Genealogy Books

Though they liked to claim in later centuries that the first Neville in England had been steward to William the Conqueror and had fought at Hastings, Domesday Book shows that Gilbert de Neville was actually a very small landholder in Lincolnshire in 1086. The family began its climb with the career of Alan de Neville, appointed justice of the forest by Henry II, a position in which he became somewhat notorious for his money-raising efforts on behalf of his king. He also sided with Henry against Thomas Beckett. Hugh Neville became chief forester under King John, to whom he was likewise loyal (most of the time) and for whom he likewise raised vast sums of money. Hugh was listed among those supporting the king in the preamble to Magna Carta. By this time, the Nevilles had established themselves in a number of counties and its members weren't always united as a family, but as a group their influence continued to grow. By the 14th century, the Nevilles were second only to the Percys in ruling the north of England, their power and influence culminating in Ralph de Neville, earl of Warwick, known as "the Kingmaker" for his shifting allegiance of one side or the other during the Wars of the Roses. This Ralph was the grandson of Ralph, lord of Raby and earl of Westmoreland, and Joan Beaufort, daughter of John of Gaunt, which gave him a connection to the throne himself. It all came to an end, though, at the Battle of Barnet in 1471, in which both the overmighty earl and his brother were killed and Edward IV was relieved of the Neville influence. Still, Ralph's aunt, Cicely Neville, was even Queen of England a decade later as the wife of Richard III. Young is more interested in the family's collective rise through royal service than in tracing exact lineages, which may frustrate genealogists, but this is a first-rate dynastic study and it includes an excellent bibliography.

I loved this book and the history of the most feared Catholic knights in the world The Knights of Malta. This book was published in 1929. I have read over 20 books on the Knights of Malta. This book has historical information that other books do not include and that must books copy from. This history starts when the Knights come to Malta and ends when Bonaparte comes and conquers the island. The reader will see how the knights of the order lived and fought on Malta and on the sea. Well written, inspirational, almost poetic at times. Ex "The galleys of Malta! They were famous throughout the Christian and Infidel world. Admired and toasted, or feared and cursed, their names were repeated, their cruises, their victories, their mishaps, were watched & discussed, in courts, in counting-houses, in barber-shops and on the streets, with the same eagerness & enthusiasm that scans today's newspaper reports of the latest airplane or Artic hero. Every merchant who had a cargo at sea, every women whose son or sweetheart was a sailor, every tough old captain who loved an adventure & admired a brave fighter, prayed for them or honoured them. Christian captives, chained to the benches of Turkish galleys, strained their ears for the welcome war-cry, 'For Christ & St. John!' which promised their freedom. Christian fleets 7 armies stranded on the hot sands of Africa, or besieging island strongholds in the Levant, watched eagerly for the scarlet banners of the Eight-pointed Cross coming to their relief. Every turbaned admiral, every fierce renegade Corsair, both trembled & exulted at the prospect of measuring his skill against the redoubtable Knights of St. John. Their flag was the only one a Moslem feared,...........

Folks who listened to Sierra Home's Generations: Find Your Roots webcast Wednesday evening were thrilled to hear from well-known genealogy author William Dollarhide. Put his Managing a Genealogical Project in the categories of how-to and getting organized as Bill's concepts hit the nail on the head in both heretofore overwhelming divisions!

This book's size is even comforting... not too heavy, nor is the reading. Bill's naturally outgoing and informative style comes shining through as he deftly explains the basics of:

-- Sample forms

-- Types of genealogical projects

-- Collecting references

-- Retrieving notes and compiling family sheets

-- Ahnentafel numbering

-- Descendancy numbering

-- Using a computer

-- Presentation techniques

-- Research journals & logs

To get you started, Bill provides a set of master forms, which I like to use when ferreting out family relationships at a library or archive in the heat of research (aka miles from my home!)

Perhaps ten years ago, I attended an all-day seminar given by Bill at our local Manasota Genealogical Society. He did a masterful job of explaining the different numbering systems which otherwise confuse people using Section 5 of an earlier edition of this book. Even though our genealogy programs will typically follow the numbering system we specify when printing out book versions of our data, Bill's explanation of them makes our editorial decisions easier.

Register System - This descendancy numbering system was first used in the New England historic Genealogical Society's periodical, The New England Historical and Genealogical Register.

1. Father - full details

2.a. first child - birth/death

3.b. second child - birth/death

2. Second child - full details

a. child (dies with no issue)

4.b. child - birth/death

5.c. child - birth/death

Modified Register System - Variation of the register system was adapted by the New York Genealogical & Biographical Record and later by the National Genealogical Society Quarterly. See page 35 for details.

The Henry Numbering System -- In this system, the number identifies the blood-line descendant, as well as the lineage back to number 1. Each number is a discrete identification number, an indication of birth order and the number of generations removed from the person who starts the descendancy. p36-38.

Yes, I *know* that quote sounds confusing, but you'll easily decipher its meaning by reading Managing a Genealogy Project.

