Ancestral Record Book.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Oct., 1894-Accepted, 1st Dec., 1894
Ancestral Record Book.
1. FREDERIC WILLIAM BAILEY, a citizen of the United States of America,
residing at No. 567 Howard Avenue, in the City of New Haven, in the County of
New Haven, and State of Connecticut, Clergyman, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to an ancestral record book, and the object of my invention
is to provide a substantial and convenient ancestral record book which a person
may without difficulty keep for himself, and add to from time to time; the
arrangement of which, and the manner of keeping being so simple and easily
understood as to invite genealogical investigation; and further to provide an
ancestral record book to be cherished because of its new and necessary provision for
the preservation of photographs of family likenesses, and coats of arms, with notes,
in addition to the ordinary genealogical records.
My invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement
of my improved ancestral record book, and more particularly, in providing for the
recording and preservation of ancestral data, with the photographs of kindred; the
individual ancestral lines being regularly and uniformly classified on distinct pages,
each with its own surname, yet all closely connected directly or indirectly with the
first record, or "pivotal" page of the book, by means of cuttings or perforations,
through each of which appears the maiden name of the individual maternal ancestor
by whom the ancestral connection of surnames occurs.
Referring to the drawings:-
Figure 1 represents two opposite pages of my record book; the page at the right
being the first or pivotal page, showing the sections and spaces thereon, and the
manner of forming the openings or perforations in the page.
Fig. 2 shows a supplemental sheet, combined with the right-hand page, shown in
Fig. 1, which page is shown by broken lines in Fig. 2, and
Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line - of Fig. 1.
In the accompanying drawings, the page at the right in Fig. 1, which forms the
first record page of the record book, is divided horizontally through the central
portion into seven transverse sections 1, each answering to a generation. Each
section 1 has two divisions or spaces 2, one at the right for the maternal ancestry,
and one at the left for the paternal ancestry. Said spaces 2 are preferably lined
and lettered as indicated, to receive the name, date of birth, date of death, and
place of interment of the maternal or paternal ancestor. At the top of said
right-hand page is a space 3 for the family surname.
In each section 1, on the right-hand page, between and below the spaces 2,
is sufficient space for the date of marriage, names of children, &c., and at each end
of each section 1 are spaces 4, for photographs of the paternal and maternal
ancestry named in adjoining spaces.
On the left-hand page, Fig. 1, are seven transverse sections 5, extending
horizontally the full width of the page, and corresponding to the sections 1 on the
right-hand page.
Said sections 5 are for notes, and photographs of the children of
each generation, whose names appear in proper place in the sections 1 on the right-
hand page.
The right-band spaces 2 for the maternal ancestry, on the right-hand page,
except the topmost space, are perforated, or cut through, to make perforations or
openings in the body of the page, which perforations or openings do not extend to
the edges of the page, for the purpose of revealing solitary spaces on particular

page_text: succeeding pages, and the record sections on said succeeding pages begin at and
above the point where said solitary space appears, and are similar to those of the
right-hand page, Fig. 1.
By means of a supplemental page or leaf 6, shown in Fig. 2, which is designed to
be attached to the top of each right-hand page, as needed, and then folded over at
the top of the page onto the face of said page, the sections on said right-hand page
are continued; but instead of perforations through the right-hand spaces, reference
is made to additional pages in the back of the book.
Instead of cutting the openings in the right-hand spaces on the right-hand page,
as described above, the same end may be accomplished and ready reference secured,
by means of thumb cuts on the outer edge of said right-hand page, as shown
by dotted lines, 7, Fig. 1, and on all other pages, where maternal lines are referred
to subsequent pages.
In my ancestral record book the records are kept by working from the beginning
of the book toward the end, and the following is a brief explanation of the manner
of keeping the records.
The left-hand spaces 2 on the right-hand page are for the record of the paternal
ancestry. The person's own name, if a male, is written in the lower left-hand
space 2, the father's name in the space above that, the grandfather's name in the
space above, and so on in the direct line. The spaces 3 at the top of each right-
hand page are for the family surname, to be indexed under the head of contents.
All the right-hand spaces on the right-hand page, Fig. 1, are for the record of
the maternal ancestry. Said spaces, as above stated, are cut from the body of the
page, as shown in Fig. 3, except the top space, so as to leave open spaces or
perforations in the page, which do not extend to the edges of the page, and through
these openings, cut through each to its own succeeding page, are written the names
of the maternal ancestors, as associated by marriage with the particular male
ancestor named in left-band square. Through the lower right-hand opening is
written the name of the wife. The particular succeeding page, on which is written
the wife's name in the lower right-hand space, is then turned to, by inserting the
finger in the lower right-hand open space or perforation, in which the name has
been written, and in the lower left-hand space of said page which has been turned
to, is written the wife's father's name; (paternal ancestry on all pages, and in
all lines occupying left-hand spaces,) and in the open space above the wife's name
is written the mother's name. The wife's mother's name is written through an
open space in the page, and through this space still another succeeding page
is referred to, for the wife's mother's record, and so on.
In case of more than enough names on the paternal side to fill the seven left-hand
squares on the right-hand page, Fig. 1, a supplemental page or leaf 6, as shown in
Fig. 2, is employed, to continue the paternal ancestry. Four sections 1 are
shown on said supplemental page in Fig. 2, but five or more sections may be
employed if desired.
Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure
by Letters Patent, is :-
1. An ancestral record book, the alternate pages of which are each provided
with spaces or divisions for the paternal and maternal ancestry, and the top of the
page is provided with a space for the family surname, a portion of each leaf being
cut away whereby but one of the spaces for the maternal ancestry will be visible
therethrough, substantially as set forth.
one, 18
2. An ancestral record book, each leaf of which, except the last
perforated, one side or page of said leaf being provided with spaces for paternal
and maternal ancestors, the maternal ancestor spaces registering with the
perforations, and the paternal spaces of each page beginning one space nearer the
top of the page than the maternal space that is visible through the preceding page,
the other page of said leaf being provided with spaces for notes and photographs,
substantially as set forth.

page_text: 3. An ancestral record book, in which the entries are made working from the
beginning of the book toward the end, and in which one of two opposite pages
throughout the book is provided with one or more transverse divisions or sections,
extending horizontally on the page, and the right-hand page is provided with one
or more corresponding transverse horizontal sections, each of said sections having
two spaces thereon, one for the paternal ancestry, and the other for the maternal
ancestry, and said page provided with openings or perforations, for access to a
succeeding page, in combination with a supplemental page, adapted to be
attached to the top of the last mentioned page, for the purpose stated, substantially
as set forth.
Dated this 29th day of October 1894.
J. C. CHAPMAN,
Agent.