Hello Ms. Scruggs,

Thanks so much for your response. Your critque was very informative, as to what I'm trying to do. I am looking forward to hearing more about your 'genealogical memoir'.

What you read are from the notes on Betsy found in the 'MORE' section of her FTM Card. You are absolutly correct. My aim was to convey the fact that she is my first/oldest ancestor for which I have information and what that information states, the note/narrative needs a beginning, middle and an end.

You address what I think is really a problem in writing a family history. Should it be a narrative history, a chronolgy, or a memoir?

Where to begin, with yourself and go back how ever many generations and family lines you have researched. In this case possibly the format of the National Genealogy Report (Ahnentafel) would be best. Just the Vitals, a chronology, no narrative or memoirs.

A memoir, does this involve just my recollections or family traditions and stories handed down by family members?

A narrative history sounds as if that is what I would like to do. It could be done in sections or time periods. Contemporary (me & my parents),
Post Civl War (grandparents & great-grandparents),
Pre Civil War ( gg grand parents-ggg grandparents)
...Post Revolutionary War and Pre Revoluntionary War.

I thought I would respond on the Forum to express my overall concerns. Perhaps others have the sam