Robert Molyneux, known as the “Comte de Meulin,” is the ancestor whose descendants are recorded in this volume. “The Lineage of the English Branch,” “Lineage of the Irish Branch,” “Molyneux of the West Indies,” “Staffordshire and Sussex Branches,” and “Unclassified”—these sections together with one entitled simply “Molyneux,” form the principal divisions of the work. The last-named chapter contains the Molyneux of America. The name is associated with aristocracy, and persons and places of high degree are frequently described. The list of authorities preceding the genealogy shows a large proportion of works on the peerage of Great Britain. The genealogy possesses, therefore, much historical interest, the narrative portion of the work equalling in extent that of the vital statistics. The appendix is a specimen of the literary talent of a Molyneux, entitled “Gleanings After a Harvest of Twenty Years in Roman Fields.” The index is full, the print beautifully clear, and the margins wide.
LASHER GENEALOGY. In three parts. Edition of two hundred copies. New York: C. S. Williams. 1904. 8vo. pp. 270. Ill. Map. Price $3.60. Apply to Publisher, 16 Rivington St., New York City.
Of the three parts of this work the first comprises the descendants of François Le Seur, who came from Normandy to Kingston, N. Y., the second, those of Sebastian Loesher, an early German settler at West Camp, N. Y., the third, those of John Lejere, the record of whose marriage in the Dutch Reformed Church, N. Y., is dated 1723. Church and family records, old papers, tombstones, public documents and historical works, and information received from members of the family are the sources of a well-indexed compilation which will be highly prized by those of the name. Heavy paper, wide margins, remarkably clear print, are the typographical features of the volume. Corresponding in quality to these are the illustrations and binding.
LIFE OF JEFFERSON DILLARD Goodpasture; to which is appended a Genealogy of the Family of James Goodpasture. By his sons, A. V. and W. H. Goodpasture. Nashville, Tenn.: Cumberland Presbyterian Publishing House. 12mo. pp. 308. Ill.
Judge Goodpasture was born on Buffalo Creek, near Hilham, Tennessee, in 1824. His extensive law practice and his State Senatorship, though receiving a due share of the biography, are subordinate in interest to what proved to be the principal enterprise of his career, the importation of jacks. The description of his travels in Europe when in search of the animals he had determined to introduce into Tennessee occupies a large portion of the book, and is very interesting reading. The James Goodpasture whose genealogy forms the appendix, was one of the pioneers of Abingdon Settlement, Virginia, whence he emigrated to Tennessee. Though not written for the public, this memoir of an unusually busy man will give pleasure to all who like to trace a career of deserved success.
THE NANCE MEMORIAL. A History of the Nance Family in General, but more particularly of Clement Nance, of Pittsylvania County, Virginia, and descendants, containing Historical and Biographical Records with Family Lineage. By Geo. W. Nance. 1904: J. E. Burke & Co., Printers, Bloomington, Ill. 8vo. pp. XVI.+354. Ill.
The plan of this genealogy being original and very peculiar, we will quote the author’s own description of it: “As far as known to the author no work has ever been published following the plan of this work.... Beginning with the ancestral head of Part I., he is called the trunk. The trunk divides into limbs, the limbs into branches, they into twigs. The twigs bear buds which bring forth blossoms, and the blossoms grow into fruit. So the seven parts of the tree answer to the seven generations of Part I.” While it gives what one must call a bizarre appearance to the page to head its columns of names “twigs,” “buds,” “blossoms,” “fruit,” it may be that such an arrangement, when understood, is as simple as any commonly used. Mr. Nance claims that it has advantages over others. Be that as it may, the genealogy is an excellent one, very abundant in biographical facts, forming thereby a detailed history of the family, profusely illustrated, well printed, and handsomely and substantially bound.