Acknowledgements

THE WANNAMAKER FAMILY
(South Carolina, USA)

My family descends from Jacob Wannamaker (b.~1714 Germany – b.1768 SC), the progenitor of the SC branch of the Wannamaker family. There are several genealogists and family historians who have researched our common ancestor, Jacob, and many generations of his descendants. For them, we are so appreciative of their boundless efforts in documenting the history of this family in South Carolina. And, to those who were devoted to keeping the Wannamaker history alive in our hearts and minds, I will cherish the days you spent showing me historic places of interest in SC. Many thanks to these gentlemen: William Capers “Bill” Wannamaker, Jr., Luther Wannamaker, Drayton Talmadge “Tally” Wannamaker, and James Hill “Jimmy” Gressette.

Regarding my more immediate family, I am incredibly grateful to several of my relatives for participating in DNA testing at my request, giving me the opportunity to delve into the field of genetic genealogy. And, with the highest level of appreciation, I wish to express the sincerest gratitude for my father, Braxton Wannamaker, and my cousin, Preston Wannamaker. Without their willingness to take a Y-DNA test, we would not be where we are today. Their results, along with the results and corroboration of the other Y-DNA testers, have made it possible to make some important discoveries about the Wannamaker family, especially our own branch.

WILLIAM WHETSTONE WANNAMAKER, III
(South Carolina, USA)

One of the family historians in SC was Preston’s father, William W. “Scootie” Wannamaker, III, who, along with his father, conducted a great deal of genealogical research in the 80’s and 90’s. Together, they researched and documented several of our family lines such as Wannamaker, Matheson, MacDonald, MacLeod, DuPre, Townsend, Raysor, and Bryant. I am honored to have contributed a small part to those efforts and that Scootie entrusted me to continue with some of his work. One of my proudest moments was when he handed me a family genealogy book and said, “Now, you finish it.”  Well, I’m certainly trying to live up to the level of faith he had in my passion for genealogy, the determination to find answers, and the capabilities to carry on.

SHERRY KOSHNEY DOWNARD
(Canada)

I had the pleasure of corresponding with Sherry, who, in the 1990’s, was mostly researching the Canadian branch of the Wannamaker family. She shared much of her information on her website, A Passage in Time, which no longer exists. Sherry’s research efforts yielded a well-documented paper trail, connecting many of the family groups of NY, NJ, PA, and Canada. Furthermore, she was able to extend many of those Wannamaker lines to Hengin Wanmecher (b.1450) of Darmstadt, Germany. I am also grateful that I was able to purchase a bound copy (900+ pages) of her research, Wannamaker and Allied Families, before she passed away in 2003.

CRAIG KANALLEY
(New York, USA)

While I was corresponding with Sherry, Craig was also researching his own Wannemacher ancestry, so it was inevitable that our paths would cross online. Thinking back about that time, it was amazing how much information we were able to share because of computers even in the days of “dial-up.” Sherry was in Canada, Craig was in NY, and I was in Los Angeles. Fun memories…. In any case, Craig was in high school, and to friends and family, I would refer to him as the “Wonderkid” because he made a huge discovery, connecting his own Wannemacher line to Sherry’s and to that of John Wanamaker, “the Merchant Prince” and US Postmaster General. Essentially, Craig found one of the missing links, providing additional evidence that all the northeastern branches of the Wannamaker family in the US and in Canada are related. That was about 2001.

CARL OEHMANN
(Florida, USA)

It’s not often we meet people who take the time to make a difference in our lives. Well, Carl is one such individual. As a retired veteran, professional genealogist with over 30 years of experience, and a fellow Project Administrator (Bryan Surname Project), Carl has shared his time, expertise, and advice, helping to me to understand the complexities of  advanced Y-DNA testing. He has been involved in the genetic genealogy revolution for more years than I, so his mentorship has been invaluable in learning how to navigate this dynamic field. Undoubtedly, collaborating with Carl over the past few years has taught me a great deal for which I am truly grateful. I’m proud to call him my mentor, cousin, and friend.

HELMA WANNEMACHER RICHTER
(Darmstadt, Germany)

Helma conducted extensive research on the Wannemacher families in Germany which she willingly shared with other researchers. In fact, in order to help Craig with his own research, Helma and her brother sent Craig a book about his family group. In turn, Craig shared several pages of that book with me in 2002. At the time, I did not know the names or the hometown of these generous people. Then, in 2017, at the recommendation of another Wannemacher researcher, I traveled to Darmstadt to meet with Wannemacher families nearby. While there, I held in my hand copies of research papers that had made their way to me 16 years ago. For a moment, time had no bounds….  Sadly, Helma had passed away in recent years. It certainly would have been an honor to have met her. But, we are all fortunate that her brother has continued to assist distant Wannemacher cousins with their research efforts. Throughout the years, he has also given countless tours of ancestral places of interest to those who have visited Darmstadt and Arheilgen. No doubt, this family is incredibly wonderful and generous, giving freely of their time and knowledge in an effort to keep the ties strong within the Wannemacher family across the globe.

DOLLIE HUGHES “AUNT DOLLIE” IRICK
(South Carolina, USA)

Even if I were to say nothing more that would be enough. For many people in SC, her name alone conjures up memories of her love of family and her commitment to being of service to everyone she had ever known. When I was a little girl, Aunt Dollie and her brother, my maternal grandfather, Norman V. Hughes, would host large community gatherings which would last for days. It was harvesting time, and friends and relatives came from all over the state. The bounty was shared. While Aunt Dollie commanded the kitchen, I sat there listening to her family stories and tried to remember how so many of these people were related. Out of these conversations were born my first failed attempts at drawing pedigree charts. With her help, though, they improved over time. So did my genealogical skills. But, more importantly, our shared love of family history and genealogy bonded us for many more years to come. I’m not so sure there are other people who enjoy spending their days visiting cemeteries as much as we ever did…Aunt Dollie. A true blessing.

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*Names of living persons provided with express permission, and once I have authorization to include others who have been helpful to me throughout the years, I will do so. 

August 18, 2018