Reference

Plunging the Depths of Your Presbyterian Ancestors

11 Jul By Dwight

Why do people do what they do? In a staunch religious family, the reasons often have to do with their beliefs. Not only does faith in a particular set of doctrines inform the believer, but it shapes their worldview. This is especially powerful if that belief is considered unique truth.

In the case of our Presbyterian ancestors, they were shaped by a specific interpretation of the Bible. They saw themselves as a chosen Covenant People with a special mission.

The Calvinist Family Tree

The Calvinist branch of Protestantism consist of many regional and cultural expressions. These include Presbyterian (Scottish and Scots-Irish), Reformed (Dutch, German, Hungarian), and Congregational (English Puritans). In some parts, Calvinism became mixed into various Baptist, Methodist and evangelical groups. By understanding their belief system, we can grasp who Calvinists were and how their beliefs played a part in forming their family histories. This is especially important if you are writing a family history. You will want to get all the facts correct!

Calvinist Systematic Theology Works

Below you will find my favorite hard-core Calvinist theological reference books. Keep in mind theology informs culture just as much as culture informs theology. So emphasis do change over the centuries in the interpretation of practice and belief. My list will detail systematic theology books, which give all the details! Any of the works below are worth your investment.

There is cross over between Calvinist and Baptist-Calvinist theological works. I am limiting my bibliography to one-volume Calvinist systematic theology works. Whether a theological work is Presbyterian, Reformed or Puritan (Congregational) in background, all have solid information. The books below will provide you with answers to questions and by default will give insight into your ancestors in areas such as baptism, Covenant Theology, church administration, the family, marriage, communion, and the core Calvinist worldview.

Bibliography of Calvinist Systematic Theologies

Bavinck, Herman and John Bolt, ed. Reformed Dogmatics: Abridged in One Volume (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academics, 2011). This is an abridgement of Herman Bavinck’s (1854-1921) massive four volume work written in The Netherlands and considered by many to be the one of the most important Reformed theological works of the twentieth century. The editor, Dr. Bolt, is professor of systematic theology at Calvin Theological Seminary.

Beeke, Joel R., Living for God’s Glory: An Introduction to Calvinism (Orlando, Florida: Reformation Trust, 2008). This work outlines the very heart of Calvinism for the modern reader. Dr. Beeke is president and professor of systematic theology and homiletics at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary and pastor in the Heritage Netherlands Reformed Congregation.

Beeke, Joel R. and Mark Jones, A Puritan Theology: Doctrine for Life (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Reformation Heritage Books, 2012). A groundbreaking treatment of English Puritan teachings. This work represents the most comprehensive exposition on English Puritan theology. Dr. Beeke is president at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary and Mark Jones is a minister in the Presbyterian Church in America.

Berkhof, Louis, Systematic Theology: New Combined Edition (Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1996). Dr. Berkhof, was a Dutch-American theologian, and pastor in the Christian Reformed Church. He was a professor at Calvin Seminary and is one of the often quoted Calvinist theologians. This edition combines his classics Introductory Volume to Systematic Theology (1932) and Systematic Theology (1938).

Boice, James Montgomery, Foundations of the Christina Faith: A Comprehensive & Readable Theology (Downers Grove, Illinois: Intervarsity Press, 1986). Dr. Boice was pastor of the 10th Street Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia. This work combines four of his theological books.

Frame, John M., Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Christian Belief (Phillipsburg, New Jersey: P & R Publishing, 2013). Dr. Frame holds the J.D. Trimble Chair of Systematic Theology and Philosophy at Reformed Theological Seminary. An abridgement of his four volume systematic theology, this work is highly readable and understandable.

Horton, Michael, The Christian Faith: A Systematic Theology for Pilgrims on the Way (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2010). Dr. Horton, is a pastor in the United Reformed Churches in North America, and Professor of Theology and Apologetics at Westminster Seminary California. In this award winning book, he wrote what some consider to be one of the most important contemporary Reformed systematic theology books.

