About This Site

Validity - Contributions - Misc. Contacts - Writing

Validity of This Story

None of this is necessarily true. It is meant to be true but contains no source references. Therefore, for critical needs, use the information in the family database and its sources.

Some of this is pure conjecture. Knowing the difference is important.

Contributions

There are many people responsible for my edification in regards to this family:

First and foremost I owe the most to my Mother who interested me in family history. She opened my eyes to many things. ·
My Dad was a great deal of help in so many ways. I've come to understand him and appreciate the life he has lived through the experience of studying our ancestors.
My second cousin, Ronnie Smart, who grew up in the Oklahoma Panhandle, opened my eyes to see there existed the detail to write a story of this family.
Many stories and important pictures came from Marion Pafford of Hardesty, Oklahoma. His mother, Frances, was proud of her family and saved a great deal of history that she and Marion have shared with all of us.
The stories Clara Smart Dew wrote about the weather, kids wondering off, and all kinds of trivia really helped me feel like I was there. ·
The Internet and it's affect on history as well as the future are astounding. I would have never met Ronnie if it wasn't for the Internet but the advantages only start there.·
And, certainly not least of all, I appreciate those many other family historians who selfishly provided glimpses into our family history along with all the tons of data.

Misc. Contacts:

[Madera County Records, CA] Susan Conner, Madera Co. Recorder, 209 W. Yosemite Ave., Madera, CA 93637 Phone 559 675-7721 e-mail sconner@madera-county.com

The Writing

I didn't write these stories--they grew from disparate pieces of history into stories that people can follow without having had training in Genealogy.

I wrote with a hope of inspiring family--giving them a sense of who their people were--not just the same old cold facts. I tried to paint the best picture I could of their lives and times. I tried to organize it in a way that could facilitate additional research.

When writing about your ancestors, one realizes the advantages of firsthand experiences with some of the same genes.

Personal Perspectives

The Internet has changed the context of family history/genealogy. What you'll find now on the Internet--the Mormon site, ancestry.com or others is from the same base data. They have been "data-entried" to the point where they are riddled with small errors. You find this when you start looking at one version vrs another--so many dates off by one typewriter key.

What has been collect is fairly widely published. It's just a lot to wade through--which is why my approach stands out. I think this is the way the Internet should ultimately reflect family history--with some flare to attract, entertain, and perhaps educate viewers in the same process.

Hopefully, for our line at leaste, this site will serve as the master--to be compared to source documents and other data--to be corrected when necessary and updated when desired.

Misc.

A major source for Smart genealogy is seriously flawed and information taken from there needs to be re-sourced before assuming it correct. See analysis and references at: http://www.ancestor-rescue.com/SmartRoots/Analysis.htm

One of the best things I did to really show our particular line is a histograph--and it makes a good reference. Check it out at: http://www.ancestor-rescue.com/Smart/chronology.htm