CONCERNING GENEALOGIES
BEING SUGGESTIONS OF VALUE FOR ALL
INTERESTED IN FAMILY HISTORY
BY
FRANK ALLABEN
Director of the Genealogical and Biographical Department
of The Grafton Press; Compiler of the Biographical
Volumes of The Memorial History of New York
and of Leslie's History of Greater New York
[Illustration: Logo]
THE GRAFTON PRESS
70 FIFTH AVENUE NEW YORK
Copyright 1904 by
THE GRAFTON PRESS
PREFACE
This little book puts the pleasure of tracing one's ancestry within
reach of those who have had no previous practice. It covers every phase
of the subject--the sources of information, the methods of research, the
compiling, the printing, and the publishing of a genealogy.
Strong emphasis is laid upon the importance of employing the historical
method, without which no genealogical work can become authoritative. If
we may judge from most of the family histories in print, a vigorous
protest against pernicious methods should be lodged with professional
genealogists as well as with amateurs.
Special attention is also called to the radically different plans for
genealogical works, one tracing the many descendants of a common
ancestor, the other tracing the many ancestors of a common descendant.
There is a general drift toward the latter, many having discovered the
fascination of exploring their direct lines of descent who would not
care to trace the collateral branches of a family "tribe." But a
detailed plan of work devoted to the exhibit of the many lines of one's
own ancestry is here formulated for the first time. This "Grafton
Plan," as we have called it,--already carried into execution, and
approved by experience,--will appeal to thousands for whom "tribal"
genealogies have little interest.
Our little volume also offers something more than a mere theory of how
to proceed in genealogical work. It tells of labor-saving notebooks
devised for each kind of genealogy, and explains ways in which our own
genealogical department is placed at the service of the reader.
FRANK ALLABEN.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
I ANCESTRY HUNTING 9
II THE JOYS OF RESEARCH 19
III COMPILING 29
IV THE "CLAN" GENEALOGY 37
V THE "GRAFTON" GENEALOGY 46
VI THE PRINTING 56
VII PUBLISHING 64
CONCERNING GENEALOGIES
I
ANCESTRY HUNTING
Everyone has leisure moments which are apt to hang heavy upon one's
hands unless employed in some sort of recreation. One turns to golf and
outdoors, another goes forth with gun or rod, a third arms himself with
a camera. Many dabble a little in science. Some take to the telescope
and star-gazing, while the microscope claims others, who haunt scummy
ponds with jars and bottles in search of diatoms, and other denizens of
a drop of stagnant water. One goes in for bugs, another for ferns or
fungi. Others, of a bookish turn of mind, do their hunting in the dark
corners of second-hand bookstores, hoping to stumble upon a first
edition or some other treasure.
But it is doubtful if the whole range of hobbies can produce anything
half so fascinating as the hunt for one's ancestry. This combines the
charm and excitement of every other pastime. What sportsman ever bagged
such royal game as a line of his own forebears? What triumph of the rod
and reel ever gave the thrill of ecstasy with which we land an elusive
ancestor in the genealogical net? If any proof be needed of the
fascination of this pursuit, behold the thousands who are taking it up!
The nooks and crannies of civilization are their hunting-grounds--any
corner where man has left a documentary trace of himself. Behold them,
eager enthusiasts, besieging the libraries, poring over tomes of deeds
and wills and other documents in State and county archives, searching
the quaint and musty volumes of town annals, thumbing dusty pages of
baptismal registers, and frequenting churchyards to decipher the
fast-fading names and dates on mossgrown tombstones, yellow and stained
with age, or cracked and chipped by the frosts and rains of many
seasons!
A tidal wave of ancestry-searching has indeed swept over the country.
Genealogical and biographical societies have been organized. Periodicals
have sprung up which confine themselves exclusively to this subject.
Newspapers are devoting departments to it. The so-called patriotic
societies and orders have become a host, with branches in nearly every
State. They count their members by tens of thousands, their rolls are
steadily increasing, and new societies are constantly being organized.
There is scarcely an achievement in which our ancestors took part which
has not been made the rallying-point of some flourishing society. All
these draw life and nourishment from the mighty stream of genealogical
research. We must prove that we have had ancestors, and that one or more
of them had the distinction celebrated by the particular organization at
whose door we knock for admission.
Librarians and the custodians of public records bear witness to this
great movement. The libraries have become wonderfully popular, thronged
by multitudes who have enrolled themselves in the army of amateur
genealogists. So onerous has become the work of handing out historical
and genealogical books that in some large libraries such works have been
gathered into alcoves which are thrown open to the public, where the
ancestry-hunter may help himself.
