ORGANIZATION OF CHART AND TEXT

					   
    The numbering system in this book can only be blamed on the author.  I have
studied the systems of other genealogical material, but cannot see that any of
them would be applicable to this book.  Practically all of the family histories
confine themselves to the descendants of a particular ancestor, with a few side
lines thrown in for good measure.  My book and chart, which "just grew", became an
attempt to find all of the American ancestors of my grandparents that I could
locate, and to give the direct line from the progenitors to Charles Silas and Mary
Lavalette.  The names of the brothers and sisters often appear in the text, but
the chart contains none of them.  I have made no attempt to pursue the descendants of
any ancestor except those who apply to my grandparents.

    The chart shows Mary Lavalette and Charles Silas at the bottom.  In many cases
the line goes back for nine generations in this country, and it must be remembered
that there are four more generations which would belong beneath these two for many
of us.  For instance, my mother's name would appear on the line beneath, my name
or my sisters' on the second, our children on the third, and last and most impor-
tant, our grandchildren on the last.  Of course, the marriages would be given beside
the name.

    In reading the chart, the paternal line appears on the left, so you would find
Charles Silas Bigelow's father, Silas, on the left above him, and proceed to the
left and up to John Bigelow, the progenitor.  The wife appears next to each ances-
tor, except in the last generation, when she appears above him.

    I have followed the same idea in the text.  As nearly as possible, the story
proceeds as the chart does, from left to right. Charles Silas' New England ances-
tors are given first, then his Virginia ancestors, and then Mary Lavalette's
Virginia ancestors, all Virginians.  I begin the numbering in each family with the
first ancestor to arrive in this country and proceed down to the main characters of
my story.  Roman numerals are used for the direct line of descent and each number
represents a generation.  The first of that family in America is given the number
I.

    I have tried to make the index as thorough as possible, so that you will not
experience difficulty in finding a particular ancestor.
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   Abbreviations:

   M. M. D. - "Aunt Mary", Mrs. L. P. Dillon, Lexington, Va.
   M. M. - "Uncle Marshall", the late Marshall Morton, Columbus, Georgia
   H. M. - "Uncle Henry", Mr. Henry Morton, Columbus, Georgia
   "Uncle John" - Mr. John T. Morton, Tyro, Virginia
   Mother - the late Mrs. J. E. Martin, Arlington, Georgia
   All of the above were children of Charles Silas and Mary Lavalette.
   They and their brothers and sisters are listed under "Descendants".    
   My grandparents - The subjects of this book.

V. M. B. - the author