• Dayton Vennard Young - my father

• Mina Christine Arnold Young - my mother

• Ida Wilhelmina Hockemeyer Young - my grandmother

• John Henry Hockemeyer - my great grandfather
  ( a story of divine healing )

• Hermann Heinrich HOCKEMEYER - my 2nd great grandfather
  ( story of the family emigrating to the USA )

About the Young's

We live near Benton, Arkansas. We have 2 daughters and a granddaughter. Our oldest daughter, Tonya, worked in New York City, New York (Manhattan) until September 11, 2001. She survived the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center, and has moved to Texas. Our other daughter, Stephanie, has a daughter by her first marriage. She works in Little Rock, Arkansas.

I think it is neat that I am able to discover and record some information about my ancestors and relatives. Perhaps my children and their children will one day value the information also. At the end of this life on earth, I will join relatives and friends who have preceded me to Heaven. Of course I want to meet the many Bible characters that I have read about, but I also want to get acquainted with my ancestors and relatives. To me genealogy is more than just history -- it is also a preview of my family that I will join in Heaven someday.

For relatives, these web pages might be considered a cyberspace family reunion -- a place to learn about some of your relatives and ancestors and share what you know with others. I appreciate the relatives who have found these web pages and have shared family histories and photos. Some of what they have shared appears here on these web pages. Hopefully in the future I will find time to add more. If you have information to add to my family history project, please see my contact and privacy page.

I am not responsible for the deeds of my ancestors whether good or bad. Therefore, even if my ancestors were outlaws or slave owners, I do not share their guilt or shame. I am responsible only for myself. Even Jesus Christ has some bad apple ancestors. In Bible times, people weren't so uptight about their ancestors.

It seems that it is easier to lose contact with relatives than to get acquainted with those you do not know. If you rely on your mother, grandmother, aunt, or cousin to act as the contact person with a certain group of relatives, think about what will happen when that contact person is no longer able to keep in touch with others for you. Will you lose touch with that group of relatives, or will you take it upon yourself to keep in touch? After a generation or two of no-contact, some adults hesitate to make friends with relatives who they did not know growing up.

Thanks to Dad, Mom, and many relatives for sharing information with me. Without them this project would not be possible.

Are you trying to find your ancestors by using general search engines? There is a better way (especially if you are looking for common names like Young). Have you seen my tips for finding genealogy data on the internet?

I work as a technician at KATV in Little Rock, Arkansas. I attended public school in Fort Smith, Arkansas; Westark Community College in Fort Smith; and graduated from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. My wife is a retired high school math teacher. I would tell you more about her, but she asked me not to. Want to know more about me?

I have attended Assemblies of God churches most of my life. To find a church near you, search at Switchboard.

The Bible shows us the way to God and heaven. Jesus said this about himself in John 14:6;

..."I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father, but by me."

Even though there is only one way to God and heaven, it is not difficult. God wants you to find the way. The Bible says that

"The Lord is not ... willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:9

If you want to go somewhere, you have to start going in the right direction, or you will never get there. You can start on your way to heaven right now by accepting God's gift of salvation.

Admit that you are a sinner. Admit that you have done wrong things. The Bible says in Romans 3:23 that everyone is a sinner. 1 John 1:8 says the same thing. Everyone has done wrong.

Ask God to forgive you.

"Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." Romans 10:13

Believe that Jesus Christ can and will take away your sin and the guilt of doing wrong.

"As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name." John 1:12

"For the wages of sin (doing wrong) is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16

Confess

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins (wrong doing), and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9

"If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Romans 10:9

Would you like to start on the way now? If so, pray this prayer.

"Dear God, I have sinned. I have done wrong. Please forgive me. I accept your gift of freedom from sin and of everlasting life in heaven with you."

Do you think that is too simple? Why not try it?

Do you want to clean up your life before coming to God? That sounds good, but does not work. There is nothing you can do to get rid of your sin and guilt except letting God do it. Do you refuse to wash your clothes because they are too dirty? Hopefully not. Then let God wash away your sins and your guilt. To learn more about Jesus and His love for you, view "The Jesus Film".

To learn more about what the Bible has to say, look up the following words in the concordance (in the back of your Bible), or search for them online at Bible Gateway or BibleKeeper. Learn about free Bible apps.