NSGS AncestreeNebraska State Genealogical Society Journals NEBRASKA ANCESTREE
NSGS--NEBRASKA ANCESTREE Vol VIII, no. 1, page 23 - Summer 1985
CHEYENNE Co., The SIDNEY TELEGRAPH, Sidney, NE March 11, 1875 Letters remaining unclaimed for the week ending Wednesday, March 10, 1875.
ARNOLD, L.M. ALLEN, Charles BOHLKE, Henry BROWN, Henry CLIFFORD, H.C. CLIFFORD, Morton DREHER, Charles ELMER, L.J. ELLSWORTH, Wm. E. EBERHART, Fred GREEVER, S.P. GOOD, J.T. GILBERT, George HENDERSON, T.J. HARDING, C.E. HAND, A. LAIN, F. FREEMAN, Ann LIN, Hing McCURE, Farrel MEAGHER, J.R. NEIDY, C.K. NORRIS, Willie OLIPHANT, C.A. REDICK, Jno. I. SMITH, J. STAFFORD, Geo. W. STEVENSON, Arch THOMPSON, F. VIROY, N.B. WELLS, Charles WELTON, Benj. WILLIAMS, L.T. WOODWARD, H.M. ZOBLE & SCHLEGER WAGNER, Catherine G.W. DUDLEY, Post Master
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CHEYENNE CO. Sidney Telegraph, Sidney, NE March 11, 1875 List of Subscribers to the Proposed Catholic Church:
Wm. J. HARBISON Thomas SWEENEY James GREEN C.K. ALLEN WM. DICKERSON Henry WILLIAMS Lorenzo HOBBS M. URBACH J.H. AXE Geo. W. HEIST W.H. SCRIBNER A. SALOMONSON Edward LOWRY J.A. ALLENSPACH Charles MAGUIRE D.C. REESE John GAVIN L. PASCHEN Hugh McFADDEN Henry SNYDER J. VanDerWIELEN Frederick GLOVER James CALLAHAN H. C. StCLAIR Daniel HEAPHY Phillip MUSHEID C.A. MOORE J. CLEBURNE P. BURTCH J.W. GRIFFIN High McFADDEN, Sec'y
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Submitted by: Laura Moncrief Lee, Lincoln, NE
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER Need for Compiling Genealogy
Now that you have spent years haunting attics, courthouses, cemeteries, libraries, etc., it is time to convert the files and boxes of documents, notes, photographs, and records into an organized documented manuscript.
Why? Because YOU are probably THE authority on the subject of your research. Most likely no other person has amassed an equal amount of information about your subject. Furthermore, most likely no person may ever again have the time, inclination, or the opportunity to do the research you have done. You must preserve this knowledge you have gained--or it may all be lost. Too much genealogical research has been lost to trash collectors because now deceased genealogists never found the time to compile their work.
Let's be honest, we do not have any guarantee about tomorrow. I don't know about your spouse, but my husband certainly would not be interested in compiling my research after I am dead--and I am certain his next wife wouldn't either!
Yes, you can do it! Anyone who can conduct successful and competent research can present that research in a compiled genealogy acceptable to scholars in the field. Also, as well-known genealogist Dr. Neil D. Thompson, F.A.S.G. (Editor of The Genealogist) says, One of the best ways to see where you stand with your research is to write. We all have experienced the personal satisfaction of doing good research. You are in for an additional treat when you start writing and putting it all together. It is the sharing of one's findings which constitutes the real joy in genealogy.
Now that you realize the importance of committing yourself to putting your research in manuscript form, how do you move from a seemingly infinite number of documents and raw research notes to an organized composition? Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could take a stack of our files of research data and wave the magic wand over it--and poof--a scholarly, documented manuscript. Well, I have not found the secret formula for that trick, but I have discovered how easy it is to do, and I want to share that with you.The First Step
The first step is to decide on the PURPOSE of your article or book. As you know, not all genealogical studies are exactly alike. Some purposes are:
- 1. Trace the descendants of a person (or couple) in all lines to the
- present generation or for any pre-selected generation.
- 2. Trace the descendants of a person (or couple) in some lines to the
- present generation or for any preselected number of generations.
- 3. Trace the ancestry of a person in all lines.
- 4. Trace the ancestry of a person in a single line.
- 5. Establish an immigrant's parentage and/or place of birth.
- 6. Extend a previously published lineage.
- 7. Correct some previously published error.
- 8. Conduct a multi-family project.
- 9. Others.
As a beginner, it is recommended that you begin writing with a short article on one line of your family. This would be a reasonable starting place. Do not start on a ten volume work for your first writing project. After the successful completion of this first article, you will have gained the knowledge and confidence needed to go on to larger projects.
