When entering an age based on the census, I use "Abt" because the birthday is based on what an unknown individual gave the census taker. At best it is secondary information and subject to error. When I have a person with unknown birth, I estimate the date and use "Est". If it is from age at death, I use "Cal" and calculate it using legacy date utility.
What ever way you do it, is OK as long as you as you are consistent, and note your method in the individual's notes. Sometime I have problems with consistency, too. Carol _____ From: John Clare [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Sunday, March 14, 2010 5:21 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [LegacyUG] Entering birth years into Legacy The difficulty with "about" is the level of accuracy and the level of precision. If it is in 1884, there should be a way of checking the BMD to find out the quarter but if it is 884, "about" could be ten years either side. "about" is imprecise. John On 14 March 2010 11:45, Jenny M Benson <[email protected]> wrote: Ron Ferguson wrote >It is most common in users' databases for the owner to have used the >simple calculation when recording a date which could, therefore be a >year out. I'm always coming across records (places like Ancestry or GRU trees) where a year of birth is recorded as "1884" or "1908" where I have "abt 1883" or "abt 1907" in my database. Knowing that the "odds are in my favour" I always deduct a year from these "calculated from age" dates and then prefix it with "about." When I see these "1884" or "1908" records it just makes me think that the researcher is not very concerned about accuracy and should not be taken too seriously. -- Jenny M Benson Legacy User Group guidelines: http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/Etiquette.asp Archived messages after Nov. 21 2009: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ Archived messages from old mail server - before Nov. 21 2009: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ Online technical support: http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/Help.asp To unsubscribe: http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/LegacyLists.asp Legacy User Group guidelines: http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/Etiquette.asp Archived messages after Nov. 21 2009: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ Archived messages from old mail server - before Nov. 21 2009: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ Online technical support: http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/Help.asp To unsubscribe: http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/LegacyLists.asp <http://www.legacyfamilytree.com/LegacyLists.asp> No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 8.5.436 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/2742 - Release Date: 03/12/10 19:33:00 Legacy User Group guidelines: http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/Etiquette.asp Archived messages after Nov. 21 2009: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ Archived messages from old mail server - before Nov. 21 2009: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ Online technical support: http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/Help.asp To unsubscribe: http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/LegacyLists.asp
