Cousin - to tell or not to tell?

[spudqueen]

I have recently exchanged e-mails with a cousin I haven't seen for 30 years. We got in touch through genesreunited. Her son has been asking questions about the family tree which prompted her to go on the site. Her Dad and my Dad were brothers. Well, I think they were brothers. My parents grew up round the corner from each other. Both my parents and my cousins parents are now dead, but my Mums sister says that my Dads brother is only his half brother. She remembers my Grandad beating my Grandma as she was expecting a child (my Dads brother) which wasn't his. If this is the case then the family that I've traced isn't actually my cousins family. (My Aunt reckons she know who the real father was). Should I mention this to my cousin, or let sleeping dogs lie? I'm sure there's been many a child passed off as the husbands when it wasn't really.

[noxlumos]

Tell her, without a doubt, but nicely and subtley obviously.

[shineybomb]

I would say tell her what you have been told, just make sure to tell her where this information came from as you never really know what the truth is. Your mum's sister would have been quite young to remember this information wouldn't she and it may have been just a rumour she heard.

[dot.hawkes]

this is how family legends start, maybe there is some truth in it, but if that branch of the family do not knoe the origin of this legend it will die, get em teld

[saxy_jag]

Certainly tell her what you know. Perhaps the two of you could work together on finding out some more, and maybe grow closer as cousins.