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Lesson 006...                                                                                                     2016 03 01
Family Trees: Mum's+Dad's=You                                                              Published Monthly

The Standard...
More often than not, most people attempting to find their heritage seek what Grampa knew.
They soon come to realize that there is literally a whole world of people beyond even that!
Then begins the process of cataloging various members, usually by their fathers family.

The family name is followed further and further until an end is reached and no other data found.
This has long been the norm, even on documentary shows reporting on some historic figure.

All of this is a wonderful start, and congrats to anyone researching their family tree!
You've already proven yourself just by interest, to be one of your top family members!


What's Wrong With It...
From a purely scientific standpoint... Everything!
By it's own nature, the very best that you can hope for, is to loose 50% of the available data.
Beyond that, you'll probably to have to make assumptions that would otherwise not be necessary.

There's a significant chance that as you reach further back you'll miss many family achievements.
No self respecting labratory would ever deliberately disregard that amount of product information.
Why would anyone creating a work of such significance to all that have contributed be so careless?

The cause and cure...
Most likely, there are two main factors.... Time and awareness.
These two points are the main reason for this months article choice.
To bring importance awareness, and show the benefit of time management.

Awareness comes naturally as the process becomes more understandable.
Time is somewhat of an illusion. Try to think in terms of travel instead.
Meaning, travel through as much of your family history as possible.

When merged correctly, the two will become one more quickly than if approached separately.

A different view...
People seem to have an initial plan of finding something of a "main tree" of their line.
Generally they envision it as a listing of males through backward time until ones immigration.
Others view it a bit more full, with their mothers side also following their family's surname as well.

What's being suggested here, is something more of a "Family Bush" than a "Family Tree".
That is, in working backward, at each parental intersection, find both parents of both spouses.
Despite their contribution and efforts, these people are usually lost or forgotten in most family trees.


Plan Your Work And Work Your Plan...
This large scale processing of information aquisition isn't nearly as difficult as you might think.
While the thought of recording so many names seem daunting at first, a plan is what's needed.
In this months newsletter, the plan evolved here to more of an outside-the-box thinking process.

Instead of focusing on "Dad's" surname, the mainline research is as a mother-to-mother approach.
Described as "Backing up to the left", it provides more information per manhour than any other way.
With each new name, you automatically find the surname of a previous father, making searches easy.


Phase One...And The Advantages Of The Plan...
Work backward, collect mother-to-mother names and link them in your software.
Very simple, and it takes no more time than if it were done last instead of being done first.

The difference is, if done in the standard male-method, you would have one family name of data.
Following this method, the number of names directly correlates to the number of generations done.
You've then extracted more data-per-manhour than standard ways, plus have clues for "Phase Two"!

Note that sometimes like the norm, a dead-end is found. This is normal for the most part.
In those instances, find the father, and then continue with the mother-to-mother approach.
A few zig-zags like this is normal, and still provides more data than any other method found.


Phase Two...The Intersections...Repeat As Necessary...
When the known mother-lines have all been recorded, it's time for phase two... "Family fill-ins".
Starting with modern day members, choose the first mother, add spouse(s) and children to her file.
Continue adding to each subsequent mother until the end of every line is reached and all are included.

After ALL mothers have been rejoined to their families, repeat the process again.
Choose the most modern male, list his mother, her mother, and so on until data ends.
Repeat the process for each of adding children and spouses to their files on your software.

Do this as many times as necessary until a complete accounting of all is made.
These are the people that truely make up your DNA. Not simply the family surname.
What you'll find is that they outnumber your surname by 100:1 (Or more) in most cases.


Why Does It Matter...
Generally speaking, a name-based family tree is is an emotional attachment.
These are the people bearing our same name that we feel are the ones deserving attention.

From a scientific standpoint, names become irrelevant as they serve no purpose.
They can be replaced with alpha-numeric coding defining where in the chain they are.

A visual example can be performed at home to give you a rough idea of each persons true input.
Number fourteen similar glasses, fill equally with water and taint each with different food colorings.
These represent both male and female partners of your parents, their parents, and their parents too.

Pour them all into one pot that is large enough for it to hold all their water (DNA).
This pot (You) is only 3/14 or 21.42857142857143% genetic makeup of your family name!
Everyone (Like your father, his father, and his father) contributed EQUAL amounts to building YOU.

The previous generation adds sixteen more glasses of their own water (DNA)...(30 Total Now)
Meaning at your GG-Grandparents level you are only 4/30 or 13.33333333333333% of their genes.

At the GGG-Grandparent level, things get worse, adding another thirty-two glasses (62 Total).
Now you've become 5/62 of your surname DNA at a whopping 8.06451612903226%.


How Far Should We Go...
The above description may be enlightening, disruptive or un-necessary, depending on your outlook.
It is however, a numerically factual representation of any one of us, no matter our surname.
The surname numbers become less and less of an accounting to our genetic makeup.

Personally, like most, I want to know who my forefathers of my same name are.
But an inherant thirst for knowledge and data drive me to find out more.
Take pride in each of your family endeavors and accomplishments.
No matter their name, they're still part of your family DNA.
The answer as to "How Far" is different for each of us.

So, who are you?
You are the lineage of those who came before you, awaiting discovery by those who come after you.
The living embodyment of people who cared.

What you'll choose to do with this information is up to you.
It will at least serve as a stepping stone for further knowledge.
You should be applauded for your willingness to educate yourself.


As always...
These are only basic guidelines, and can always be adjusted to suit your personal needs or budget.
Hopefully the knowledge gained here will help you to be better positioned as a family historian!

      Happy searches!!

        Massachusetts

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