Reymond, Robert L. 2d rev. ed. A New Systematic Theology of the Christian Faith (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc., 1998). Dr. Reymond, was former Dean of Faculty and Professor of Systematic Theology at Knox Theological Seminary. He was a minister in the Presbyterian Church in America. .

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Using Study Bibles in Genealogy

15 Feb By Dwight Leave a Comment

One method to grasp the complexities of our ancestors is approach their lives from the sidelines. For example, you can’t fully know about their religious and spiritual life. However, clues to this closed door can be identified by understanding their understanding. If we can determine what they heard in church and how they may have interpreted that message, we can gain valuable insights. This is why I use Study Bibles. These can also be an excellent secondary tool when seeking background information when developing a narrative for your family history.

Types of Study Bibles

There are many different Bibles on the market today. Some are general and some are specific. For example, for a Scots-Irish Presbyterian family, the Calvinist based Reformation Study Bible provides excellent insight. If your ancestors were of the Irish Brethren tradition, then you certainly would be interested in The Scofield Study Bible. For a Roman Catholic perspective (even if a contemporary one), The Catholic Study Bible provides helpful information. I use the commercial site Christianbook to identify reference material such as these.

It’s the study notes at the bottom of the pages which you will find most informative. Many also have special discussions on specific topics. These notes typically guide the reader through belief, theology, history and culture. Even if an ancestor was illiterate or semi-literate, they would have understood principles taught at church.

Tradition Specific Study Bibles on the Market Today

Upon arrival in an immigrant country, both Irish Catholics and Protestants may have changed religious affiliations. This affects your family narrative and history; opening up a variety of Study Bibles as references.

Faith and understanding are progressive. What a modern Study Bible states may not necessarily be how your ancestors saw their faith. The demands of orthodoxy also do not necessarily correspond with what the person in the pew practices. Even with these considerations, you can draw some important understandings. Below is a selection specific to a particular tradition.

Baptist (Conservative)
The King James Study Bible (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, 2012).

Calvinist (Reformed, Presbyterian, Congregational)
The Reformation Study Bible (Orlando, Florida: Ligonier Ministries, 2005)

Ecumenical
CEB Study Bible with Apocrypha (Nashville, Tennessee: Common English Bible, 2013).

The HarperCollins Study Bible Including the Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books, Revised Edition (San Francisco, California: HarperOne, 2006).

The New Interpreter’s Study Bible: New Revised Standard Version with the Apocrypha (Nashville, Tennessee: Abingdon Press, 2003).

The New Oxford Annotated Bible with Apocrypha, Fourth Edition (New York: Oxford University Press, 2010).

Evangelical (Conservative/Fundamentalist)
The Scofield Study Bible (New York: Oxford University Press, 1909, 1917).

Evangelical (General)
ESV Study Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway, 2008).

HCSB Study Bible: Holman Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, Tennessee: Holman Bible Publishers, 2010).

NIV Study Bible: New International Version (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2011).

NKJV MacArthur Study Bible, Revised and Updated Edition (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, 2012).

The Ryrie Study Bible, Expanded Edition (Chicago, Illinois: Moody Publishers, 1999).

Jewish
The Jewish Study Bible (New York: Oxford University Press, 2004).

Latter-day Saints (Utah Mormons)
The Holy Bible (Salt Lake City, Utah: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1979).

Lutheran
The Lutheran Study Bible: English Standard Version (St. Louis, Missouri: Concordia Publishing House, 2009).

NIV Concordia Self-Study Bible (St. Louis, Missouri: Concordia Publishing House, 1973).

Orthodox
The Orthodox Study Bible (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, 2008).

Pentecostal-Charismatic
Life in the Spirit Study Bible: Formerly Full Life Study Bible (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 1992, 2003).

New Spirit-Filled Life Bible (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, 2013).

Roman Catholic
Anselm Academic Study Bible: New American Bible Revised Edition (Winona, Minnesota: Anselm Academic, 2013).

The Catholic Study Bible: The New American Bible (New York: Oxford University Press, 2011).

Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: New Testament (San Francisco, California: Ignatius Press, 2010).

