Author Topic: How did the "Greathouse Cousins Data Exchange" begin?  (Read 9294 times)

Rick

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How did the "Greathouse Cousins Data Exchange" begin?
« on: August 23, 2008, 03:08:49 PM »
How did the "Greathouse Cousins Data Exchange" begin?

Greathouse descendants have always been interested in their family history.  In 1997, two people, seeking to learn the history of the Greathouse family in American and Europe, became the pioneers, who brought "Greathouse Cousins" together, when they began exchanging Greathouse family information by E-mail.  Later, in December 1998, the Greathouse Mailing List at RootsWeb.com was adopted to share their collection of information as well as the means to gather new information from family members.

The Greathouse Mailing List at RootsWeb.com, appears to have been created about January 1983, but had either been left idle; or any E-mails posted were lost,  probably due to a server failure at RootsWeb.com; between February 1983 and December 1998.

The group was founded in 1996, by Patricia Dodd Greathouse, when she started searching for documentation to join the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR).

When interviewed by E-mail, in late 1998, about how the group came to be founded, Pat stated, "I wrote for the records of Harmon Greathouse from the DAR and received 3 different copies stamped "error". I got on the internet and found that there were several sites that also reported these errors as fact... I just wanted the facts recorded correctly for future descendants.  The "Greathouse Cousin" network started with the exchange of information.  I was trying to inform all the Greathouse relatives to find accurate and factual information."

The group of Greathouse relatives or Greathouse family researchers, who were exchanging the history of the Greathouse family, continued to grow under the leadership of Patricia Dodd Greathouse, "our fearless leader"... who directed the project, with interest and enthusiasm for about seven years, through her death, which occurred on February 7th, 2003, in Columbus, GA. We mourned her passing and miss her very much.

In 1997, Franklin Daniel Neher volunteered to be the record keeper of all the Greathouse data received by the group, which had been named as, the "Greathouse Cousins Data Exchange", based on Frank's E-mail which he used to recruit new members for their project.


Pat stated, "she and Frank were "tied by a common interest in correcting past inaccurate published Greathouse information, and that their goals were to:

1.  Collect and share documented facts about the descendants of Herman Groethausen (ca 1670-1743), Springfield Manor, Germantown, Pennsylvania.

2.  Share all research that was collected and to enable future generations to find accurate information.

3.  Help others to tie their loose links to the main family tree."

When Franklin Daniel Neher retired as Records Coordinator and as Custodian of the collections he had diligently and tirelessly compiled for the group after his 85th birthday, on April 27th, 2002, Frank continued to serve in an advisory role for the group, while he also helped many others with their Greathouse family history endeavors. For his continued service, Frank was granted the title of "Records Coordinator Emeritus", which he retained through his death. Franklin Daniel Neher died on 27 May 2004 in Wenatchee, Chelan County, WA.
« Last Edit: March 15, 2011, 12:07:33 AM by Rick »
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Rick

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Re: How did the "Greathouse Cousins Data Exchange" begin?
« Reply #1 on: March 14, 2011, 11:53:26 PM »
Email from Frank Neher to All possible Greathouse Cousins in West Virginia and Pennsylvania, Subject: Greathouse Cousins Data Exchange

-----Original Message-----
From: Frank D. Neher
Sent: Wednesday, March 11, 1998 6:42 PM
To: Greathouse Cousins
Cc: Pat Greathouse
Subject: Greathouse Cousins Data Exchange

TO All possible Greathouse Cousins in West Virginia and Pennsylvania:

My name is Frank Neher and I live at 3142 Monterey Drive, Malaga, Washington 98828.  Phone (509) 663 4900.

About six months ago I volunteered to coordinate the record keeping chores of a group of about 35 Greathouse Family researchers who were attempting to compile and correct the family tree charts of the family.  Since then we have gathered the information on over 5,000 descendants of the immigrant ancestor of the family, Herman Groethausen who arrived in Philadelphia, PA about 1710.  His family migrated from the Germantown area into western PA and West Virginia prior to the Revolution.  One Branch, Harmon Greathouse and his family settled in Ohio County about 1771.  The other branch descendants of Johann Groethausen moved in to Maryland, Virginia and then to north central West Virginia.

I would like to invite each of you to participate in this effort.  What we need from you is as much information as you are able to offer about your Greathouse ancestors.  If you could just send to me the bare bones information you are aware of I can possible fit your line into the larger picture.  I have two family software programs, Family  Tree Maker and Paf and can receive text or Gedcoms via e-mail as attachments. If this does not ring a bell.  I would be very happy to receive a simple list beginning with you backwards to your oldest known ancestor.

I will look forward to your reply.

Frank Neher
« Last Edit: March 15, 2011, 12:08:56 AM by Rick »
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