What are the family numbers? and How do they work?
The ID numbering system used to identify the relationship to John SMALL is known as Henry numbering.
Henry numbers contain single digits and capital letters to indicate the position of a child in each generation in relation to John SMALL. They are read from right to left. For example, Charles Rowland HUTCHINSON is 13C1, that is, he is the 1st child of the 12th child (C) of the 3rd child of the 1st child of John SMALL. Note that children are numbered by capital letters after number 9. So number 10 is A, 11 is B and 12 is C etc.
Such numbers consisting of single digits and capital letters define all direct descendants of John SMALL and Mary PARKER. These are the traditional Henry numbers
The spouse of a descendant gets a +sign added for the first spouse and >2, >3 etc. for 2nd, 3rd, etc. spouses. So, the wife of Charles Rowland HUTCHINSON becomes 13C1+.
The children from 2nd and 3rd spouses are numbered sequentially. For example, although the data are somewhat uncertain, it appears that Alice Minnie HUGHES 269 had children by three different partners, two of which are unknown. However, they are numbered 2691 to 2697 irrespective of who their fathers were.
One of the changes from the system used in the 1988 and 1995 books is that when two descendants of John SMALL marry, the number, which is carried forward is the lowest Henry number, not the Henry number of the male spouse. This has resulted in a change in the line of descent for a number of people. For example, Thomas SMALL 51 married Mary HUGHES 25. In the 1988 book their children became 511 to 519 carrying forward the male number. However, on this CD the lower Henry number is carried forward. So their children are 251 to 259 and this numbering then carries on down the generations.
Other branches that have changed numbers include:
2A Eliza Rebecca Hughes married her cousin 43 Robert Small.
415/9 Linda Florence Best married her cousin 443/5 Leonard Milton Small.
A second way in which the numbering differs on the new USB from the original book is that a one “1” is placed at the start of every descendant’s number. This numeral represents John Small and Mary Parker.
The important thing is that the relationship to John Small and Mary Parker is clear for all of the descendants. The total number of digits identifies the number of generations in Australia.