Little Rock Catholic Study Bible (Little Rock, Arkansas: Little Rock Scripture Study, 2011).

The Navarre Bible: New Testament (Dublin: Four Courts Press, 2008).

Seventh-day Adventists
Andrews Study Bible: Light, Depth, Truth (Berrien Springs, Michigan: Andrews University Press, 2010).

The Remnant Study Bible with E. G. White Comments (Coldwater, Michigan: Remnant Publications, 2009).

Wesleyan (Methodist, Holiness)
Wesley Study Bible (Nashville, Tennessee: Abingdon Press, 2009).

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How Do You Research in “Other” Countries

16 Oct By Dwight Leave a Comment

If you can’t identify Irish origins, by researching the family in North America (or wherever), then switch to the branch of your family who went elsewhere. How do you prepare for this? The assumption is that all siblings were born in the same Irish parish. So to find the birthplace of one is to identify them all!

I suggest you obtain a good genealogical how-to book. These will identify the records for you, and help you to understand research strategies. For example, if you’re researching the branch which went to the USA, the standard general how-to books are: The Source: A Guidebook to American Genealogy (3^rd ed. 2006), edited by Loretto Dennis Szucs and Sandra Hargreaves Luebking; and Val D. Greenwood’s The Researcher’s Guide to American Genealogy (3^rd ed. 2000). If you are researching in the UK, with an emphasis on England, you won’t go wrong with Mark Herber’s Ancestral Trails: The Complete Guide to British Genealogy and Family History (2^nd ed. 2006). These are but examples.

Also consult the website of the local genealogical society for their recommendations. For example, on the Ontario Genealogical Society website: www.ogs.on.ca you will see they sell Brenda Dougall Merriman’s Genealogy in Ontario: Searching the Records (4^th ed. 2008) which is a VERY good book. The same principle can apply to the Society of Australian Genealogists: www.sag.org.au which under their bookstore category “How To Books” you will find an excellent selection of texts.

Another option for identifying how-to works is organizations and companies which sell or publish books. Examples range from Genealogical Publishing Company: www.genealogical.com in the USA to Global Genealogy: http://globalgenealogy.com in Canada.

The last option I want to share is online guides which you can print out. These are typically found on a genealogical society or archive website. I consult these all the time when I need information. Some online guides are general in nature while others are record specific.

All of these are methods I use to identify reference books. As a professional genealogist, I also have questions which need answered. Nobody knows everything about genealogy. This is where a solid how-to book is a wise investment.

Using How-To Books for England in Your Irish Research

26 Sep By Dwight Leave a Comment

The Society of Genealogists (SOG) in London: www.sog.org.uk and the Federation of Family History Societies (FFHS) in Birmingham: www.ffhs.org.uk both publish how-to booklets on various research topics. While these are mainly English topics, they can strategically be used to complement your Irish research.

Remember the government records we use in Ireland are based upon English Law. This means there are common terms and concepts. These same Irish records were often generated by people trained in England. This means these how-to booklets on military, taxes, wills, land and court records can easily transfer over to Irish records.

For example, in the SOG booklet My Ancestors were Manorial Tenants (1994), by Peter B. Park, he presents the history and records of the landlord-tenant relationship, including an eight page “Glossary” of terms in the back of the book. Remember, many of the Irish estate owners were from England or steeped in English culture.

Another example is the FFHS publication Militia Lists and Musters 1757-1876 (2004), by Jeremy Gibson and Mervyn Medlycott. After presenting the history and records, the authors inventory militia records, for all of the United Kingdom and Ireland.

My last example is land records. The FFHS booklet by Julian Cornwall, Reading Old Title Deeds (1997) concerns land in England. However, I used the five page “Glossary” in the back of the book in developing my two-part blog “Historic Terms Used in the Irish Registry of Deeds” on 14-15 May 2012!

Yes, before you dismiss books about English research as not applicable to your Irish research, remember that part of Irish society under English rule was based on English Law.

