Some time later (after years of collecting photos and information), computer technology had evolved to a point where I had the idea to put it all together into some sort of multimedia format (at the time a CD-ROM). However, I was too busy to get it done and the medium seemed too static for an ever-evolving story. With the eventual maturation of the Internet and all of its readily accessible information, it has not only become easier to research our family roots but also to display it in a compelling way. This, coupled with the concern that the old photos and materials have only grown older, finally led me conclude that it has become an imperative to capture all of this information electronically before it deteriorates beyond saving.

The Project focus began with the evolution of the MANN surname (from Engelbrecht Mann of Plana, Bohemia, Austria-Hungary in the mid-1800's), but also includes many others that have helped build the branches of the family tree over time. These include the surnames listed on the home page. We come from Germany, Alsace, Austria, Ireland, France, Great Britain and other countries, eventually emigrating to the United States.

This project is not intended to replace research already compiled by others, but rather to supplement it and put an easy to use web interface on top of the information (hopefully) making it more accessible to everyone while also preserving the information. I see this not as a static project, but an evolving one which, through the continued contributions of many, will be a dynamic record of our collective family history.

Some of the resources of The Project will be publicly accessible, while many are available only to family members. If you are a visitor researching your family roots and you think you might be related through one of the surnames above, please contact me. Those with a verified link to the families researched by this project may request a username and password to access the private areas of the site.

— Joseph Mann ( joe@originsgenealogy.org )