Welcome & Purpose

   Welcome to a very ambitous project of mine. My name is Adrian Williams, a thirty-something genealogy nut. I have been working on my family genealogy for about 15 years now and am beginning to hit some very challening walls. A while back, it struck me that with the 3rd most common last name in the country, I am probably not the only Williams researcher who is frustrated at the commonality of my last name. There are just so many blasted Williams' out there and through history, how the heck can I sort them all out? Just exactly how many cousins do I have? Where is all the data?

   I've had the wild idea of a "Williams Only" website for some time, yet was so unsure of how to get one off the ground not to mention where to put a site that would most likely eat a ton of disk space. Then, in 2002, I met another cousin over the internet. Hikaru Kitabayashi had posted a message about getting a Williams DNA project off the ground. The light bulb went off in my head. After a few emails and an international phone call or two, we decided to put both our ideas together and launch a Williams website that would serve a number of purposes:

   1.) A homebase for the Williams DNA Project - this is the primary portal for the testing results for Williams DNA testing.
   2.) A central location for Williams related source documentation - I am constantly transcribing documentation that I have dug up from various archives and courthouses. Why not put them on the web for all Williams researches to find?
   3.) A starting point of some kind to try to make heads and tails of all the various Williams lineages that appear to be out there. What are the various theories researchers are trying to prove?
   4.) A method of proving and sourcing commonly accepted connections that have not been proven.
   5.) A way of sharing information. Not everyone has the ability or means to travel to the different document repositories around the globe.

   This is a contribution style website. In other words, the success of the website depends on contributions from other Williams researchers, both in the form of participation in the DNA project as well as source documentation and family line information. Granted, much of the information I would like to have included here is bypassing other documentation sites, such as USGenWeb. However, from my experience, trying to navigate through all of the various states and counties for Williams specific information is arduous at best.

   Under each of the areas on the menu bar, I have included a short description of the content, guidelines and submission details, as well as the actual content. Some of the guidelines may seem a bit strict, but after careful thought, I felt some strictness was necessary. This is mainly in an attempt to reduce the amount of unsubstantiated information out there. I have seen how, sometimes, a genealogist will make an unproven link and that information gets passed on and becomes a "proven" link. Seems to me our job is hard enough without wrong information floating around. That said, I have included in the Williams Lines Underway, the space for people to lay out the theories they are working on, as a way to get others involved to help prove or disprove the theory.

   I truly hope that this site helps fellow Williams genealogists everywhere. This is my 'practice what I preach' effort. I tend to have a pretty low opinion with the pay sites that make you give them money in order to share information. I am committed to this site never charging anyone a nickel. This is my way of thanking all of those who have helped me along in my research. And, of course, I am always open to ideas, criticisms, suggestions and comments. Please feel free to let me know your thoughts.

   Enjoy the site!!