MVHS: Honea-Worley Scholarship

space holder

General Instructions Honea-Worley Family History Award for Scholarship The final work product II. Family Hisotry Chapters to include Your family history will contain five chapters plus an appendix as described in this section. It should be neatly written or typed.
   Chapter 1
        Introduction to your family, placing it in its geographic location and community environs.
   Chapter 2
        Generation One
   Chapter 3
        Generation Two
   Chapter 4
        Generation Three
   Chapter 5
        Generation Four
   Appendix
        Exhibits: photocopies of legal documents (birth, marriage, and death certificates; deeds; wills; etc.) used in your family history; and copies of your family group sheets and pedigree charts. Inclusion of family photographs are optional (do not submit originals, use copies or scanned images). Documention Your family history should contain documentation (e.g. source citations) in the form of footnotes or endnotes. This is very similar to the term paper requirements you follow for your regular classes at Pickens High School.

However, in researching your family history you will probably use sources that are quite different from your regular studies at Pickens High.The following is an excellant source of samples of documentation techniques (footnotes and bibliographic fromats).

Evidence! Citation & Analysis for the Family Historian b y Elizabeth Shown Mills
[Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997]

Evidence! is available for use in the reference section of the Pickens County High School Library and the Pickens County Library in Jasper. Biographical Material We do not want to forget that a family's history is more than just names, dates, and places. In the "biographical material" for each couple be sure to include such things as occupations, historical events (military, economical, political, etc.) that may have affected their lives. Family traditons also play an important part in your family's story and should be included. Charts and Forms The two basic forms used to record genealogical information are 1) the pedigree chart (sometimes called ancestor chart) and 2) family group sheets. These forms help us keep tract of vital statistics (birth, marriage, and death dates and places) while collecting data. Obviously, before you start to write your family history, you need to do research in order to collect information on the family. A sample pedigree chart and family group sheet are contained within. A blank pedigree chart and eight sets of blank family group sheets (a separate family group sheet is used for each couple) are at the back of this packet for your use. Begin your search by gathering all the family records you have in your home. contact family members and relatives to see what they have. Record all the information and family stories that have been passed on to you by word of mouth. After you have done the home search, you can reach out to try and find legal government documents, church records, tombstones, etc. to help fill in some of the blanks. You will find a list of various record types and a chart of what you might find in those records later on in this packet. A research calendar will help you keep track of what records you have looked at. Record each item even if it has not been particularly helpful. Compilation: Writing Your Family History The Format Your family history should be written in the form of an ascending genealogy. It is suggested that you use the Sosa-Stradonitz or Ahnentafel system which will be based on the construction of your four generation pedigree chart (beginning with one of your parents or other individual born prior to 1960) and family group sheets (one for each of the families). This initial research will give you an outline of your ancestry from which you will compile your story. You may go to a sample "stripped down" ascending genealogy (family history) that has been designed using the Sosa-Stradonitz or Ahnentafel system. Please use the sample as a study guide when you write your family history after you have complited your research. Although this sample is restricted by being striped down (lack of biographical material), the format and endnotes can be used as a format guide for your family history. What is the Sosa–Stradonitz System? The Sosa–Stradonitz System (also called Ahnentafel System) is a method of logically compiling an ascending genealogy or family history which starts with the most recent individual as Number 1 (in this contest, No. 1 will be one of your parents), the father becomes twice the child's number; the mother, twice the child's number plus one. The individual numbered 1 can be either male or female, but after that, an even number will always be assigned to a male and an odd number assigned to a female. Generally each generation is covered in a separate section or chapter of the genealogy. Biographical Suggestions: Some items which you may wish to include in your biographies are schooling, military service, occupations, how the spouses came to know each other, special family celebrations, holiday traditions, hardships, tragedies, and various residences.

Each family's biography should be in paragraph(s) and inserted within the text where "[Biographical material on this couple]" appears in the sample family history—Ancestors of Oscar Herman Woodward.

At the end of the couple's biography, list all known children in birth order (the oldest child first). These children will be given lowercase Roman numerals. Identify a child who is your direct ancestor with his ahnentafel number to the left of that Roman numeral. Each child's name is followed by his or her biographical material (as much as you want to include).

It is strongly suggested that you write the biographical material of each family chronologically. Footnotes or Endnotes All statements of facts, particular vital statistics for each individual, should be documented (as in a term paper). Be sure to include the source citation(s) for every fact! Within this packet you will find two pages of sample endnotes (or footnotes) for you to follow when documenting your sources.

Some of the endnotes for the "Ancestors of Oscar Herman Woodward" have not been printed, although their number (in superscript) appears within the text. Many have not been printed as part of the sample in order to limit space. Be sure to see Evidence! Citation & Analysis for the Family Historian by Elizabeth Shown Mills in the Pickens High School Library and at the Pickens County Library. Appendix or Back Matter At the back of your family story be sure to include the following:

Copies of original documents used for this project (that is birth, marriage, or death records, wills, census records, etc.

Pedigree chart

Family group sheet for each family you have included in your history Photographs Editing Edit your writing and format (including your numbering system and documentation) before submitting your final family history. The paper should be typed or neatly printed. Charts and photographs may be included, but are optional. Deadline Your family history entry must be left with the Senior Counselor at Pickens County High School at the beginning of the last school day in April of your senior year. A team of judges will review all family histories which have been submitted and determine 1st and 2nd places for the two cash awards. It is strongly suggested that you make a copy of your work before submitting it to the committee. You submission will be placed in the Georgia Room at the Pickens County Library.

It is important to remember that your work will be judged on the quality of your work and not the quantity of material which you submit!