Stepchildren - how do you handle them in LostCousins?

[alanmack]

I thought I'd pose this question as there does not appear to be anything on the Forum already as a reference to the subject of stepchildren. Today I've just ferreted out two more families in the 1911 Census. By an odd co-incidence they both involve substantial numbers of stepchildren one with a first marriage for a relation and the other a second for both parties each with their own children and with no subsequent issue.

Whilst all my related offspring are to be included on LC, do I ignore the unrelated stepchildren entirely in the interests of simplicity or what? Your recommendations welcomed please.

Alan

 

[peter]

Presumably, since you describe them as stepchildren, they are not blood relatives of yours. Whether or not you enter people to whom you are only related by marriage depends on whether you can envisage making useful connections by doing so - for example, might their descendants have photos of your ancestors?

My grandfathers both married twice. In the case of my paternal grandfather I'm descended from his first marriage, but it was his second wife who ended up with all his possessions - and she left everything to her sister. So, as you can imagine, I put a LOT of effort into contacting them!

 

[alanmack]

My grandfathers both married twice. In the case of my paternal grandfather I'm descended from his first marriage, but it was his second wife who ended up with all his possessions - and she left everything to her sister. So, as you can imagine, I put a LOT of effort into contacting them!

Yes I can see why! these people aren't anywhere near as close so fairly unimportant to my researches - distant collateral lines.

Thanks for the reply.

Alan

 

[Alexander Bisset]

I included step children from one of my more distant lines as their surname was unusual whereas their stepmother the first wife of my blood relation was a Smith my logic was that any connection might know better what happened to the stepmother and her first husband my blood relative through finding them as unusual surname vs my relative blanks searching for smiths.

 

[emjay]

I thought I'd pose this question as there does not appear to be anything on the Forum already as a reference to the subject of stepchildren. Today I've just ferreted out two more families in the 1911 Census. By an odd co-incidence they both involve substantial numbers of stepchildren one with a first marriage for a relation and the other a second for both parties each with their own children and with no subsequent issue.

Whilst all my related offspring are to be included on LC, do I ignore the unrelated stepchildren entirely in the interests of simplicity or what? Your recommendations welcomed please.

Alan

Whilst you may be reluctant to enter step families on your 'tree', they are part of a family unit. But LC is not a 'tree', it is a tool for making connections and gathering information(hopefully); so in the case of LC should be included.

The desire for possible photos to put faces to names is a strong reason for me to try and connect.....smile please

 

[Carla]

My great grandffather was a step child, and I have traced his stepfather's line back as much as I can just for interest. His mother, my gggrandmother, wasn't married when she had him, and his stepfather was much older retired soldier. Both sides of the family lived in the same village, or a very close village, so I am hoping contact will be made with someone along the step family's line eventually so I can solve some queries I have. In my case the step daughter is a blood relative as my gggrandmother bore her so obviously she was included in my ancestors. I haven't added any of the stepfather's ancestors to Lost Cousins as they are not related to me really.