Would some one please explain to me what the Dickey Diaries are? I keep seeing references to these and I don't know wht they are. In a message dated 8/28/03 9:55:15 AM, [email protected] writes: On Thu, 2003-08-28 at 16:56, [email protected] wrote: There are repeated rumors that some of the Couch folk came here from Germany. In a handbook titled "Pioneer Families of Leslie County" by Sadie W. Stidham, p. 153, it is said "The Couches are of German-French descent.....Martin Couch immigrated from Germany to America and settled first in North Carolina..." Doesn't make a lot of sense, but there is the reference. I've also heard tales that John and Martin came to America -- went back to Germany, and returned again. To date, I have seen no documented evidence (other than Ms. Stidham's claim) that either John or Martin were from Germany. My father claimed there were two separate Couch clans in SE KY, but I have no real evidence this is true. There was a Couch family bible that held answers, but it was supposedly destroyed in a house fire. We jusy need to keep digging -- maybe the answer to our questions is closer than we think. Ron Couch John is evidenced in Va prior marriage to Elizabeth Campbell. as early as 1768 If one gets into it fully, on the modern days lines. One set in Perry/Leslie is from the NC area having came from VA The other mainly Leslie Co is from VA proper. {Russel Co} present day A lot of the Joseph Couch lineage still are in present day Wva. Patsy Horn {retired Perry Historian and does not support internet genealogy} Had two distinct lines of Couches. All Couch people in KY were not original from NC as is common belief. Nor were they from eastern Va. If one spends a lot of time researching VA records, one will see the pattern of migration Some of the Couch clan settled at or near Martins station in VA That was the starting point for the Wilderness road. The absolute problem with alot of hardcopy books published {and I got a ton of them} Is most were wrote for same reason mostly resale. I dont know how many "source" people I've contacted in the last three months to be told.. "well thats what I was told" Therefore in ater accounts its taken as gospel. Therefore the rumors are contagion. One must compare "books" and the accreditabilty of the author. Why was they writing these accounts?? genealogy sales? Family lore printed? Kentucky Explorer is a prime example of this having accounts of Couch came form Germany and accounts from New England. I well know the book you speak of destroyed by fire. But it seems that reference in it could be checked??? I am also aware of the publishings of Gladys Frazier, relating to the same lineage. Confirmation later dispelled documented proof. There fore no indications of any evidence to prove it. In a document I have in my keeping. That is passed down. John Couch {brn1870} my grandfather. Had in his bible a notation made by his father William Couch... In part. Joseph Couch son of Martin said "We will never forget our North Eastern States familys" Thus giving reason to believe they had kin in old New England states. The "notion" that John Couch was from Germany is a old one, never proved nor anywhere close. Common family belief {non internet} Believes they were Welsh or English. And believe me there are alot of Perry line that does have "some" info But does not use the internet. References are of absolute no value, if they can not be verified. I've seen lines published on LDS site that gives Book/author and published in late 1800s When one does locate the book form a used book source and goes to the direct place and page they quoted.. One sees 80% of the time no reference to the file in question. Extreme care must be used in such cases. I've also seen a lot will clip a certain part of a Dickey Diary interview and thus proceed to inject it into the already infected internet genealogy. Yes the certain part is correct if you look through the full books by Dickey {which I might ad are in reprint now} But others will post a line quoting a Dickey Diary excerp that is in fact not in the books. Use extreme care. The Couch lineage of Kentucky was and is well known for intermingle with other lines. Even marrying into other Couch lines. So its no wonder early people DNA checks will show lineage back to XXX via XXX. On your John/Martin reference from Germany and back I know it might be hard to aquire the book or source , but if the resourses are there, try to procure it. Thence it will either prove or disprove the theory. A good "reference" will always lead to a known historial document. either in form of deed/grant/marriage bond/will/lawsuit/testemony or any other documented proof. The bad sources are verbal accounts, put down in the form of a interview or a later life written book on "memory" Another key to the Kentucky lines is having a working knowledge of the place names of the times... towns/villages /stations and the roads and travel routes of the times. Weigh carefully accounts of states of origin. The key area that has a wealth of info is Va and present day W VA