| There is so much individuality displayed in printed | | | | would be given his previous number of 4 and his |
| genealogies that it is somewhat difficult to set | | | | first child would be numbered 24 and his last child |
| down any general rule governing their use. This is | | | | 28. This plan would be continued throughout the |
| why so many people look for genealogy help. | | | | book, running the numbers into thousands if |
| By far the most common numbering practice, is | | | | necessary. |
| to number consecutively from I, representing the | | | | It is, briefly, giving the common ancestor the |
| emigrant ancestor, to as high a number as is | | | | number / and adding the next unused number for |
| found necessary for the completion of the work. | | | | each person of the blood named until the end of |
| This is the plan recommended by the New | | | | the book is reached, using the first number |
| England Historic Genealogical Society and is usually | | | | assigned to the child carried forward when he is |
| designated by its name, and may be explained | | | | again picked up later as the head of a family in his |
| thus: | | | | own generation. |
| The emigrant or beginning ancestor is numbered I, | | | | By this method if it is desired to back up the line |
| which constitutes the first generation, his oldest | | | | of any particular person it is necessary to look up |
| child is numbered 2y the next child 3, and so on | | | | each generation, stepping back from one |
| throughout the family. If he had ten children the | | | | generation to that preceding it, and there is no |
| tenth child would be numbered III having been | | | | way of comparing descendants from any specific |
| used for the father, and these ten children would | | | | ancestor. |
| constitute the second generation. As you can see | | | | It is not uncommon when looking for genealogy |
| this is why it can be complicated getting | | | | help to find a genealogist who in practice has |
| genealogy help. | | | | omitted the numbers of those persons who were |
| Assuming the oldest child to have been a son with | | | | not picked up for further consideration. By this |
| a family, he would be the first one to be picked | | | | method something is saved in the use of large |
| up and carried on. When he was picked up for | | | | numbers, and if this plan were adopted by a |
| further consideration the same number would be | | | | genealogist it would be found in the illustration |
| given him that was previously assigned to him in | | | | above that the second child of the ancestor, who |
| the list of his father's children, i.e. -?, and his first | | | | was a daughter, unmarried and dying before |
| child would be numbered 12 which would be the | | | | reaching maturity, would have no number and the |
| first unused number, and so on progressively | | | | following child would be numbered 3 instead of 4. |
| throughout his family. | | | | There is very little to be said for or against this |
| If he had twelve children his 12th child would be | | | | modification of the plan. Where every child is |
| numbered 23. The next family to be given | | | | given a number it is common practice to place a |
| consideration in the book would be that of the | | | | plus sign or an asterisk in front of the numbers |
| next child of the emigrant's family to be picked up | | | | indicating those who will be considered later in the |
| and carried on. Assuming that the second child | | | | book. |
| was a daughter who died during her minority and | | | | This is a fairly simple system which can be easily |
| did not marry she was therefore dropped. | | | | used by anyone desiring to compile their own |
| The third child of the emigrant may have been a | | | | genealogy. If you're looking for more genealogy |
| son who married and had five children. He would | | | | help be sure to check out our website. |
| therefore be the next to claim consideration. He | | | | |