Formerly such public records as deeds and wills constituted the special
preserve of the lawyer. But his monopoly is a thing of the past. The
genealogist has invaded this domain and established equal rights. He
still leaves to the lawyer the dry searching of titles to property,
choosing for himself the pleasanter task of sifting out important data
for the biography of an ancestor, or for the proofs of a line of
descent.
Old church record books, with their marriage and baptismal registers,
have acquired an extraordinary value. In many cases these volumes have
been rescued out of dark corners and from beneath accumulations of dust
and débris where they had been tossed as ecclesiastical junk. But the
pastors and church secretaries who unearthed them, at the instance of
inquiring genealogists, have now discovered a profitable occupation for
their leisure in transcribing items for correspondents. Indeed, a number
of societies are now engaged in collecting these old registers, or in
making transcripts for their archives.
What is the subtle attraction which draws these multitudes--the
fascination which lures so many into genealogical research? We have
hinted that the pursuit of ancestry yields the exhilaration both of the
chase and the stillhunt, kindling the suspense of expectation into
sudden thrills of discovery, as keen as those when the wary canvas-back
flies low over the blind, or a pair of antlers comes crashing through
the brush.
But while genealogical research affords all the excitement of the chase,
it is followed by no reproach for having taken life, but by the
permanent satisfaction peculiar to the benefactor of mankind. The
ancestry-hunter does not kill, but brings to life. He revives the
memories of the dead, and benefits the world with an honorable
contribution to the science of history. For a trophy he does not show a
string of fish, nor a few birds and skins to distribute among friends,
but a genuine historical work of ever-increasing value, which hands down
his name to an appreciative posterity.
We have compared the peculiar delight of establishing a family link,
long shrouded in mystery or attended with harassing doubts, to the
angler's joy in landing a notable catch. In both cases the issue may
long hang in the balance between skilful manipulation and a possible
stroke of bad luck, which no skill can guard against. The fish may be
reeled in or given his head without a single mistake of judgment. But
who can foresee the sharp rock, the hidden snag, which cuts or entangles
the line? And so, too, is skill most richly rewarded in searching for
ancestors; but what can it avail against the positive wiping out of
indispensable records?
We recall one of these genealogical tragedies, which cast its shadow
over a remarkable record of successes in tracing a number of interesting
lines for a gentleman who could start us off with no more than the names
and birth-places of his parents. Two lines remained which pointed back
by strong evidence to European connections of the titled class. All that
was needed in one case was a clue to show to which of several branches
of the family in Great Britain, the first American ancestor belonged.
But to this day that clue has eluded every attempt to pick it up by
research here or abroad.
Cases which are parallel up to this point are not uncommon. But the
tragedy has yet to be told. At the colonial homestead of this ancestor
we learned that his personal papers had, indeed, been preserved from
generation to generation. Their last owner, a maiden lady, had carefully
kept them in an old trunk, which was itself an ancient heirloom. But she
had never taken the pains to examine their contents, and only a short
time before our investigation brought us upon the scene, these hoary
documents, after surviving the vicissitudes of seven generations, had
been destroyed in a fire which reduced the old house to ashes!
Who can express the sorrow of it? No finder of Captain Kidd's buried
treasure could gloat over Spanish doubloons and glittering gems with
half the delight with which we would have contemplated those ancient
parchments. How fondly our fingers would have turned the precious pages
and smoothed the creases of those yellow papers! But now no hand may
touch them, no antiquarian's eye explore nor pen exploit their contents
to the world! If our friend had only sought his forebears earlier, and
launched us sooner upon the voyage of discovery!
The other line, it is true, had no disappointments for us. It even
yielded the discovery and possession of an original parchment pedigree,
signed by an official herald of arms, which the ancestor had brought
over with him, exhibiting his descent from the many Sir Williams and Sir
Johns of an ancient Lincolnshire family extending back nearly to the
Conqueror. It also enabled us to confirm the connection through official
sources in England, and to prove that the emigrant was the son and heir
in the line of primogeniture. For these kind favors, we trust that we
were truly thankful. But they could scarcely comfort us for the lost
papers which might have carried back another line in the same
distinguished fashion.
Thus, genealogy has its griefs as well as its joys--some disappointments
among many triumphs. But so it is with life and with everything worth
while. Who would care to measure skill with a gamefish if the creature
had no chance? Or who would glory in the death of a bull-moose that a
look could bowl over? In genealogical research it is the part played by
skill and by the unknown quantities which gives to it all the
fascination, with none of the risks and evils, of a great game of skill
and chance.
Another pleasure is the sensation of original discovery. Would you
experience the feelings of a Columbus? Then set forth to explore the
unsailed seas and hidden continents of your own or some other person's
ancestry! If your own happens to be virgin territory you are one of
fortune's favorites, with the ripest joys of life just before you. Nor
is it any question of great achievements or high social position enjoyed
by the ancestor. The truth is that all ancestors are remarkable persons.
