Book Reviews

Book Reviews The Surnames of Wales. By John and Sheila Rowlands. Genealogical Publish¬ ing Go., Baltimore, 1996. 209 pp., paper, appendices, maps, glossary, notes, index, $19.95 plus $3,50 shipping. Experienced genealogists Sheila and John Rowlands have produced a skillful study describing the development of surnames within their country from the early 1800s down to modern times. Based upon many years of research and their teaching of university courses on the subject, their book notes the local characteristics of Welsh surnames often ignored in general works in this field. Written from the viewpoint of family history and with the needs of family historians much in mind, their work will prove to be of broader value by “illustrating] that family historians can make a positive contribution on a wider historical front.” The book’s purpose is to provide the reader with detailed insight into the origins and occurrences of the more common surnames within Wales with equal emphasis upon those found throughout the country and those rarer ones found only in specific localities. The Rowlands build their book around a survey of more than 270,000 surnames found in all Welsh parish registers for the period 1813-1837. The intent of the survey was to identify all names from these sources in the eighty-nine administrative units called “hundreds” in each of the nation’s thirteen counties. The authors selected this survey period because surnames had become the norm throughout the country by that time. The ancient patronymic naming system (which brought a constant reproduction of a small pool of names) had evolved into surnames. The use of the prefix “ap” to denote “son of,” with each generation divided by those lower case letters, gradually disappeared in favor of the more modern nomenclature. “Laurence ap Llewelyn” became “Laurence Uewelin,” for example; or “Griffith ap How¬ ell” could turn into either “Griffith Howell” or “Griffith Howells.” Certain truths soon emerged from the survey, A combination of ancient pedigrees and more recent family records revealed a lack of surname variety. 81 82 The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine In England, for instance, a person's sixteen great-great grandparents might well have different surnames; this condition would be unlikely in Wales. Jones is by far the most common surname in Wales, followed by Williams, Davies, Thomas, and Edwards— with Roberts, Rees, Price, David, and Hopkins rounding out the top ten. A 1994 ranking proved virtually the same as the names so listed in the early nineteenth century. There were and are regional difference in the incidence of certain names.Jones is common in north Wales, but Davies is prominent in south Wales. The book boasts nearly forty maps of the whole country showing the distribution and occurrence of many surnames by historical counties in the early nineteenth century. Interestingly enough, these counties existed as such up to 1974. In addition to these survey maps, the reader will find and benefit from an extensive alphabetical glossary of some 260 surnames that comprise the bulk of the book. Names from “Ace” to “Young” appear with accompanying short historical and linguistic paragraphs for each. In many cases there is also indication of earlier work on these families. The whole effort is flavored with the mystique of Welsh place names such as “Aberystwyth” (a town on Cardigan Bay) and “Isgwyrtai” (a division of Caernarfonshire), They enhance the insights into the cultural and religious background of different parts of Wales that emerge from this study of surnames and the context within which these ancestors lived. John A. Baird, Jr. The Braddock Expedition and Fox's Gap in Maryland. By Curtis L. Older. Family Line Publications, Westminster, MD, 1995. 275 pp., paper, appendices, illus., maps, index. $20.00 plus $2.50 shipping ($4.50 for UPS). The author of this informative new book seeks to rescue and record the historical significance of a section of Western Maryland marked by a mountain pass called Fox’s Gap and old Sharpsburg Road which runs through it. He also combines geography with genealogy as he documents the life of Frederick Fox (1751-1837) and his family long identified with this locale. Curtis Older emphasizes the importance of roads to Colonial settlers as they pushed westward to the frontier and struggled toward national unity. He records the dramatic events of the ill-fated 1755 Braddock Expedition Book Reviews 83 against Fort Duquesne on the Monongahela River near what is now Pitts¬ burgh. The reader learns that the famous British general chose the Sharpsburg Road as part of the wagon trail from Philadelphia to Winchester, Virginia, and the West because it facilitated the movement of military supplies by German wagon owners and drivers who were willing to work in Maryland but who did not wish to cross the Potomac into Virginia. Organization of the book into four chapters helps the author accomplish his purpose as he separately treats in detail preparation for the Braddock Expedition, the mission itself, documentation of the road through Fox’s