CHECK ALL YOUR FACTS.(Stars)(Column)

Byline: Sheila Byrnes Contributing writer

Briefly recently, I imagined myself being related to renowned artist Grandma Moses, not because I've suddenly discovered I can paint, but because I discovered she and my ancestors share a common name - Richardson.

Here's the story: In Brendan Gill's book "Late Bloomers, 75 Remarkable People Who Found Fame, Success and Joy in the Second Half of Their Lives," he writes: "Anna Mary Richardson was born in a small town in upstate New York."

I have Richardson ancestors born in upstate New York.

I Googled "Anna Mary Richardson." The response showed an Anna Mary Richardson born in New Jersey, not New York. I then searched for "Grandma Moses." She was born Sept. 7, 1860, in Greenwich, Washington County, one of 10 children of Mary and Russell King Robertson, not Richardson.

When I put "Anna Mary Robertson" in Google, one link showed "Anna Mary Robertson aka Grandma Moses" and another showed her living in North Easton, Washington County.

I checked the 1870 Federal Census for North Easton and found an Anna M., 9, living in the household of a Robertson family. Anna is the right age living in the right area.

The 1930 Federal Census for White Creek, Washington County, lists an Anna M. Moses, 67, with no occupation. She began painting when she was in her 70s.

Gill was a writer for the New Yorker magazine for more than 60 years. I tried to contact him to verify his sources, but another Internet search showed he died Dec. 27, 1997.

Although I could not contact Gill's sources, my research proved the information in "Late Bloomers" is incorrect.

And I determined I have no famous connection to Grandma Moses.

I also verified, yet again, the importance of checking the information that we gather from others.

Readers may submit queries with a Central or Upstate New York connection to Genealogy, Stars Magazine, The Post-Standard, Attention: Sheila Byrnes, P.O. Box 4915, Syracuse, NY 13221; or by e-mail to features@syracuse.com.