I helped my mother do the family tree a few years ago, and put it together into a book. It was interesting to do, but requires a fair bit of work and perseverance, managed to trace back to the 1700's and also found a (splinter) relative doing similar research who we shared information.
The book still didn't help my youngest daughter who has always struggled to grasp how everyone in the family is related. I have a whole brother, a half brother, a step brother, and a half sister, and with their offspring, it does my daughters head in try to make sense of it.
Best of luck to your Mrs in her quest to trace the family tree.
As for stolen babies.
My mother lost her mother when she was 13, and lost her father not long after, and had to pretty much fend for herself.
She had me (at the Royal Women's Hospital in Melbourne) when she had just turned 18, and said they tried to forcible remove me from her, but she put up a fight and won. But not everyone was so lucky.
