A chronology cluster I call it...shake some tree branches with it.
For a discussion of "squares" and "circles" see my blog -
http://ge-ne-al-o-gy101.blogspot.com .
Monday, December 10, 2012
A Chronology Cluster
Putting together a family tree is one goal of the genealogy endeavor. Brick walls often get in the way, and can be frustrating to the tree climber. When trying to get around some brick walls, a chronology cluster may be helpful. By this I mean placing your family tree into a chronology that outlines "dates" and "clusters" (groups) the family members into a single view. The following figures show two methods.
The figure above is taken from my own research showing how one may go about designing such a cluster. Starting with a blank sheet of graph paper (one of my favorite tools), the dates are placed along the outside margins, top to bottom upon the page. You can use any sequence of dates, but I usually begin with "50 year" periods. [Assumes a generations is 20 - 40 years.] Then I place the "known" family members along the dates that "best fit" these folks. [Using squares and circles.] Then I connect the family members along this "time line" (Chronology). It helps to color code distinct family groups, so that a visual picture can be seen. This also means that if you have an individual out of line, they should become evident.
The above figure takes a more "linear" approach with wider intervals for dates, and keeping the family members in straight lines. This allows you to add more comments, facts, and information to the family tree as you are trying to put things together. Again, color coding each family helps keep every group separate as the tree gets bigger and longer.
A chronology cluster I call it...shake some tree branches with it.
For a discussion of "squares" and "circles" see my blog -
http://ge-ne-al-o-gy101.blogspot.com .
A chronology cluster I call it...shake some tree branches with it.
For a discussion of "squares" and "circles" see my blog -
http://ge-ne-al-o-gy101.blogspot.com .
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Finishing The Task
Genealogy is a way to find our family's past. The roads we follow to discover this past are often full of curves and bends that seem to block our way. Family stories give us some direction in this tree climbing process, but they may not always be correct. My own genealogy experience has followed a lot of family stories told me during my childhood. One such story was "W.C.".
The kitchen table was the location of my grandmother's family stories. She could remember that the first JONES was named W.C. She did not know what the W.C. stood for, but she was certain that he lived and was buried at the mouth of the Red River. It would take me some 20 years to find this family cemetery, and discover the "W.C." stood for William Carter.
In 1999, my father and I managed to walk back the road to the ground that contained this cemetery. It was a rainy day, and my plan to chalk his head stone was dampened by the rain. [My chalk and paper were wet.] The head stones were buried, and it took a good effort to raise the stones. The following picture shows me and ground that surrounded our family cemetery.
Lots of grass, lots of dirt, and a cast iron fence kept us company. After raising the stone, and cleaning its surface, I used my t-shirt to make a impression of this headstone. This impression now hangs in my library. [Along with several other impressions of grandfather's headstones.]
The following picture shows this headstone as it came up from the ground.
"Peaceful be thy silent slumber" it reads. For me, it was finishing the task.
The kitchen table was the location of my grandmother's family stories. She could remember that the first JONES was named W.C. She did not know what the W.C. stood for, but she was certain that he lived and was buried at the mouth of the Red River. It would take me some 20 years to find this family cemetery, and discover the "W.C." stood for William Carter.
In 1999, my father and I managed to walk back the road to the ground that contained this cemetery. It was a rainy day, and my plan to chalk his head stone was dampened by the rain. [My chalk and paper were wet.] The head stones were buried, and it took a good effort to raise the stones. The following picture shows me and ground that surrounded our family cemetery.
The following picture shows this headstone as it came up from the ground.
Thursday, November 8, 2012
A Genealogy Bed And Breakfast
"We close in 5 minuets"...was often heard when I had just gotten everything lined up and ready to go. "What ... you've got to be kidding me..." would flash through my head. "I can't leave now...I've only just begun...", but what was a fellow to do? I may never be able to come this way again, and I have just found what I needed. How can one keep this from happening...over...and over...and over again. A genealogy Bed & Breakfast was my answer. You can come....research all night if needed...and keep going until you've climbed all the branches. Wow, how does one go about setting up a Bed & Breakfast for the genealogist?
