What they are and how they originated.  The Pedigo numbering system originated with the late Pedigo researcher William Bruce Pedigo.  Within the system, each individual descendant has a unique number which identifies him or her within the Pedigo lineage.  Because of its logic and simplicity,  many Pedigo researchers have continued with Bruce's original numbering.   Understanding the system and becoming familiar with how it works will provide clarity to the understanding of where any given descendant fits within the ancestral line, if one also knows the descendant number.  The number identifies which generation he or she is from the immigrant Joseph Peregois, as well as the specific lineage.

How it works.  Each individual descendant has a unique number which identifies him or her within the Pedigo lineage.  This unique number places an individual within the appropriate generation, with the appropriate ancestors and the correct parents.  One familiar with the system, can identify from the number, which generation he or she is from the immigrant Joseph Peregois, as well as the lineage and parents. 

How numbers are assigned.  The numbering convention  follows the line of the ancestors, beginning with the number 1, which is assigned to the immigrant Joseph Peregois.  The number for each child in each successive generation uses the numbers of the preceding direct lineage ancestors, and then adds one more single digit number (or letter) to the ancestral line. After numbers 1 through 9 are assigned for the children within a given family, the numbering continues with alphabetical letters: A, B, C, D, E, etc., as necessary until each child has a number. The numbers cannot be assigned until the lineage from the immigrant is known.  

Exceptions.  For the most part, the numbers are assigned based on the order of a child's birth within the family, with the oldest child in the family being 1, the second born child 2, the third child 3, etc. However, the numbers are nonetheless unavoidably not always in the correct order of birth. When Bruce first began the system of numbering, he made every effort to number based on the order of birth, but the birth dates were not always known. Where this occurred, the individuals' numbers have not been retroactively changed.  Therefore, some of the numbers in the Pedigo lineage are not based on the order of birth.  

Circumstances that would change an individual's number.  Changing an individual's number obviously results in the necessity of also changing many hundreds of numbers for all persons descending from that particular individual, a huge task, and one to be avoided if possible.  Therefore, the only occasion which necessitates changing an individual's number is if it is discovered that he or she is actually descended through a different ancestor than first believed when the number is assigned.  An individual's number is not changed if the order of birth is discovered to be different than first believed when the number was assigned.  Numbers are not changed as long as the number places the individual within the appropriate generation and with the correct parents and lineage.  Individual numbers are not assigned until lineage is known with reasonable certainty.

For further explanation, below is a general example of ancestor lineage and how it works. 

For a specific example of how one individual was numbered, follow the descendant numbering below to see how Ovie Pedigo Sypher's Pedigo number was determined.

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