Editor's Notes, Preconceptions

EDITOR’S NOTES PRECONCEPTIONS T he Salem German Reformed burials abstracted in this issue remind me of how often our preconceptions may lead us to overlook the very records that we seek. We search for records of birth and parentage in the time period in which an ancestor was born; we search for records of spouses when our ancestors married; we search for records of immigration concurrent with arrival or naturalization; we search for records of death at the end of an ancestor’s life; we search for information about our ancestors’ lives in the specific records that name our ancestors. These records of burial highlight how short-sighted that can be. Most of these records state an age at death, usually in specific days, months, and years, hence providing a calculated birth date. One of the burials provides the maiden name and parents’ names for a woman in her sixties. Forty-two of the entries provide information about European origins. Because many of our ancestors settled near friends from the old country, these locations may offer clues about the origins of others in the church. There is also information in studying the records in aggregate. One third of the burials are for children who had not yet reached their second birthday. In all, half of those buried had not reached their majority. Imagine how often sorrow visited these families. On the other hand, one tenth of the deceased had survived past our modern retirement age of 65, with 12 of them living into their eighties. THANK YOU At the beginning of the second volume under my editorship, I’d like to take a moment to thank those who helped with the first volume, especially those not mentioned in specific acknowledgments. Sandra M. Hewlett, CGRS, proofread every word. Members of the Publications Committee, especially James M. Beidler; Annette Kunselman Burgert, FASG, FGSP; Jane Adams Clarke, FGSP; Kay Haviland Freilich, CG, CGL; and Jefferson M. Moak reviewed individual articles. Patricia Law Hatcher, CG, FASG 6 Final copy 31 January, 2010 Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine Vol. 43 (2003)