As we all know, it is easy to look at FamilySearch.org or Ancestry.com and find a name that matches our expectations as an ancestor. Proving that "person" is the correct one is often arduous and time consuming.
I have used parish records in England and in Germany for both my maternal and paternal ancestry and generally added entire family trees from the oldest down until I find the connection to my own ancestry. These are generally correct, but I leave it to my cousin Earl in Belleville, Ontario to "proof" these entries by obtaining copies of Wills and other information to finalize the ancestry, and occasionally this changes the family tree entries.
For my own paternal ancestry, Henry Millard (wife named Joan Dimmock) born 1612 in Maulden, Bedfordshire was almost certainly my 8th great grandfather (or Henry the 8th!); the following descendants are proven accurate.
1. His son, Henry Millard, born 1638 in Maulden, Bedfordshire, collar-maker, moved to Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire;
2. His son, Henry Millard, born 1661 in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, collar-maker;
3. His son, Robert Millard, born 1698 in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, yeoman;
4. His son, Robert Millard, born 1724 in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, baker, moved to Great Brickhill, Buckinghamshire;
5. His son, Thomas Millard, born 1752 in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, baker, moved with his father to Great Brickhill, Buckinghamshire;
6. His son, John Millard, born 1789 in Great Brickhill, Buckinghamshire, excise tax collector, moved to Finsbury, Middlesex (London);
7. His son, Henry Richard Millard, born 1831 in London and moved to Canada in 1858, was my great grandfather.
I have used parish records in England and in Germany for both my maternal and paternal ancestry and generally added entire family trees from the oldest down until I find the connection to my own ancestry. These are generally correct, but I leave it to my cousin Earl in Belleville, Ontario to "proof" these entries by obtaining copies of Wills and other information to finalize the ancestry, and occasionally this changes the family tree entries.
For my own paternal ancestry, Henry Millard (wife named Joan Dimmock) born 1612 in Maulden, Bedfordshire was almost certainly my 8th great grandfather (or Henry the 8th!); the following descendants are proven accurate.
1. His son, Henry Millard, born 1638 in Maulden, Bedfordshire, collar-maker, moved to Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire;
2. His son, Henry Millard, born 1661 in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, collar-maker;
3. His son, Robert Millard, born 1698 in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, yeoman;
4. His son, Robert Millard, born 1724 in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, baker, moved to Great Brickhill, Buckinghamshire;
5. His son, Thomas Millard, born 1752 in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, baker, moved with his father to Great Brickhill, Buckinghamshire;
6. His son, John Millard, born 1789 in Great Brickhill, Buckinghamshire, excise tax collector, moved to Finsbury, Middlesex (London);
7. His son, Henry Richard Millard, born 1831 in London and moved to Canada in 1858, was my great grandfather.