This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Fedrick, Fedric, Frederick, Fredericks, Fredrick Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/Jg.2ADI/1423 Message Board Post: Dear Frederick Families: In conducting my Frederick research I have learned that many families with the Frederick surname (with some variations in spelling) live in many states other than my area of focus, which is North Carolina. I also see that we use various message boards to post our requests for help in finding our ancestors. While this sometimes produces information and leads to great contacts, it is not very efficient. My results have been disappointing, even though I have met some very wonderful people. I believe that many with the Frederick surname (here used generically to cover all spellings) have common ancestors. What we probably will find are several (possibly many) Frederick family ancestral lines, some connected and some very separate. Some will find their ancestors are German, some English, some Scots-Irish, some French, and some from other countries. We all will find, however, family that we did not know existed. Even within a given state I see separate concentrations of Frederick families with no obvious connection. I will give you an example from my own research. I am focusing on Person County, North Carolina, the home of my father’s family. Less than 100 miles away in Duplin County, North Carolina is a very large concentration of a very distinguished Frederick family. I have found no connection between the two Frederick families or any evidence that there is no connection. That bothers me. Also, from my own research I have learned that in the early/mid 1800’s many Frederick families moved from Person County, North Carolina, to Missouri and Kentucky. Some also went to Illinois. I want to find these people, learn about them and the history of their family in their adopted states, see their pictures, and attend their reunions. However, I am having little luck in making connections. I see the Frederick name in Washington, California, Texas, Alabama, Ohio, and on and on. My research also revealed a concentration of Frederick families in eastern Pennsylvania in the 1700’s. Many of us undoubtedly are descended from these early Pennsylvania families. Accordingly, I suggest that we combine our efforts in a manner that will further each of our individual research efforts but that also will create a body of Frederick research available for all to use. I envision a national program that will bring some order and structure to our individual efforts. I am open to suggestions, but to get the ball rolling I propose that we have one or more Frederick Heritage coordinators from each state with a large enough Frederick presence to make the effort worthwhile. We would select a central coordinator (or coordinators) to organize the effort and make sure that it remained focused. While I am surely not the most qualified person to act as that central coordinator, I gladly will take on that responsibility initially until we find someone with a better skill set than mine. I envision a web site that will remain narrowly focused on Frederick genealogical research. While we eventually may want other web sites or message boards that are more personable in nature (recognizing anniversaries, birthdays, etc.), that would not be part of this Frederick Heritage site. It would be more limited in scope. The focus would be discovering and sharing genealogical research and materials related to the Frederick and closely allied surnames. While I do not want to imply that it would be purely academic in nature, my vision is that it have a very narrow scope. If such an effort has already been undertaken or is ongoing, please let me know. I have no desire to re-invent any wheels and gladly would add my support to any effort that is underway. However, if there is no such effort and any of my Frederick “cousins” believe what I have outlined has merit, please email me. If you are willing to act as a coordinator for your state, please let me know. If you have ideas about the computer aspects of the web site, please share them. If you are the administrator of this Frederick message board, please contact me with your input. I envision there being less bureaucracy and more fun, but we must keep our eye on the ball, which is to learn about our Frederick heritage and to discover our ancestors. I realize that what I have proposed is very general. That is why your input is so critical. It will be our program,and it will take our ideas to make it have any value. Please send me your thoughts. Warmest personal regards. Richmond Stanfield Frederick, Jr. Note to Board Administrators: I am posting similar messages on several surname and county message boards to obtain the widest distribution possible. Hopefully, I have not entered any duplicate messages. As I am an administrator myself on several boards, I am sensitive to spamming message boards.