The Next Step
The next step before you go any further is to select a numbering system or format. It is imperative that you identify each member of a family so there won't be confusion with several different people with the same given name and same surname.
There is no single numbering system that must be used in writing a compiled genealogy. Many systems of number and letter combinations have been devised. Some writers feel obligated to come up with their own unique system. However, sometimes it takes hours trying to interpret one of these A1B3C6 systems. Therefore, when selecting a numbering system use your creative thinking in writing about your ancestors--USE A PROVEN, TIME-ACCEPTED NUMBERING SYSTEM.
Meredith Colkett in "Creating a Worthwhile Family Genealogy" said: The great stumbling block in preparation of a good genealogy lies in the format. So
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many genealogies are poorly presented that the typical criticism relates to confusion of presentation. There are so many different plans, one becomes confused and discouraged.
This is not a new problem. The editors of the first American genealogical periodical were confronted with the same problem. After twenty-three years of confusion in articles accepted for the Register, the Editor (Col. Hoyt) said, enough! In Vol. 24 he complained there were as many plans as there were volumes. He then presented a brief Sherman genealogy in a clear, concise format which became the model and resolved the problem. This new format in 1883 became known as the Register Plan. Other important genealogical periodicals including The American Genealogist require or encourage their readers to follow the Register Plan. It continues to be the hallmark of excellence in presentation.The Register System or Modified Register System
How do the systems work? In both the Register and Modified Register Systems family units are treated generation by generation. The first generation is the account of the progenitor or founder of your American family. The accounts of the progenitor's children are presented in the second generation; the accounts of the progenitor's grandchildren represent the third generation, and so forth. It is good practice to give Chapter titles such as First Generation, Second Generation, etc.
In both the Register and Modified Register Systems the earliest progenitor being discussed is given the number 1. You indent 5 spaces and after the number 1 you type in caps the name of the progenitor ancestor. Between his first and last name is a superior number 1 indicating he is the progenitor ancestor. Following a narrative on this progenitor, you provide a list of his children. (We will discuss the order and content of this narrative in a few minutes.) Again you indent and list the children in a column in the order of their birth. Small Roman numerals are used to indicate the order of their birth (even if you don't know their exact order of birth and you have to arrange them in hypothetical order).
Under the Register System, an Arabic number is assigned only to the child or children who will be discussed in fuller detail at a later time in the book. In the Modified Register System, an Arabic number is assigned consecutively to each descendant in the genealogy; then a plus sign (+) is put in front of the numbers of those individuals who will be more fully discussed and presented as an organized family unit in a later part of the genealogy. So, basically, the only difference in the two plans is the Register Plan only gives a number to those individuals who will be fully discussed in another chapter of your manuscript; whereas, under the Modified Register Plan everyone receives a number and those that are to be discussed in fuller detail later on receive the plus sign in front of their number. Let's look at an example of the Modified Plan:Generation 1 1. WILLIAM1 MONCRIEF was born ca. 1721-1722, probably in Scotland. He died Aug. 28, 1794 in Salem, N.Y. aged 72 years according to his gravestone in the Salem Revolutionary Cemetery in Salem, N.Y.
The names of William's parents are unknown at this time. Most likely his father's name was William or Hugh, as in Scotland the custom was to name the first son after the paternal grandfather and the second son after the mother's father. This custom was observed for several generations even after the Moncriefs came to America in 1764.
Little is known about William's first wife. She was the mother of his children, three of whom survived to adulthood. Her name may have been Mary as recorded in Fitch's manuscript of passengers coming with Rev. Clark. We know she was alive until at least 1759 when their son, Hugh, was born. She certainly was dead before the American Revolution as William was by then remarried. Her father's name may have been Hugh (as explained above in custom of naming second son). The search continues to determine the date and place of her death.
The second wife of William Moncrief was "the widow Molly Chambers." They were probably married sometime after their arrival in N.Y. in 1764 and before the American Revolution in 1775. The dates ....
In 1765 Elder Moncrief received a tract of land in the Turner Patent as did all members of Rev. Clark's group. In 1787 William Moncrief, Sr. was living on lots #41 and #48 which consisted of about 100 acres. In 1789 William acquire lots #124 and #32.
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Deacon Moncrief Served with the patriots in the American Revolutionary War. He was a private serving under General John Williams of Salem, N.Y. in the Charlotte County (later renamed Washington County) Militia, in Webster's ....
