Back before I started my own blog in 2009 I was a big fan of Martin Hollick’s Slovak Yankee blog. His blog post “Compiled Genealogy Biography” posted on 20 January 2010 inspired me to write a similar post back then. I thought it was time to update that post and write a new one. (See below for more links) I know many of you think that compiled genealogies are not good sources, but you can click on this link for my views "Thoughts on Compiled Genealogy Books" from a blog post in 2018: https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2018/09/thoughts-on-using-compiled-genealogy.html
I often hear from people “Oh, all your New England ancestors have been written about in books!” From this list you can see that this is not true. Some of these ancestors are complete brick walls, some I have pieced together from other records, and yes, some are in books - even the Mayflower Silver books. Most of my research was done the hard way, by searching vital records, deeds, probate records, graveyards, newspapers and other paper and online resources. Finding your ancestor in a book is a clue, but since most of these books are old and unsourced, you still must verify all the generations. I use compiled genealogy books for clues.
Martin’s list contained the compiled genealogy books that contain his closest ancestors. I charted out my ancestors to the 7th generation (fourth great grandparents) and listed any book written on their lineages. Its surprising which ancestors have books, and which don’t. Perhaps someday I will end up writing an article or book about these surnames. In the meantime, my blog will have to do… (To make this list easier to read, I dropped ancestors off the list when they “crossed the pond” )
Great Grandparents :
Albert Munroe Wilkinson-(1860-1908) No book has ever been written on the Wilkinsons of northern New England, descendants of Thomas Wilkinson “of London” who married Elizabeth Caverly in Portsmouth, New Hampshire in 1715. This is my maiden name.
Isabella Lyons Bill (1863 – 1935) her father appears in The History of the Bill Family by Ledyard Bill, 1867 (see below). This family came to Boston in the Great Migration (1630s), went to Connecticut, migrated to Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, and ended up back in Massachusetts in the mid 1800s.
John Peter Bowden Roberts (1865 – 1925) and his wife, Emma Frances Warren ( 1865 – 1927), were immigrants from Leeds, Yorkshire, England in 1915 via Ellis Island. There is no compiled genealogy of either family. I have traced their origins in England back to the late 1700s with help from records scanned and preserved at FamilySearch.
Joseph Elmer Allen (1870 – 1932) The Allen Family comes from William Allen of Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts, but this branch has not been documented. There are several books with the first five generations or so of the Allen family, but none that contain my branch of Allens that removed to Essex (a contiguous town) around the time of the American Revolution.
Carrie Maude Batchelder ((1872 – 1963) and her husband Joseph E. Allen are in The Batchelder, Batcheller Genealogy by Frederick Clifton Pierce, published by the author in Chicago, 1898, (with various updates), on page 329. Lists only two children, three more were born after publication.
Arthur Treadwell Hitchings (1868 – 1937) There is no book on the Hitchings/Hitchens family, which goes back to Daniel Hitchins (1632 -1731) of Lynn, Massachusetts. They are well documented in the local history books, vital records, and in journal articles.
Florence Etta Hoogerzeil (1871 – 1941) Her grandfather was Peter Hoogerzeil, immigrant to America before 1828. The family was written up by the Netherlands in genealogy journal articles (in Dutch) by Erik A. N. Kon, going back to Arijen Bruynen born about 1631 in Krimpen ann de Lek. No compiled genealogy book. Kon’s work is extensive, including all the known Hoogerzeil/Hogerzeil families and the American branch down to Florence and her Hitchings children.
2x Great Grandparents:
Robert Wilson Wilkinson (1830 – 1874) see above
Phebe Cross Munroe (1830 – 1895) see below
Caleb Rand Bill (1833-1902) is named in The History of the Bill Family, edited by Ledyard Bill, 1867, p. 200 along with his wife Ann Margaret Bollman. Their daughter Isabella Lyons Bill married Albert Munroe Wilkinson. They are also in the updated Bill genealogy book by Harry Bill, which I have only seen in Nova Scotia libraries, not in the USA.
