Family trees become incredibly unwieldy as one adds generations, doubling size in height on the chart with each generation. The Ahnentafel, or Ahnen List, is a great alternative, keeping trees in linear form. One simply needs to remember some simple math formulas:
Whoever is the individual whose tree is being charted receives the number 1. Then, to find anyone’s father’s number, double number of child. Mother is doubled plus 1. Thus, their father is 2, their mother is 3. To reverse this and find someone’s child’s number, divide father’s number by 2; or mother minus 1, then divided by 2.
Algebraically:
F = 2C
M = 2C + 1
C = F/2
C = (M - 1)/2
This is the system I will use when I begin to publish my Horn Family Tree. To illustrate, in brief, from my tree:
1 Kenneth Leroy HORN
PARENTS
2 Leroy Kenneth Earl HORN
3 Rose Adelaide COREY
GRANDPARENTS
4 Frank Eugene Horn
5 Bessie Cleo Wharton
6 Earl Councilman Corey
7 Mary Ellen Mylon
One then adds basic info to each numbered individual: birth and death dates and places. Marriage date and place. Footnotes are added for sources and miscellaneous explanation.
The system sounds difficult to some, but is really quite easy to use.
