Skip to main content

GSSA HEADER ENG

Allegaartjie November 2024

BERNHARDT Wilhelm Foto 2024 11 09The Origin of Progenitor Wilhelm Bernhardt: When is Genealogical Information Enough, and Good Enough?:  Wilhelm Bernhardt
In my research over the past 20 years, I have managed to find seven primary sources that potentially shed light on the birth, life in Germany, and death in South Africa of progenitor Wilhelm Bernhardt.
 
These sources contradict one another on certain points and complement one another on others. To confuse matters more, at least three of these sources cannot beyond all doubt be connected to the progenitor, although it is probably he who is being referred to. However, each of the records contributes a critical piece to the still unfinished puzzle of progenitor Wilhelm Bernhardt's origins.
 
The question I therefore ask with this presentation is simple: When is genealogical information enough, and good enough to be accepted as probably correct? Or maybe out of desperation I see answers, because I want to see them?
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Around the world in six months: A search for Brenda's parents, and the uncomfortable information revealed in the process: Annemarie Dreyer
 
My search for Brenda's parents, with only her DNA results to work with, took me on a virtual trip around the world. 
 
Brenda was born in Johannesburg and now lives in France. It was established that her biological mother died in Zimbabwe, where her one brother still lives.  The other brother, and some nieces, reside in England. With the help of DNA we found her paternal half-sister in Canada. During the search,
 
I built a research tree of hundreds of people, viewed dozens of documents and tested several other family members' DNA.  The conclusion was that Brenda's mother, her aunt and uncle each had a different father.  All these fathers are still unknown.
 
AUCAMP Pieter Foto 2024 11 09Pitfalls in the Path of Genealogy: Pieter Aucamp
 
After retirement, Pieter had more time for research to start looking for correct information about his Aucamp family. 
 
This is where the potholes in the road occurred.  In his presentation he focused on three types of pitfall in the path of genealogy: Those that sometimes stem from official sources, farm cemeteries, and in misleading sources abroad (churches).