I understand that many people are unwilling to share personal information because of the “stolen identity” problem that is currently making us all so wary. I can state with some certainty that thus far (over 29 years) there has not been one instance of identity theft reported to me as a result of my research. Another point for you to consider: When I began my research in 1979, I knew the names of my grandparents but nothing more. I was under the impression that my Van Wagenen family had come to America sometime in the early 1900’s. There were lots of other Van Wagenen’s in the area telephone books, but my father assured me that none of them were related to us. I had no idea that when I was attending high school from 1948 thru 1952 and was walking around the streets of the City of Kingston in Ulster County, New York, that my ancestors had lived there inside a tall wooden stockade which was erected to protected them from the Indians. That was in the mid 1750’s. Now, some 250 years, I know just about everything about each of my early ancestors. And you may be able to do so also!

Tags: GENEALOGY, Identity Theft, Kingston NY