Other Linville Resources

The Linville Family Database contains upwards of 25,000 descendants of Thomas and Elizabeth (Wickersham) Linvill as well as a number of lines that have not been connected to them, but carry the Linville surname.  It evolved from research begun in 1939 by Dr. Henry Richardson Linville and later continued by his granddaughter, Dr. Alice Eichholz (also co-administrator of this FTDNA Linville project). In the 1990s, Harvey K. Linville converted Alice’s published work on the Linville family into database format, which has led to the present version of the database in The Master Genealogist software.  This extensive collection of Linville family ancestry is a major asset that allows us to make use of DNA results from different families using the surname. It is now maintained by the Linville FTDNA project co-administrators (Alice continues to work on the family pre-1850; Mike adds new information on the family post-1850). Essentially, all the information from three Linville books (all three now out of print - the last published in 1982) published by Alice is included in the database plus most of her Linville family research since 1982.  In addition, significant contributions of substantiated research findings have been added into the database over the years by Mike Linville who integrated and verified material submitted by family members since the 1990s. This entire Linville Family Database is now available in a searchable format in a web site format (https://www.linvillefamily.us)  Contact either Alice or Mike, the project administrators, if you have questions about the information contained in this web site.

The MyFamily Linville site that contained a wide variety of materials on the family was disbanded by Ancestry.com in Sept 2014.  This included the updated Linville Roots newsletters, a copy of Dr. Eichholz’s 2013 typescript of the first known generations of the family, pictures of Linville places, maps, and tours of Linville area, reunion information and recaps, and important documents on the family.  A new, less functional site, managed by Spokt (https://spokt.com/)was set up, but there has been limited activity and no way to move all the documents originally stored in MyFamily.com.  Contact the project administrators for additional information. 

A Facebook Group (Linville Family - Ancestry and DNA) has been created (https://www.facebook.com/groups/369725579840055/?ref=bookmarks) and is available for discussion and questions related to any aspect of Linville family ancestral research, as well as questions about pursuing and interpreting DNA testing.  In addition, the 2013 edition of Linville Family - First Generations is posted as a file on the Facebook Group site and the web site and is available to anyone who joins the Facebook Group or accesses the web site.  If we can find a way to post it here on this Linville FTDNA public site, we will do that, too.  We hope by using social media we will reach more of the current generation of Linville family members and provide assistance for those trying to prove Linville lineages – either through traditional or DNA research. We would like to see the work that those in the family have done reach as many in the younger generations as possible.  Search for  the name (Linville Family - Ancestry and DNA) of the Facebook Group and ask to join.

There have been three national Linville Family reunions: 1982 at Linvilla Orchards, Media, PA; 1987 at Tanglewood Park, Clemmons, NC; and 1992 again at Linvilla Orchards.  Both locations have significance to Linville history.  In addition, the North Carolina branch has continued to have a reunion on the first Sunday in October for over 100 years in Kernersville, NC.  There are other Linville reunion groups around the country.  Contact co-administrators for additional information.