Diana Elder | Challenging Accepted Ancestry: A New Look at Henderson Weatherford’s Family Origins

This presentation examines how careful analysis of historical records can overturn commonly accepted family connections based on surname and geographic proximity. Henderson Weatherford’s case study demonstrates an effective methodology for questioning family relationships found in online trees. Through systematic evaluation of tax records, census documents, land records, and probate files, learn how indirect and negative evidence can build a compelling case for new family connections. We’ll examine the role of DNA in confirming hypotheses based on the documentary research.