Cornelius Burnham Harvey’s Origin, History, and Genealogy of the Buck Family provides a detailed account of the Buck family’s lineage, focusing on the descendants of James Buck and Elizabeth Sherman. Despite facing challenges in tracing certain ancestral records and the inherent difficulties in genealogical research, Harvey offers a comprehensive overview of the family’s emigration to America and their subsequent branches. The work emphasizes the importance of understanding family origins, acknowledging both the errors and omissions that inevitably arise in such an extensive project. Harvey’s dedication to preserving the Buck family’s history is aimed at ensuring future generations benefit from this documentation.
Origin, history and genealogy of the Buck family, including a brief narrative of the earliest emigration to and settlement of its branches in America and a complete tracking of every lineal descendant of James Buck and Elizabeth Sherman, his wife.
Two of the objects which the following work was originally intended to accomplish were : (1). To show something concerning the parentage, birthplace and early life of the brothers Emanuel and Henry Buck, and (2), To show a perfect tracing of every one of their lineal descendants, down to the present time. After a patient and careful examination of the early New England town and State records, and a laborious correspondence with those in charge at the various sources of record information in England, I reached the conclusion that the first mentioned object could only be attained, if at all, by an extended personal examination of the records in England, a work necessarily involving much more time and expense than I could devote to it. I was therefore reluctantly compelled to abandon an object, the attainment of which, would have been of great interest to the reader.
Nor was I long in ascertaining that the accomplishment of the second object, would require at least twenty years of labor, in collecting and arranging the necessary data, and the publication of several volumes. The impracticability of such an undertaking, soon led me to abandon it.
As it is, this work, like every other genealogical work, contains many errors and important omissions. I have made some, and the copyist and printer are each guilty of some. Many more must be attributed to the hundreds of correspondents who have contributed to the subject matter. Records in family bibles, frequently disagree with epitaphs, — particularly in the matter of dates, — and the peculiar chirography of the early civil and religious record makers, are great impediments to accuracy. Besides, the numerous changes in the way of births, marriages, deaths and removals, which have taken place since the spring of 1887, when the labor of collecting data was broken off, are not noted. It is customary, in works of this kind, to interlard them with portraits of the wealthy and more or less distinguished members of the family. My experience has been, that few people care for an album in such a shape. Such a course usually creates jealousy in the minds of some, and places the cost of the book beyond the reach of a great many. For these reasons I concluded not to adopt such a course. There are a few instances in the tracing of the descendants of James Buck and Elizabeth Sherman where I have been unable to fill in all the links. Such instances are owing to the refusal of certain persons to answer inquiries, for reasons best known to themselves, and, where they occur, the reasons are stated. Where the matter has been furnished me concerning the lives and characters of individuals, I have inserted it in a condensed form. To many persons, family origin and lineage, are matters unworthy of consideration. This is a mistake. I fully believe that respectability of origin, adds luster to fame, — that “the glory of children are their fathers.” No reasonable man or woman should be insensible to the value of an honorable origin and descent; especially, if to the chance of earthly fame, there be added the blessed memory of the just. Although the present generation may not appreciate the labor bestowed upon this work, I am confident in the hope, that future generations will declare it not to have been in vain.
Notes About the Book
- Index starting on page 251.
Major Surnames
Abbott, Adams, Addis, Allen, Bailey, Baldwin, Barnes, Barnum, Bartley, Bassett, Beecher, Benedict, Bonham, Bostwick, Bowen, Brasher, Brickey, Brownson, Buck, Bucke, Buckingham, Camp, Carhart, Clark, Cody, Cooke, Coon, Cooper, Cottrell, Dameron, Danielle, Darrow, Dayton, Denning, Dodge, Dossance, Duncan, Ford, Foster, Gardner, Gazley, Giddings, Goodwin, Graham, Graves, Gregory, Griffin, Hall, Harper, Harvey, Hawley, Hayes, Heckman, Hicks, Hilton, Hopkins, Howland, Hoyt, Hubbell, Hungerford, Irvon, Jackson, Jacobs, James, Johnson, June, Keller, Kelsey, Kinney, Kirby, Kline, Klinginsmith, Knapp, Lafferty, LeBuc, Lee, Leonard, Lewis, Malone, Marsh, Matson, Maxwell, McColley, McConnell, Mickel, Miles, Miller, Mills, Miner, Mitchell, Morris, Newkirk, Niles, Noble, Northrup, Osterhout, Peck, Piper, Pratt, Prindle, Reeves, Richmeyer, Rodofer, Roripaugh, Rudisill, Salter, Sandford, Sedwick, Shaw, Sheperd, Sherman, Sherwood, Smith, Sterling, Stevens, Stewart, Stock, Stone, Stratton, Thatcher, Thomas, Todd, Treat, Trowbridge, Turrell, Tuthill, Vail, VanValley, Vogler, Wambaugh, Weaver, Welch, Wells, West, Wheeler, White, Wood, Young
This is not a complete list of all surnames but rather reflects instances where more than 4 people are indexed in the book with the same surname. To see a full index of surnames please see page 251.