Compiling the GHAAHD

Have you ever wondered what it might have been like to receive a request from Major Joel Andrew Delano to provide your family genealogy for inclusion in the GHAAHD? This extraordinary tome documenting the DELANO family in America entitled "The Genealogy, History and Alliances of the American House of Delano, 1621-1899" was published in 1899. It is arranged in two "books" and is commonly known as the "GHAAHD". The combined efforts of Major Joel Andrew Delano and Mortimer Delano de Lannoy record over eight hundred years and encompass lineage from Charlemagne, through thirty-three generations, to Philippe de Lanoy, the progenitor of the American Delano line, and his descendants to 1899. The second "book" documents Philippe's genealogy and descendants to 1899, and it was input for this part of the GHAAHD that Major Delano was seeking. What sort of a response might you have received to your contribution? Thanks to Cousin Carolyn Marcinkowski, we no longer need to speculate on that point. Her Great-Grandfather, Melville Clayton Smith, was one of our ancestors who provided his family genealogy to Major Delano. Cousin Carolyn still has the letter that Major Delano wrote back in response to his contribution. The two-page letter is shown below. If you'd prefer to see the letter as a PDF file, click here.

Melville Smith GHAAHD Letter page 1

When Joel Andrew Delano was compiling the GHAAHD, he wrote to Delano relatives asking for their genealogy for inclusion in the GHAAHD. Melville Clayton Smith, an ancestor of cousin Carolyn Marcinkowski, responded to his request. This is Page 1 of a 2-page letter of response from Joel Andrew Delano back to Melville Smith.

Melville Smith GHAAHD Letter page 2

When Joel Andrew Delano was compiling the GHAAHD, he wrote to Delano relatives asking for their genealogy for inclusion in the GHAAHD. Melville Clayton Smith, an ancestor of cousin Carolyn Marcinkowski, responded to his request. This is Page 2 of a 2-page letter of response from Joel Andrew Delano back to Melville Smith.