Ann Margaret Bollman (1835 – 1923) mentioned briefly in the The Diary of Adolphus Gaetz, edited by Charles Bruce Ferguson, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Public Archives of Nova Scotia, 1965. There is no compiled genealogy of the Bollman family, descendants of Johan Daniel Bollman, a Hessian soldier, who was a surgeon and later a member of parliment from Nova Scotia.
Joseph Gilman Allen (1830 – 1908) see above
Sarah Burnham Mears (1844 – 1913) There is no book on the Mears family of Essex, Massachusetts. I have traced this line back to Alexander Mears, born about 1750 in London, England, yet have gone no further. Alexander Mears was a Revolutionary War veteran on the patriots side.
George E. Batchelder (1848 – 1914) see above and below
Mary Katharine Emerson (1847 – 1932) and her husband, George E. Batchelder are in The Ipswich Emersons, A. D. 1636-1900: A Genealogy of the Descendants of Thomas Emerson of Ipswich, Mass., by Benjamin Kendall Emerson, Boston, David Clapp & Son, 1900, page 306. This page also gives an explanation of her adoption by the Harris family of Boston (her paternal aunt) which solved a great brick wall problem for me!
Abijah Franklin Hitchings (1841 – 1910) see above
Hannah Eliza Lewis (1844 – 1921) no book on this Lewis family has been found. This is one of my brick wall lineages, since I have only traced back to her grandfather, Thomas Lewis and wife Amelia (unknown maiden name). I don’t know from which Massachusetts Lewis family he descends.
Peter Hoogerzeil (1841 – 1908), see above
Mary Etta Healey (1852 – 1932) is a descendant of William Healy (1613 – 1683) of Cambridge, but only certain branches of this family are published in books. Tracing this line required using vital records, military records, and probate records.
3x Great Grandparents:
Aaron Wilkinson (1802 – 1879) see above
Mercy F. Wilson (1803 – 1883) The great WILSON researcher, Ken Stevens of Walpole, New Hampshire was working on a compiled genealogy of the Wilsons of Danvers, Massachusetts, but hadn’t published his notes or book before he passed away. Previous to his death he had assured me that my lineage was correct back to the first immigrant Wilson, Robert Wilson b. 1630 in England and died 18 September 1675 at Deerfield, Massachusetts in the Bloody Brook Massacre. He sent me copies of all his notes. I think he hit a brick wall with the rest of the Danvers Wilsons. I haven’t been able to untangle it, either, beyond my direct lineage to Robert Wilson.
Luther Simonds Munroe (1805 – 1851) is in the History and Genealogy of the Lexington, Massachusetts, Munroes, compiled by Richard S. Munroe, published by the author, 1966, page 71. This goes back to the Scots prisoner of war, William Munroe (1625 – 1718) in Lexington. This family is also well documented in local histories of Lexington, vital records, and military records.
Olive Flint (1805 – 1875) is in the book Genealogical register of the descendants of Thomas Flint, of Salem : with a copy of the wills and inventories of the estates of the first two generations, compiled by John Flint and John H. Stone, Boston, Massachusetts: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1994, and both her parents were Flints (first cousins John Flint and Phebe Flint) so this was easy.
Ingraham Ebenezer Bill (1805 – 1891)- see above
Isabella Lyons (1806 – 1872) – No LYONS compiled genealogy book as far as I know. This is a lineage that goes back to a possible Patrick Lyons of Ireland, and he was a possible Loyalist who left New England for Nova Scotia.
Joseph Allen (1801 – 1894) – see above
Orpha Andrews (1804- 1869) is a descendant of immigrants John Andrews (about 1618 – 1708) and Jane Jordan of the Chebacco Parish of Ipswich, Massachusetts (now Essex). Orpha and her husband, Joseph Allen, are on page 595 of the book The Descendants of Lieut. John Andrews of Ipswich, Essex County, Massachusetts by Betty Andrews Storey, 2009.
Samuel Mears (1823 – 1904) is on page 1491 of The Descendants of Lieut. John Andrews of Ipswich, Essex County, Massachusetts, with his wife, Sarah Ann Burnham. He was also an ANDREWS descendant (Lydia W.7 Burnham, Asa6, Westley5, Deborah4 Story, Rachel3 Andrews, William2, John1). No MEARS book as far as I know.