In the first place they are _our_ ancestors, and in the second place it
is a noteworthy fact, as mysterious as delightful, that every homely
feature about them wears a wondrous glamour and dignity. Their
homesteads, their property, their church affiliations, their signatures,
any little act of barter or sale,--all these items create an absorbing
interest as they stand recorded in old archives.
We remember, as if it were yesterday, the peculiar charm of the simplest
details in clearing up our family history. The most that parents, aunts
and great-uncles could give was a vague tradition of a certain
great-great-grandfather, a captain in the Revolution whose chief
distinction seemed to have been his success in getting captured by the
British and having his silver knee buckles stolen by a Tory. Of course
he subsequently escaped, met that Tory, knocked him down, and recaptured
the silver buckles.
Turning to the records we were able to identify this energetic patriot
without trouble, although in the process he dwindled from a "captain" to
a "sergeant," and even held the latter title on a rather uncertain
tenure, having been once "reduced." Indeed, his military record ends
(shall we confess it?) with the rather compromising word, "deserted."
But what of that? This flesh-and-blood progenitor is much more to our
liking than any starched and laced dignitary of the imagination. And
while history saith not concerning the knee buckles, that he was ready
with his fists seems altogether probable in the light of his subsequent
career. His title of "captain" was acquired at sea. He commanded a craft
in the waters of Long Island, where he met an untimely death--through
"foul play," says that old gossip Tradition, whose tongue we dare not
trust. Features of mystery still remain, and if we knew all, it is
possible that we could lay claim to a picturesque pirate--a most
desirable addition to any family line, and especially so if he escaped
hanging.
Much as we delighted in this liberty-loving individual, the reader will
understand that we thought well to look backward for a more sober
character to maintain the family dignity. We found several who filled
the rôle of quiet respectability to perfection, and thus reached the
emigrant-founder of the line, a gentleman who drew our special
affections by the extreme littleness of his greatness and the romantic
character of his surroundings. He was of French Huguenot descent, a
weaver by trade, and possessed of a "frame for a dwelling house ...
twenty foot in length and sixteen foot in bredth," and other realty in
the shape of an acre of woodland and an acre of upland "lying in a place
called Hog-Neck," bounded by "a cove west" and "ye Goose Creek north."
What distinctions! Not every one can boast such a progenitor, a wielder
of loom and shuttle on the lordly promontory of Hog-Neck, where the
gentle waters of Goose Creek flow into the sea, near the ancient town of
Southold.
We could not doubt that such a character had other claims to
distinction; and sure enough, the achievement of having loitered in this
world for ninety-six and one-half years is carved upon his tombstone in
the old cemetery where he rests beside a third wife, who herself
attained to ninety-two summers! Peace be to their ashes! We can almost
see this famous ancestor, the patriarch of the village, toiling down its
long street under the weight of the honor of his many years, responding
to the greetings of man, woman and child with a cheery nod and a
pleasant French accent. We would not have one single feature changed in
order to place him upon a higher pedestal.
His father and grandfather, as we learn from old documents, were elders
and leaders in one of the French churches established in England by the
Huguenots in the sixteenth century. But the dignity of these men,
banished from their native soil by the atrocities of St. Bartholomew's
day, can not outshine the quiet glory of the aged weaver of Hog-Neck
and Goose Creek, nor even put to shame the restless career of their
later descendant of the Revolutionary epoch. In fact, throughout the
entire ancestral line we found every progenitor perfect in his place and
after his kind. And so has it ever been with the genealogist, and so
will it be to the end of time.
We may add that genealogical work is literary work--a fact which adds
immensely to its fascination. The genealogist tastes all the delights of
authorship, added to those of research and discovery; and it is the
purpose of this little volume to bring these pleasures within the reach
of all. For is there a reader of books who would not take delight in
making one, if he thought himself competent and the labor not too great?
II
THE JOYS OF RESEARCH
It will not require much space to indicate the main sources of
information in genealogical research. Having decided to trace back our
own lines, we naturally turn first to the living members of our family.
If we have parents living and accessible,--grandparents,
great-grandparents, aunts, uncles, great-aunts, cousins, or others who
are likely to know more about the family than we do,--let us consult
them, personally if we may, by letter if we must. We expect to learn
most from the older members of the family, provided that their faculties
are unimpaired. Certainly we should make no delay in applying to the
aged, before the opportunity passes away forever.
But when we have gathered all the facts and traditions which these
sources can contribute, the main work of research begins. Our advice at
this point can be given here only in a general way. "The next thing to
do" depends upon the peculiar circumstances of each case--upon the known
facts, the localities to-which they point, and the character of the
resources in each locality. We have devised a plan of rendering
assistance in such cases to those who need it which will be explained at
the end of this chapter.
