Dear Cousins, As we continue to share records and pursue tantalyzingly elusive ancestors, we come to what I feel is the most critical element of the research: anlaysis of what the records mean. These backcountry families we're pursuing are unique. They do not fit into convenient little pockets with neat and tidy labels. They were NOT "Scotch-Irish" as has so often been proclaimed for the first large migration into the Valley of Virginia. They were NOT from Pennsylvania as has also been proclaimed. They were a melange, a real melting-pot of humanity. They were complex, and their research is complex. The researhc involves not only finding PRIMARY documents, but examining them with new vision: seeing trees in each forest. We have to keep remembering that this was a whole new culture in the making. These people, and their research will not fit into standard containers. They do not reflect one culture, simply moving from one locale to another. There are no pat, easy answers for them or their genealogy and history. They cannot be historically stereotyped (by works of history which ignore the genealogy) and they cannot be researched by genealogists which ignore their history. As we read George Washington's 16 year old commentary about the area where the first pioneers had come to settle, we can learn a great deal about them and their environment: The Germans and Indians mingling together there in Northern Virginia! The Penningtons and their crude frontier lifestyle! Harsh reallities of a harsh time for an aristocratic Boy/Man journeying into the mountains and adulthood. The way we can come to understanding of this unique culture is through the PRIMARY records for them and for their kinship groups, and interpreting these with historical perspectives. Odell's "Pioneers of Old Frederick County" is an excellently conceived and written, great resource for those of us still in the outback, but remember it is Odell's interpretation of those PRIMARY records. His book is a SECONDARY source. An example of this is his commentary, on Abraham Pennington's wife, Catherine, whom he ascribes as Abraham's second wife. Now this is where one man's opinion steps up to the plate to confront one woman's opinion standing out on the pitcher's mound, about to fire a hot one at him! I don't think Catherine was Abraham "The Trader" Pennington's second wife. I believe she was the wife of Abraham The Trader's son Abraham, who is known to have had a wife Catherine. I think the will of Abraham, written in 1755, probated in 1756 in SC is for the son, not the father. As we comb through the records and analyze them I think my thesis may be borne out. Another mis-identity in ODELL (I think) is the name Largent and the deeds referring to the Largent/Sergent etc. connections between the Pennington records in Cecil county and the ones in VA and SC. "Thomas Largent is a boy I brought up," is also mentioned in Abraham's 1756 will. The Sergeant's etc., are actually Largents, as evidenced by the descendants from Hampshire county who later moved to Ohio. I have one correspondent Randall Largent who is among these. Further records of these people are contained at the very wonderful Frederick County Virginia usgenweb site. Wilmer Kerns -- a local genealogist, has very generously put up the early Frederick tax records. http://www.rootsweb.com/~vafreder/fredbook.htm#The%20Frederick%20Count y%20Fee (You will have to cut and paste this address, or go directly to the Frederick County page. You can create your own databases for analysis on these kinds of FACTS by copying data such as the Kerns list, plopping them into a spreadsheet such as MS Excel, and then adding comparative data from other sources. Timelines are great, but making timelines through use of data lists is even better, and easier, and you can always keep enhancing them to zero in on IDENTITY. These ideas will be expanded on in the Abe Study pages. Love, Your Cousin, Carolyn Carolyn McDaniel cmacdee@centurytel.net ========================================= --- Visit American Crossroads --- http://freepages.history.rootsweb.com/~amxroads