Sarah Ann Burnham (1821 – 1848) see above. There is no BURNHAM complied genealogy.
George E. Batchelder (1822 – 1848) see above for the BATCHELDER book, and below,
Abigail M. Locke (1825 – 1888) and her husband George E. Batchelder (above) are on page 322 of A History and Genealogy of Captain John Locke (1726 – 1696) of Portsmouth and Rye, New Hampshire and His Descendants, by Arthur H. Locke, Volume 1.
George Emerson (1817 – 1890) see above for the EMERSON book.
Mary Esther Younger (1826 – 1913) – No book has been written about the YOUNGER family of Gloucester, Massachusetts, which I have traced back only to William Younger who married Lucy Foster in Gloucester in 1750. I have been unable to find William Younger's ancestors.
Abijah Hitchings (1809 – 1864) – see above
Eliza Ann Treadwell (1812 – 1896) This is a well documented family in the Ipswich, Vital Records, dating back to Thomas Treadwell born about 1603 in London, England, died 1671 in Ipswich. There is a book Thomas Treadwell of Ipswich, Massachusetts and some of his Descendants, by William Alfred Robbins in the catalog at familysearch.org available on microfilm #1486614, but it is (strangely) not available at NEHGS or any other local library.
Thomas Russell Lewis (1825 – 1853) – see above
Hannah Phillips (1821 – 1851) – father, James Phillips, is a brickwall
Peter Hoogerzeil (1803 – 1889)- see above
Eunice Stone (1807 – 1886)- there is no STONE family complied genealogy, but the immigrant John Stone (about 1595 – about 1667) was covered in The Great Migration, Volume VI, pages 552 – 553.
Joseph Edwin Healy (1823 – 1862) and his wife, Matilda Weston, are in Mayflower Families Through Five Generations, Volume II, Part II Edward Doty, (a “Silver Book”) compiled by Peter B. Hill, General Society of Mayflower Descendants, 1996, page 185
Matilda Weston (1825 – 1909), see above, and also see page 121 of Mayflower Families Through Five Generations, Volume 14, Family of Myles Standish, 2007, for Matilda, her siblings and parents (another “Silver Book”).
4x great grandparents:
William Wilkinson (? – 1840) see above
Mercy Nason (b. 1764 in Kittery) I haven’t used a Nason book for this line, it was well documented in vital records, town histories, articles. (But again, is there a Nason book?)
Robert Wilson (1776 – 1893), see above for the WILSON note
Mary Southwick (1777-1854) Genealogy of the descendants of Lawrence and Cassandra Southwick of Salem, Mass.: the original emigrants, and the ancestors of the families who have since borne his name, by James M. Caller and Mrs. M. A. Ober, reprint by Higginsons (originally 1881) This book is old and contains errors, but was a good guide to start.
Andrew Munroe (1764 – 1836), see above for the MUNROE book
Ruth Simonds (1763 – 1840) in the book Genealogical Sketch of William Simonds, by Edward Francis Johnson, 1889, but the family was also written up in the Woburn town histories.
John Flint (1761 – 1836) – see above for the FLINT book
Phebe Flint (1763 – 1846) – see above for the FLINT book
Asahel Bill (1748 – 1814) – see above for the BILL book
Mary Rand (1758 – 1845) in the book Genealogy of Rand: from Robert Rand of Charlestown 1634 to 1867, by Thomas Bellows Wyman, 1867 and in the Martha’s Vineyard history, and Yarmouth, Nova Scotia Genealogies.
Thomas Ratchford Lyons (1780 – 1859) – see above
Ann Skinner (1786 – 1815) again, in the Yarmouth Genealogies, and The Skinner Kinsmen, the descendants of John Skinner of Hartford, Connecticut, by Natalie R. Fernald.
Joseph Allen (1776 – 1861) – see above
Judith Burnham ((1782 – 1848) – see above
James Andrews (1763 – 1857) see above for the ANDREWS book.
