Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Labor Intensive Process

For those of you Hendricks researchers, there is a labor intensive process called entering names in your database. This is important enough to take your time and to do it right the first time. Entering the names dates, spouses, children and on down the line for as many generations and children you have is time consuming.

As much as you would like to cut that time down, I warn you don't do it. Making sure the dates, places and names are correct is very important and will stand the test of time. Then you can compare what you have with other researchers. The other part that you really need to add is the documentation.

You may ask why this is important? It's important because you'll want your research and information to withstand any scrutiny by others who challenge your claim. By keeping copies of all the letters and information from my great-grandfather, William Chalmers Hendricks I have been able to prove that the research that I and another member of the family of Abraham Hendricks and Sarah Elizabeth Henderson is correct.

How correct is your data? Checking, double checking and triple checking does not hurt your cause. It improves it. So do the labor and enjoy the results for a long, long time.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Persistence and Patience Pays Dividends

I want to share with all other Hendricks researchers what I just posted my Jefferson County Indiana Genealogy blog at WordPress; which is linked to the Indiana GenWeb Project for Jefferson County of the US GenWeb Project:

I have mentioned this before and will mention it time and time again in the future; having bulldog persistence and the patience of Job pays off when pursuing your family genealogy. This week I have been the recipient of both. I have been trying diligently to develop the ancestry of Jefferson County resident, Sarah Elizabeth "Eliza" (Henderson) Hendricks. I have been working on this off and on over the last 20 years. I think that satisfies both categories. I have been very patient and putting the words of Winston Churchill into action, I never, never gave up!

This week, I hit the mother lode! And, yes I want to shout it from the roof tops so the whole world can hear. I have found the family of Eliza's father, Joseph Henderson. First, I have confirmed that he was a Presbyterian minister and that he attended Princeton College in New Jersey. I have confirmed that he was married to Mary Breckenridge. I have confirmed he was born in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. I have confirmed where he was ordained as a minister, where he began his ministry and where he went from there to end up in the home county, where Eliza was born. I have learned his father's name and that of his siblings and his roots back to the "Old World". I have found out not only that; but the family and roots to the "Old World" for his wife, Mary. Now that we have found that out, we are working on proving it.

Now that I have crowed; I'd like to hear what successes have you enjoyed?