I have been researching my family lines since 1995. My first genealogy mentor, and someone to whom I am much indebted, was the late Col. Ed Schott (US Army, ret'd). Ed, a volunteer at the National Archives in Washington DC, was a certified professional genealogist. He helped me develop skills for what he fondly referred to as "digging up bones". Ed introduced me to another professional genealogist and volunteer at the National Archives, the late LCol. Patrick G Wardell. Pat, author of several Virginia genealogy research books, took me under his wing, introducing me to several more professional genealogists with interest in Colonial Virginia research. Among them was the late Lloyd Bockstruck of the Dallas Public Library. Research revealed that Lloyd and I were distant cousins via the Hastings of southside Virginia. Each of these individuals taught me that a hereditary society approved family tree just be wrong. That each researcher needs to carefully document and prove one's own tree. As DNA studies became more widely used in genealogy, I learned that DNA was rewriting several of my family trees, mostly due to non-paternity -- (also known as misattributed paternity, not parent expected, or NPE) -- events. In one case, one of my several great grandfathers inherited a plantation as the first born son of the man believed to be his father -- (see John Graves family #270 in the Graves DNA Study). Paperwork seemingly prove the relationship. However, DNA proved he was not that man's blood-kin son.

I have been researching my family lines since 1995. My first genealogy mentor, and someone to whom I am much indebted, was the late Col. Ed Schott (US Army, ret'd). Ed, a volunteer at the National Archives in Washington DC, was a certified professional genealogist. He helped me develop skills for what he fondly referred to as "digging up bones". Ed introduced me to another professional genealogist and volunteer at the National Archives, the late LCol. Patrick G Wardell. Pat, author of several Virginia genealogy research books, took me under his wing, introducing me to several more professional genealogists with interest in Colonial Virginia research. Among them was the late Lloyd Bockstruck of the Dallas Public Library. Research revealed that Lloyd and I were distant cousins via the Hastings of southside Virginia. Each of these individuals taught me that a hereditary society approved family tree just be wrong. That each researcher needs to carefully document and prove one's own tree. As DNA studies became more widely used in genealogy, I learned that DNA was rewriting several of my family trees, mostly due to non-paternity -- (also known as misattributed paternity, not parent expected, or NPE) -- events. In one case, one of my several great grandfathers inherited a plantation as the first born son of the man believed to be his father -- (see John Graves family #270 in the Graves DNA Study). Paperwork seemingly prove the relationship. However, DNA proved he was not that man's blood-kin son.