bennison@clt.DEC (Victor Bennison - DTN 381-2156) (01/05/86)
--- >Subject: Genealogical advice needed >Illinois census records of 1850 show a Jesse B. Whitney with a wife Anna >and children bearing the names my great-uncle has recorded living in Scott >county. The census records show that this Jesse B. Whitney was both >illiterate and born in Vermont. It would appear to me that these two Does the census record give him a profession? There were probably quite a few Jesse __?__ Whitney's living in the U.S. in 1850. Probably even several born in Vermont. I myself wouldn't be very happy with this link. If you really don't think you can find anything more to tie things together, then maybe you should work on some other lines. Once you become more experienced with what's available, maybe new ways of approaching the Whitney line will become obvious. Every once in a while I have a major breakthrough on a line I've been stuck on for years. In fact, I had one this morning at the local branch of the Mormon genealogical library. >persons are one in the same. With this link, I can use available material >to show lineage in England back further than anyone would want. Then why do you want to show it? Once you get back that far the probability that all your links are valid gets pretty low anyway. Of course it's fun. It makes good party talk to say you have yourself traced back to Charlemagne. I do it. But it gets a little boring. Frankly, this mysterious Jesse Whitney sounds more interesting to me. Remember, genealogy is a jigsaw puzzle with a whole lot of tiny pieces. I suspect there are a few more laying around you haven't found yet. >I am afraid that a "more professional" genealoger would want more proof than >the circumstancial information I have. Is this true? If I do need more >substantiation, it would likely be difficult. If this is the same person, Genealogy for you is a hobby. You can make up your own rules. Unless you want to get into the DAR, then it's nobody elses business who you think you are related to. But you have to answer to yourself: "Do I really believe that I have this line figured out right???" If you put all the information you have on this Whitney guy into a family group sheet and send it me I might be able to give you some suggestions for things to try. Or I might not. Vick Bennison ...decvax!decwrl!rhea!tools!bennison (603) 881-2156