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Archiver > CTNEWLON > 1999-10 > 0940152225


From: Norris <>
Subject: Re: [CTNEWLON-L] LORDS
Date: Sun, 17 Oct 1999 09:23:45 +0000


On Sun, 17 Oct 1999 11:18:17 -0400, you wrote:

Thanks, Robert for the corrections. I might add some comments about
the common causes of some of these errors for the enlightenment of
some. It should be noted that discrepancies in dates can come from the
clerks themselves (or even more than one primary record), researcher,
and modern computer programs dating algorithms.


>> 9 vi. Elizabeth Lord, born October 1, 1701 in Lyme, New London Co., CT.
>>+ 10 vii. Samuel Lord, born December 12, 1705 in Lyme, New London Co., CT;
>>died 1762 in Hartford Co., CT.
>
>The date was 22 Dec 1705 (Lyme Deeds vol. 2, p. 334).

When you see 10 or 11 day differences, it is likely because someone
has tried to change a date to compensate for the 11 day difference
implemented in the changeover of the dating system from old to new.
Remember that only George Washington changed his birthday, we leave
everyone else's on the day they were born. This can also be caused by
someone using the date of death minus the age, and the original person
doing the calculation for the stone making the 11 days compensation,
or the researcher made the 11 day compensation, or a double-up and
both doing it.


>>Children of Theophilus Lord and Deborah Mack are:
>> 23 i. Lydia5 Lord, born March 19, 1728/29 in Lyme, New London Co., CT.
>> 24 ii. Deborah Lord, born September 26, 1730 in Lyme, New London Co., CT.
>
>The date was 26 Nov 1730 (Lyme Deeds vol. 2, p. 22).

Two month differences are common. These mistakes invariably come from
the folks reading "ninth" month of the old calendar as Sep instead of
Nov. (Mar was the first month.) When you see this difference, the date
that is two months "ahead" of the other is **usually** more accurate.

To be absolutely certain, you need to see the original records in
chronological order to figure them out.


>>Children of Samuel Lord and Catherine Ransom are:
>>+ 29 i. Samuel5 Lord, born July 16, 1737 in Lyme, New London Co., CT.
>> 30 ii. Phebe Lord, born February 24, 1737/38 in Lyme, New London Co., CT.
>
>The date was 24 Feb 1738/9 (Lyme Deeds vol. 6, p. 184).

The one year drop off is a real problem with new computer programs
thinking they are doing us a favor by automatically dual-dating.

The problem is these programs (most that I know of, anyway) require
data entry to be the ** New Style ** date. So, if a novice, or
careless, researcher enters the first four digits of a date (or the
only date given, as is sometimes the case.. and it is **old style**],
a year will be dropped by the program.

For example, the date in the record above, may have said 02/24/1738.
Let's assume this date is old style, as it probably is. The researcher
enters this date in their new-fangled, bells and whistles computer
program, all set to automatically convert dates to dual. It expects **
New Style** date to be entered. It converts based on that assumption
and converts your date to: 02/24/1737-8, instead of 02/24/1738-9, as
it should.

This will also happen in gedcom transfers, where the "giver" had auto
dating turned off, entered dates as they found them, and a recipient
imports that gedcom with auto dual dating turned on... the program
will convert every single date in that gedcom, between Jan-Mar 25
wrong.. it will drop a year off of all those dates.

I suggest folks turn off auto dual dating in their computer programs,
it always leads to problems.

This one year difference problem will only grow with the proliferation
of computers in genealogy.


________________

Norris

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