THE WEB SITE DOCUMENT TYPES

As of January 25, 2001 (Go To Main Support Page)

The following is the Document Type Menu

DOCUMENT TYPE - GENERAL

There are three types of Documents used on this Giering Family Trees Web Site. Each of the three has a "main" page or pages that act as the lead into the set of documents, all of the same type.

Most Genealogy information consists of a "Family Tree". In our case we refer to these pages as Offspring Chart Pages.

The majority of information (or documents) contained in this Web Site are

The third type of document found on this web site is a set of pages that contain HELP information.

Worksheets and the Index of names

For the most part, every Giering or Giering descendant is either the head or the spouse of a family. There is one worksheet for each of the families making up the Giering Family Trees. This worksheet contains the principal person (a Giering or Giering descendant), the spouse or spouses, their parents and their children. There is one exception to the statement about one principal and spouse. In a few instances, cousins married and since both are Gierings or Giering descendants, they are both principals.

All individuals (Gierings or Giering Descendants, but not necessarily spouse's parents) listed on worksheets are found in the index of names. This composite index is in 26 pages plus a "Main Index". The Main Index has 26 links (one for each letter of the alphabet) to the page of the index that represents all names that begin with that letter of the alphabet. All persons are listed in the index under each of their names (other than the name Giering). For example, if the person's name is John Paul Jones, that person would be found under "Paul Jones, John"; "Jones, John Paul" as well as "John Paul Jones". Each entry in all of the index pages is a link to the worksheet on which that name appears. By clicking on the name, the associated worksheet for that person is displayed.

The Main Index contains, at its top, a copy of the Main Menu! Each of the 26 index pages contain one or more links back to the main index page. Each worksheet contains, at its top, a link to the main index page, giving the visitor - when viewing either an index page or a worksheet - the ability to journey to any other part of the web site.

Each worksheet is designed to contain the following basic information on the Family and its members. In addition, some worksheets also contain, if available, additional ancillary information - see below.

• Title - At the very top of each worksheet is the title. This title is the name(s) of the principal person for whom the worksheet is constructed.
  
  
• Id number - Immediately below the title and centered on the page is the Principal Person's (also the Family's) Identification number. For details of the makeup of this number, see the section on Identification numbers.

  It is important to note that this identification number is a link to that page of the "family tree" or offspring chart, where the offspring for this family are located.

  Certain worksheets have an identical counterpart in German. The contents for their Id information sections will be covered when this document is translated to German.
  
  

• Main Index and As of Date - Following the Identification number section is a line containing two pieces of information. First there is an "As Of" Date. This is the date at which this worksheet was last amended. It should match the date of the last entry in the Source Section described below.

  Following the date is a link to the main index. If a viewer/visitor gets to this worksheet by means other than the Index, this link affords the visitor with the ability to go to the Main Index and, using the Main Menu found there, to journey to any other part of the web site.
  
  

• Parents Identification - Next we find a section that identifies, when known, the parents of the Principal person(s) and spouse. In addition to the names of the Father and Mother, there is provision for an "age" and a "link". If the age is filled in, that is the age of that parent when the Principal or spouse was born. When the parent's family also has a worksheet, the link to that worksheet is given.
  
  
• Principal and Spouse - In the section following the Parents identification, the Principal and spouse are identified together with their statistice. The meanings for the cryptic titles for the statistics information can be found in Glossary or Terms.
  
  
• Children - the third major section of a worksheet lists the children of the union (the principal and spouse) in as close to chronological order as information will permit. Each child is listed with statistics unless that child has a worksheet of his/her own - in this case the only information is the Identification number of the worksheet as a link to it.

  The basic statistics for a child include dates and places of birth, death and place of interment. Unless a worksheet is prepared for that individual, the child is listed in the index as part of the family's wprksheet.
  
  

• Additional Spouse(s) - If there are additional spouses (with or without children) for the same principal, the extended family is listed following the children of the previous union. All unions - again as far as information will permit - are listed in chronological order.
  
  
• Sources - Following the childern for the last (or only) union, is the list of source information. If any of the information contained in any portion of a family's worksheet, the source of that information is identified so that conflicts can be resolved.
  
  
• Occupation - Information on the occupation (and employers) on any person listed in the worksheet, when known, is listed.
  
  
• Education - The level and source of the education for any and all members of the family is listed in this section
  
  
• Military Service - Military Service is identified here.
  
  
• Medical - One of the major goals (the mission) of the Giering/Gühring Family Trees project deals with any and all medical information of prior generations. This section is where that information is listed.

  For additional information on this subject, please view the Letter sent to individauls requesting Medical information.
  
