Charting the Family

by F.E. McConvey

Published 05 June 1988

There comes a time when most genealogists wish to display their findings on a chart. Some purchase ready-made ones, usually shaped like triangles or fans from genealogical supply houses; while other's produce meticulously hand-drawn creations. Regardless of size, shape or creativity, all are neatly labelled and reflect the painstaking care and love that have gone into their prepartation.

A very basic linage chart may look like this:

I	II	III	IV
			8. Father's Grandfather
		4. Fathers' Father
			9. Father's Grandmother
	2. Father
			10. Fathers Grandfather
		5. Father's Mother
			11. Father's Grandmother
1. You
			12. Mother's Grandfather
		6. Mother's Father
			13. Mother's Grandmother
	3. Mother
			14. Mother's Grandfather
		7. Mother's Mother
			15. Mother's Grandmother
Person	Parents	Grand-Parents	Great-Grand-Parents

Each step back into the previous generation increased the number of parents twofold. Therefore a five-generation chart will supply information on 31 individuals including yourself. Do you find it difficult to believe that you have no less than eight great-grandparents? Your might might become boggled if you consider how many great-great-grandparents it took to produce you.

In the example given above, the Roman numerals indicating the generations, plus the labels at the bottom are only for clearness.

Note the manner in which each person is numbered. This method, the accepted one, has some very practical reasonings behind it.

You will notice that except for the person in position--1, all males are assigned even numbers. The wife of each male is given the next highest odd number. Another point to be taken is that the number applied to any person's (male or female) father is always double that person's number.

From these simple rules it is very easy to ascertain that if the name shown in position--14 is not the father of --7, an error has been made. Consequently,--9 should be the spouse of the male shown in--8.

This type of chart that begins in the present generation and plots the direct course back into the past is generally referred to as a Pedigree or Lineage Chart.

A Progenitor's Chart works in the opposite direction. It begins with one person from an early generation. As it descends, it shows a progeny (off-spring) of that person.

All of the charts described above can be very unwiedly and difficult to carry around. In some instances, when the format in my same is used, it extends as far as it can on one page. From there the names are carried forward onto more charts, making them very bulky to transport..

By using the same numbering system outlined above, someone has devised a typed version of these charts which is often referred to as an Ahnentafel Chart. After searching through several sources, I have been able to find nothing on that 50- cent word. I have been told, on good authority, that it is a German word meaning pedigree or lineage.

Charts of this type can yield the basic information on your direct line with all five generations appearing on one typed sheet. e.g.

1 Frances Eileen Greenlaw, 1943, - Moncton, NB.

In comparison, here is an example of an Atnentafel Chart which closely follows the one used by ROOTS, a genealogy computer program by Comsoft. Additional data may be recorded without expanding into a gigantic report. With this type of application, the graphic clarity is missing, but it is one of the simplest to arrange and maintain.

Ahntnthfel Chart

1. Frances Eileen GREENLAW b. 30 Sept 1943 in Moncton, Westmoreland County, NB. Adopted 10 Oct. 1950 by Donald Ira and Mildred Jean (Miller Greenlaw) of St. Stephen, NB. No name change. m1 26 Aug. 1961 to John Kenneth McConvey of Basswood Ridge, NB. m2 13 June 1977 to Kenneth George Sheehan of Saint John, NB.

2. Ronald Arthur GREENLAW b. 29 Sept 1917 at Bayside, St. Croix Parish, Charlotte County, NB

3. Hilda Eleanor BRYANT b. 29 July 1924 at Bartlett's Mills, St. Croix Parish, Charlotte County, NB.

4. Hazen Leo GREENLAW b. 28 Sept. 1894 at Bayside, NB. d. 1955 at St. Stephen, St. Stephen Parish, Charlotte County, NB. m 29 Nov 1914.

5. Freda Sophia May IRWIN b. 03 Nov 1892 at St. Andrews, St. Andrews Parish, Charlotte County, NB. d. 25 May 1970 at St. Stephen, NB.

6. Carleton John BRYANT b. 03 Jun 1897 at Bartlett's Mills, NB. d. 1979.

7. Winnifred May CRICHTON b. 20 Mar 1907 at Bocabec, St. Patricks Parish, Charlotte County, NB. d 19 Dec 1986 at Kingston, Ontario.

8. Joseph A. GREENLAW b. 08 Sept 1863. d. 1940

9. Louisa "Lulu" RICHARDSON b. 24 Mar 1870. d. 1947.

10. Edward George IRWIN b. 27 May c1858 at Elmsville, St. Patricks Parish, Charlotte County, NB.

11. Emma Adelta WILEY b. 28 Sept 1862 at Bayside, NB

12. William James Fairfield BRYANT b. 20 Apr. 1853. d. 18 Sept 1923 at Bartletts Mills, NB m. 1885.

13. Annie Jane PYE b. 06 Jan 1855 at Bartletts Mills, NB. d. 26 Oct 1945

14. James David CRICHTON. b. c1871.

15. Annie Eleanor CONNICK b. c1869. d. 194-.

16. James F.GREENLAW b. 1824 at Bayside, NB. d. 19 Jun 1899.

17. Margaret Ann McCLELLAND b. 11 Feb 1826.

18. Robert RICHARDSON b. c1842. d. 1915. m2 Maggie (Linton) Simpson.

19. Margaret Louise SAMPSON b. c1843. d. 1878.

20. Thomas S. IRWIN b. c1833.

21. Lucie Jane HUMPHREY b. c1833. d. 1900.

22. Daniel M. WILEY b. c1830. d. 19 Dec 1912. m 16 Dec 1857.

23. Elizabeth ROSS b. c1832. d. 1923.

24. Isaac BRYANT b. c1796 c. 1871. Came to New Brunswick from the United States.

25. Elizabeth BOLES d. 1907.

26. Nobel PYE b. c1800 d. 16 Oct 1890 age 90 years. m(2nd?) 1855.

27. Ann HENRY. b. 1825 in County Sligo, Ireland. d. 01 Jul 1911 at Bartlett's Mills, NB.

28. David James CRICHTON b. c1826 in. Came to New Brunswick from Nova Scotia.

29. Rachel b. c1833

30 CONNICK

34. Martin McLELLAND b. c1794 in Ireland.

35. Margaret LESLIE d. 1851.

36. Isaac RICHARDSON b. 1801 in Grimsby, England. d. 1880.

37. Jane HOOTEN b. 1803 Grimsby, England d. 1870.

38. James SAMPSON b. 1801 in Ireland.

39. Jane SIMPSON B. 1812 in Ireland.

44. Hugh WILEY b. 1797 d. 1881. d. 1881

45. Mary MALLOCH b. 1797. d. 1879

46. James ROSS b. c1795

47. Jane KIRKWOOD? b. c1797

54. George HENRY.

71. BURNET

This chart covers the information on seven generations. As you can see, the farther back one goes, the less detail. But, as the search continues, this missing data is gradually found. If desired, all the numbers can be listed and the information on that particular person may be added in as it becomes available. (NOTE: The solid lines seperate the generations.)

QUERIES:

42. JOHN BARBER Loyalist. Family settled in Oak Hill in 1783. Daughter MARY (b NY 1782) married WILLIAM D. CROCKET(T) of Alexander, ME. Son DUNCAN, prob. named after DUNCAN MCCOLL. Believe family was orginally from CT or RI. Seek any info on this family plus the Crocketts from Alexander.

Note: In-Laws, Outlaws and Kinfolk articles have been published on this site with the permission of the St. Croix Courier. Special thanks goes to the Courier for allowing me to reprint my mother's articles.