PREFACE HAND STORY MANUSCRIPT

PREFACE
____

THE HAND FAMILY STORY

What started as a simple inquiry into the family background has now turned into a lifelong project. Although many years have already been devoted to the project, there are still many unanswered questions and much research to be done.

This brief manuscript is the first attempt, and probably the last, to bring together the majority of information regarding the family history. It is very likely filled with errors. since much is completely unknown about the HAND family. The portion regarding DANIEL & ELIZABETH HAND being particularly weak, with a great deal of speculation as a major portion of the work. Many times a good guess will provide a reward, but so often families seem to take a contrary path. Perhaps future revisions will correct current errors and provide a better clarification of the family history.

Apologies are extended for the poor quality of many of the documents, especially the census records These records are kept on microfilm and used by many hundreds of people each year. The films are scratched, worn and some are originally of poor quality. Reproduction of those films by photocopy methods also reproduce the flaws. Many of the other records have been reproduced from books on copy machines that were not adjusted properly. The census records are particularly difficult to reproduce legibly.

Much of the framework for the early family history was provided by Bertha Hand in some of her notes. Unfortunately, these "notes" were not particularly organized. Most of the "notes" were answers to questions that had been asked by Mabel Hand over the years. Her answers, on a few pieces of paper, were kept by Mabel Hand for future reference in her genealogical notes. The framework for the later family history was provided by Mabel Hand from her extensive family notebooks.

One of the most difficult projects has been the gathering of information on the recent and current family members. Birth and death dates and burial places for many family members were unknown and had to be found. The inclusion of as much documentation on individuals as is practical has also led to the photographing of gravestones. Reproductions of these photographs are included where possible. Visiting a cemetery may seem a little strange and photographing gravestones ever more so. However, one can learn fascinating things and discover much information that was previously unknown. The information regarding the Willden family was located by a chance meeting with a person in a cemetery in Beaver, Utah who just happened to know the Willden family in town. You just never know who might be walking by.

orn-22

PAGE GRAPHICS CREDIT