In a general way we here refer to the wills, deeds, intestate records,
tax and court records on file at the county seats, and to the
miscellaneous records, often of great value for genealogical purposes,
on file at the State Capitals. The value of church registers has been
mentioned. They contain membership rolls, and records of marriages,
baptisms and deaths. In many cases the date of birth is given with that
of baptism. In New England and many other places, the old town records
are exceedingly valuable sources, the births of children being
frequently recorded, besides early property transactions, contracts, and
much else showing the status of the early settlers in the community.
The records in old family Bibles are often "shortcuts," while other
family papers, if old, frequently have a special value. The records on
tombstones are a resource apparent to all. The Pension Bureau at
Washington has records of the soldiers of the Revolutionary and later
wars who drew pensions. Early warrants for the survey of lands are
recorded at many State Capitals. A large miscellaneous collection of
historical manuscripts, many of them containing genealogical
information, will be found in the custody of historical and genealogical
societies.
The resources in libraries are almost endless. The genealogical works
already published are a host in themselves, to which we must add the
genealogies given completely, or in part, in periodicals. The line we
are interested in may have appeared in one of them, or may be referred
to in their pages. Certain indexes in book form help us to find them,
and should be consulted at the outset.
Many States have published their archives, and of town and county
histories there are not a few. A number of important church registers
can be consulted in print, and even the tombstone inscriptions have, in
some cases, been published. The Revolutionary records of most of the
States are now accessible in printed form, as are many of the valuable
papers held by historical and genealogical societies. In certain
libraries can be found a large collection of exceedingly valuable
genealogical and heraldic works covering the countries which contributed
the bulk of early emigration to the American colonies and States--Great
Britain, the Netherlands, France, and Germany. The publishers of this
book have arranged a means for placing these and other library sources
at the service of those who do not have access to them, or who have not
the time or disposition to consult such authorities for themselves. This
plan is described at the end of the chapter.
Having learned all that relatives can tell us about our family, we are
ready to turn to these other sources. All systems of gathering
information are systems of taking notes. Thus the question of proper
notebooks presents itself. This matter, however, we relegate to other
chapters, in connection with the two plans for genealogical works, for
each plan has its suitable notebook. But here we simply remark that the
question is all-important. Upon its solution depends our escape from the
old task-master, Drudgery, who stands ready to burden the pleasure of
our pursuit with pains and toil if we do not circumvent him.
Use plenty of paper, writing on one side only, in a plain hand. Write
with pen and ink where possible. A good fountain pen is a handy friend,
though some libraries do not permit its use when consulting books. In
such cases a lead pencil must be employed. We prefer a moderately soft
one, which makes a heavy black mark without tiring the hand by requiring
much pressure, and we carry several, well sharpened, with a knife to
keep them so.
There is only one right way of making notes, and that is to give the
full authority for our facts when we note the facts themselves. This
applies to personal information, as well as to that obtained from books
and documents. Take the case of the information obtained from our
relatives. Was some of it secured by correspondence? If so, the letter
itself gives the name and address of the informant, together with the
date. This is as it should be. But if it is not certain whether some
part of the contents is based upon the personal knowledge of the writer,
the statements of another, hearsay, or general tradition, it is well to
write again and have the source of the information clearly established.
Only so can we rightly judge of its value. If our information was
obtained in a conversation, the name and address of the informant should
be noted, with the date of the interview. The foundation of his
information should also be learned and recorded.
The moment of first hearing the facts, when the joy of discovery and
the satisfaction of making progress are upon us, is the psychological
moment for making our notes. It is a positive delight while the fever of
enthusiasm is high. As our informant begins his story, let us interrupt
with the cry of the enthusiast, "I must jot that down!" Out comes our
notebook, conveying to our friend a very distinct impression of the
importance of being accurate. He collects himself, and proceeds to give
his facts and traditions with the greatest care. As we stop him with
questions, or take time to write the facts, his memory is stimulated.
With skillful questions the genealogical worker can draw out all the
information, taking care to cover every point which may come up later.
In consulting books and documents we generally wish to copy in full all
important references, and we will initiate the reader into a cunning
stratagem of the old campaigner. We often run across a paper or
paragraph which we can see at a glance is a "find." We do not read it
through, but simply skim over it to make sure of the portion which we
desire, and then begin the work--nay, the delightful pastime--of copying
it. What a pleasure it is, absorbing the contents, line by line, as we
transfer it to our archives! And there is a bit of solid wisdom in this
method, for the chance of errors in copying is less when the interest is
at fever heat than when the work is done in a mechanical way.
