I have two scandals in my family, and both trial records can be found in the courthouses. I created a profile for my distant uncle who stole a horse in 1909. My uncle's friend was also involved in this theft, and went to jail with him. The Huntsville Prison Records for both men are available on Ancestry, the trial records are also at the Grayson County, Texas Courthouse. Being is how this is public record, I put the name of the friend in my ancestor's profile. I received an email from a woman who was quite upset. She had no idea her ancestor stole a horse, and she believed I made the entire thing up, even though I have plenty of proof, and the trial records are public. My question is, can I write in my uncle's biography that he and his friend stole a horse (supply plenty of proof), even though it will upset descendants of the friend? My family knows their distant uncle stole a horse and they don't care one bit. They've accepted it. Obviously, my uncle's friend never told his children that he was in prison. My distant uncle died shortly after he was released, and never had children.
