To: All of the Hennington Family"
Whatever your last name is.
My parents Roy and Lily Hennington researched and compiled "The History of Hennington and Related Families" then published it in 1973. It has been my pleasure to be able to print and sell copies since their death. For many years I researched, collected and filed additional information about the family. In 2001 I pulled that information along with chapters contributed by others and published "Sequel To The History of Hennington and Related Families". Until just recently, I continued to collect information and update the Hennington database
as well as sell additional copied of both "The History of Hennington ...""and "Sequel...". Health issues indicate that I should retire and pass the baton to someone else.
Gayle Van Horn is my 2nd cousin. To explain our relationship, we both have the same great-grandfather, William Garrison Hennington, son of Rev John. Gayle contributed several chapters of the Sequel. She and her husband Larry are both hard working, active genealogy researchers.
When I approached Gayle about taking over the Hennington books and database, she indicated she would be honored.
Response from Gayle Hennington Van Horn -
February 4, 2012
The Future of Hennington Research
My sincere thanks to my cousin Bryan Hennington, for entrusting me with the legacy of the Hennington family research. Bryan and his parents gathered a remarkable amount of family information, and I am indeed honored to be entrusted to continue this quest.
At this time, I continue to peruse the photos, documents, files and database from decades of research from these three dedicated researchers. In the future I will make a decision what the next step will be, in terms of publishing.
Larry and I continue to uncover new and surprising facts on the early Hennington's, as well as related families. We are presently in the planning stages for a new research trip to the South Carolina archives.
On a related subject I hope that a few of you will consider taking an autosomal DNA test at Ancestry.com. This DNA looks at your entire chart not just the top or bottom as Y-DNA or mitochondral DNA test do. This is probably the single most important genealogical record you can leave behind for your family and future generations.
The test is simple, painless, secure and as DNA test go very inexpensive. If you are an Ancestry,com member, they have been running $99. No longer do you need a male Hennington family member to prove your Hennington or any other ancestral line through DNA. Ladies we can now test for all our lines. I would hope that a few of you will take the DNA test so we can continue to verify not only our lines via the paper trail but through science as well. We also have at FTDNA a Hennington Y-DNA project and if you are a Hennington surnamed male, please consider taking that test also. Brian and his nephew have, so we have descendants of Rev. John. We certainly could use other Hennington male lines to test, especially off of Rev Henry.
If you should take one of these test, please contact me via email so that I can help you understand the test results in the context of what has already been done. I can say that my AncestryDNA autosomal DNA test has been very eye opening and well worth the $99 and has now verified many of my ancestor paper trail lines through DNA. It is remarkable how far this has come.
Family and DNA test information is always welcome and may be sent to gayleh@brmemc.net.
From time to time I post Hennington and related families on this blog, so please recheck often.
Keep digging folks !
Gayle Hennington Van Horn
FTDNA Hennington Administrator