Mistakes in copying are further diminished by placing a card or sheet
of paper above the line which we are transcribing,--a device which saves
the eyes the strain of finding the place on the page every time we look
up from the notebook. Never fail to accompany each extract copied into
the notebook with the authority from which it is taken. If from a book,
give author, title, date of publication, volume and page. If from a
public record or document, give volume and page, with the office or
society, the town or city where the original is deposited. Along with
extracts from books, it is well to note the library where they were
consulted. We may wish to refer to the books again, and are likely to
forget in which of the libraries we found them. After making an extract,
compare it with the original, to guard against errors in copying.
The true method of genealogical investigation is to follow as far as
possible the methods of the lawyer. Not, indeed, that genealogical
research has anything to do with the learned quibbles of a legal
dry-bones! Far from it. But the genealogist may well proceed as would a
lawyer whose case could only be won for his client by demonstrating a
line of descent. The value of the legal method lies in the fact that it
proceeds, step by step, toward the accumulation of _positive proofs_. If
the demonstration of an ancestral link depends upon recorded wills, the
lawyer will obtain certified copies of such wills, to be presented in
court as evidence. If the proof lies in a deed, which perhaps
demonstrates the relationship of husband and wife, or father and son, a
certified copy of the deed is secured. If the family record be found in
a Bible, and the book itself cannot be obtained for presentation in
court, the record is copied and certified, and the history of the
ownership of the book established by personal testimony or affidavits.
In the same way extracts from church registers and tombstones are
authenticated before a notary public or justice of the peace, and
personal testimony is collected in the form of affidavits. Then, even if
the originals should be destroyed, the copies are just as valuable as
legal proofs.
Every link of the chain is thus established. The lawyer knows that in
the attempt to break down his case no cunning in cross-examination will
be spared, no expedient of rebuttal left untried. He gathers the
testimony of his witnesses, and also collects evidence of the
credibility of these witnesses. Judge and jury will not only hear the
testimony, but will form a judgment of the reliability of those who give
it.
To all who can afford the extra expense, we recommend the literal
application of the legal method. To apply it to collateral lines would
be difficult and expensive. But it is the true method of demonstrating
our direct ancestral lines, and it is especially desirable for the line
from which we have inherited our surname. Strictly legal proofs of
descent, competent to establish the genealogy in any court of law and to
justify its entry as "proved" upon the records in any European college
of heraldry, constitute most valuable and interesting family heirlooms.
While the expense of the legal method may deter some from using it, the
_historical_ method is within the reach of all. It is the legal method
minus the single feature of official certification. In other words, the
genealogist's good pen does all the copying, and in lieu of official
certification, he gives the place, volume and page where his evidence is
to be found in its original form.
A good many people will have the time to investigate personally under
either of the methods mentioned here. Many others must have the work of
research done for them; and the Genealogical and Biographical Department
of The Grafton Press will place the best skill and experience in
genealogical work at the service of any one desiring it. Investigation
will be taken up from the beginning, or at any stage, and will be
carried to the first American ancestor of a line, or continued with a
view to establishing the European connections. When the service of this
department is desired, all facts of one's ancestry, so far back as
known, should be communicated in full.
In the second place, amateurs and others are often in need of practical
counsel and a reference to authorities based upon a wider knowledge and
experience than they command. Many beginners, having ascertained the
information which relatives can give concerning their ancestors, are at
a loss as to the next step. A mere general statement of the kind of
authorities usually available, such as we have given above, does not
meet their need. They desire to be in communication with some one to
whom they may feel that they have a right to apply, and to whom they can
say, "Such and such is the case: what shall I do next? what and where
are the authorities which will help me? how shall I get at them? must I
go in person, or is there some other way? and what would you advise in
such and such a case?" At any stage in the investigation perplexing
difficulties may arise which call for expert counsel, or direction to
the proper resources. We have given much thought to devising a
thoroughly practical arrangement which will not be burdensome to either
party and will afford full liberty of consultation throughout the
progress of investigation. Let the difficulties be stated by letter.
Correspondence is always preferable to personal consultation. It gives
us time to make an investigation, if necessary, in the interest of the
inquirer, while our reply is also in written form, which is more
convenient for the worker.[1]
Our third form of practical assistance in research work is designed to
make known the resources of the New York libraries to those who cannot
reach them, or who have not the time to become familiar with their
contents. Taking the sum of its library facilities, New York City
undoubtedly offers the genealogist the best opportunity on this
continent to consult American sources, and is unrivalled in the
possession of works on the genealogy and heraldry of mediæval and modern
Europe. We refer especially to the genealogical collections of unusual
merit in the custody of the New York Public Library (Astor and Lenox
Branches), Columbia University, the New York Historical Society, the New
York Society Library, the New York Genealogical and Biographical
Society, the Holland Society and the Long Island Historical Society.