Gap, and the route taken by Colonel Dunbar’s regiment in the march from Frederick Town to Conococheague. An “Afterward” reveals that the area enjoyed a reprise of historical importance a century later through the Civil War battles of South Mountain and Antietam fought there in 1862 shortly before President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, Near the end of the book, a “Biographical Listing” offers brief sketches of the principal figures mentioned, including members of the Fox family, Horatio Gates, and George Washington, who served as Braddock’s second in command. There are many quotations from and references to a wealth of journals, letters, maps, and land records that authenticate the circumstances of those events long ago. Their very number cannot help but impress the casual reader, the Colonial history enthusiast, and/or those interested in geneal¬ ogy* The quality and location of some maps, however, leave something to be desired. The first map, drawn in 1755, for example, is virtually illegible in places. The back-to-back Maryland Department of Transportation map of 1995 also disappoints. It shows modern highways, including the interstate, but does not clearly define the Old Sharpsburg Road nor Fox’s Gap, the author’s two principal points of interest. Moving beyond such specifics this reviewer thoroughly enjoyed this account, as it places the immediacy of featured events in proper perspective, Despite Braddock’s failure, the determined efforts of other brave men met the challenge of the French and their Indian allies and won most of the North American continent for the British. “George Washington,” the author declares, “never forgot the road he travelled with Braddock from Frederick Town to Swearingen’s Ferry.” John A. Baird, Jr. 84 The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine Poor Children to be Educated at County Expense, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, 1810-1846. By Judith A. H. Meier. Historical Society of Montgomery County, Norristown, PA, 1992. ii plus 262 pp., paper, spiral bound. $30.00 plus $3.00 shipping (Pennsylvania residents add 6% sales tax). Order from the Society at 1654 DeKalb St., Norristown, PA 19401-5415. Where can a genealogist find the age and parent of a child born prior to the 1850 census? The Pennsylvania State Legislature of 1809 passed a law that required the local township, which was already responsible for taking care of the poor within its borders, to pay for the education of children whose parents could not pay. This law created records on the local level which provide the names of poor school children, their ages, and the names of their parents or guardians— most of the time. During the first years only a few are listed for each municipality, but by the late 1820s the lists included many more names. Each county and city in Pennsylvania carried out the terms of this law until the Common School Law was passed in 1834. This new law created a public school system that was gradually accepted and enforced by most local municipalities, but some in Montgomery County did not comply until 1853. Montgomery County, like many other counties, has abstracted and published the poor school children’s name and data from the tax lists. Poor Children to be Educated at County Expense, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, 1810-1846 is a wonderful source for children’s names and ages, and names of parents or guardians. Barton B. Proger has provided a clearly written “Overview to the Pennsylvania Poor Laws and their impact on education” which includes information about “Acts for this Relief of the Poor,” and “Educational Laws.” This information is a bonus for genealogists who will benefit by understanding the types of laws and records they produced. Valuable genealogical information generated from the Commonwealth’s efforts to help the poor— from the Colonial era to the present— may be found in various court records, The Poor Children lists are arranged chronologically in sections organ¬ ized alphabetically by name of township. Consulting these records is a good way to find your family information— if you can identify their township of residence. Because this book contains no index, a search can be very time-consuming when a location is unknown. Frances Wise Waite Editor's Note: The article, *County of Philadelphia: School Children Enumerations, ” currently featured in PGM, is based on records created by the lam described here, Book Reviews 85 German Immigrants: Lists of Passengers Bound from Bremen to New York, 1868-1871, with Places of Origin. By Marion Wolfert. Genealogical Publishing Co., Baltimore, 1993. 