Frequently
Asked Questions
About this Web Site
Who is this site designed for? Would you be willing to take in old photos, records, etc.? What do the numbers in the brackets mean after some of the names? What should I do if I find a broken link on your site? Why don't you publish pictures from the Downs Family Reunion? There seems to be a nautical theme throughout this page. Why is that? I would like to cite you as a source for a research paper I'm doing. How should I do this? How can you have a FAQ page on a new site? How often do you update this site? Do you ever speak at functions or give lectures? Could you supply me with some vital records I am having trouble finding? Who is the small child in your banner, and the people on the tree in the opening graphic? Who is this site designed for? This site was designed with a few different people and purposes in mind. I want this site to serve my family; including my aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins of all degrees. A number of them have often asked me if I ever intend to write a book. I guess I always have, but the question becomes when. If I write and finish one now, future discoveries would have to wait years to be shared until I can (and have enough material to) write a new edition. Unfortunately, if I should leave this good Earth before completing it, it will remain unfinished and unshared. Also, some of you may not live to see one, or both, of the two publications completed. With this web site I can publish bits and pieces as I learn them, without waiting for my next edition. And you, the reader, know that you always have the latest edition. If some piece of information needs to be corrected, I can do it today, instead of years from now. This all leads to the next purpose of this site, to further my research. Many people visiting here may have answers to some of my questions. They can contact me now, instead of after a book is published in the future, and share their information with me. Possibly they could correct some errors they may find here. I can take all of this and add it to the site today, not someday if I should write a new edition. This site is basically for anyone interested in the same family lines that I am. They can come here to learn, to share or both. I have found information that is contradictory to what you have published here (or is absent here). What gives? I have been very careful about the information I have put up on this site. I always choose the most trusted source when using the work of others. If I don't fully trust a source, but it is the only one on a particular topic, I qualify my uncertainty in the information when I incorporate it. I have reconfirmed as much as I could using vital records, probates/wills, and other records. I have been collecting information since the late 1970s and continue to do so today. This is what you have in this site, the results of my research. There is plenty of information out there that is contradictory to what I have put here. You can visit my Myths and Misconceptions page to see some of the things that are often published but not true. One example is the ancestry of Thomas Rogers{#322}. For quite a long time there has been many sources circulating and reporting his descent from the Rev. John Rogers the Martyr. It was disproved a long time ago, but supporters of this theory wouldn't relent. In 1996, the birth records for Thomas Rogers were found, relegating the erroneous theory to the scrap heap, yet it continues to be perpetuated. Another example concerns Stephen Hopkins{#100} the founder of our Hopkins family in America. It has long been reported, with no real proof, that he came from Wotton-under-Edge, Gloucestershire, England. In 1998 information came to light proving he was from Hursley, Hampshire, England. Sources from before 1998 were not privy to this information. I am well connected with the genealogical community so I learn of these things very quickly after they are published. Often I correct errors, some decades old, with little more fanfare than a footnote or additional reference. The information presented here reflects all of this. And of course my own research is featured here. My research methods, and the reporting of my findings, comply to BCG standards. (see below) If you find additional, or contradictory material, check the area of this site dealing with the subject matter and see if there is any clarification there. If not, check the Myths and Misconceptions page to see if it is addressed there. After you have tried both places, then contact me using the information at the bottom of the page. You might just have something I haven't seen before, in which case I would like to see it. It could also result from a mistake or typo on my part, in which case I would like to fix it. The BCG is the Board of Certified Genealogists. They have developed a standard of research, proof and reporting to assure the public that they are getting credible and reliable research, at least by genealogists who follow that standard. They publish these standards and a synopsis of them can be found on their web site here. Would you be willing to take in old photos, records, etc.? As long as they are related to the material here, the answer is probably yes. Contact me using the information at the bottom of the page and we can talk. I have noticed that many sites have fancier graphics, interactive content, etc. Since you are a web designer, why isn't there more of that here? In deciding how to present the content contained on this site, I took several items into consideration. The first of these is the range of computer equipment that my audience will be using to view the site. I want things to be equally accessible by both the surfer with a 2.0 gigahertz Pentium IV with a cable modem, as well as the user with a 90 megahertz Pentium I with dial-up. The largest extravagance I've allowed myself, is the use of frames. By doing this most everyone can enjoy this site, and possibly contribute. Pages should load quickly and we don't have to worry whether or not someone has a certain version of a browser or not. The other advantage to this is that frequent updates become easier for me. Interactive menus are a good example of this. If I wanted to add or subtract a menu item, I would need to update Java script, create a new set of button graphics, etc. With the way I have done it here, all I do is delete or type in the changes and link. And if I make a spelling error, I backspace and correct. I don't need to create a new set of button graphics. The final reason is storage and bandwidth. A simpler site requires less resources to run than a fancier site and, as a site becomes large and well traveled, it can cost more money. What do the numbers in the brackets mean after some of the names? The names of our relatives are often followed by numbers highlighted in red and in braces "{ }." I guess the best way to describe their use and show their value is by the following example:
