There are many uses for a directory of family associations but undoubtedly the best use for it is for genealogical research--for making contact with family members, sharing information about family history, developing common ground between people of the same surname, arranging reunions, discovering who's out there and where you connect on the family tree, and finding out where you can go with your own research. Based largely on data received in response to questionnaires sent to family associations, reunion committees, and one-name societies, the Directory of Family Associations puts you in touch with all these possibilities, offering access to approximately 6,500 family associations across the United States. And since by their very nature some of these organizations exist for only a brief period of time or lack the staff to answer queries, Mrs. Bentley has supplemented the available information with details gleaned from notices in the standard family history journals and newsletters. The third edition (1996) features thousands of new or amended lists, ancestral names (where applicable), and a three-column format allowing for more data on each page. The result is an immensely useful A-Z directory of family associations giving addresses, phone numbers, contact persons, and publications (if any).
