PREFACE.

With much hesitation I undertook the work of making a genealogy. Encouragement of friends, as well as my own interest in the subject, beguiled me into the task, and, having once put my hand to the plow, I could not well turn back until the end of the furrow was reached.

A genealogy is a family record extending through many generations. It is of interest as families are of interest, and no ties are more precious than those of the home. The first object of this work is to emphasize the value of the home, the good character of which is essential to happiness. If parents, children, and kindred are worthy of each other's honor they will be worthy of the honor of all. A genealogy is made up largely of names and dates, but this need not indicate that such a work is dry and meaningless. A name with two dates standing as sentinels, the one at the gate of entrance into life, the other at the gate of exit, means much. A name stands for a life with its joys, sorrows, labors, hopes. A mother as she gave the dates of the birth and death of her boy burst into tears; a love was there, a hope, yes, a life, whose history no pen can trace, which only the heart knows.

The writer of this work has spared no pains to make it accurate and complete. That a work of this nature be wholly free from error cannot be expected. The care which the compiler has taken in weighing evidence, in reading manuscripts, in transcribing names and dates, should exempt him from receiving more than his share of blame for any errors that may exist.

Research has been made to learn as much as possible about the early fathers of the Viets family. Town and pro

bate records have been searched, old letters and other papers have been brought forth to testify, gravestones have been conferred with, the oldest living members of the family have been consulted, and every available source of information resorted to. Only one thing is lacking to make the record of earlier generations complete and perfect in every instance, and that is some means by which the departed may be made to speak.

Several hundred letters have been sent out into all parts of the country, and these have in most cases received a prompt and cordial response. The writer has enjoyed making acquaintances and finding kindred in distant states, and the interest shown by them has been a constant encouragement to him in his work.

The plan of the writer at first was to carry the genealogy but one generation out of the Viets name, but more remote descendants have been included when records could be obtained.

If a more complete account is given of some families or individuals than of others it is because more material came to hand.

It is believed that the line of descent as given is in every instance correct unless a doubt is expressed. There is a break in the line of descent of a few families, which cannot, as yet, be bridged over. In some instances probably a knowledge of but one generation is wanting to connect certain existing families with older ones. Families probably descended from Dr. John Viets, but whose line cannot be traced with certainty, are placed in an appendix at the end. of the volume.

Mention is made of services rendered in the Revolutionary and other wars, as far as the facts are known. The majority of the family are eligible to join the "Sons" or Daughters of the Revolution," some by more than one ancestor.

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I desire to acknowledge my indebtedness to Levi Clinton Viets, whose knowledge of early family history has been an indispensable help, and whose interest in the work has been an encouragement from the first. I also desire to thank friends in different sections of the country and in Nova Scotia who have sent records and information regarding their branches of the family, some of them at considerable expense of time and labor, and to all of whom I am deeply indebted. FRANCIS H. VIETS.

Among the nations of modern Europe, family names may in some cases be traced back as far as the tenth century. In early times each individual bore one name only, which, after the coming of Christianity, was usually given at baptism. The surname, or overname, so called from the fact that it was at first written over the given name, like most innovations, came into general use slowly.

When surnames came into use they were often found ready at hand in the occupation, place of residence, or some characteristic of the persons to whom they were given. The origin of such names as Tanner, Carpenter, Smith needs no explanation. The names Hill and Underhill, Wood and Underwood are no doubt derived from places of residence. Such names as White, Brown, Longfellow may have had their origin in personal characteristics. Some names had their origin in words no longer in use in common speech, or in a forgotten dialect, and are more difficult to trace.

The origin of the name Viets may be looked for among the dialects included under the general term German, or Teutonic, spoken in former ages in that interesting region which extends from the Alps to the North Sea, a country romantic, and occupied for twenty centuries by a people among the noblest.

This name, as seems probable, if not certain, is from an old Teutonic given name Veit, or Viet, which corresponds with the common English name Guy, a shorter form of Guido, and of the same origin and meaning as the word guide. The letters w and v in early German dialects correspond to gu in Italian and French words of kindred origin. An example of this is seen in the name William, which in German