William Moncrief made out his will on Aug. 15, 1794, a few days before he died. In it he bequeathed all of his farm where he was then living to his son, William, Jr. To his son, Hugh, he bequeathed all the lot of land that Hugh was at that time living upon; and he equally divided his pine lot between his sons, William and Hugh. William, Jr. received all of his father's personal estate out of which he was to pay one sheep to each of Robert Creighton's children, Hugh Moncrief's children, and his own children.Children of William Moncrief and his first wife: +2 i Mary Moncrief born ca. 1751 +3 ii William Moncrief, Jr. born ca. 1757 +4 iii Hugh Moncrief born ca. 1759You will note on the above example that there is a plus sign before numbers 2, 3, and 4 indicating that this is a comprehensive genealogy on all the children of William the progenitor. All three of these children will be discussed in greater detail in Chapter 2 or Generation 2. If we were only tracing one direct line of descent, all the children would receive a number but a plus sign would be placed only in front of the number of the one direct ancestor--the only one we would detail and discuss in the next chapter. In that event, all the vital information on the other brothers and sisters would be given in a small paragraph where they are listed as children (since they won't be discussed anywhere else). Therefore, the listing of the children would look something like this :
Children of William Moncrief and his first wife: 2 i Mary Moncrief born ca. 1751 either Scotland or Ireland. Mary died Sep. 17, 1820 and was buried in the Old Cemetery, Hebron, N.Y. Mary was married between 1770-1774 most likely in Salem, N.Y. to Robert Creighton. Robert was born ca. 1750 probably in Ireland. He died Feb. 9, 1820 in the 70th year of his age according to his gravestone at the old Cemetery, Hebron, N.Y. +3 ii William Moncrief, Jr. born ca. 1757 4 iii Hugh Moncrief born ca. 1759 probably in Ireland. Hugh died Mar. 27, 1813 aged 53 years according to his tombstone in the Revolutionary War Cemetery, Salem, N.Y. Hugh married before 1782 Jennette Foster. Jennette, the daughter of John Foster and his wife Mary (McCombs), was born in 1754 in Ireland. She died Apr. 10, 1836 in Lisbon, N.Y. and was buried there in the Campbell Cemetery.This listing of the children for William1 is the end of Generation 1 or Chapter 1. Generation 2 (or Chapter 2) would include any and all of William's children that you are going to present as an organized family unit. In the first example (where all three children received the plus sign), Generation 2 would begin with the child that received number 2--Mary Moncrief. You would begin Generation 2 on the 12th line from the top of a new sheet of paper:
Generation 2 2. MARY2 MONCRIEF (William1) was born ca. 1751 either in Scotland or Ireland. She died Sep. 17, 1820 in the 70th year of her age in Hebron, N.Y. and was buried there in the Old Cemetery.
Mary was the wife of Robert Creighton and they were married sometime between 1770-1774, most likely in Salem, N.Y. Robert was born ca. 1750 probably in Ireland. He died ....
Robert Creighton came from Ireland in 1764 .... (details of his life)Children of Robert Creighton and Mary Moncrief: i Mary Creighton born ca. 1774 Hebron, N.Y. ii William Creighton born ca. 1776 Hebron, N.Y. iii Elizabeth Creighton born ca. 1778 Hebron, N.Y. iv Jane Creighton born June 4, 1781 Hebron, N.Y. v Agnes Creighton born Oct. 6, 1785 Hebron, N.Y.
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You'll note that after the narrative on Mary and her husband, Robert Creighton, their children are listed in a column with small Roman numerals to indicate the order of their birth. They do NOT receive a number since these are not Moncriefs these are Creightons. This is all the further this female line is carried out. If you are writing a genealogy which includes "allied families" then there would be a chapter later on the Creighton Family which would begin with the progenitor of the Creighton line in America and would include this family as far down the line as you care to trace it.
Following the listing of these Creighton children, you would continue on with an account of number 3--in this case, William2 Moncrief, Jr. the son of William1. He is still in the second generation and included in this chapter. After you finish writing all the details about him, his wife (or wives), etc., his children are listed in a column and they receive the next consecutive numbers. In this case, his two children would receive the numbers 5 and 6. (However, they must wait their turn to be written about in full detail. First you must go on and complete an account about number 4). The last of the children to be written about in detail in Chapter 2 would be number 4--Hugh2 Moncrief. His children would receive numbers 7, 8, 9, etc.
Chapter 3 begins with the grandchildren (or grandchild if you are only tracing one direct line of descent) of the progenitor. In this case that would be number 5, the first child of William2 Moncrief, Jr.Content of Unit
The content of the family unit gives it character. Content varies greatly depending upon availability of material. Geography can be a determining factor. Colonial New England was perhaps the best-documented place in the world in Colonial days. On the other hand, Colonial Virginia is a very difficult area in which to work. The completion of a good genealogy of an early Virginia or Tennessee family below gentry rank is a great accomplishment.
