Reading This Book

If, while reading the following pages of this book, the reader will keep these few facts in mind, a much clearer understanding of the contents will result. The format or style used in this book is known as the Modified Register System, which has been refined by the National Genealogical Society.

Three types of numbers are used: one to uniquely identify the individual, one to indicate the generation into which that person falls, and one to denote his or her birth-order within the nuclear family. The identification numbering system used in the book is called By Generation. The starting person is 1, his first child is 2. All the children are listed as generation number two, the grand-children are listed as generation number three and so on. Each person is assigned an ID number in sequential order by generation.

When an individual is introduced in his/her separate sketch, the name appears in boldface letters with the surnames solid capital letters. The name is preceded by the identification number. The last given name is followed immediately by a superscript number, indicating the number of generations from the starting individual in this book. In parentheses following the name is a list of direct ancestors back to the starting individual. Only the given name is listed, followed by the generation number in superscript.

When the list of children is presented, the plus (+I sign indicates that more about this child will be presented in his/her separate sketch. The ID number is printed, followed by M/F indicating the sex. Next a small roman numeral in front of the name designates birth-order. Next the name is followed by the birth and death dates.

The term "Spouse" may have several different meanings: husband, wife, partner, mate, parent, or significant other. The couple involved may not be legally married.

The index is arranged alphabetically by surname. Under each surname, the given names are alphabetically arranged. The number to the right indicates the page where this name appears. The wife appears under her maiden name and under her married name(s) with her maiden name in parentheses.

Note: One of the peculiarities of the GENBOOK format is the way the page numbers are printed in the index. When a page number is given of more than one digit, and the program finds that space is limited (either due to a long name or due to a sequence of many page references), the digits of the page numbers occurring at the end of a line are sometimes split between two lines of print. For example, if trying to find a name listed for page 356, the number could be written all on one line, but also could be written with the 3 and 5 at the end of the first line and the 6 on the second, or with the 3 at the end of the first line and the 5 and 6 on the following line. Don't be discouraged. Once you know the system, it's easy to find in the text anyone listed in the index!

It is necessary to understand the use of the word "about" preceding a date when the actual date is not known. Please note that the compiler has inserted this word (usually regarding the date of birth of a spouse or a marriage date) to enable our genealogy program to search for possible family links within designated year limits, rather than having to pull up every person of a certain name (sometimes going back hundreds of years) for matching purposes. By giving a spouse with an unknown date of birth about the same birth date as the spouse with the known date, or by making the marriage date about 20 years from the birth date, it is easier to match up likely daughters and sons in families with possible husbands or wives in family groups that have not yet been linked to a family line. Please don't be upset by these dates or take them for anything more than they are - a search tool. But even though they are just a tool for us, GENBOOK prints them out. So just remember that they are open to revision. They will be corrected as soon as new data comes in from our readers..

Opening Page

Copyright © 2000. Herman W. Witthoft, Sr. and Berry Enterprises. All rights reserved. All items on the site are copyrighted. While we welcome you to use the information provided on this web site; this information is copyrighted and not to be reproduced for distribution, sale, or profit.
Contents Introduction Links Home

 

You are visitor: