From roots-in@roots-l.rootsweb.com Mon Jul 24 01:46:33 2006 Received: from mail.rootsweb.com (mail.rootsweb.com [192.168.65.34]) by admin.rootsweb.com (8.12.8/8.12.8) with ESMTP id k6O7kXjb026498; Mon, 24 Jul 2006 01:46:33 -0600 Received: from roots-l.rootsweb.com (roots-l.rootsweb.com [66.43.16.22]) by mail.rootsweb.com (8.13.4/8.13.4) with ESMTP id k6O7kUpR029714 for ; Mon, 24 Jul 2006 01:46:30 -0600 Received: from roots-l.rootsweb.com (roots-l [127.0.0.1]) by roots-l.rootsweb.com (8.12.10/8.12.10) with ESMTP id k6O58BFI013035 for ; Mon, 24 Jul 2006 01:08:11 -0400 Received: (from roots-in@localhost) by roots-l.rootsweb.com (8.12.10/8.12.8/Submit) id k6O58B9o013034 for roots-approved@rootsweb.com; Mon, 24 Jul 2006 01:08:11 -0400 Received: from lists5.rootsweb.com (lists5.rootsweb.com [66.43.27.41]) by roots-l.rootsweb.com (8.12.10/8.12.10) with SMTP id k6O22vFI012664 for ; Sun, 23 Jul 2006 22:02:57 -0400 Received: (from slist@localhost) by lists5.rootsweb.com (8.12.8/8.12.8) id k6O4f6Yj031856 for roots-in@roots-l.rootsweb.com; Sun, 23 Jul 2006 22:41:06 -0600 X-Envelope-From: mscheffl@twcny.rr.com Sun Jul 23 22:41:06 2006 Received: from mail.rootsweb.com (mail.rootsweb.com [192.168.65.34]) by admin.rootsweb.com (8.12.8/8.12.8) with ESMTP id k6O4f5jb031847 for ; Sun, 23 Jul 2006 22:41:05 -0600 Received: from ms-smtp-03.nyroc.rr.com (ms-smtp-03.nyroc.rr.com [24.24.2.57]) by mail.rootsweb.com (8.13.4/8.13.4) with ESMTP id k6O4f2so022635 for ; Sun, 23 Jul 2006 22:41:02 -0600 Received: from m1070n (cpe-69-201-76-92.twcny.res.rr.com [69.201.76.92]) by ms-smtp-03.nyroc.rr.com (8.13.6/8.13.6) with SMTP id k6O4f1i5002801; Mon, 24 Jul 2006 00:41:02 -0400 (EDT) Message-ID: <062b01c6aedb$5c079730$6501a8c0@m1070n> From: "MScheffler" To: "SUE ADAMS" , References: Subject: Re: [ROOTS-L] documentation/verification of records Date: Mon, 24 Jul 2006 00:40:58 -0400 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1"; reply-type=original Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2900.2869 X-MIMEOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.2869 X-Virus-Scanned: Symantec AntiVirus Scan Engine X-Scanned-By: MIMEDefang 2.52 on 192.168.65.34 X-Scanned-By: MIMEDefang 2.52 on 192.168.65.34 Sender: roots-in@roots-l.rootsweb.com Hi Sue, You ask some good questions. What you most want to prove in the beginning are the CHILD TO PARENT links in your own direct line. You start with the earliest generation that you know and PUSH BACK ONE GENERATION AT A TIME. Sources that are most helpful are vital records, birth, marriage, and death certificates, probate and will documents, church records, census records to name a few. Family Bibles, diaries, letters, and other things can also be used. Not as good as originals, but some lineages in published genealogy books turn out to be quite accurate. Of course, most of us cannot afford to purchase vital records for all the collateral lines, so we may rely more on sources such as published genealogies. Or we may find "cousins" who have purchased records we don't have and will share. If you are joining the DAR or the Mayflower Society or other lineage based society, the number and types of documentation are pretty strict. For most of us, for ourselves, we may not be quite so strict in having every document, but we need enough to be sure we have the correct parental child links. If the dates, locations have minor variations, note these in notes, and one can go back and address them later. But you can't push back generation by generation UNLESS you have the relationship LINKS accurate. Most of us who have been at this a few years, have had at least one or more occurrences where we thought we were searching the correct line, to find out we made a mistake and must back track. That is very frustrating, so it is best to learn good research strategies early on. When searching through various records you will likely find some conflicts that you need to resolve. Compare one source against another. Generally records made close to the time of the event will be more accurate than ones made 10 or 20 years later. If you have vital records that list the parents and they agree then you may not have to spend as much time looking for indirect evidence, but if primary sources disagree, you need to try to uncover many more clues to arrive at a "preponderance of the evidence." Time is not the issue. The right series of birth, marriages certificates may get us back several generations rather quickly, then we may spend months to years for the next one. The search is what makes this hobby so enjoyable. If one is really stuck on one line, work on something else for awhile, then come back to the dead end. You may look at it in a new perspective, and those old notes that meant nothing earlier may well hold the most important of clues. Volunteer to work on a project for someone else in a similar location or with a similar surname. You may "stumble" on what you could not find for yourself previously. Then when you have those names and dates on a pedigree chart you will still need to do more work. What can you find out about your ancestors lives that will make your work come alive. I wrote up some research guidelines for beginners to help people get started. If anyone would like a copy by attachment, please let me know and I will send them to you. Margaret Scheffler ----- Original Message ----- From: "SUE ADAMS" To: Sent: Sunday, July 23, 2006 7:08 PM Subject: [ROOTS-L] documentation/verification of records > How many records and what type do you use to verify genealogy? I have > several lines which go back several generations. I'm afraid to start > searching at the ends, without verifying the original lines. As a newbie, > I'm also not sure what to use as verification, beyond census records, or > birth/death/marriage/probate records. If I were trying to verify one name, > what steps would I go through? Would I search census in several years, > then check vital records, or church records? What do I ask myself? (Does > this record list the same amount of siblings, same parents, same > country/county?) Country records for probate or land records? It seems > like I could be tied up in verification for years, without pushing on into > new territory. How do I balance new search and verification? Have a set > amount of time for each? > Any help or advice will be appreciated. > > Sue Adams > adamss74@msn.com >