My goal has always been to provide the correct genealogy for Nancy Hanks Lincoln. My "motto" has always been "If I have no source, I have no proof. If the source is a person, then it's hearsay." If this genealogy is to be correct, it must be done with documentation. There is a reason the Shipley and Abraham Hanks theories have no documentation. They are not valid. Both authors did not have the ability to research documents, as I have, today. Thirty years ago, I also had to go to the source of the document. This is no longer a barrier, as it was in the past. I can do my research in the comfort of my computer chair, at home, with the help of technology. You will go down many of incorrect paths. If you focus on dates, it helps you to see your going the wrong way. If you take the time to study the history of the era, in which you are researching in, it's laws, names of counties, it's economy, and government structure, it helps you make sense of genealogy patterns. What kind of documentation would exist, in this time frame? Did the county change its boundary, or change its name, in this time frame? Were there any wars, or conflicts, at this time? Was my descendant involved in a war, the government, and what were the marriage laws, property laws, of this era. All of these can help direct you to areas of research. Church records are vital, for research. Many documents were lost in wars, but often those church records still exist. It was illegal not to christen children, during the English Law period. You will find I have used all these sources, in my books, to validate the genealogy of Nancy Hanks Lincoln. The newest resource is DNA samples, connecting us to those ancestors of the past. Look up the studies done, so far. I'm sure you will find them an added resource, for your research.
Thank you to everyone that have read my first book, your comments, and your contributions to this second book. Because of all the interest, and questions, I knew I had to do more, such as Lincoln's genealogy, the Lee connection, the Abraham Hanks family, and the addition of more family genealogies. It is in tribute to Nancy Hanks Lincoln, mother of the Nation's favorite President, Abraham Lincoln, we, at last, have her correct genealogy, and those that share in that relationship. The 150th anniversary of the Lincoln assassination, is in 2015. Don't miss the events planned, such as the recreation of the Lincoln funeral train.