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Archiver > ADVANCED-RESEARCH > 2005-05 > 1115337131


From: "Teresa Elliott" <>
Subject: RE: [ADVANRES] primary resource
Date: Thu, 5 May 2005 18:52:11 -0500
In-Reply-To: <20050505232039.6786.qmail@web90004.mail.scd.yahoo.com>


Gene,
Yes it does. I am not sure what software you are using, but if it allows
you to record the information that YOU think is incorrect, then I would do
so, using that lady (or group) as my source. Continue to source the
information you find. Here are true scenarios that I have seen happen from
this situation.
Several years ago I was contacted by a lady researching my husband's
surname Elliott. Her family was from Rutherford County (notice my signature
lines that I research in that area). As far as I knew my husband's family
had never left KY to go to TN (at least not for three more generations) and
I was fairly sure they did not go to Rutherford County. I questioned her
extensively on where her information tying her line into my line came from
since the records from that time period in KY didn't exist. Finally she
realized what I wanted and was able to share information about the family I
did not know even existed. She was using primary documents that were in her
branch of the family's possession and family information. Luckily for me,
she was nice enough to keep sending me information when I still wasn't sure
we were related.
While it seems now that this family could be wrong, it may turn out that
they have more information than you have available. In my case, I was the
one who was wrong, and have since found proof that what she told me was
true, although at the time I didn't see how.
Or she could be like another lady I researched with for a while, who if
she needed a John Smith, and found a John Smith then that was the right one,
regardless of area, age, race, etc. She had one guy listed as the great
grandfather of his own father. :) I still have that information so if I
come across it again, I will know not only where it came from, but also that
I need to try and get it corrected. Sadly, some of her stuff is well
written and documented, but every single piece has to be double checked for
accuracy.
The thing is you may not know for many years which one of them is correct,
but if you keep documenting what you find, when you do, you will at least be
able to present all the information to your reader in a way that will
explain the situation. At least you have some ideas of some places to
research in the future.

PS I tend to believe the man who answered the census taker. I think he
would have known where he was born. While it is true that information on
the census can be wrong, most of the time it is close.

Teresa Ghee Elliott
Rutherford Co., TN cemeteries:
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~rutherfordcemetery/
TMG sentences:
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~rutherfordcemetery/TMG.html
Generations Gone Bye: http://home.bellsouth.net/p/PWP-TEAncestors


-----Original Message-----
From: V Billings [mailto:]
Sent: Thursday, May 05, 2005 6:21 PM
To:
Subject: Re: [ADVANRES] primary resource

1850 was the first census record I found him in. In this census he was
still living. The place of birth is listed as a state other than the one he
was living in. By the next census year he has died. The children have all
listed their father's state of birth as the one their father first listed in
the 1850 census. At this point, I have no proof for either state. This is
where the problem comes in though. His surname is the same as a very large
group who is researching this surname. Although apparently they also have
no written proof, He is being included in this family as well as his
children and their children etc. Right now the written state of his birth
is one the group has surmised he had to have been born in making him fit
into their family. I've been told the state on the 1850 census may have
been listed because his family was traveling when he was born, or who knows
who gave this information, or I've seen on one site a woman just says she
has heard mentioned !
the state
of his birth as listed by him is wrong....she doesn't believe it. I know
I've made this e-mail terribly wrong, and I apologize. It's I need someone
who is smarter than I am to give me their input. I don't care which family
he is part of. When he is written about, though, I would like the
information to be correct. I'm reluctunt to give out the information I have
on my direct line. If the large group is wrong about his place of birth and
who he is, I would be adding my family in which we don't belong. Does any
of this make sense to anyone???




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