Family Tree

I have the strangest family history.  For years, I took my relative's word about who and where they come from.  And now with the internet so easy to navigate and look things up, I'm finding out things that don't add up in the family tree!

My great Grandfather, William, said he immigrated to the US from Germany with his sister.  While that may be the case, I've now figured out that his sister married a different William, and her mother, Minnie, lived with them, along with another sister.  The US Census from each different decade lists odd little facts, and sometimes you have to piece things together:  ie, a child is no longer listed means they might have moved out? been sent to other relatives? or perhaps died?  There's another rabbit hole to fall down. haha   That's on my mother's side of the family.

On my father's side, I found my grandfather listed as a nephew to Pete -- so I am assuming that is my great grandmother's brother.  Are you following all this??   *laughs*  Yeah, I couldn't either.  Where was my great grandmother? why was my grandfather living with an uncle at age 9?

These are the sort of puzzles I'm trying to figure out -- and piecing together a family history when it seems like EVERYONE back then had the same last names......  maybe we're all more closely related than we assumed!  *smh*

The men, of course, are easier to follow because they don't change their names.  And when a family gives a child an unusual name, that is certainly a good lead to follow as well; much easier to find an "Albin" than it is "John Smith".   *grin*

Have I come up with very much concrete?  Nope, not yet, but each little trail I pick has interesting tidbits along the way and I was able to add 4 people to my family tree, which is now up to nearly 600 names.  Pretty cool, in it's own way.

Anyone else out there into genealogy?
Are you related to anyone famous?