Delving into one's family history is sometimes like stepping into a minefield! There are many booby traps out there which can snare the unwary.
One which is often realized too late is the necessity of completely proving each linkage before proceeding to the next generation. So many enthusiastic people are caught up in the 'How far back can I get as fast as possible' game that they forget the essentials. Unfortunately many end up doing someone else's genealogy because they have pounced upon a 'likely-looking George' from an index and appropriated him, and not bothered to prove that it is their George.
Yet others are so determined to find a connection to royalty or a famous person that they, too, rush in and are willing to accept information from previously published research without verifying it.
Those who then use their critical thinking skills soon discover annoying discrepancies such as a putative father dying 50 years before their ancestor is born, or a woman having her first child at age 84!
The first rule of genealogy is Start with yourself, and confirm with evidence that the ancestors you have found are yours.
Paul Marquis PLCGS