get involved in your search, the better off you are. They may have pictures of relatives that you do not have. They may have stories to share or information to give. They may be able to clear up misconceptions that you have about your relatives. They are your distant relations and part of your family history, too.
