Having spent lots of time, money, and energy making DOCUMENTED connections for 12 generations, as well as being able to prove a "line" through acceptable DNA, it takes patience and persistence in absolute proof of one generation to another. The proofs must be acceptable documentation even if it means you sometimes feel like a pest when you ask those in authority. Generally, these people are willing to help with suggestions, but often the record keeping is poor and you need to look at, read, study and evaluate every little detail before completely disregarding it. Recently, the answer which almost had become impossible to make pieces fit goes back to a history written by a later generation which I had read and put aside several years earlier. When I pursued the situation with a historian, he immediately was able to associate and supply documentation which never occurred to me. I have been pleasantly surprised, as well as able to recall having read that old account long ago. Suddenly, the pieces fit! Disregarding sometimes boredom and often tired eyes, scourge the internet for books or family histories, sift through the information, categorize it as if accounting, evaluate it as if a scientist, remember it and be persistent in making the pieces fit reasonable time line. Once it does, and you have justifiable argument, SUBMIIT your work. Just remember---Acceptable Documentation!
