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Archiver > RHEA > 2002-02 > 1012857023


From: Norma Lewis <>
Subject: [RHEA] Re: RHEA-D Digest V02 #22
Date: Mon, 04 Feb 2002 13:11:40 -0800
References: <200202041901.g14J19D30071@lists5.rootsweb.com>


Thanks, Joe, I appreciate your comments. There are so many scenarios in
this research business ~ I reallly think over 30 years I've heard them
all, but keep running across new ones all the time. I chased the Rhea
story in the Koiner History for years before I found out it came from
fragments from stories of the grandchildren ~ which results in data
like the game "gossip" ~ add something and pass it on. In another
allied family 5 books have been written, all with the same data, all
checked and rechecked against the same primary sources interpreted
differently. They just left out the ones who changed the name and left
the state, or they researched one state and not others. They were on
foot, researching court records. The frustrating problem is that once a
book is published family members point to that book as the holy grail
and refuse to believe there could be errors. The ancestors said it, they
were there, therefore it must be true.

In the case of the Koiners (Coiner, Coyner, Kyner, Kiner, Kinard,
Keinerd, etc.) those remaining in Augusta County VA refuse to believe
"the book" should be changed or the date on the large monument for
Michael Keinadt's birthdate changed. The Michael they found died the day
he was baptised in the wrong village in Germany. Plus, we have found
finally the origin of the name "Coiner" ~ It is Irish, the Irish
Coiners were "coiners" or "bookkeepers" and there were a few in PA, I
can't find what happened to them. Every Coiner I find is descended from
the Keinadt family of PA and VA. But, probably some county clerk started
spelling the name that way because it was the way it sounded. So, our
German family has an Irish surname ~ same with Jungs and Youngs (which
I'm trying to separate now), Groffs and Groves, Linnerts and Leonards,
etc. The German and Scots-Irish are all in Augusta County together, both
marrying into the same families. So, when it comes up I have to say, "is
that the German or Scots-Irish family?" And the people in Augusta County
think I'm nuts. The Groves and Leonards have been there forever and so
intermarried with the Coiners they consider themselves Coiners and vice
versa ~ I havn't shared all this with Pat lately.

Then I ran into the Rheas and Rays and Reas in PA, VA and TN, etc. and
I'm not sure I have a handle on them, so I've been lurking on this list
~ and this is a good list with lots of good history and very good
researchers.

BTW ~ my Scots authority on my list says "Scotch" is what you drink, it
is "Scots-Irish" so I'm trying to cooperate.

CD's are good but many of my family don't have computers and they are
old. I've lost so many researchers to old age over the years I'm anxious
to get it all out before we run out of time again. And all the errors
will never be corrected, but we've taken a good stab at it.

This is all good fodder for novice researchers and I appreciate the
forum. Where would we be without the "campfie". Everything is worth
consideration, but to quote an old researchers term, you have to
consider the source and if in doubt, check it out. Don't be surprised it
turns out to be a lifetime mystery!
Norma





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