Some ten years in the making, a Bed & Breakfast dedicated to the JONES surname exist. It is called "The Golden Lion", named after my families' coat of arms. It contains my personal research library on the JONES surname [some 52 years of research], a Jones Surname Museum, and all the time that is needed to break down some of those brick walls so common to the surname JONES. A picture of the B&B is shown, along with information on how to contact us. A "genealogy" Bed & Breakfast...who would have guessed.
Come...stay a while...we are not closing in five minutes.
Some ten years in the making, a Bed & Breakfast dedicated to the JONES surname exist. It is called "The Golden Lion", named after my families' coat of arms. It contains my personal research library on the JONES surname [some 52 years of research], a Jones Surname Museum, and all the time that is needed to break down some of those brick walls so common to the surname JONES. A picture of the B&B is shown, along with information on how to contact us. A "genealogy" Bed & Breakfast...who would have guessed.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Lookup(s) : Tree Climbing Helps
Over the years, a large number of folks have written/e-mailed/called/ and personally appeared seeking help with their tree climbing. Since the blogs have reached over 80,000 page views, it has become increasing difficult to keep tract of all the incoming request. A resent blog on my genealogical research collection [ tjgresearchnotebooks.blogspot.com ] has generated some interest. On this blog site you can "search" the notebooks for particular subjects/topics which may provide some help in brick wall destruction.
The figure above shows a sample page from this blog and identifies the "Search This Blog" tag where you can enter a subject/topic. A research notebook may contain an item of interest, and the subject/topic can be examined. [ A Lookup !]
The notebooks are physically located in The Joseph Wheeler Jones Memorial Library, Danville, KY. As pictured above, they are regular sized notebooks, numbered and organized by topics. [Now over 250 of them!] A "lookup" involves my direct selection and review of content. It has become necessary to try and establish some order to this process.
A request will need to be done by direct mail. Please send your question with a self addressed, stamped envelope to The Jones Genealogist, 243 N. Third St., Danville, KY 40422. A $10 lookup fee needs to be included. Only one question per envelope. This fee will cover cost of copies, paper, ink, and indicate a sincere interest in seeking the information.
Brick wall destruction...a lookup may help.
A request will need to be done by direct mail. Please send your question with a self addressed, stamped envelope to The Jones Genealogist, 243 N. Third St., Danville, KY 40422. A $10 lookup fee needs to be included. Only one question per envelope. This fee will cover cost of copies, paper, ink, and indicate a sincere interest in seeking the information.
Brick wall destruction...a lookup may help.
Sunday, October 14, 2012
A Running Record
Recognizing and organizing certain themes, topics, and subjects can be the secret weapon needed to break down many of those brick walls. What brings people together as a group at one point in time, or in one place in time, or in one why in time, may help the genealogist to put an end to one of those pesky red brick things standing in the way.
Themes can be something laid down by cultures or social groups which bond them to one another. Perhaps religion, political party, or social group may remove them from one area and go to another.
For my own family, the Baptist movement in early colonial Virginia helped me follow my family from one area in Virginia, to the wilderness of Kentucky. They became known as the "Traveling Church" becoming a topic of interest in early Kentucky history.
Perhaps it might be a topic like the "Theory of Divine Right" of kings. Who did the family fight for or against. This topic became an important subject during the English Civil War period (1638-1649). Understanding and organizing this concept helped me recognize, and group together my own JONES family during this period of history.
Likewise, a subject can be anything that might effect thought or consciousness bringing into to action an individual or group of individuals. What subjects make the group united in action. Placing Mary, Queen of Scots, on the English throne was one such subject that united a small group of men, including my own family.
Keeping a running record of these themes, topics, and subjects as one goes about their own tree climbing may help solve many questions which seem to get in the way. For me this was done in a series of notebooks which became the record of discoveries on these items. Piece by piece, these became the thread to weave a rope over many of those brick walls.
For those interest, I have started a blog on my collection of notebooks. These list the themes, topics, or subjects that I have collected during the past 52 years of genealogy. The list can be found at http://tjgresearchnotebooks.blogspot.com. You can search for topics/subjects using the search space given.
