I'm seeking to respond to Bill Davenport without trying to argue. I don't think anyone's mind may not be beset by doubt on the question about various West Virginia Hamricks or, in our case, about Gregorys or Dodrills. One of the great ironies of the intensive and extensive research is that none of us has proof of the parents of the patriarchs, Patrick Hamrick, Col. Isaac Greogry or English Bill Dodrill. I appreciate your own message because I agree that consensus doesn't mean correctness. (In West Virginia, it was until recently an article of faith that Benjamin Hamrick was a scout for Washington from Valley Forge to Yorktown, and it was repeated by relatives. But it was only partially true). People like Mills Bridges, Steve Bridges, Tressie Neely, J.R. McKinney and Allen Hamrick, are greater authorities on North Carolina Hamricks and Hamricks in general than me, a descendant from West Virginia. What I understand the problem to be is that they can, in fact, trace documents through to many of the North Carolina Hamricks. If I'm wrong about this, I stand to be corrected. I do not think any of them � or most of the rest of us � would be adverse to reading a document that would show the facts and, as best as I know, there has never been a document linking Patrick or "German George" with any location in Europe. We have some documentation on sons of Patrick born before Hans Jerg came to America in 1731. So it is difficult to trace those people to Hans Jerg. But it may not be that difficult to trace others. I for one have maintained the view that the Hans Jerg crew had to have descendants too. One of the questions that does get too little attention: What were the links to the Harmick immigrants who arrived in 1731? Where are they? Who are they? What were the origins, even various origins, of Hamricks in Europe? I have noted that there are Hamricks in Dublin; there are Hamricks in Hamburg; and there are Hamriks in Holland. It is gospel with Charles Hamrick that the family originated in Holland. Mayme Hamrick wrote in 1938 it was England. So we have miles to go before we sleep. Are we not talking about a quest for information? Are we not talking about pursuing different paths? Blind acceptance is acquiescence to dogma, and it is Public Enemy Number One of the truth. I think debate about detail is a part of the process. I say something. You challenge it. If you are correct, I learn something. If you are not, you learn something. I've noticed on various lists I'm on that someone posts something and someone else takes it personally. Sometimes it even is posted initially in a way that is personal. I think we all need to relax more and enjoy the hunt � the quest for the truth. When a connection becomes provably true, we can have the smug satisfaction that we helped get there by insistence on the truth and refusing to be diverted from the goal. I for one have no quarrel with North Carolina Hamricks. There are too darn many of them anyway. I thought at one time it was impossible for there to be more Hamricks than there were in Webster County, WV; Rimfire Hamrick claimed 4,000 relatives in the county in his lifetime. Then I saw a list of the Hamricks in Shelby, NC, and I had to acknowledge they had us beat. If the North Carolina and West Virginia Hamricks ever went to war, they'd have to have divisions or legions. Thanks for listening to my latest sermon. Someimes even I wish I were more reverent than irreverent. dhamrick@neo.rr.com Dan Hamrick 402 23rd Street NW Canton OH 44709 Phone and fax: 330-454-2376 ---------- >From: Bill Davenport <davenport@brooksdata.net> >To: HAMRICK-L@rootsweb.com >Subject: [HAMRICK-L] Our German ancestors >Date: Fri, Dec 3, 1999, 10:41 AM > >Good morning > >Until 6 months ago I was unaware of Hamrick kinship. As I began looking >into the Hamrick geneaolgy, I became aware of the Patrick controversy. >Four years of postings to RootsWeb reveal much about the matter. >Lately, it seems that those who disagree with the Patrick Hamrick theory >have been intimidated into silence and that's a pity. Consensus does >not necessarily mean correctness. >After considering available information, I'd like to say that I believe >my North Carolina Hamrick ancestors originated in Germany...not Ireland. >Many people today believe that our ability to operate autos, VCRs, >computers and the like is an example of our superior intelligence over >our ancestors. We should understand, however, that our ancestors >inability to read and write had nothing to do with a lack of mental >acuity. >As a septuagenarian, I can recall, as a child, talking to elderly folks >who were born in the 1830s and 1840s. One of my great grandmothers who >was born in 1840 and died in 1933 could neither read nor write. She >did, however know the names of her grandparents, and great >grandparents. > >Her knowledge of her ancestors makes me believe that our Hamricks in >Rutherford and Cleveland counties also knew who their ancestors were. > >Consider this---if I, as a 70s something person alive today, talked to >people who were born 150 years ago, then our kin who were alive in the >early 1900s must have spoken to their kin who were born in the mid >1700s. (Are you with me?) > >I don't believe SC Jones grabbed names out of thin air to put in his >book. I believe he got those names from older people who knew what they >were talking about. > >It has been pointed out before but needs repeating that if our common >ancestor was a Patrick rather than George, why are there so many George >Hamricks and so few Patricks? Every other Southern family repeated >given names over and over and over through the years. Why would >descendants of a Patrick Hamrick not also do so? The descendants of >George Hamrick certainly did. > >Bill Davenport >