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Archiver > GEN-NEWBIE > 1998-07 > 0899424137


From: <>
Subject: Re: Paula - WFT CD
Date: Thu, 2 Jul 1998 20:02:17 EDT


In a message dated 7/2/98 2:03:32 PM Central Daylight Time,
writes:

<< >>
One thing we all need to remember is that a primary record of our ancestor
(record of first choice) is one made at the time of the event dealing with
information about that event. Information of that same event made at a later
time must be considered secondary.

Hence: a death certificate giving the birth date, place & parents of an 80
year old person may be correct for that information, but because it is so much
later than the event, it must be considered secondary. With all secondary
evidence, try to collect as much substantiating evidence as possible to prove
your point (social security application, passport application, baptismal
record, death certificate, census record, etc.) That death certificate is only
a primary source for the date & place the person died.

Censuses, wills, land records, and many other things are excellent for piecing
families together, estimating ages, etc. but we need to remember that these
give clues. If dad spoke with the census taker, that 9 year old boy might
really be 11--lots of dads lose track of how old the kids are, especially if
there's a lot. It may have been the neighbor reporting to the census taker,
so maybe they didn't remember the your ancestor's birth place (hence the
discrepancy on birthplace from year to year) or didn't know.

Lots of information comes from perfectly wonderful sources, but aren't primary
sources. Just learn to evaluate what you're looking at, take it with a grain
of salt, and if you decide it's secondary, try to find more sources that
substantiate it. Sometimes we have to be satisfied with secondary information
from only one source, because that's ALL there is.

But get in the habit early of documenting all your information sources, even
if it is "Aunt Hattie" who died a year after she told you. If you document
the date you were given this information from Aunt Hattie, if it turns out
that Aunt Hattie didn't remember correctly, then they have to get upset with
Aunt Aunt Hattie, not you. Especially, if you document where all you looked
for with no better results.

Document where you get your info, and if there's a lot of discrepancy, explain
why you went with the data you did, but also in notes, list other info you
found & where. It will give you greater credibility as a researcher.

Karen

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