TMG-L Archives

Archiver > TMG > 2000-06 > 0960035416


From: "Darrell A. Martin" <>
Subject: [TMG-L:] Re: TMG-L: Philosophy and/or Theology Versus Genealogy (AKA .....True Marriage)
Date: Sat, 03 Jun 2000 07:30:16 -0500
References: <00d701bfcb5b$bf098d80$1da70218@mrdn1.ct.home.com>
In-Reply-To: <011301bfcbd2$65f21d80$af032526@0016374473>


Greetings:

As a very long-time user of one event-based program, UFT, soon to be a user of another event-based program if I can find one <grin>, I would like to comment on this interesting thread. We have a dynamic, creative, tension between two viewpoints in genealogy. One says that the central issue is a relationship: father, mother, child. The other viewpoint is that the central issue is an event: a child is born to parents. The two are emphatically NOT mutually exclusive, although sometimes proponents of one or the other may make it sound that way.

The situation which is the subject of this thread is very difficult from a relationship standpoint only because two assumptions are made: that a genealogically relevant relationship exists, and that it must be represented in standard relationship terms (for example, terms that one might find built in to a genealogy program). If it were treated as simple biographical narrative, there would be no problem. If one does not concern oneself with representing that sexual activity occured/occurs between the two persons involved, there is also no problem. Report the situation, or don't, just as you would report the long-term co-residence of two spinster sisters.

The genealogical view of this couple changes if one moves to a state in which co-residence without marriage can have property ownership and inheritance implications. One such state does exist (I shall limit my opinion to my signature block), and that being the case a comprehensive relationship-based program would be remiss in not including the possibility. But either way it really is peripheral to the central relationship of genealogy: father, mother, child; until and unless a child is born to the couple in question.

Now, if one is using a sufficiently powerful, flexible, and customizable event-based program, it is much easier to handle. Define a specific event called "living together as a heterosexual couple yet eschewing the label 'marriage'," and just plug the two people in. (Well, ok, shorten the title, but try to keep "eschew" since it's a great word that gets lonely from lack of attention. <grin>) If you are using a program that won't accept a birth event without a marriage event for the child's parents--get one that will. Oh good, you already did . . .

Darrell


Darrell A. Martin
no longer proud to have been a Vermonter
but still proud of my Vermont roots
currently in exile in Addison, Illinois

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
TMG-L The Internet Mailing List for The Master Genealogist
To unsubscribe: Send an e-mail to with 'UNSUBSCRIBE TMG-L'
or... if you get the digest version: 'UNSUBSCRIBE TMG-L-DIGEST'
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

This thread: