Doing research on a family tree has gotten much easier in recent years, thanks to the Internet. But all the ancestry databases in the world can’t take the place of real people who are there to help every step of the way. I have received assistance from distant cousins I never knew existed before I began this journey into my family’s past, and from complete strangers who simply enjoy helping others with genealogy research.
I hesitated to create a list of people to thank, since I know I’ll forget to include someone’s name. But accidentally slighting one or two people is preferable to missing this opportunity to thank all the others.
So, thanks to …
John N. Cox, whose photographs of the Bigham gravestones in and around Mecklenburg County, NC, really lit a fire under my desire to learn more about my Bigham family roots. His Flickr collection of more than 70 photos of grave markers attributed to the Bigham workshop include several members of my branch of the tree. He also provided valuable information on the Scotch-Irish in the area, as well as the geography of the Piedmont area.
The members of the ancestry.com message board for Hopkins County, Texas, particularly “Marion” and “HL” who helped me break through the brick wall I encountered trying to get past my great-great-grandfather Franklin Monroe Bigham.
Ray and Patricia, volunteers on the “ROAGK” (Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness) website. Both went out of their way to help me locate obituaries and other information on one of my grandparents. ROAGK is a great resource for anyone needing local lookups, etc., and I urge all those involved in genealogy to volunteer when possible. Helping each other is not only a great opportunity to learn, but is a way “pay it forward.”
Knox Bigham, and daughter Lucy, who provided a wealth of information on the family, particularly about Hugh Braly. Knox is already well-known to many Bigham family historians, who are greatly indebted to him for his help through the years.
Joe Bigham, who is a descendent of Rufus Bigham, the brother of my great-great-grandfather Leonidas Bigham. The information he provided was full of new details that give an “up close and personal” look at many family members. Powerful stuff!
Brett., whose ancestral line runs through Jane Virginia Bigham (William’s daughter and Hugh Braly’s half sister). He’s just about convinced me that William’s father was William, Sr. instead of Andrew. I’ll have to mull over his information a bit longer before I decide. But he sent a ton of other fascinating material, including a detailed DNA chart.
Becky, who shared with me a very plausible story about why some of the Bighams reverted to the former spelling of the name (Bingham), as well as other interesting info.
Many more to come …
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I am a descendant of James Bigham b. 1719 NI, d. Mecklenburg, NC 1790, and have been researching the various branches of the Bigham family and the origins of the surname for 10 plus years…my family used both the Bigham and Bingham spellings starting in the late 1800′s…
Argh! I know they had their reasons, but it sure makes it confusing for us doesn’t it!
Barbara,
Thank you for the shout out. It is very much appreciated. Those Bigham family tombstones are a real treasure of early American folk art.
John,
Your photographs are gorgeous, and so appreciated by those of us who have not seen the Bigham handiwork, personally. Kudos, Barb, for making it more likely for all us Bigham’s to see them. Along that line, the Univ of North Carolina Press recently approved publication of a book regarding the Bighams’ stone -carving skills, which Your Bighams brought from Scotland to Ireland to PA to the Carolina Piedmont. Should be a wonderful read.
Wow … that’s great new about the book. We’ve all waited years for it to be published.