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I have had a long interest in genealogy ever since I had an opportunity in the
mid-1970s to see the work done by my uncle, Morris Singleton Bayne. He had
done a great deal of research on my mother's side - but I knew virtually nothing
about my father's side. I started asking my dad questions regarding the Martin
ancestry. Unfortunately, he knew very little about his father's side because
his father had left when my dad was about seven. He did not even know his
grandfather Martin's name. But he did know some about his mother's family
(Fitzhugh). As it turns out, the Fitzhugh line was easier
to research since the Fitzhugh's were a prominent name in early American history.
I started at the local library in Warner Robins and found my Fitzhugh ancestor
Norman Richard Fitzhugh
chronicled in
Lee's Lieutenants: A Study in Command by
Douglas Southall Freeman. I shared
that with my dad and he was excited. Unfortunately, he passed away before I
could make any more progress.
After not making much headway on the Martin research,
I finally went down to the Washington Memorial Library in Macon, GA to their genealogy
room and started looking at census microfilms. I thought I was going to go blind!
(I did not know they had indexes for the microfilms.)
However, I persevered and finally struck paydirt when I found my grandfather as
a child in his family in Duval County, Florida - that spurred me on. At the same
time I was trying to research some more details on the Fitzhugh line. The
librarian found Some Prominent Families of Virginia by Louise du Bellet (the Norman Fitzhugh
connection) and I had instant genealogy back a lot further than I had ever hoped
possible.
A few years later, I had an opportunity to visit the genealogy room in the
Library of Congress. While awaiting a few books to be pulled, I perused an
index of surnames and found a reference to my great-grandfather Martin (George
Leapard Martin). I made a note of the book (Notices, Genealogical and Historical,
of the Martin Family of New England, Who Settled at Weymouth and Hingham in 1635
and were among the First Planters of Rehoboth (in 1644) and Swansea (in 1667);
with Some Account of Their Descendants by Henry J. Martin. 1880) and found it could only be viewed on
microfilm. I went upstairs to the microfilm room, checked out the film and spent
the next hour reading about how the Martin's came over from southwest England in
the 1600's. My great grandfather was one of the last entries in this book
published in 1880. This was the biggest find I ever ran across - and I could
have easily missed it had the books I had previously requested been delivered
more quickly. Later, I learned a very apropos phrase from my friend Berry Jordan -
"Good things come to those who hustle while they wait."
Well, enough of my ramblings and down to the brass tacks. You can click on the
"Surnames" link above or to the right to get started into my family or search for
a name in the box to the right. I also have information posted on the Family Tree
Maker website. I hope this
helps you in your research of your family.
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Edward Stuart Bayne Which branch are you from? |
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