I have been dabbling in my Family Tree for about ten years. Love doing it, mainly it comes in bursts; and I have gotten up to 1500 people in my tree thus far.

But I am curious as to one problem I have run in to several times here. I will get stuck on one person, and find a hint listed on a "private tree" and send them a message asking for help, (it has always been on a person who has been deceased for CENTURIES), and I have been met with flat out refusals to share information. Which has always baffled me. Certainly it is anyones right to keep their tree private, but this refusal to help at all is confusing. I am not asking for a living person's Social Security number...... I always try to be as helpful as possible when someone sends me a request for assistance or information and was just wondering if anyone could shed light on why someone would be so secretive. I'm not being testy, just genuinely curious as to the possible reasons why some might be so unwilling to offer assistance. I know some might say embarrassment over the ill repute of some long deceased relative, but I have found a few scoundrels in my own family tree and it bothers me not a bit. I can't imagine being embarrassed by the bad behavior of someone who has been dead for over a hundred years and who I never knew.