I have endeavored to present the history of my family in a narrative form that could also include some historical context and illustrations about the places and times that my ancestors lived in. Much of that I have shamelessly pirated and edited from sources on the internet, usually without so much as a nod to the original authors or owners, knowing full well that this work is not intended for publication.
I have also included much talk about the process of genealogical inquiry – its sources and limitations and some of its pitfalls. It turns out that it is much more a science than an art, largely driven by processing huge amounts of often incomplete data and trying to winnow out the truth using logic and mathematics. Presenting that can be quite tedious to the reader. Genealogy is not for the faint of heart.
The bulk of what I have presented is backed up by thousands of historical records – far too many to be presented in this format. However I find many of these documents to be beautiful in and of themselves, and viewing them can somehow help to transport the imagination back into the the past, much like a black and white film might do. (For those interested in viewing the backup documentation please let me know – click on Contact in the subject bar.)
There are times, however, when lack of any concrete documentation almost begs for speculation or imagination to fill in the blanks, and I have excelled in allowing myself that indulgence whenever I could find the opportunity. That’s where the art of genealogy comes in, if ever.