A family bible may be one of the most used references for starting to build your family tree. What a lucky person you are if your family bible was passed down to you intact!
In previous generations family bibles were used to record vital dates and events of record in a family. They were also used to “prove” some family events in trying to secure benefits like military pensions. The family bible, especially a recently discovered one, might provide hints to “unknown” or “missing” ancestors, fill in gaps on dates, provide new information such as locations, churches, or maiden names.
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Usually Protestants had bibles making them extremely valuable genealogical records. But, because an event is recorded in a family bible does not make it the “gospel truth,” so we must evaluate and analyze the bible entries.
Sometimes we are not so lucky to have a complete family bible. Although many families have lost their family bibles to the generations, if we take some time and look in that box that came from “Aunt Matilde” during an estate clean out we just may find a page or two that was torn from the old family bible. Such was my case regarding this artifact that I came upon while searching through some old family photographs
At the bottom of the box was a tattered, age-yellowed, and torn page that was entitled, “Family Records.” One side of the page had the heading of “Marriages” while the other side’s heading was “Births.” The Marriage page included some of my known ancestors’ names from my maternal side of my family. However, I had to spend a good amount of time in translating the written text as many people did not progress past the 4th grade in the 18th and 19th century, especially in agricultural communities.
Their handwriting skills were stunted, and their spelling was atrocious! But they still endeavored to record important dates and celebrations for their descendants.
In the first photograph of the Marriages page from one of my ancestors’ family bibles I found the recorded date of marriage and names of my maternal 3X great-grandfather and grandmother. You will notice that there are at least two entries, possibly three, written in the same hand. All the entries seem to be written with a fountain pen. The first entry reads, “Joseph C Goble Married Wife Catherine M Weaver January the 29th 1835.” That entry was much easier to read and transcribe than the next one that reads, “Lewis Goble married Marta M Beam August the 18 1866.” Finally, the last entry on this page reads, “Joseph (L?) Goble borned January 12 1868 in Provendence (Providence) Lackawanna Co Pa.” Obviously this last entry is not a recorded marriage date but a recorded birth date. Along with the family records of marriages and births are some mathematical equations that were written in pencil that may be calculations of ancestors’ ages or lengths of marriages.
The other side of this page is more difficult to read as the ink has faded and bled through in some places onto the Marriages side of the page. The first entry on the Births page reads, “Catherine M Goble was in Exeter Township born January the 26th 1816.” The next entry reads, “Angeline Goble was born in Northmoreland Town March the 4th 1836.” Next, “Fany Jane Goble was born in Northmoreland Town March the 20th 1838.” The last full entry of a birth on this page reads, “Laury Goble was born In Northmoreland September the 19th 1842.”
I only wish that the bible in its entirety had survived the generations. Yet, these few pages are a treasure to me.
Recently I was gifted a family bible from my paternal side of the family. I came in possession of it through a distant cousin that I discovered and contacted through ancestry.com. I began communicating with my cousin when I was searching for information about a long ago ancestor of whom I needed some further information. Many of the genealogy blogs and newsletters that I have read suggested that through contacting relatives who are open for communication you may receive some genealogical information or artifacts, such as copies of photographs. Never did I expect to receive an antique family bible! I've got to admit, it was one of the most wonderful gifts that I have ever received.
In this bible were those with the surname of Allen. Through this exceptional gift I was able to trace my paternal line back farther in time and also add more ancestors. It has a special place in my home now, kept in special archival storage.
Within this wonderful, tattered and worn treasure of a family bible was the record of several Allen ancestors and a pressed rose from long ago.
The bible was published in 1833! That's 188 years ago. I was amazed when I read that. To think that something that my ancestors had touched was that old and in within my possession was unbelievable to me. Of course, the paper and the binding was very fragile and I had to be very careful.
I will post some of the pages with the records here as I am just so thrilled that I need to share it with others.
I can only imagine what life was like for these forbearers. They may have been farmers in this new land of America but some of them went on to hold public office and change the course of our history. Such a different life they led than ours today, yet without some of them I would not be here! And that folks, is one of the greatest realizations that discovering your family history can provide.
I guess the take away here is that one never knows where or when one can discover a family treasure and what kind of impact it may have on your family today. This family bible will be an heirloom to pass down to my children and grandchildren.
Thanks for sharing this with me!
For more information about utilizing your family bible for genealogical information check out this interesting and informative blog.
If I can help you with deciphering your antique bible or assist you with building your family tree please contact me at Family Tree Archaeology.
Note that all of the photographs in this blog post, except for the first two, are from the collection and in the possession of the author of this blog.
And, as always, take the...
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