Use genealogy compilations only as a clue
I have just read an article written by genealogist Michael John Neill discussing the compilations people latch on to and save as factual. How many times have you heard me say, as well as many other researchers, that you should do your own research, collect your own proven facts, and only use family lore and compiled genealogies as clues from others found in books or on the web. Define a clue as a hint or suspicion: not a fact!
In Michael John Neill’s own words, he says that some of the compilation’s questionable information led him to inquire why the “lifespans do not quite fit, why people have children at unusual ages, and people are signing legal documents before the age of majority.” He further says, “It’s time for me to put aside the compilations and conclusions that others have reached and work with the original materials from scratch.” He says he is thankful that he is now aware of the additional materials, but that now it is time to put them aside and stop “trying to make the documents fit the conclusions that others have made.” I could not agree more.
I cannot count the number of times I have had someone tell me how astute the compiler seems to be so they totally trust the information that person collects. Sometimes that is misguided faith. We all make mistakes.
Years ago a Registrar of the Colonial Dames embarrassed me after I had submitted an application with the volume and page of a document I had found in a book. Someone I trusted as a researcher wrote the book. Whether it was a mistake or a typo, the reference was wrong according to the Registrar. Therefore, I ordered the document from the courthouse and it arrived about four weeks later. This was long before computers. When I looked at the original courthouse document, I discovered that although the document was one pertaining to the correct person, it never mentioned his will or its location. I found the will in the courthouse where it was supposed to be, but the volume and page number was not even close to the one I had used from the book.
After correcting my lineage paper and resubmitting it with an apology for my error, I was accepted into the society. Nevertheless, I never submitted an evidence of proof taken from someone else’s work without first checking it to be factual myself.
Clues are handy little critters to find and prove or disprove. Never forget that people make mistakes. Nevertheless, check out the clues. Determine if they are factual. Never trust the footnote to be truly correct until you check it out yourself. In addition, do as Michael John Neill suggests, “Put aside the compilations.” When you double-check yourself, you can be sure it is correct. Only then can you ‘own it.’
FAMILY SEARCH HAS TEXAS NATURALIZATION RECORDS: More Texas Naturalization records including declarations of intention and indexes are being published as images become available from the Fort Worth National Archives Southwest Region. Search by name, life event and relationship. There are over 91,013 images online to date from 1906-1989. Search at https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1389983.
CATHOLIC CEMETERY DATABASES ONLINE FOR GEORGIA, NORTH DAKOTA, AND RHODE ISLAND: The Roman Catholic Diocese of Atlanta, Office of Catholic Cemeteries, has seven cemeteries online in a searchable database. Their nice site is at http://www.archatl.com/offices/cemeteries/. St. Mary’s Cemetery in Bismarck, North Dakota has a nice site to help you find burials there at http://www.archatl.com/offices/cemeteries/. It gives section and row numbers of its 7,000 people buried there. Providence, Rhode Island has 37 cemeteries with nine of these cared for by the diocese. The Main Office handles genealogy requests. There is a search charge of $35. For more information, send an email to [email protected].
KENTUCKY COUNTY MARRIAGES 1797-1954: These marriage records created by Kentucky counties include bonds, license, certificates and returns. These records at, https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1804888, contain indexes and images.
MISSOURI PROBATE RECORDS, 1750-1998: The county courts created the records that include wills and estate records plus some probate, civil disputes and civil matters. Although the title uses the dates 1750-1998, the majority of the published records is between 1840-1930, and records vary by county. These are available at https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2399107.
Brenda Kellow has a bachelor's degree in history, teaches, and lectures on genealogy. Before retiring to publish her family’s histories in 2007, Brenda held certification as a Certified Genealogist and as a Certified Genealogical Instructor. Send reunion announcements, books to review, and genealogy queries to: [email protected].
In Michael John Neill’s own words, he says that some of the compilation’s questionable information led him to inquire why the “lifespans do not quite fit, why people have children at unusual ages, and people are signing legal documents before the age of majority.” He further says, “It’s time for me to put aside the compilations and conclusions that others have reached and work with the original materials from scratch.” He says he is thankful that he is now aware of the additional materials, but that now it is time to put them aside and stop “trying to make the documents fit the conclusions that others have made.” I could not agree more.
I cannot count the number of times I have had someone tell me how astute the compiler seems to be so they totally trust the information that person collects. Sometimes that is misguided faith. We all make mistakes.
Years ago a Registrar of the Colonial Dames embarrassed me after I had submitted an application with the volume and page of a document I had found in a book. Someone I trusted as a researcher wrote the book. Whether it was a mistake or a typo, the reference was wrong according to the Registrar. Therefore, I ordered the document from the courthouse and it arrived about four weeks later. This was long before computers. When I looked at the original courthouse document, I discovered that although the document was one pertaining to the correct person, it never mentioned his will or its location. I found the will in the courthouse where it was supposed to be, but the volume and page number was not even close to the one I had used from the book.
After correcting my lineage paper and resubmitting it with an apology for my error, I was accepted into the society. Nevertheless, I never submitted an evidence of proof taken from someone else’s work without first checking it to be factual myself.
Clues are handy little critters to find and prove or disprove. Never forget that people make mistakes. Nevertheless, check out the clues. Determine if they are factual. Never trust the footnote to be truly correct until you check it out yourself. In addition, do as Michael John Neill suggests, “Put aside the compilations.” When you double-check yourself, you can be sure it is correct. Only then can you ‘own it.’
FAMILY SEARCH HAS TEXAS NATURALIZATION RECORDS: More Texas Naturalization records including declarations of intention and indexes are being published as images become available from the Fort Worth National Archives Southwest Region. Search by name, life event and relationship. There are over 91,013 images online to date from 1906-1989. Search at https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1389983.
CATHOLIC CEMETERY DATABASES ONLINE FOR GEORGIA, NORTH DAKOTA, AND RHODE ISLAND: The Roman Catholic Diocese of Atlanta, Office of Catholic Cemeteries, has seven cemeteries online in a searchable database. Their nice site is at http://www.archatl.com/offices/cemeteries/. St. Mary’s Cemetery in Bismarck, North Dakota has a nice site to help you find burials there at http://www.archatl.com/offices/cemeteries/. It gives section and row numbers of its 7,000 people buried there. Providence, Rhode Island has 37 cemeteries with nine of these cared for by the diocese. The Main Office handles genealogy requests. There is a search charge of $35. For more information, send an email to [email protected].
KENTUCKY COUNTY MARRIAGES 1797-1954: These marriage records created by Kentucky counties include bonds, license, certificates and returns. These records at, https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1804888, contain indexes and images.
MISSOURI PROBATE RECORDS, 1750-1998: The county courts created the records that include wills and estate records plus some probate, civil disputes and civil matters. Although the title uses the dates 1750-1998, the majority of the published records is between 1840-1930, and records vary by county. These are available at https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2399107.
Brenda Kellow has a bachelor's degree in history, teaches, and lectures on genealogy. Before retiring to publish her family’s histories in 2007, Brenda held certification as a Certified Genealogist and as a Certified Genealogical Instructor. Send reunion announcements, books to review, and genealogy queries to: [email protected].