  

• Commentary - This is a "catchall" section where other information may be listed.

Some worksheets also contain, if available, the following additional ancillary information:

• Church Related Information - All church related information, except baptism (in many instances, baptism is the source of the DOB and, as such, the two are normally combined) is, whenever it is available is listed in this catagory. This includes, but is not limited to Confirmation service, First Communion, etc.
  
  
• Census Data - In many instances, census data backs up other listed data (e.g. education, age, occupation, etc.) The census data grouped by the decade number is included here.
  
  
• Obituaries - Newspaper printed obituaries are always full of significant information.
  
  
• Pictures - Finally there is a section for pictures/photographs. Those visitors that are familiar with the use of medium to high resolution photographs on the internet are aware of the elapsed time for downloading these photos. Rather than downloading the full photo each time a worksheet is accessed, a "Thumbprint" (small and of low resolution) is included as a link to to the full picture. Visitors that wish to view the full photo will have their request fullfilled, but others won't be affected.

PAGES OF THE OFFSPRING CHART

THE FAMILY TREE -

A composite Offspring Chart that facilitates the tracing of a family line has been prepared and is found in "pages". Each page contains links that allow the connection between elements in a portion of the Offspring Chart Page to an associated worksheet and vice versa. There are two ways to trace a family tree: Starting with a known member of the family tree and starting with the earliest known ancestor.

• STARTING WITH A KNOWN MEMBER OF THE FAMILY - To use this method of tracing a family tree, start by displaying the worksheet (obtained via the "Index of Names") for the family of the starting person. On the top of that worksheet is that family's Identification number. The number is also a link to the offspring chart page that lists the offspring for that family.
  
  
• STARTING WITH THE EARLIEST KNOWN ANCESTOR - Begin by jumping (via the link at the top of this page) to the Main Support Page which contains the Main Menu. One of the options (links) on the main menu is the "Offspring Chart". Taking this link causes the main chart page to be displayed. One of the options on the Chart page menu indicates "Finding the start of the known Family Trees". That display lists all of the known family trees and a link to the earliest known mwember of each tree (See below).

Each page of the chart also allows the viewer to return to the main Chart Page (via link at the top of each page), and thus to anywhere else in this web site or to the provider's Home Page.

Using either method, one finds an offspring chart for a given individual or family. The chart lists all of the offspring for that family (or individual). Topping the chart is the Family Identification numbet as a link that allows the viewer to move directly to the worksheet for that family. Connecting the chart to the left is a line that defines the next earliest generation - specifically the parent of the individual that is the family's Giering Descendant. Continuing to the left traces the family tree from later to earlier generations.

Each offspring in a family that also has offspring children is connected to his/her offspring by a line starting with the person's first name and (proceeding to the right) ending at the subsequent chart. Continuing to the right traces the family tree from earlier to later generations.

INTER-PAGE LINKS -

There are many instances where the composite family tree is made up of a multiple set of chart pages. When tracing the chart in an earliest to latest mode these inter-page links are found at the right margin of the page. The link is of the form (e.g. F67). Clicking on this link will take the viewer to a link destination of the same number on the suceeding page.

When traversing the chart in the reverse mode, the inter-page link is found on the left margin. Clicking on this link will take the viewer to a link destination of the same number on the preceeding page.

LIST OF EARLIST KNOWN ANCESTORS -

When tracing the family tree starting with the earliest known ancestor, one begins with a display of the list of Earliest known ancestors. There are two columns of Family names in the list.

• FAMILIES IN GERMANY - Most if not all of the early ancestors originated in what is now Germany. Eventually, if this project is successful, all of the family lines will be traced back to a common ancestor. For that reason, families in Germany are listed in a separate column.
• FAMILIES IN OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD - To identify branches of the Giering lines that are indigenous to some other part of the world, they are listed on the right and, if known, the ancestral family to which they belong is identified in the associated left column.

Aasociated with each name in the list - regardless of column - is some information about location(s). This should aid in identifying the ancestor desired. Also associated with most names ia a link to the start of the tree.

Once the ancestor whose tree is to be traced has been identified, the name itself is a link to the start of the tree for which this ancestor is the earliest known person.

PIPELINE -

On the left edge of some of the chart pages is a column of either |ннн| or |VVV|. These symbols are considered "Pipelines". These pipeline symbols are used ONLY when the pages are printed and pasted together. A pipeline implies that there would be more than five vertical lines connecting the entrance/exit on the left of a page and the offspring chart to or from which the connection applies.