Myrt :)

DearMYRTLE,

Daily Genealogy Columnist

I have the earlier edition of this book. It's one of the first comprehensive books about snow. What it is and how it affects life. Even a lot about skiing, and avalanches, and clearing snow from roads, etc. Great to see that it's available again. There's sure a lot more to snow than one would think!

Painstakingly compiled from original microfilm records, this wonderful compilation of marriages by Jeffrey Campbell contains over 6000 marriages from Pittsylvania County between 1767-1850. Marriages are listed alphabetically by groom and includes the groom's last name, wife's maiden name, and date of marriage. The microfilm number is provided so the original record may be consulted for additional information. A separate spousal index aids in reverse researching where only the name of the spouse is known. Highly recommended if you have ancestors in this area during this time period.

Marriages of Some Virginia Residents is a stupendous reference work and a recognized landmark in Virginia genealogy. Not only does it contain the records of approximately 40,000 marriages with references to about a quarter-million individuals, it also draws information from a body of sources altogether unique in genealogy. Unlike other published lists of marriages, traditionally based on parish registers, ministers' returns, and marriage bonds, this work derives from Bible records and references found in wills, deeds, court suits, and orphans' court records, as well as the traditional sources just named. The result is a collection of marriage records that is both comprehensive and unique.

As a rule the marriage records relate to three classes of people: (1) those who were married before settling in Virginia; (2) those who were married in Virginia; and (3) those who married after moving from Virginia to another colony or state (absolutely essential for determining the colonial origins of ancestors who removed to states like Kentucky, the Carolinas, Georgia, Tennessee, Missouri, and Indiana).

Most items are a composite of data found in various records. In general, each entry consists of some or all of the following: names of bride and groom, date and place of marriage, names of parents, sureties and bondsmen, place of residence, and a specific source citation. Brides and grooms are listed in a single alphabetical sequence; all other persons mentioned in the records are indexed separately.


EDITORIAL REVIEWS

"...researchers are indebted to Ms. Wulfeck who, over many years, industriously accumulated evidence of marriage..."--THE VIRGINIA GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER, p. 11.

"...these two volumes constitute a gold mine."--THE AMERICAN GENEALOGIST, Vol. 61, No. 4."...it is valuable for providing clues for further research."--NATIONAL GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY QUARTERLY, Vol. 74, No. 1.

This new work contains a list of 7,000 marriages and boasts an additional 16,000 index entries. It contains all marriage references--including licenses, bonds, mentions in wills, deeds, order books, and Bible records--that the author could locate in both published and unpublished sources, and because it is so well sourced it offers far more than a simple list of marriages.

Starting with marriage license bonds for Northumberland County (1783-1800), Westmoreland County (1772-1800), Richmond County (1750-1800), and Lancaster County (1701-1800), the author added marriages from scattered licenses, fee books, ministers' returns, family bibles, and notes in various volumes of court records, finalizing his research in the will books and deed books for Northumberland, Lancaster, Westmoreland, Old Rappahannock, and Richmond counties, as well as in standard publications.

The result is a work with many unusual features. Besides the names of husband and wife and the date of marriage, entries may contain the names of parents, grandparents, former spouses, children of previous marriages, and other relations, as well as names of persons connected with the marriage such as securities for the groom, guardians, and clergymen. In addition, parent and children relationships are spelled out, as are sibling relationships, and there is a wealth of incidental detail concerning illegitimate children, places of birth and residence, putative marriages, dates of death of one or more parents, exact spellings of names, and precise dates of marriage.

If you have even a glimmer of interest in the Northern Neck of Virginia, this exhaustive work is bound to satisfy you.

Now in a newly revised and expanded second edition, I Dwell In Possibility: A Memoir by retired educator Toni McNaron is the personal history and testimony of a woman who grew up witness to southern apartheid in Alabama and who endured a long internal battle in search of her artistic and sexual identity. The thoughts, life history, and spiritually evolutionary experiences of an award-winning writer and educator make for a riveting, inspirational, and thoroughly absorbing read. I Dwell In Possibility is especially recommended for Women's Studies reading lists and academic reference collections.

This book is a testament to the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Chartres. This has been one of the very few attempts to look at, and study the practical applications of Operative Masonry.
Dr. John James presents an profound survey of this Divine Structure in its construction, symbolism and history. He remains quite objective throughout and his analysis becomes a story, which he tries to paint a picture of the lives of these great men who were involved with the building of Chartres.
His architectural survey is exhaustive and thourough. For anyone who has been to Chartres will know and appreciate. His Symbolic analysis is solid and integral.
The detail that has been adhered to is quite impressive like no other I have seen in recent accounts.
Dr. James must be commended for such a fine piece of work.

The series is well-researched and well-documented. It has an index which allows researchers to locate their family and gives the original source; it is best used in conjunction with "Vital Records of (town), Massachusetts to 1850."