I am a member of 40+ lineage societies. I wanted my discoveries about my families to be on record somewhere. My family told me very little about their backgrounds, and my present relatives are not interested. For a few societies, I have never been to a meeting, their distance being the largest factor. And, some meetings are interesting, but some are boring. I doubt if my parents knew much of their own genealogy, but I think, if they knew, they would receive some satisfaction about what I have found. My mother probably never knew (or, if she did, never mentioned) about ancestors who were members of the armed forces for the Revolution, the War of 1812 and the War Between the States (her grandfather)--and were peaceful thereafter. My father had the same, but his ancestry goes back to the Merovingian Dynasty, and includes, on the way, Charlemagne, some Crusaders, Sureties of the Magna Charta, Huguenots, William the Conqueror, etc.. He is collateral to several Presidents and First Ladies. He even descends from Lady Godiva and Queen St. Margaret of Scotland. And, finally, I think genealogy is very interesting--and, the way I do it, is also cheap.
I did all the papers myself, and had no difficulty in joining.
George Bull Salley, Jr. (Savannah)