The |ннн| pipeline symbol is an "upward pipe" and means that, in tracing from a parent to the offspring the moveent is upward from the point of entry to the offspring chart - obviously one goes down an "upward" pipe when tracing from an offspring chart to the parent. The symbol |VVV| is a "downward pipe" and is the opposite of the "upward pipe".

PRINTING THE FAMILY TREE -

In order to obtain a complete assembled Giering Family Offspring Chart, it is necessary to print the pages that make up the composite chart. Each page of the chart is designed not only for viewing, but also for printing to facilitate the assembling of the composite chart.

The chart can be thought of as pages making up sections and sections making up the complete tree. A section is a set of pages assembled into a vertical strip - one page glued below the preceding page. Each section is then assembled (glued) to preceding sections. Vertical and horizontal lines are designed to match-up to facilitate tracing family lines.

SECTIONS APPROXIMATE YEARS OF BIRTH (YOB) - While this relationship is not a hard-and-fast rule, section numbers equate to the approximate the century in which the person is/was born. Section one contains individuals whose Year of Birth (YOB) is approximately between 1600 and 1699. Section two is for people whose YOB is in the seventeen hundreds, etc. There can and will be overlaps - for example, section five would be for people born after the year 2000; actually section five contains persons whose YOB is also in the latter part of the twentieth century.

Each chart page is numbered with a <section number>, a hyphen and a <page number> (within the section). For example, the top page of section three is numbered PG3-1, the next lower page of section three is PG3-2 and so forth. Using the following list of section pages (found following the assembling section, click on each page and bring it up for viewing. Print each page separately.

CAUTION

All of the Chart pages are not yet fully constructed. Eventually there will be separate wall-size charts for each of the individual family Trees. While all but one of the individual charts are complete, the worksheets associated with the charts have not all been incorporated into the Web Site. IT MUST BE NOTED THAT AS MORE INFORMATION CONCERNING THE FAMILY LINES IS OBTAINED, THE CHARTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE LINES MAY AND PROBABLY WILL CHANGE. Adjust the "page setup" definition for the printer to be used. Prior to changing the settings, record the original settings so that they can be re-instated following the printing of the chart. Set all four margins: TOP, BOTTOM, RIGHT and LEFT to zero or the minimum number possible. Do not use any pre-defined header or footer. RESTORE THE SETTINGS AFTER PRINTING Adjust, if possible, the print position of the paper in the printer: The top line should print at the very top of the page (immediately below the tear, if on a continuous form printer) and position one of each print line should be immediately at the left mergin. For conformity in assembly, print the complete chart WITH THE SAME SETTINGS. A matter of WARNING concerning upgraded Browsers. If you have previously printed a wall chart and note, in the table below, that a given page has been updated, normnally one can just print the replacement page. If, however, you have upgraded your browser since the chart was printed, it may be necessary to re-print the complete chart as Browsers change both display and print appearances.

ASSEMBLING

Once the pages have been printed, assemble each section by glueing each numbered page beneath the page with the preceding number in such a way as to cover the Copyright notice on the higher numbered pages (a copyright notice will remain at the bottom of the assembled section) - the horizontal line should help and the vertical lines should meet.

Once the sections have been assembled, glue them together with the lower numbered sections to the left of the higher numbered sections. The horizontal lines should line up.

PAGES MAKING UP THE CHARTS

There are eight separate Family Tree charts - one for each of the separate and, based upon currently available information, independent family lines in the United States; chart definitions for other famly trees will be made available in the near future. The set of individual chart pages (and the latest date associated with that page) making up an individual composite wall chart can be found by linking to the chart specification listed for whichever chart is desired:

• Andreas' (Emmaus) Family Chart
• Andreas' (Dornstetten) Family Chart (Includes Oswald)
• Ludwig's Family Chart
• Martin's Family Chart
• Philip's Family Chart
• Peter's Family Chart
• George's Family Chart
• Leonard's Family Chart
• Reinhold's & Henry's Family Chart

SPECIAL CONSIDERATION WHEN READING THE ASSEMBLED CHART - To read across section boundries is normally as simple as following the vertical and horizontal ines. There is one exception, however. When the number of vertical lines on the left margin of a page of a section, they are replaced by a "pseudo-pipline" This appears as "|ÎÎÎ|" or "|VVV|" on each printed line (some of them have horizontal lines attached). This "pipeline" assumes that all vertical lines that would be shown are bundled within the pipe. In these instances, to find the horizontal connection, use the three charater (one alphabetic character followed by two numerics, e.g. P23) link identifier found at the end of the horizontal line of a preceeding page to find the same identifier to the left of the family identification number of the associated offaspring chart on a succeeding page, and vice versa.

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Support/Help Pages

This section will be added later

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