Lucy Presson (1763 – 1852) This family name changed from Presbury, to Preston to Presson since the 1600’s. There is no book on this family under any spelling.
Samuel Mears (1798 – 1879) - see above
Lydia W. Burnham (1802 – 1864) - see above
Henry Burnham (1783 – 1867) – see above
Sally Poland (1780 – 1861) in the book The Polands of Essex County, Massachusetts, by Lloyd O. Poland, 1981.
Jonathan Batchelder (1800 – 1847)- see above for the BATCHELDER book. It lists him on page 172 with the incorrect parents (Elisha Batchelder and Sarah Lane). His parents should be Nathaniel Batchelder and Mary Perkins. Caveat emptor!
Nancy Thompson (about 1804 – after 1847)- she is a brickwall. I have no idea who her parents may be. She came from Gilmanton, New Hampshire. Is there a Thompson book on this family? Right now, there are too many possible Thompson families from New Hampshire to know!
Richard Locke (1794 – 1864)- see above for the LOCKE book
Margaret Welch (abt. 1796 – 1860) Another brick wall! I don’t know her parents, but she may have been born in Kittery, Maine. There are many Welch families in Kittery who are probably all related.
Romanus Emerson (1782 – 1852)- see above for the EMERSON book
Jemima Burnham (1783 – 1868) - no BURNHAM book as far as I know, and look at the four Burnhams I have in this generation alone! All these Burnhams are from Essex, Massachusetts. All this complicated intermarriage of Burnhams may be why no one has tackled a Burnham genealogy.
Levi Younger (1786 – 1858) – see above
Catherine Plummer Jones (1799-1828) formerly a brick wall, now solved! Absolutely no book, but I’ve blogged many times about this one! Her father was Owen Jones, a customs official from Wales serving in Boston at the time of the American Revolution.
Abijah Hitchings (1775 – 1868) - see above
Mary Cloutman (1775 – 1853) No CLOUTMAN book. The first immigrant CLOUTMAN was Thomas Cloutman who married Elizabeth Story in 1672 Salem, Massachusetts.
Jabez Treadwell (1788 – 1840) – see above
Betsey Jillings Homan (1792 – 1874)- There is no HOMAN family compiled genealogy as far as I know. Betsey is a descendant of the immigrant Edward Homan (1605 – 1675) of Plymouth and Marblehead, Massachusetts.
Thomas Lewis (about 1770 – 1821) – another brickwall ancestor
Amelia Unknown (about 1790 – 1860) – wife of Thomas Lewis, above, and also a brickwall
James Phillips (1792 – 1820) – another brickwall.
Sarah Cree (1792 – 1835) – There is no CREE compiled genealogy book. This family dates back to the immigrant Nicholas Cree (born about 1700) who settled in Topsfield, Massachusetts.
Josiah Stone (1763 – 1848) - see above
Susanna Hix (1768 – 1859) – there is no HIX or HICKS book on this family. Her parents and grandparents came from the Plymouth, Massachusetts area.
Comfort Haley (1787 – 1874) – see above for the Haley/Healey lineage in the Mayflower Silver book series.
Rebecca Crosby (1789-?) Her parents are in the Yarmouth Genealogies, an earlier branch of the Cape Cod/ Cambridge Crosbys who are written up in earlier generations in Simon Crosby the emigrant : his English ancestry, and some of his American descendants, by Eleanor Davis Crosby, 1914
Zadoc Weston (1761 – 1849) – see above for the Weston lineage in the Mayflower Silver book series
Mary Clements – a brickwall. Nothing is known of her origins or parents. She lived in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia with her husband Zadoc Weston. Her stepson, Abram Weston (b. 1815) married a Mary Hannah Clements in 1846. Cousins? Were they originally from New England?
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My original Compiled Genealogy Bibliography blog post from 8 February 2010:
"Thoughts on unsing Compiled Genealogy Books" from 2018:
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To cite/link to this blog post: Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "My Ancestors in Books: A Compiled Genealogy Bibliography", Nutfield Genealogy, posted September 14, 2018, ( https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2018/09/my-ancestors-in-genealogy-books.html: accessed [access date]).
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