Update on Hineman family history

I have started this post several times in the past few weeks; only to be distracted by life! I am sure you can relate! First, I must tell you of the death of my Aunt June on June 13, 2012(Olive June Hineman Hall Yeager Dunlap, b 23 June 1920- d 13 June 2012). She had been ill for several years, and though she will be very missed, we know she moves to a better place. That leaves only my father, Bill, as the last living of the 12 children of David M and Alice M Hall Hineman. I learn many things in the ageing process as I care for my dad; mostly I see the reaction to the death of those close to and around him. Acceptance of the inevitable comes with reflection, which leads to stories of the past and sweet memories.  My unsolicited advice to my friends and relatives is simple: stop whatever you are doing and listen when your elderly family members begin to reminisce. It is good for you and even better for them!


I left off my previous post with the news that our family history has changed! Oh yes, that does happen! When one finds out something of this magnitude, there are only 2 things one can do: Look at it as a disaster (glass half empty) or as an opportunity to discover new information (glass half full). Well, my friends and family, you all know my approach is the latter!
Here's what's happened: Ever since I started working seriously on the Hineman Family History research and gathering of data in 2001, the assumption was that our Hineman branch of the family tree came from John Hineman (b 1802- d 1876) and his wife, Mary M McConnell (b 1804- d 1880).  Now that the wonders of DNA testing has come to the genealogy world, I find that assumption to be incorrect. The McConnell family has a DNA project already established on FTDNA (Family Tree DNA) and I submitted my father's test results to them [twice!!], only to find there was NO MATCH! As soon as I saw this result, I immediately knew where the break in the line (or branch, if you will!!) would be. That is with David Hineman (b 1822- d 1883) and his wife, Letilda "Lettie" Harper (b 1824- d 1892). As a practicing Professional Genealogist, I have firm documentation on original documents from myself back to David and Lettie. That's where I knew the paper trail stopped and the family history became 'fuzzy.'  You see, David was born in 1822, but John and Mary married in 1824, which is a red flag. However, these things can be explained away with the times in which that all happened. In the early 1800's there were very few established communities on the frontier of Western Pennsylvania and Eastern Ohio. Traveling clergy were not always there to formalize marriages or record births and deaths at the time of the event. So, having a lapse such as this in the birth and marriage dates, would not be unusual, therefore accepted by previous researchers as fact. Along comes a new genealogy tool, DNA testing!! This tool is not a definitive document, but a way to know if you are on the right track. Now you know why, 'we are not who we thought we were!' AND why I am bugging my male Hineman cousins to help me further document our family history by doing the DNA tests and create a new 'Hineman/Hindman' project. Onward we go into the past...contact me with your thoughts!!

Well, hello again...and finally!!! I was just looking at this blog history and I post once a year, whether I need to or not!!! I am sticking my neck out and saying to you all: I am going to post once a week, whether I need to or not!! I am counting on you all to spread the word and let's post family information, news, photos, birthday greetings and I will share what family history I dig up! If anyone else is working on locating our ancestors please let me know...I can use all the help I can get!!
The photo above is William Hineman, my Dad, aka "Uncle Bill" or "Papa" to a lot of you in the Hineman clan. (It was taken in April 2012, just prior to his 88th birthday). He is waiting for his coffee at his favorite breakfast cafe. Papa loves his Aussie hat, sent to him by his grandson, Jason, for Christmas last year. Jason lives and works in Sydney, Australia. 
We (Dad and I) are looking forward to being at the 60th Anniversary of the Hineman Reunion on July 28, 2012. Family letters with the information went out earlier this week. If you did not get one...I don't have your mailing address!! Contact me and give me an update!! This year is a milestone year and we are having a group photograph taken...don't you want to be there?? 
Oh, I have big news on our Family Tree...we had to cut off a branch that was 'grafted' in error many years ago!! More details next week...it involves old notions, new DNA and 'we are not who we thought we were!'