Book Report: A Patriot’s Legacy

When I started to research my father’s family Patricia A. Brock Smith helped me out in many ways. At one time she mailed me photocopies of a couple pages from this book:

Creel, Bevin J. A Patriot's Legacy:

The Family of Richard Dillon and Ann Lawrence

from Bertie County, North Carolina to Southern Mississippi and Louisiana.

Franklinton, Louisiana: Printed, 2002.

A Few of the Surnames included:

Alford, Ball, Bankston, Berryhill, Blades. Brock, Brown, Brumfield, Conerly, Cutrer, Dillon, Ellzey, Fortenberry, Ginn, Graves, Magee, McDaniel, Miller, Schilling, Simmons, Smith, Strickland, Tate, Tynes, Varnado, Warner, Yarborough

Recently I was looking into my Dillon ancestors and reread my notes from my earlier research. I was wishing I had more than just a couple photocopied pages of this book. I started an internet search to purchase the complete book. Amazon & AbeBooks.com did not have it. Google Books did not have a book or ebook. Further searching led me to the Family History Family Catalog where I hoped to locate it on microfilm. Even better, I found a link to a digital copy!

Bevin J Creel wrote that this book is an expansion of an earlier work, ‘A History of the James Brock Family’. Because of the many ties between the families he “consider[ed] the present work to be based on the Brock volume.” Mildred Penton Richboroug is given credit as co-author.

Bevin wrote:

I would like to say a few words about proof of descent to those of you who are using this book for research purposes. One's listing in a genealogy such as this is not considered as proof of descent according to common-held genealogical standards. The primary records which stand behind this book ARE considered as proof. Ideally then, one should use this book as a guide to doing one's own research. We have made every effort to check every will, deed, tax record, etc. in an effort to make this as accurate as possible, and we believe that the information within is an honest representation of the extant evidence. Additionally, we have every assurance that those who submitted family information did so responsibly and were careful to achieve the utmost accuracy in their reporting of data.

Chapters:

1.    Background

2.    Dillons in Bertie County and the surrounding area

3.    Richard Dillon and the Lawrence family of Bertie County

4.    Various other records from Bertie County

5.    South Carolina and Mississippi

There is an all name listing of individuals at the end of the book.

Mr. Creel explains his numbering system for the many individuals included. Once I understood that it became easier to navigate and understand the relationships. Although I would like to see more sources included, he has given dates and locations that have enabled me to find many of the individuals in census and other records myself. His work has certainly expanded my knowledge of this part of my family. If you have connections to any of the families mentioned in this book it would be worth your time to look this over.