General Notes

"The Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) was born on April 22, 570 A.D. ( 9th Rabi Al-Awwal) in Makkah. His early life is characterized by loss. The Prophet's (pbuh) father died before he was born, and as an orphan he was left to the care of his mother, Amina, and his grandfather, Abdul-Muttalib.
At the age of six Mohammad suffered a  terrible loss, the death of his mother. Amina’s death left Mohammad in the  care of  his elderly grandfather. Mohammad became a favorite of Abdul-Muttalib, even more that his own children, one of whom, Hamzah, was of similar age to Mohammad. However, this guardianship was not to be long lasting, for Mohammad’s grandfather died two years later. Leaving an eight year old Mohammad alone in the world.
Luckily, Mohammad had an uncle willing to assume the role of guardian, and for the next 40 years of Mohammad’s life he had a protector and supporter in Abu-Talib. This support would become invaluable once Mohammad set out in preaching the word of Allah.
At the age of 12, one of the most amazing experiences in Mohammad’s young life occurred. While on a journey to Syria, Abu-Talib’s caravan stopped for rest. At their stop they met a monk named Bahira. Upon seeing Mohammad, Bahira identified the boy as the Messenger of Allah. Bahira also asked Abu-Talib if the boy had a birthmark below his shoulder. Abu-Talib had Mohammad show Bahira the mark, and Bahira exclaimed that it was the Seal of Prophethood, as foretold in his books of scripture. Bahira also told Abu-Talib to protect the boy, for there were others who knew that a prophet was destined to come to them, and if they found out about Mohammad, they would try to harm him. Abu-Talib listened to Bahira’s advice and sent Mohammad back to Makkah.
By the age of 25 Mohammad had established a reputation for honesty, kindness, gentility, and truth. He worked as a manager for a caravan, carrying goods to Syria for Khadijah Ibn Ishaq, a businesswoman of great honor and fortune. Mohammad proved himself worthy on the expedition, and Khadijah was pleased with the returns as well as the manner in which the job was conducted. Their business dealings developed into personal feelings in that Khadijah was very impressed by the integrity that Mohammad displayed, and through the help of intermediaries, they were married. Khadijah may have had some reservations about the marriage, because when the marriage took place she was 40 years old and a widow. However, the love that Mohammad felt for her was incomparable to any other, for in her lifetime he never married another woman, polygamy being a common practice in Arabia at that time.
Mohammad's family was comprised of his wife, Khadijah, their children, Ali, his nephew, and Zaid, the freed slave who belonged to Mohammad. He had four daughters: Zainab, Ruquaiyah, Umm Kulthum, and Fatimah; he also had three sons: Al Qasim, Abdullah, and Tahir. Unfortunately all of Mohammad's sons died in infancy or childhood; moreover, during Mohammad's lifetime all of his daughters, except Fatimah, also died. Yet his daughters died after he received the prophethood, and they all converted to Islam. It should be remembered that Mohammad had to endure great loss in his life, watching almost all of his family die before him. Mohammad's family history with Khadijah is important because it is one of the reasons why she was so well loved and remembered by him, especially after her death.
An event that took place five years before the first revelation from Allah, solidified Mohammad’s  reputation as a wise and honest man. It was the occurrence of  replacing the sacred black stone of the Ka’bah. The Ka’bah had been badly damaged, so the ruling tribes of Makkah decided to rebuild it, and having completed the task, they needed to decide on which tribe would have the honor of setting the stone in the Ka’bah. Mohammad was called upon to make the decision, and his solution was that the stone should be placed on a cloak, one member from each of the four tribes would hold one end of the cloak, and together they would lift and place the stone. Everyone applauded Mohammad’s decision, and they called him Al-Amin, the trustworthy [Islam 3]. At that time the Ka’bah was used to house the idols that the polytheistic Arabs worshipped, but Mohammad recognized an older spirituality in the holy place and he rejected the idols and idolatry of the Arabs.This rejection allows for the revelation that occurs a few years later."  (Source of narrative:  Claremont Graduate University, English Department, Ambereen Dadabhoy, 02/01/2000. See<a href=http://www.grad.cgu.edu/~dadabhoa/webpage/index.htm>Life Of the Last Prophet Mohammad</a> for more information.)
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OTHER SOURCES:   LDS FHL Ancestral File # (familysearch.org)
"Ancestors/Descendants of Royal Lines" (Contributors: F. L. Jacquier (History of Charlemagne by Christian Settipani); L. Orlandini,  Manuel Abranches de Soveral, Reynaud de Paysac, F.L.  J P de Palmas (Aurejac et Tournemire; Frankish line; The Complete Peerage}, Jacquier (Genealogy of Lewis Carroll, Justin Swanstrom, The Royal Families of England Scotland & Wales by Burkes Peerage; Debrett's Peerage & Baronage; Table of descendants French Canadian Genealogical Society; Families of Monfort-sur-Risle & Bertrand de Bricquebec; The Dukes of Normandy, XXXXI), A. Brabant ("Dynastie Montmorency, Michel d'Herbigny), Paul Leportier, Claude Barret, H.R. Moser (Burke Peerage), O.Guionneau, L.B. de Rouge, E. Polti, N. Danican (Britain's Royal Families; Buthlaw, Succession of Strathclyde, the Armorial 1961-62) A.Terlinden (Genealogy of the existing British Peerage, 1842), L. Gustavsson, C. Cheneaux, E. Lodge, S. Bontron (Brian Tompsett), R. Dewkinandan, H. de la Villarmois, C. Donadello; Scevole de Livonniere, H. de la Villarmois, I. Flatmoen, P. Ract Madoux (History of Morhange; Leon Maujean; Annuaire de Lorraine, 1926; La Galissonniere: Elections d'Arques et Rouen), Jean de Villoutreys (ref: Georges Poull), E. Wilkerson-Theaux (Laura Little), O. Auffray, A. Brabant (Genealogy of Chauvigny of Blot from "Chanoine Prevost Archiviste du Diocese de Troyes Union Typographique Domois Cote-d'Or 1925), Emmanuel Arminjon (E Levi-Provencal Histoire de l'Espagne Andalouse),  Y. Gazagnes-Gazanhe..... http://geneastar.org.(Contributing family, E. Polti, who references website <a href=http://kinghussein.gov.jo/rfamily_hashemites.html>King Hussein Website</a> .)
AWTP:
"The Ancestry Of Overmire Tifft Richardson Bradford Reed" Larry Overmire larryover@@worldnet.att.net.