Tiny Ahnentafel Table
Tiny Ahnentafel - Ancestor Table
To visualize the numbers, consider this typical pedigree chart:
8. greatgrandfather
4. paternal grandfather-|
| 9. great grandmother
2. Father--|
| | 10. greatgrandfather
| 5. paternal grandmother-|
| 11. greatgrandmother
|
1. Person-|
|
| 12. greatgrandfather
| 6. maternal grandfather-|
| | 13. greatgrandmother
3. Mother--|
| 14. greatgrandfather
7. maternal grandmother-|
15. greatgrandfather
Carefully observe the numbers in the above chart. You will notice that every person listed
has a number and that there is a mathematical relationship amongst parents and children.
The number of a father is always double that of the child's. The number of the
mother is always double that of the child's plus one. The number of a child is always
one-half that of a parent (ignoring any
remainder).
In the above example, the father of person #6 is #12 (the father is double the child's number).
The mother of #6 is #13 (the mother is double plus one of the child's). The child of #13 is #6
(the child is always one-half the parent's number, ignoring remainders).
Now, let's take the above chart and write it in ahnentafel format:
1. person
2. father
3. mother
4. paternal grandfather
5. paternal grandmother
6. maternal grandfather
7. maternal grandmother
8. great grandfather
9. great grandmother
10. great grandfather
11. great grandmother
12. great grandfather
13. great grandmother
14. great grandfather
15. great grandmother
Notice that the numbers are exactly the same as in the pedigree chart.
The rules of father=2 times child, mother=2 times child+1, child=one-half of parent, etc.,
remain the same.
This is an ahnentafel chart.
For a more detailed example of an ahnentafel, here's an excerpt from the ahnentafel of one
well-known American:
1 1. person: George Herbert Walker Bush, occ. President, b. 12 Jun 1924 in Rye, New
York, re. in Kennebunkport, Maine, ma. 6 Jan 1945 in Rye, NY.
2 father: Prescott Sheldon Bush, occ. U.S.Senator, b. 15 May 1895 in Columbus,
OH, d. 8 Oct 1972 in New York, NY, ma. 6 Aug 1921 in Kennebunkport,
York Co., ME.
3 mother: Dorothy Walker, b. 1 Jul 1901 in near Walker's Pt, York Co., Maine.
4 paternal grandfather: Samuel Prescott Bush, b. 4 Oct 1863 in Brick Church, NJ, d. 8 Feb 1948
in Columbus, OH, ma. 20 Jun 1894 in Columbus, OH.
5 paternal grandmother: Flora Sheldon, b. 17 Mar 1872 in Franklin Co., OH, d. 4 Sep 1920 in
Watch Hill, RI.
6 maternal grandfather: George Herbert Walker, b. 11 Jun 1875 in St. Louis, MO, d. 24 Jun 1953
in New York, NY, ma. 17 Jan 1899.
7 maternal grandmother: Lucretia (Loulie) Wear, b. 17 Sep 1874 in St. Louis, MO, d. 28 Aug 1961
in Biddeford, Maine.
8 great grandfather: Rev. James Smith Bush, occ. Clergyman, b. 15 Jun 1825 in Rochester, NY,
d. 11 Nov 1889 in Ithaca, NY, ma. 24 Feb 1859 in New York, NY.
9 great grandmother: Harriet Eleanor Fay, b. 29 Oct 1829 in Savannah, GA, d. 27 Feb 1924 in
Boston, MA.
10 great grandfather: Robert Emmet Sheldon, b. 1 Jun 1845 in Tiffin, OH, d. 21 Jan 1917 in
Columbus, OH, ma. 24 Feb 1869 in Columbus, OH.
11 great grandmother: Mary Elizabeth Butler, b. 15 Jul 1850 in Columbus, OH, d. 16 Jan 1897
in Columbus, OH.
12 great grandfather: David Davis Walker, b. 19 Jan 1840 in Bloomington, IL, d. 4 Oct 1918 in
Kennebunkport, York Co., ME, ma. 25 Dec 1862 in St. Louis, MO.
13 great grandmother: Martha Adela Beaky, b. 1 Jun 1841 in Emmitsburg, MD, d. after 1906.
14 great grandfather: James Hutchenson Wear, b. 30 Sep 1838 in Otterville, MO, d. 14 Jun 1893
in St. Louis, MO, ma. 4 Dec 1866 in St. Louis, MO.
15 great grandmother: Nannie E. Holliday, b. circa 1848, d. 25 Feb 1942.
Notice that the mathematical rules about relationships still apply. Also, the true ahnentafel
lists the person's full name, dates and places of birth, marriage and death.
01/29/03
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