198 pp., cloth, $25.00 plus $3.50 shipping. The port of Bremen was a starting point for many immigrants to America, and the Bremen passenger lists were the only sources of informa¬ tion that provided the place of origin for many of the passengers. Records were kept beginning in 1831. Unfortunately, due to the lack of storage facilities, the lists from 1832 to 1872 were destroyed in 1874. Thereafter the lists were shredded every two years until 1907, when the decision was made to keep all the original lists. This storehouse of information was completely lost when the Statistical Land Office was destroyed in 1944. This particular book is an index of passengers whose records show a specific place of origin in Germany, but only about twenty-one percent of the immigrants fall into this group. The vast majority simply listed “Ger¬ many” as their place of origin. The current information was reconstructed from American sources, specifically Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York (National Archives Microfilm Publication M237). Earlier volumes cover 1847-1867. It must be remembered that many names were Anglicized or misspelled by the immigrant, so variant spellings should be considered. Mistakes in copying, as well as difficulties encountered in the computerization process, make it necessary to compare all entries with the originals. The detailed explanation of the text and how to use it is most helpful. The book includes a list of abbreviations of place names, ages for infants, and given names, along with a reference list of the ship’s arrival date and the corresponding film number. When searching for an immigrant’s ancestral town, anyone doing Ger¬ man research would do well to utilize this book and the three previously published volumes. Jeanne Pontarelli 86 The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine Books in Brief* Reviewed by Jeanne Pontarelli Abstracts of Berks County Wills, 1785-1800. By Jacob Martin and John P. Smith, abstracters. Family Line Publications, Westminster, MD, 1996. 237 pp., paper, index. $19.50 plus $2.50 shipping ($4.50 for UPS). In the late 1800s, the combined efforts of Jacob Martin of Chester County andJohn P. Smith, deputy register of Berks County, produced these abstracts. Martin transcribed the wills written in English, while Smith translated those written in German. Administrations are also included and the entries from January through March 1792 provide names of soldiers and the units in which they served. Until 1850, German-speaking people were permitted to write their wills in German, It is hard enough for a genealogist to examine and translate everyday German, but some wills were written in a dialect, making transla¬ tions understandable only in a literal context. We must be grateful to Mr. Smith for this monumental undertaking. Wills of Chester County, Pennsylvania. Volume 3: 1766-1788. Based on the abstracts of Jacob Martin, and indexed by Gilbert Cope, Family Line Publications, Westminster, MD, 1995. 160 pp., paper, index. $13.00 plus $2.50 shipping ($4.50 for UPS). These will abstracts include every name mentioned in the will, along with the dates the will was written and proved. Basic information on administration records, along with date gathered by Martin from deeds and other court records are also included. The abstracts have been checked against the originals and appear to be accurate. Some minor corrections have been noted. *Editor's Note: These volumes can be very helpful to the genealogist’s initial search for an ancestor’s records; however, the reader is cautioned that the possibility of errors or omissions exists whenever abstracted and/or transcribed records are used. If at all possible, the original or a microfilm copy of the original should be examined. Many of the records included in this “ Books in Brief ’ section have been microfilmed and are available through the Family History Library system. Book Reviews 87 Jewish Cemeteries of the Delmarva Peninsula. ByJulian H. Preisler. Family Line Publications, Westminster, MD, 1995. 123 pp., paper, photos, index, $11.00 plus $2.50 shipping ($4.50 for UPS). While many volumes of cemetery records have been published, few if any deal with Jewish cemeteries. This book is a start in filling that void. Each entry provides for name, date of birth if known, date of death, and age at death. Not all entries are complete due to the absence of many early funeral and cemetery records, the existence of unmarked graves, missing tomb¬ stones, and similar problems that plague all records. In addition to reviewing cemetery and funeral home records, the author visited each cemetery. Interments as late as 1995 are listed. Despite the title, only one of the cemeteries presented— Beth Israel in Salisbury, Maryland— is on the Delmarva Peninsula. Three others are in Wilmington, and one is in Dover, Delaware. - Trinity Lutheran Church Records, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Volume 2, 1767 1782. Translated and edited by Debra D. Smith and Frederick S. Weiser. Clossen Press, Appolo, PA, 1995. 