What Do YOU Do With Entering Large Families in Your Program?

[Susan - s3js]

I have been working on my Cole family the last couple of nights and they are sending me around the bend. Dennis cole had 26 children wit his two wives - 7 with Zilpha Nowell and 19 with my Great-grandmother, Lucinda Nipper. The first 13 children were born in North Carolina, about 50 miles from where I live now. The next 8 were born in Tennessee and the remainder were born in Arkansas. I have been diligently staying up after Daddy goes to bed (when I can't sleep!) but it is grueling work because most of the children had large families them selves/

I have tried doing one branch at a time and trying to do it all in one night, but you can imagine how that goes! If I can't sleep, I might be awake all night but worthless the next day. I try to rest but can't so, I do genealogy. Normally it tires me completely out and I can sleep. Scrapbooking, on the other hand, energizes me so I don't dare do it in the nighttime hours.

All that said, I just haven't been able to find an efficient way to record these lines and not miss anyone. Suggestions?

 

[EvelynD2]

I don't have suggestions but I sure admire you undertaking this job. I did a little bit of genealogy on Ancestors.com but I didn't want to keep paying for it. I wish there was a good free program.

 

[Susan - s3js]

I don't have suggestions but I sure admire you undertaking this job. I did a little bit of genealogy on Ancestors.com but I didn't want to keep paying for it. I wish there was a good free program.

Evelyn, are you talking about a free genealogy software package or free research? I can guide you to both. There's much more available than there seems.

 

[Jam-on-toast]

26 children... wow... that's a lot... Your family tree must look like an excel sheet...

But there were two wives too, so I'd start with the first wife. This would make sense chronologically and, unless you are still very much in contact with that branch of the family, there is less to record/document - only 7 children and fewer years together (and, not to sound callous - less relevance to your current family?).

Once you have that out of the way - you will have the second family and 19 children left (what a surreal sentence to type, lol). Here, I'd go for logical connections - one can't be super friends with all their 18 siblings, so special bonds/partners in crime sort of thing????... or, just a simple page/spread per kid with their stories outlined?

Or, start with whatever comes easy - a story that speaks to you - document that first. Yours is a mega project and once you are done with the easy bits, you will probably have an idea how to document whatever's left. Or at least organizing whatever's left will be easier.

 

[LSlycord]

Wow! That is just insane Susan! I can't imagine 26 children! I haven't had to deal with anything like that (gratefully) so I don't have any idea what to suggest!

 

[Susan - s3js]

Olga, I have done exactly what you suggest and started with the first wife. I am finally on the second wife, about halfway through the children. My 2X great grandmother was one of the last children. One of her aunts and one of her cousins married my 2X great grandfather's brothers. Once I'm done I will try to substantiate the Civil War deaths of some of the sons. I originally had all but the youngest returning home from the war, but I think not, but I also think Lucinda did not lose 6 of the sons to the war. She had 8 at war at the same time. Can you imagine? I can't. Put me in a straight-jacket and medicate me to the zombie stage!

 

[BrightEyes]

Yes, it does get confusing when there are large families and how to keep them straight.

My father is one of 17 children. One of the family members made this chart so we could keep tract of the descendants.
The numbers denote which generation each person is part of.
My father is the 7th son in the 4th generation.

1 William Markus Jernigan 1811 - 1895
. +Elizabeth Harroll 1821 - 1893
. 2 Benjamin A. Jernigan
.... +Nancy Adcock
. 2 George Washington Jernigan 1844 - 1921
.... +Susan Adcock 1843 - 1923
.... 3 Ben Jernigan
.... 3 Mark Jernigan
.... 3 Luke Eugene Jernigan
.... 3 Kate Jernigan
.... 3 Betty Jernigan
.... 3 Zora Jernigan
.... 3 Maggie Jernigan
.... 3 Robert Lee Jernigan 1867 - 1946
....... +Ella Lee Smith 1862 - 1903
....... 4 Frank Jernigan 1889 - 1968
.......... +Maude Harrie
....... 4 Syntha Elizabeth Jernigan 1891 - 1894
....... 4 George Washington Jernigan 1893 - 1984
.......... +Della Sherwood Coultas - 1963
....... 4 Susie Bettie Jernigan 1895 - Abt. 1945 (disappeared)
....... 4 Robert Ray Jernigan 1898 - 1935
.......... +Nellie Myrtle Cooper 1904 -
.......... 5 Louise Elizabeth Jernigan 1925 -
............. +Claude Basham

............. and so on through 7 generations.

Although the chart doesn't go into details of where each was born, where they lived, occupation... it does help place each one in each generation.

 

[Susan - s3js]

Many thanks, Kay! This is similar to how Emmet Starr did his Cherokee families records. I had forgotten about this method. Maybe this would work for what I'm needing to get done - if I can ever get on the computer and work on it, that is. If I made a chart tlike this and used a color code to show those that are enter and those that need work, this might be the key!

 

[BrightEyes]

Like the idea of color coding along with the listing.

My sister and I both have access to this list and can alter the information at the same time. We use the phone to talk as we correct information. I just ran across a photo in mom's box that is a photo of my father's mother's and father's grave stones outside of Dallas, Texas. His parents farm where he spent most of his childhood was just 'down in the holler' from 'Southfork Ranch'. Now I have both of their names, birth and death dates.

 

[BrightEyes]

And speaking of family history, I just got the book "Just Deal With It - a memoir of resilience" written by Karen Young Sheppard - memories of Bonnie Carman Sheppard. Yes, that is my cousin Bonnie who just passed away. It is memories of her family (the Carmen's - my mom's Uncle and 1st cousins) and growing up after her mom passed away when Bonnie was 3. I laughed and cried as I read it. It brought memories of family and places. Bonnie was only 7 years older than I am so we shared some of the same memories. And the treasure is that included a family tree back to my maternal great-grandparents!!!

 

[Susan - s3js]

What a happy find, a real treasure!

 

[Amandajk]

Evelyn, are you talking about a free genealogy software package or free research? I can guide you to both. There's much more available than there seems.

PLEASE DO TELL, @Susan - s3js

 

[Susan - s3js]

PLEASE DO TELL, @Susan - s3js

I use Legacy Family Tree Legacy 10 is totally free, including everything that used to be in the premier edition. It works seamlessly with Clooz, an electronic filing system. I have Clooz but haven't gotten everything put on it. It's a useful add-on but I also find Legacy does an excellent job of tracking documentation and what's missing.

Amanda, what parts of the US do you research and what countries. I'll grab my latest copy of Family Tree Magazine's best websites and let you know the freebies.

 

[Amandajk]

I use Legacy Family Tree Legacy 10 is totally free, including everything that used to be in the premier edition. It works seamlessly with Clooz, an electronic filing system. I have Clooz but haven't gotten everything put on it. It's a useful add-on but I also find Legacy does an excellent job of tracking documentation and what's missing.

Amanda, what parts of the US do you research and what countries. I'll grab my latest copy of Family Tree Magazine's best websites and let you know the freebies.

Ummm, This is such a rabbit hole! I've found 7 generations so far- and the earliest ones are all over the place. Norway Jessons are a branch I want to dig into. And Jacoby's- Scotland but I have a hunch there are more countries involved with them. Hautz's from Germany ( as if, LOL!)
Later branches are mostly in Ohio.
I've been using My Heritage and it located quite a few of the early people. Thanks for the tips!!