MUHLENBERG

The road to discovering answers about our ancestors is long and winding. It is a journey that requires years upon years of TIME and PATIENCE. It seems as though relatives are disinterested or cannot remember names or events. And the records require hours upon hours to locate and study. Even if we find abstracted records, such as deeds, wills, estates, and even marriages, to gain the full picture demands locating the record itself and reading it for oneself. All the names surrounding our families must be examined, remembered, and researched separately before a picture begins to appear on the page. One snifts it out, gets a “feel” for that which applies to his ancestors and their times. We complete family group sheets and pedigrees with names and dates, yet still do not have the story. The story of the past includes the history and economy of their times and their part in it. When we have those answers, we begin to know our kin and understand them. Too, given the duplication of names, it is important to make certain that we are dealing in the proper era. 33-1/3 years comprises one generation. In past eras, marriages occurred between 16 and 20 years of age.