There are a couple of important points for any reader on this site. I guess you could call these notes answers to "Frequently Asked Questions."
Where did all this information come from?
As mentioned in several other places, the primary source for a great deal of the information about Goodhinds in America is ALICE MARSH SPERL. Her notes and history are presented here with some updates. She not only consulted vital records through the state, she had the advantage of actual contact with early family members. You can read more about Alice by following this link or choosing her name on the left sidebar.
I should mention that, in case you have an early copy of the family history, some dates she provided were incorrect and have been adjusted according to records subsequently found. In Alice's writing, she often inserted personal observations or family stories. I wanted to maintain her work as close to the original as possible but I feel strongly that her first-hand comments warrant special attention. Therefore, I have separated these out where possible and marked them in italics " - AMS" for Alice Marsh Sperl. Where the comments are my own, I have used the same convention with the ending notation " - TSG." -Timothy S. Goodhind
What about the history of William and Ann in England?
Much of that information came from two cousins: DAVID GOODHIND, presently residing in Barnehurst, Kent, and REV. MALCOM MCQUEEN, of San Antonio, TX. Both of these men are also descended from William Goodhind and Ann Norman. You can read about David's family by following this link for child #10, Tom. Malcolm's family is found by following this link for child #1, William II.
How much 'personal' information is presented here?
Although no one has pointedly asked that any personal family information not be presented at this website, I have taken the license to remove some things that might be considered "sensitive." If anyone feels that too much information is still being presented here and this makes you uncomfortable, please e-mail me right away.
This website does not take our family all the way through the present generations. I called a halt at my own generation. I have read in many places that quite a few parents do not want information about their children or their spouses posted anywhere on the internet. Rather than try to solicit an opinion or permission from everyone in the family, I have simply made a decision to stop at my generation (which should be middle-aged...or thereabouts!). If you would indeed like your family's information added right up through your children, again just drop me an e-mail. I'd love to hear from you!
Do you have more pictures?
You don't see a lot of pictures in the website because they take up a lot of digital space, and space is a limited commodity. Yes, I do have quite a few pictures...but I'd love even more! I can scan them and return them very quickly! If you have something that you would very much like to see on this site, send me an e-mail. If you're looking for a particular picture for yourself (like our family portrait from 1945), I can probably send it along to you, either by mail or e-mail.
How often are you going to update this site?
Frankly, I don't know. Getting this website up and running has been pretty rough. It took far longer than I thought it would. I've had to do things over several times to get them right. That said, if you find errors or problems, please let me know. I'd like to think we are presenting our family's history to the world in a dignified and respectful manner. If I can do that even better, let me know.
And please, if something happens in your family, when you get a moment, let us know! A marriage, a birth, a death, a divorce; a new job, a new business, a new town; it's all news to us! In January of 2003, I have added a What's New? page for current news. I'm not certain how easy they will be for me to maintain but we'll see. My new domain hosting company also allows me to host a "mailing list," kind of digital newsletter.
Please be assured that most current information (like divorces, et al.) will not be presented on the website at all. Those changes will only be made to the Goodhind family history narrative itself, and distributed only to family members.
Can I get a copy of the family history?
Yes, you can. Just send me along an e-mail identifying yourself as a family member and I can send it along to you as an e-mail attachment. It will print right off your printer.
Who's idea was this website?
Hats off to cousin CINDY (LUCINDA ALLEN MCGILPIN) PALMER! It was her idea first among us to suggest a central point-of-contact and information-sharing about Goodhinds via a website back in 1999.
Can I do anything to help?
Sure you can! You can keep us updated about the members of your family. You can inform us of incorrect information so we can correct it. You can tell other members of the family about the site and get them to visit. You can write us to tell us what you think. And if you have any suggestions to improve the site, PLEASE send me an e-mail!!