Good content implies wise use of original sources and library materials. However, as said before, the amount of family data gleaned not only depends upon the ability of the compiler but also upon the status of the family. It is possible to produce magnificent details about ordinary families particularly if there are letters or diaries.
We know that some family units will include much more data than others. However, each family unit must contain essential vital information so as to identify each principal in the unit (the husband, wife children) by dates and places of birth, marriage, and death. In addition, places of residence, military service, occupation, migration, etc. should be included if known. The more you include, the more interesting. You must be able to weave together a story out of the bits and pieces of information assembled from many sources. Most genealogists suggest you organize these facts CHRONOLOGICALLY.How to Arrange the Content
According to Gilbert Doane, the first paragraph should contain dates and places of birth and death, and parentage (if known) for the progenitor or emigrant ancestor of the family. Sometimes we do not have the exact dates of birth or death, but we can usually calculate approximate dates from sources such as tombstones, personal property tax lists, etc. This is an example of when "writing will help you see where you stand with your research." Perhaps you don't have as much proof as you should. You may have overlooked a source that you thought you had already checked.
The second paragraph is a record of the progenitor's marriage: place and date (or approximate date) bride's full name, parentage, her birth and death. Also the names of any other husbands, dates of marriage, and their birth and death dates and places should be listed here. Interesting details of the wife's life are reserved for a later paragraph. If the progenitor was married more than once, each wife has a separate paragraph with these same details included.
The next paragraphs should contain the account of the progenitor's life, activities, accomplishments, his military service, offices held in civil life, migrations he made--all the details that help you paint a picture of him, and all in CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER. Of course, there will be some overlapping of events. Don't list a year by year account of what he did. Just arrange the account of his life beginning with his early years, what he did in his middle years, and then the "winter of his life" details. Perhaps when he was a youth he served in a war. After that he married and had a family and settled into an occupation. Maybe he was an Elder of the Church in his old age. Of course, you would do a
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paragraph (or paragraphs) about each of these details depending on the amount of information you have.
Interesting details of the wife's life would also be included approximately in the proper chronological order. If she died young, then her account might follow soon after the marriage paragraph. If the husband died young, then his account would be first and her account would follow.
The final paragraph should be an abstract of the progenitor's will (and his wife's or widow's will if she made one), or in the absence of a will, any details about the administration of his estate. Following this would be a notation, "Children of John and Mary" or "Children" or "Issue." You should list the children in order of their birth. If there were children by more than one wife, list the children in order under their parents' names: "Children of John and Mary" and "Children of John and Sarah." List the children in columnar form and use small Roman numerals to indicate the order of birth as we discussed earlier. If you are using the Modified Register form, give each child the next available number and a plus sign for those you intend to write more about in a family unit. If you are not going to discuss a child in more detail later on in the manuscript, be sure and give all the vital information in a paragraph here where they are listed as a child.
The above was part of a talk presented to the Lincoln-Lancaster Genealogical Society June 12, 1984. It was based upon the following sources which the author suggests you consult for more details on the proper way to compile and document a genealogy.
- Sources
- Donald R. Barnes and Richard S. Lackey, Write It Right (Ocala, Fla.: Lyon Press, 1983).
- Richard S. Lackey, F.A.S.G., Cite Your Sources (New Orleans: Polyanthos, Inc., 1980), p. 20.
- Gilbert H. Doane and James B. Bell, Searching for Your Ancestors (5th ed.; Minneapolis: University of Minn. Press, 1980), pp. 137-143.
- Meredith B. Colket, Jr., "Creating a Worthwhile Family Genealogy," National Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol. 56, No. 4 (Dec. 1968), pp. 241-261.
- Mary Walton Ferris, The Dawes-Gates Ancestral Lines, 2 Vols. (Chicago, 1931, 1943).
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Columbus Weekly Telegram 8 Oct. 1909 The last surviving member of the founders of Columbus d. 6 Oct., Jacob LOUIS, b. 2 Sep. 1834, Beidighelm, Wurtemburg, Germany came to US 1852, Columbus, OH, spring 1856 with George RUSCH & Fred GOTTSCHALK started from Omaha as advance agent of Columbus Town Company to see a suitable location for forming a settlement. They were followed in the fall by 10 other persons. On 2 Apr. 1865 Jacob m. Katherina ENGEL of Middletown, OH, who with 3 sons, Charles, Jacob, George & dau Mrs. Kate STEVENSON survive him.
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