578 pp., cloth, appendix, illus,, index, acid-free paper. $39.95 plus $4.00 shipping. The editors of this book have again done genealogists a tremendous service by translating the records of Trinity Lutheran Church. As with Volume 1 (1988), the editors have included baptisms, burials, marriages, confirmands, and communicants. Some Mennonite and a few Presbyterian marriages also appear. The Lutheran ministers were more readily available for the services required than those of other religions. Each minister recorded more than just names and dates; the cause of death, occupations, and relationships were mentioned. The recordings of the pastors give one a feeling for the living conditions of the time. For example, in the winter of 1771-72 there apparently was an epidemic of smallpox that took the lives of many people— children as well as adults. During the Revolution, a prison camp for British soldiers was located in Lancaster County. Some of the marriage entries give the names of British soldiers who married local women, or the women who accompanied the prisoners. The introduction is an essential part of this book. The editors have composed an excellent historical, religious, and social background of life in the county during this time period. There are gaps in the records from August 1775 to April 1779, probably because few marriages and burials 88 The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine were recorded then. This omission must be expected given the fragility of old records and the Revolutionary War in progress at the time. Marriages and Deaths of Cumberland County, 1821-1830. Compiled by F. Edward Wright. Family Line Publications) Westminster, MD, 1991. 151 pp., paper, index. $10.00 plus $2*50 shipping ($4.50 for UPS). Working with newspapers and church records in both Cumberland County and the Library of Congress, the compiler has combined these sources to produce a very useful volume. Many of the entries contain information about persons living outside the county. The occupation or county of origin is often mentioned. Many entries have names gathered from both newspaper articles and church records— and both sources are abstracted and indexed, giving the researcher an additional place to look. Discrepancies in the information from different sources has been noted. The index also shows ties that Cumberland County residents had to other states. There are eleven entries for Ohio, each showing where a former resident lived or was living at the time of the event. Early Church Records of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. Compiled by F. Edward Wright. Family Line Publications, Westminster, MD, 1995. xiii plus 140 pp., paper, index. $12.00 plus $2.50 shipping ($4,50 for UPS). Records abstracted for this volume are from the Dauphin County’s Lutheran and Reformed church histories, and information about the pastor is also included. A brief history of Dauphin County, map of the townships, and additional sources for further information complete this book, Abstracts of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Wills, 1732-1785, Compiled by F. Edward Wright. Family Line Publications, Westminster, MD, 1995. m plus 327 pp., paper, index. $26.00 plus $2.50 shipping ($4.50 for UPS). # *■ Abstracts of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, wills, 1786-1820, Compiled by F. Edward Wright. Family Line Publications, Westminster, MD, 1995. 337 pp,, paper, index. $27.00 plus $2,50 shipping ($4.50 for UPS). In the early 1900s, volunteers from the Genealogical Society of Pennsyl¬ vania compiled these abstracts of early Lancaster county wills. These Book Reviews 89 volumes provide an excellent method for finding people because every person mentioned in the will is indexed. While the abstracts include relationships when provided in the will, they do not identify different locations. The abstracts cover wills only; no information about administrations is included. Reviewed by John A. Baird, Jr. The Aderhold/t Collection: The Life and Descendants of the German American Patriot, Frederick William Aderhold/t (1748, Germany-1807, North Caro¬ lina ). By William Bailey Cash. Privately printed, Denver, CO, 1997. Four volumes, three books, 1,823 pp., cloth, appendices, illus., indexes. $89.50 plus $8.50 shipping. In size, scope, and mass (yes, the three tomes weigh eight pounds) this genealogy and family history embraces thousands of descendants of the German immigrant who came to Yorktown, Pennsylvania, ca. 1774. The original ancestor became an immediate patriot as a member of the local militia in the Revolutionary War. The elder Aderhold/1 owned and operated inns in Yorktown until he moved to Lincoln County, North Carolina, in the later 1780s. He and his wife, Maria Elizabeth Johanetta Isheim-Aderhold/t, had three sons:John Conrad (1768-1853);John George (1773-1838); and Jacob (1775-1853), The author, a retired aerospace engineer, is a direct descendant of the second son. Hundreds of photographs, documents, letters, wills, and miscellaneous records comprise the lengthy appendices which outnumber the pages of text by a factor of four to one. The author took fifteen years to assemble this treasury, which he believes “will enable the reader to share such feelings of family connection never known nor experienced before,” This mega effort, however, results in less than salutary harvest. The exhibits include illegible writing, indecipherable records, and indistinct pictures— all the result of poor quality reproduction. Then, too, the author sprinkles speculation with established fact as he admits “some Aderhold/t families are connected only in theory.”