Re: Genealogy For The Beginner

On Sun, 17 Feb 2008 01:17:23 +0000, Ian Goddard
<goddai01@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:

>J. Hugh Sullivan wrote:
>> On Sun, 17 Feb 2008 00:11:46 +0000, Ian Goddard
>> <goddai01@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>> 
>>> J. Hugh Sullivan wrote:
>>>> I can prove my ancestors "beyond a reasonable doubt" back to Adam and
>>>> Eve using the Bible and Irish Mythology - published and respected
>>> I think the word "Mythology" might be a slight problem there - though 
>>> maybe not with an Irish jury.
>>>
>>> -- 
>>> Ian
>> 
>> "The Annals of the Four Masters"  begins "when darkness was upon the
>> face of the earth". 
>
>Sounds like Belfast c AD 1970
>
>> "Milesian Kings" begins in 3501 BC. "Japhet was
>
>Somewhat later than the C-14 date for the Ballynagilly house.
>
>> the eldest son of Noah. He had fifteen sons, amongst whom he divided
>> Europe and the part of Asia which his father had allotted to him." -
>> that's from Milesian Genealogies. 
>> 
>
>The Four Masters would be tricky to check.  Better stick to the Four
Courts.
>
>-- 
>Ian

Doing the genealogies of the Bible and the Irish reference works was
fun. Until I did I did not know how we descended after the flood when,
if you accept the Bible, only Noah's family was left alive. Tracking
that to Milesius, then Suilebhain (Sullivan), and to the 1655
immigrant, John O'Sullivan, was a challenge. It doesn't matter how
factual the line may be, it's just whether I, or anyone, could do it.
To my knowledge no one else has.

At my age the brain needs constant challenge to function. I have the
time, my own research was at a standstill - why not?

I've been through John O'Hart's "Origin and Stem...", too - and the
Eochanacht.

My problem, and that of so many, is: (1) fire, flood and war destroyed
many essential records (2) poor dirt farmers didn't leave much of a
trail.

I have every Sullivan in the 1790 census in NC. I have eliminated all
but 5 as possibly being the father of my gg grand. In theory I should
be able to choose one of the 5. But what if his father was not even
included in the 1790 census - and I know several Sullivans that were
not.
From this thread I gather several people would have no problem
selecting the father that looked best - whether he was right or wrong
does not matter. That's certainly one way to do it.

One cousin went to Ireland, saw a tombstone with the name Russell
Sullivan, and for 10 years said she saw the burial place of our
ancestor. Today it seems that anything is okay if it makes you feel
good.

Am I chastising a deceased equine?

Hugh