I do have the dates of birth for these men, and I could refer to one as "Joshua Hopkins (b. 1725)." But I don't always have that information for everyone in my database. I also think it is easier just saying "Joshua Hopkins{#93}." When corresponding, please use the numbers and names together when referring to individuals. You might think that there is a pattern in their assignment. This is not necessarily true. While the Joshua's in the example above were 97, 95, 93, etc., the last one was 838. The sequence is strictly the order in which I entered them into my database. On family group sheets, you will occasionally find green numbers in parentheses "( )." These identify multiple spouses. If John married twice, you may see his wives referred to as (1)Mary and (2)Elizabeth. What should I do if I find a broken link on your site? While I try to update my links regularly, it is virtually impossible to catch every broken link right away. If you should find one, or any other technical error on this site, please contact me at webmaster@downsgenealogy.com. For corrections in content, see the Corrections page of this site. Why don't you publish pictures from the Downs Family Reunion? First of all, my Privacy Policy prohibits me providing information or discussing living persons. This is for the protection of everyone's privacy. The only exception I make is on my Thanks and Kudos page. Another major concern of mine is federal law. Since the purpose of this site is to collect information on individuals, I must comply with the Federal Trade Commission's Children's Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998, or COPPA as it is often referred to. Since these pictures often contain minors, I would have to get parental release forms. I might also be required to get new ones every time I update that section of the site. That is a headache I really don't need. The purpose of this site is the past anyway, but I will refer to events like our family reunion from time to time, but I will keep personal information and images out of the discussion. There seems to be a nautical theme throughout this page. Why is that? Yes, there is a nautical theme. Most cape families sent their sons to sea and it has been an intimate part of their lives. Thomas Downs settled on the Town Cove at Orleans after moving from Eastham. His sons also settled on the water, and boats were an integral part of their lives. This site will also cover my work on my grandmother's family and they have gone to sea for generations. I felt the nautical theme was appropriate. I would like to cite you as a source for a research paper I'm doing. How should I do this? It is important that any researcher fully and properly cite his sources. However, there seems to be confusion on the proper way to do this for web pages. Feel free to use the format I use for citing web sites. It is common amongst genealogical researchers. It should look like this:
The part that I have put in red should reflect the exact URL of the page you are citing, since there really are no page numbers on a web site. This page's URL, for example, would look like this: http://www.downsgenealogy.com/FAQ/site.htm The date that I have put in blue should be the date that you accessed the information on my site. How can you have a FAQ page on a new site? There are two Frequently Asked Questions pages on this site. The first deals with genealogy and I have based it on questions I have been personally asked through the years. The second FAQ is the one that you are currently reading. I've partly based it on questions I've fielded as a web designer and on anticipation of what might be asked. How often do you update this site? Weekly updates would be rare, but not impossible. The same could be said for going 4 months without an update. So expect updates someplace between those two extremes. Currently, I anticipate about once a month. Do you ever speak at functions or give lectures? I have lectured and spoken in many venues and on many topics. Believe it or not, genealogy and history are two I have not done yet. I'm sure that at some point in the future, I will do a talk or lecture on our family history, genealogy, or something else related to the material presented here. Could you supply me with some vital records that I am having trouble finding? I am always willing to give advice and help you find what you are looking for, but making copies for you is a pointless exercise. Any information that would be of interest in vital records that I have in my possession, would be extrapolated into the content of these pages. Anything that isn't, would probably be withheld for privacy or protection issues. I wouldn't just send those particular ones out willy-nilly. Any further need you may have would probably require a certified copy, not just a copy of what I have. I couldn't provide a certified copy if I wanted to. These need to come from the State or some other official body. I may be able to direct you to a place where you could get a certified copy. Who is the small child in your banner, and the people on the tree in the opening graphic? The child in the banner is me. As for the people on the opening tree graphic they are as follows: The same picture of myself, as on the banner, is on the lowest branch on the right. Up just a little higher and all the way to the left is a picture of my father. There are two portraits above him; his father (my grandfather), John Downs is on the right, John's brother Norman is to his left. The woman above John and Norman is their mother, Anna; my great grandmother. All of those mentioned so far had the last name of Downs. The other two images represent my grandmother's family. The Gentleman on the top right is Isaac Snow, Revolutionary War soldier and Helen (Hopkins) Downs's great great grandfather. Helen was the wife of the previously mentioned John Downs and my grandmother. The grave stone is from the Old Burying Ground in Eastham, MA. It marks the grave of Edmund Freeman (1657-1717/18) who was my Grandmother Helen's 5th great grandfather. |
| Contact Information: |
Bill Downs 1070-H Rt. 34 #118 Matawan, NJ 07747 bill@downsgenealogy.com |
Copyright © 2004-2005 by Conceptual Web & Data Services and its licensors. All rights reserved.