About
Some of you are familiar with my web site GrowinTree. You may have also seen GrowinTree around in genealogy forums and such. It has been around in some form or another since the 1990s. My first website was just trying to get information out there. Unfortunately, I started seeing my first initial mistakes and incomplete research used word for word by others, some of which remains intact today and serves only to confuse new researchers. I admit I got frustrated by this and by those who only wished to profit from their heritage, or supposed heritage. Eventually, I decided to revamp GrowinTree and redo my research.
You see, I have always been about facts, data, and proof of who my ancestors were. I’m a stickler for details. Though in the beginning of my research I did not fully understand the importance of documenting the details nor did I understand the mistakes or flaws, if you will, that exist in our history including our official records.
I feel I have grown into a more mature researcher after almost three decades of learning about my ancestors. In years past, I took other researchers at their word that they had done everything necessary to prove their findings and maybe they did do everything they knew. However, this proved to be a mistake for me in so many ways.
First, others may not have the same research standards I now use in documenting my family history. I gather information from records, books, cemeteries, family and other researchers, document where that information came from and what sources they may have used, search for the official government documents to support my research, and trace out in timeline fashion my ancestors lives. It is unbelievable how much timelines help.
Second, others may not actually pay attention to their own findings. More than one researcher has said that someone was the parent of someone else when it was biologically impossible or accidentally mixed up dates or other information.
Third, it is hard to argue with documented proof. Just because Great Aunt Sally said that Uncle James was never married does not mean he was never married.
Now I use other’s research as a guide to get past stumbling blocks. Sometimes it helps find that elusive ancestor. Other times it takes you down the wrong road and you have to know when it is time to turn around.
The goal of GrowinTree is to share my research with the world. You should know I do not research for others though I may be able to help if you suspect a connection to my ancestors. I do research the people who marry into my families and you will find their information here also.
As with most everyone who has a life, my time is limited with work, family, and life in general. I do not research as often as I would like nor am I always timely in responding to emails, letters, or other methods of contact. It’s not that I don’t want to; I just really have such little time I have to use it wisely.
I hope you will find GrowinTree’s Genealogy a useful resource in discovering your own family history. If you can make a connection to the families posted on this site, I would love to ‘meet’ you, add your information to help tell the stories of our families, and help other researchers who are looking for their ancestors and writing their own family histories.
Good luck and happy hunting!
a.k.a GrowinTree