Our plan for placing these resources at the service of inquirers
involves, in the first place, a search for all the references to a given
family, the object being to cover everything recognized as bearing upon
the line of descent in which the applicant is interested. References,
not extracts, will be given; they will show the character of the data
found and give the author, title, date, volume and page of the book
containing it and the library. When these references have been sent to
the applicant, he can consult the authorities for himself, or may
arrange for the copying of any items desired, their translation, if they
are in a foreign language, or for the making of abstracts.[2]
FOOTNOTES:
[1] Any person becomes entitled to the service described above for the
period of one year, during which applications for advice may be made, by
remittance of a fee of $25 to The Grafton Press, Genealogical and
Biographical Department, 70 Fifth Avenue, New York City.
[2] A fee of $10 entitles one to the above service--that is, to a
report, by the Genealogical and Biographical Department of The Grafton
Press, on the references to a single family line in the New York
libraries. Additional arrangements can be made for copying, etc. One fee
covers the search under a single surname only.
III
COMPILING
We will suppose that at last the task of investigation has come to an
end. We have run our family lines back as far as our plan contemplated,
or as far as we were able to do with a reasonable amount of research.
Perhaps most of them go back to the original emigrants, but it may be
that in a case or two we have had the good fortune to make connection
with an old family stem in Europe. In any case, the work is now done. We
have made our discoveries, and scored triumphs not a few. But though the
excitement of the chase is over, its pleasures are by no means spent. Is
there no story to tell, no tale of our difficulties and exploits? Next
to the exhilaration of the hunt itself, what can compare with the mellow
joy of going over it with a comrade! Least of all can the "inevitable
narrative" be spared in a case of ancestry-hunting. It is the logical
issue of the search, and failure to weave our facts into a readable
story, after having collected them, is almost unthinkable.
Having piloted the reader safely hitherto, we must now faithfully warn
against pernicious ways, even though it should involve criticism of many
of the genealogical books which have appeared in print. The truth is
that in the great majority of such works we look in vain for the proofs
of the statements made. Authorities are not given and we do not find
systematic footnotes, nor even ordinary citations of authorities in the
text. We have nothing better than our own guess to enable us to decide
whether the compiler is giving us the fruit of original research, an
extract from another compilation, unsupported tradition, or a mere
conjecture.
This is most unfortunate, for a genealogical chain is no stronger than
its weakest link. Suppose that we have tested one of the statements in
such a book by our own original investigations and find it to be
erroneous. How can we feel sure that the next statement may not be
equally unreliable? The whole book therefore becomes discredited in our
eyes. With genealogists everywhere at work, the errors in such volumes
are bound to be discovered, and made public.
Any degree of confidence which we can allow ourselves in such cases
depends upon the reputation of the compiler. But no man is infallible,
and how can we know that the author's methods were such as to reduce his
errors to a minimum? It may be that our own family line has been treated
in such a book, that we have personal knowledge of the compiler, and are
well satisfied as to his carefulness and accuracy. But can we expect
others to have this same faith? How are they to be convinced that our
family history is correctly given in a book of mere assertions, backed
up by no display of authority?
Can a genealogist claim to be exempt from conditions which the greatest
historians impose upon themselves? Does a Gibbons, Macaulay, Guizot,
Motley, Prescott or Bancroft expect to withhold the sources of his
information and ask to be taken on faith? By giving the authorities for
his statements, he proves instead that he has made proper researches,
that his work is faithful, and that he can be trusted to draw judicious
conclusions. We appreciate the great labor involved in compiling an
authoritative work and understand the temptation to compile a book of
mere assertions. But we see no honest escape from the obligation to give
authorities, nor is escape desirable. For it is a sad fact that some,
who support themselves by means of genealogical investigation, manifest
no great anxiety to do honest work. They are careless in gathering their
facts, and their pretence of having surveyed a field is no assurance
that desirable data have not been overlooked or wilfully neglected. In
compiling, they are equally slipshod. Their work is always set forth in
the unauthoritative manner here condemned, and it is most desirable that
others should protect themselves from the outward appearance of a like
carelessness by giving their authorities.
The extra work which the giving of authorities is supposed to entail is
more fanciful than real. The failure to jot down the authority with each
note made in our notebook, to remind us of the actual value of each item
and to direct us where to go for its context or for reinspection, is
probably a much more substantial cause of extra work. And there is no
difficulty in giving our authorities in the manuscript prepared for the
press if this work of previous investigation has been properly done. We
can appreciate the terror of the situation for one who has failed to
note his authorities as he transcribed his extracts. After compiling his
manuscript from his notes, must he go over the whole territory covered
by his research in order to gather up the missing authorities? Unless he
is of heroic mould, he will probably refuse to do so in despair!
Thus the reader can perceive the full importance of doing the work of
investigation properly, as insisted upon in the preceding chapter. If he
has done so, there is no difficulty in compiling an authoritative work.