Themes can be something laid down by cultures or social groups which bond them to one another. Perhaps religion, political party, or social group may remove them from one area and go to another.
For my own family, the Baptist movement in early colonial Virginia helped me follow my family from one area in Virginia, to the wilderness of Kentucky. They became known as the "Traveling Church" becoming a topic of interest in early Kentucky history.
Perhaps it might be a topic like the "Theory of Divine Right" of kings. Who did the family fight for or against. This topic became an important subject during the English Civil War period (1638-1649). Understanding and organizing this concept helped me recognize, and group together my own JONES family during this period of history.
Likewise, a subject can be anything that might effect thought or consciousness bringing into to action an individual or group of individuals. What subjects make the group united in action. Placing Mary, Queen of Scots, on the English throne was one such subject that united a small group of men, including my own family.
Keeping a running record of these themes, topics, and subjects as one goes about their own tree climbing may help solve many questions which seem to get in the way. For me this was done in a series of notebooks which became the record of discoveries on these items. Piece by piece, these became the thread to weave a rope over many of those brick walls.
For those interest, I have started a blog on my collection of notebooks. These list the themes, topics, or subjects that I have collected during the past 52 years of genealogy. The list can be found at http://tjgresearchnotebooks.blogspot.com. You can search for topics/subjects using the search space given.
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Choose Wisely
Primary documents are often the key to breaking down many brick walls. They can also raise more questions then answers for the inquiring mind. Being sure that one understands the historical context of the document will be the solution for many of these questions.
For example during my own research into the life of Cadwallader Jones, there is a primary document which records the following:
"This indenture made the (blank) in the year of our Lord according to the computation used in England One thousand six hundred Eighty & one and in the year of the Reign of or:Soveraigne Lord Charles the second &c. the three and thirtieth..."
[ (Old) Rappahannock County Deed Book 1682-1686 pp. 6-10 ]
Okay I thought, the date was blank but the year was given 1681, and the document was recorded to be in the 33 year of the reign of Charles II. What? My previous research into the JONES surname had recorded that Charles II only reigned for 24 years [1661-1685]. How could this be the 33rd year of his reign? [The following table shows the results of my study on the JONES surname for English Monarchs. Data was obtained from Pinnock's History of England, first published 1856.]
This puzzled me until it became clear that the writers of this primary document of (Old) Rappahannock County did not recognize the Commonwealth period of English history. This would place the reign of Charles II beginning at the death of his father in 1649. Thus 1682 would be the 33rd year of his reign when this document was written. Pinnock documents the reign of Charles II beginning 1660.
There you go I thought...it is often the one writing the history that gets to pick the dates. Choose wisely.
For example during my own research into the life of Cadwallader Jones, there is a primary document which records the following:
"This indenture made the (blank) in the year of our Lord according to the computation used in England One thousand six hundred Eighty & one and in the year of the Reign of or:Soveraigne Lord Charles the second &c. the three and thirtieth..."
[ (Old) Rappahannock County Deed Book 1682-1686 pp. 6-10 ]
Okay I thought, the date was blank but the year was given 1681, and the document was recorded to be in the 33 year of the reign of Charles II. What? My previous research into the JONES surname had recorded that Charles II only reigned for 24 years [1661-1685]. How could this be the 33rd year of his reign? [The following table shows the results of my study on the JONES surname for English Monarchs. Data was obtained from Pinnock's History of England, first published 1856.]
There you go I thought...it is often the one writing the history that gets to pick the dates. Choose wisely.
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
A Delight To The Eyes
All you have to do is get on this small boat and plant your life in Virginia. It goes on to say, "Exciting all fuch as be well affected to further the fame."
It was printed in London, in a shop near St. Pauls Church which was the center of the printing business 1609. Just stop by my shop [Samuel Machan] at the sign of the "Bul-head". An apple from the bull, an interesting combination. This sailing ship would certainly be a delight to the eyes...say the spin doctors of the day.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)