RELEASE DATE: JANUARY 27, 2008
KINSEARCHING
by
Marleta Childs
P. O. Box 6825
LUBBOCK, TX 79493-6825
[email protected]
The genealogical community has lost one of its most respected and accomplished members. Weynette Parks Haun passed away on January 5, 2008, in Durham, NC, at the age of 81. The daughter of Jesse Parks and Carrie Edith Davis, she was born in Brinkley, Arkansas. She married Robert Arnold Haun, Sr., who predeceased her.
A pioneer in the business of self-published genealogical books, she took the new field to increasing heights by compiling 151 volumes. Perhaps best known for her publications concerning deeds, court minutes, and Revolutionary army accounts of North Carolina, she also published thirteen books of Virginia records and two works of Kentucky material. Gaining wide recognition for the accuracy of her meticulous verbatim transcription of records and for the thorough indexes of her books, she received numerous awards for excellence from a wide variety of organizations, including the North Carolina Genealogical Society and the National Genealogical Society.
Perpetually enthusiastic about genealogy, Weynette willingly shared her expertise with fellow researchers and inspired new authors in their endeavors. Her legacy of fine publications and encouragement of other writers will continue to influence the field of genealogy for years to come.
She is survived by sons Robert Arnold "Bobby" Haun, Jr., and Walter Reid "Walt" Haun, Sr.; grandchildren, Robert Arnold Haun, III, Walter Reid Haun II, and Christopher Parks Haun; and great grandchild, Natalie Grace Haun.
In 2005, Clearfield Company launched David Dobson's new series, SCOTTISH HIGHLANDERS ON THE EVE OF THE GREAT MIGRATION, 1725 - 1775. Designed to pinpoint the location of Scots in specific regions of Scotland in the eighteenth century, the books identify sources that either supplement available church records or can be used in their absence. Dobson's latest volume is THE NORTHERN HIGHLANDS.
This area includes the counties of Caithness, Cromarty, Ross, and Sutherland. The main clans traditionally associated with the region are GUNN, MACKAY, MACKENZIE, MCLEOD, MUNRO, ROSS, SINCLAIR, and SUTHERLAND--surnames which are well represented in this work. Northern Scots were among the pioneers of colonial Georgia, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and the Canadian Maritimes. Some of the ships transporting them were the Hector to Nova Scotia in 1773, the Friendship to Pennsylvania in 1774, and the Peace and Plenty to New York in 1774.
Although the volume is not a comprehensive directory, it gathers references for more than 2,100 residents in the Northern Highlands during the eighteenth century. Even if the inhabitants mentioned in this book did not move to America, they most likely had relatives who did. Among the primary resources Dobson consulted were militia lists, which named participants who opposed the Jacobites in 1745-1746.
Because the amount of available information varies, details for some persons may only be the Highlander's name, a location (place of residence, for instance) a date, and the source of the data. Additional facts for some people may include occupation or military service and information about relatives. Date of death appears for a few individuals. Family researchers with ancestors from the region and genealogical libraries will want to get a copy of SCOTTISH HIGHLANDERS ON THE EVE OF THE GREAT MIGRATION, 1725 - 1775: THE NORTHERN HIGHLANDS.
The 162-page paperback has an informative introduction, interesting illustrations, and a key to sources. Names of main individuals are arranged alphabetically. Because some entries mention other people, such as relatives or employer, an index to their names would be helpful. To the book's price of $21.50, buyers should add the cost for postage and handling charges. For U. S. postal mail, the cost is $4.00 for one book and $2.00 for each additional copy; for UPS, the cost is $6.00 for one copy and $2.50 for each additional book. The volume (item order #9853) may be purchased by check, MasterCard, or Visa from Clearfield Company, 3600 Clipper Mill Rd., Suite 260, Baltimore, Maryland 21211 (for phone orders, call toll free 1-800-296-6687; fax 1-410-752-8492; website www.genealogical.com).