His note and the authority for it stand side by side, and as he uses the
one he can instantly set down the other.
We have spoken of the legal method of investigation, and said that the
genealogical investigator is like the lawyer who is getting his evidence
together. But this having been done, there remains the preparation of
the case for its presentation to the court. The work of the genealogical
compiler corresponds to this. As the lawyer's brief compels the
favorable decision of the judge, or as the logical presentation of the
case convinces the jury, so should the argument of the compiler of
family lineage convince the court of public opinion. His should be an
historical document which carries its evidence upon its face. But if his
method has been careless either in research or presentation, the
cross-examination of historical criticism is sure to tear the case to
pieces. Although a temporary decision may be given in his favor, another
investigator will eventually arise and question some of his unsupported
statements. The whole case will thus be appealed, and a new
investigation be called for.
It is perfectly true that a strictly legal method cannot be carried out
in the printed volume. Original documents can be readily presented to an
ordinary judge and jury and by them be carefully inspected. But when we
present our case from the printed page, the whole world is the court,
our readers the jury, and the printed volume itself both witness and
advocate. The original documents, though we may have them in our
possession, cannot be placed in the hands of every reader of a book.
Therefore in compiling for publication, the historical method takes the
place of a strictly legal presentation of the case. This method, as we
have already seen, simply leaves out the feature of affidavits and
certified documents, and substitutes that of references to the original
authorities. It is the legal method adjusted to the conditions of
publication.
The reward which flows from this method is easily seen. We cannot hope
that our book will be flawless. Mistakes will occur, and it may
transpire that some of our witnesses were misinformed. But what of this?
If we have followed the historical method, the pointing out of an error
in no wise invalidates our book. One witness out of the hundreds we
have called may be impeached, but this only affects the single aspect of
the case which rested on the testimony of that witness. The rest of the
testimony stands unimpaired.
On the other hand, the historical method involves no undue severity in
the character of our book. It need not be stiff and solemn and pedantic.
If we are gifted with a sprightly style, let us make the most of it. If
we see a humorous side of things, let us entertain the reader with it.
Even though one of our venerable forebears be the subject of the joke we
need not hesitate. Could we appeal to him, undoubtedly he would smile
with the rest and urge us to go ahead and make the book as bright and
lively as possible.
If we have collected portraits, photographs of old homesteads,
tombstones and churches where our ancestors worshipped, ancient
documents and other heirlooms, these should be inserted or referred to
in the proper places in the manuscript prepared for the printer. A
genealogical work embellished with illustrations has its attractiveness
increased many fold, and much can be accomplished in this direction
without incurring a very great expense.
A truly interesting genealogical work is not a dry compilation of family
statistics, but contains striking biographical pen pictures. Let these
be made as complete as possible, and the story told with all the
interest we can throw into it. We believe that the ideal genealogy is
yet to be written, and that it will present facts with the accuracy of
a Bancroft, but clothe them with the charm of an Irving. What
possibilities there are, and all in connection with a work which will
hand down our name, wreathed with the memories of our ancestors, in a
common halo of glory!
In view of what has been said it will be suspected that we do not look
with much favor upon statistical tomes, with their hieroglyphic
abbreviations, disconnected phrases, and other contortions of
condensation. This is certainly true. We would abolish all abbreviations
in genealogical works if we could, and would have the story told in
sentences framed in our mother tongue. We would have the book excellent
in matter, pleasing in style and attractive to the eye.
In closing this chapter we may add that the service of the Genealogical
and Biographical Department of The Grafton Press is intended to cover
every phase of genealogical compilation as well as of genealogical
research. The entire work will be undertaken--both the investigation of
the family lines and the preparation of the manuscript for the press, or
the data accumulated by others will be compiled. Manuscript which has
been arranged but is not satisfactory will be rearranged and edited, or
entirely rewritten, as desired.[3]
In the chapters which immediately follow, the subject of "compiling" is
continued in connection with the two forms into which a genealogical
work may be cast. As we shall see, these forms are fundamentally so
different in plan that the reader must make his choice between them at
the outset. The great point before us in the present chapter is that of
compiling so as to make an authoritative work.
FOOTNOTE:
[3] Address, on this subject, The Grafton Press, Genealogical and
Biographical Department, 70 Fifth Avenue, New York City. Estimates will
be given on data or manuscripts submitted.
IV
THE "CLAN" GENEALOGY
Our chapter heading is simply a re-christening of the oldest and
hitherto the favorite plan of the American genealogist. We might rather
call it the American genealogy, for nearly all the genealogical works,
which have seen the light, are of this kind.
