People LIE on the internet (of Ancestry research and strategies)

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Who would have ever fathomed that people actually LIE on the internet? Okay, with all jokes aside, no one would think someone to purposefully lie about ancestral lineage. I don't even mean your grandparents or great grandparents even. I am talking about great great grandparents etc... You guys (or atleast some) might know I was trying to trace my Native American heritage on my father's mother's side (my grandmother on my dad's side). Well I still haven't gotten that and maybe I never will. However, when all was said and done I found out that her roots (going from her father on back) are Irish as well. Northern Ireland... Anyway, I was having a time of it because I got so far and came across a Baz(s)tardy Bond. Ever heard of that term? It through me for a loop, but essentially it's a means to hold the parental figure (either mother or father) responsible for a child. These were all illegitimate (out of wedlock) children if I am not mistaken. The findagrave website was telling me that an ancestor was fathered by a Valentine Cook. Come to find out he was a slave owner, but not even the father of the child in question. I found this out from a forum posting on ancestry correcting the findagrave mistakes. The woman (the forum poster) was outright seething because of all of the mistakes and she reckons (though didn't give proof) that the woman did it on purpose, she also outlined all the mistakes given. I was able to get back on the trail and that's how I ended up in Ireland. The only inkling of WHEN the Native Americans came to play were from photographs of ancestors and to be quite honest with you? They have the features of a Native American but the picture is so grainy, and obviously a tintype or similar, that I can't truly distinguish the skin tone. Then I get back to thinking about the Valentine guy and where his name even came from. Did my ancestors live with him? There was such a thing where newly immigrated people were "indebted" to "sponsors" (people who helped them either come to America or once they arrived in America.) It wasn't (from what I know) like slavery at all, and it seems as if it was more of a means to learn a trade whilst working free to pay back the land owner for their help. I'm babbling and going off subject... Moral of the story is try to look at the ancestry in several different angles, and don't lean too heavily on the dates of birth. Also, surnames can change in spelling (ex : these ancestors are all around the place, spear, spears, speer) ...