Black Biographical Dictionaries

12 Jun By Dwight Leave a Comment

The collection “Black Biographical Dictionaries, 1790-1950,” is a major gathering of old biographical dictionaries containing more than 30,000 references. The entries record famous and historic, as well as average people. The 297 volumes, on 1070 microfiche range from listings of national activists, state and local personalities, women, professional directories, fraternal order members, church and missionary listings among others. This collection is widely available. The titles come from more than 100 public and private repositories across the United States and Great Britain. The compilers of this massive African American library include; Randall K. Burkett, Nancy Hall Burkett, and Henry Louis Gates, Jr. This source may be your first step in tying into your Irish line.

If a former slave ancestor is mentioned in these works, the chances of the owner or series of owners being mentioned is very good. For example, volumes 181-183 are Abigail Field Mott’s Biographical Sketches and Interesting Anecodotes of Persons of Color published in 1826, 1837 and 1839. These are descriptions of freed slaves or individuals from free families. The sketches frequently mention birthplaces, parents’ names, and former slave owners. This could very well connect you into an Irish slave master, who was also family.

This important collection is available on microfiche at many libraries and archives. There is a three volume index to this collection titled Black Biography, 1790-1950: A Cumulative Index. The first two volumes index biographical sketches alphabetically; volume three is an index by place of birth, occupation, religion and sex.

A second series supplements the dictionaries as new books have been identified. These also are indexed. Both the supplement and the index can be found at any number of university and academic archives.

Remember, what made a person worthy of a biographical sketch historically in the African American community, is different than in the white community.

Newberry Library, Chicago, Illinois

31 May By Dwight Leave a Comment

The Newberry Library in Chicago: www.newberry.org is a non-circulating independent research library. It is also a major repository for genealogical reference material. It is open to the public at no charge. The strength of the library is the “Core Collections” which includes “Genealogy and Local History.”

The Newberry Library has been gathering material for their “Genealogy and Local History” collection since 1887. This includes some 17,000 published genealogies, especially strong for Colonial American and New England families. Their collection of local histories covers all regions of the United States with an entire collection of New England town histories. The British Isles local history collection is also noteworthy, as is their strong collection of county histories from the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic states.

One important part of the genealogy collection is their source materials. It consists of published pre-twentieth century vital, cemetery and county records. These cover the Mississippi Valley to the Eastern Seaboard. The library also houses records from Canada and the British Isles. Another important section is their military records which include all wars, and their Civil War unit histories are among the best in the United States. Other military records include roster and pension reference works. Housed as part of the library holdings are many state and county historical and genealogical periodicals.

Concerning their Irish collections, the library has published its own Irish Genealogy guide to the collections: www.newberry.org/sites/default/files/textpage-attachments/Irish.pdf This four page guide provides the categories a resource will be found and the library reference numbers. The Newberry Library is a repository well worth becoming acquainted.

Theology and Record Keeping

27 Apr By Dwight Leave a Comment

There is a connection between theology and records. When people ask me what a christening record is, I understand they either are not churched in theology, or they were raised in a church which practices believer’s baptism only.

Each church varies on its theology, and these differences are also reflected in the records. For example, a Roman Catholic child is usually christened within a few days of birth by a sprinkling of water over the head. A Methodist could receive baptism at any age by sprinkling, pouring or full immersion. A Baptist would only baptize in a believer’s baptism upon a profession of faith by full immersion. Quakers (Society of Friends) would not baptize at all, and Mormons practice baptism for the living and on behalf of the dead. All practices create records.

These theological differences are further reflected in the records through church transfers, and who is allowed to partake of communion. When a person switches church membership, does an infant baptism transfer over to a believer’s baptism church? How are visitors screened for a communion service? Does a church practice open or closed communion? Again, it all reflected in the records.

Church discipline is another matter for the records. Some church minutes provide all the gory details, while others are vague at best. I’ve read Presbyterian session minutes involving discipline which made me want to go wash my eyes in the sink!

In your research, don’t hesitate to purchase a good “systematic theology” book. A non-genealogical source such as this can go a long way in helping you understand what you are seeing in the records.

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