The plan of most of the existing works is distinctly that of the
exhibition of a genealogical tribe or clan. Its purpose is to assemble
in one book all the known descendants of a certain ancestor, or only the
male descendants who are bearers of the family surname. The head of the
clan is generally the first American emigrant, and his family becomes
"Family 1" of the book. "Family 2" will depend upon our choice of one of
two modifications of the general plan.
Let us suppose that the head of the clan is John Smith, and that he had
three children, Mary, John, and Philip, all of whom had families. If our
purpose is to exhibit the entire clan, we will make no difference
between daughters who marry and give their children the surnames of
their husbands, and sons who give their children the surname of the head
of the clan. In that case, the family of John Smith being Family 1, that
of his oldest child, Mary, will be Family 2, while the families of John
and Philip will be 3 and 4 respectively. In the third generation we will
go back to Mary's oldest child, who left descendants, who will become
the head of Family 5, followed by her other children, who had families,
in the order of birth. The children of John will next be given in order
of birth, followed by those of Philip, all who had children being
treated as heads of families to which a family number is assigned.
But the work of accounting for all the descendants becomes so irksome,
in the case of fertile families, which have to be carried through a
number of generations, that it is the prevailing custom to shirk the
responsibility of this full exhibit. Thus, only the families of sons,
and son's sons, are carried down from generation to generation. The
daughters, if their descendants bear other surnames, are set aside,
although the blood-tie is the same. The tribe itself is not exhibited,
but only that part which bears the surname of the common ancestor. This
is the modification adopted by the most eminent genealogists.
All forms of the "clan" genealogy unite collateral lines of descent by
the sentimental bond of a thin blood-tie, affording an excellent basis
for "family reunions." But they are quite unsatisfactory as attempts to
exhibit one's ancestry. If we are included in such a book, "The Smith
Family," for example, we generally find but one of our many ancestral
lines traced. And even if one or two of our Smith progenitors married
cousins of the same name, only two or three of the Smith lines will lead
down to ourselves.
Such an arrangement does not go far toward showing one's ancestry. Not a
few Americans are in the tenth generation from their earliest
forefathers on this side of the water. Hundreds of thousands are in the
seventh, eighth or ninth generation. Let us reckon the number of our
progenitors for ten generations. We had 2 parents, 4 grandparents, 8
great-grandparents, 16 great-great-grandparents, 32 ancestors of the
sixth generation, 64 of the seventh, 128 of the eighth, 256 of the
ninth, and 512 of the tenth generation.
The number of ancestors for ten generations is thus 1,022. The different
surnames represented among them may be as many as the number of
ancestors of the earliest generation--i.e., 128 for eight generations,
256 for nine, and 512 for ten generations. The actual number is
frequently lessened by the marriage of ancestors who bear the same
surname. But the general significance of the numerical argument remains.
Are we a descendant of the first John Smith, in the tenth generation and
through a single line? Then the book on "The Smith Family" will only
show 18 of our 1,022 ancestors, assuming that the wife of each of our
ancestral Smiths is mentioned. If the wives are omitted, only 9
ancestors will be shown. And in the latter case the book shows our link
with but one family and surname out of a possible 512. Or, if the book
gives the maiden names of the wives of our nine ancestral Smiths, nine
other family surnames out of the 512 will receive a bare mention. But
none of these lines will be traced.
The reader will now fully appreciate our reference to this kind of book
as the "clan" genealogy. It shows the relationships, most of them quite
distant, between the collateral branches of a single tribe; but it does
_not_ exhibit the many lines of one's ancestry. The kind of book which
accomplishes the latter object will come before us in the next chapter.
Nevertheless, the "clan" genealogy has its place. The recognition of
tribal relations has become popular, and family organizations, with the
occasional function of a "family re-union," are rapidly increasing. Many
of these organizations, embracing all the known descendants of a common
ancestor, elect regular officers, and in a few cases the whole tribe has
a legal status as a corporation.
The tribal genealogy is also favored by many who hope to make a profit
by the sale of their book. A fair-sized tribe is considered a promising
field for such an enterprise. Among several thousand clansmen a
considerable number, it is assumed, will purchase a copy of a book which
traces one of their ancestral lines. When the project is well managed
and the book properly exploited this hope is often realized very
handsomely.
The "clan" genealogy also finds a prominent place in local history. The
annals of a town or neighborhood having been given, these are
supplemented by monographs on the old families. Beginning with the first
settler, his descendants are traced down, each family sketch becoming a
"clan" genealogy on a small scale. This feature immensely increases the
interest of town histories, and if the tribal genealogy needs any
justification, it certainly finds it here.
Finally, there is the undoubted fact stated at the beginning of our
chapter, that the "clan" genealogy has pre-empted the field. It is the
work everywhere met, the book which is in every mind when a genealogy is
thought of.
Special difficulties attend the compiling of this kind of work, and for
the overcoming of these we have prepared a special notebook.