Ah, the challenge deepens. Two questions, one exactly on point to the original e-mail, one slightly off point.
1. So as not to forget my original question -- how, in Legacy, do you cite nonpopulation schedules? 2. When Ancestry's original source is NARA, but the images are from FHL, what do you cite -- NARA or FHL? Here's my second Ancestry.com challenge: The WWI draft cards, per Ancestry: Source Citation: Registration Location: Ontario County, New York; Roll 1818611; Draft Board: 2. Ancestry.com. World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005. Original data: United States, Selective Service System. World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration. M1509, 4,582 rolls. Imaged from Family History Library microfilm. Uh, wait...if I say citing NARA microfilm M1509, the roll is NOT 1818611. That's the FHL roll number. So, fill in the blank for the Mills' version of this citation: World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917–1918," database and images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 14 June 2010), card for George William Fricke, serial no. 68, Local Draft Board 2, Ontario County, New York; citing _______ . I was going to follow the census and put "NARA microfilm M1509, roll ___, but I'd have to hunt for the NARA roll number. The NARA has a list, but it won't help much, especially if the location stretches across many rolls. For my example it could be either roll NY355 or NY356. What's the general rule for citing "middle men" anyway? When Ancestry gets their information from FHL, who gets their information from NARA, who do you cite -- FHL or NARA? Continued thanks! Fun stuff! Scott On Mon, Jun 14, 2010 at 5:30 PM, Hugh Busey <[email protected]> wrote: > Scott, Rich, et al, > > IMHO you may be making more out of this than it warrants. The goal of > sources is to get as close to the original event as possible. > > If Ancestry transcribed the census, you may use them as the source > with a with a Surety of 2 - Probable Conclusion at best or perhaps a > 1, depending on your confidence level in Ancestry. In my experience, > Ancestry transcriptions rate a 1 or aren't even used. I always try to > get a photocopy. > > If Ancestry posted either a scanned or photographically reproduced > copy of the original page, and the originator was NARA, you should use > NARA as the source. Period. In that case, Ancestry should appear as > and only as the repository, not as the source, as they would have you > do. Then the paper trail is clean and goes back to the NARA original. > > Like many others here, I have performed census transcriptions for the > Mormons and know first hand how difficult it can be to read and how > inaccurate the results can be. They mitigate that by having two > independent transcribers work on the same census. In case of > different results, a third party then judges what the results should > be used. I've been doing this for a pretty long time and do not use > Ancestry transcriptions. > > Final comment: census data was registered by human beings, so spelling > may or may not be accurate. Some data, such as birth dates, > occupation, parents place of origin, etc. was supplied by someone > other than the subject. Use your judgment when assigning surety > levels to census content, I may have 1's and 2's in the same census > location and year; almost never a 3. I recognize this quality > judgment is my own opinion but it's probably about as good as the > census taker's. (g) > > Hugh W, Busey > _____________________________________________________________ > > On Mon, Jun 14, 2010 at 2:55 PM, Scott Hall <[email protected]> wrote: >> I have finally decided to start my subcription to Ancestry.com, but >> have hit a bit of a barrier out of the gate--my old friend, citations. >> >> Ancestry is very good at telling you exactly what the citation should >> be, but matching that to Evidence Explained--or the Source Writer >> template--seems a bit tricky at times. I'm working with the Federal >> census mortality schedules now. >> >> It appears that the mortality schedules on Ancestry come from a >> variety of NARA microfilms, depending on which state the information >> is coming from. It appears, unlike the Federal censuses for which >> each year cites a single microfilm reference (e.g. the 1860 census >> refers to M653), the "source of the source" here changes depending on >> the state. But I see no Legacy SourceWriter template. >> >> I also note that the Ancestry.com citation doesn't seem to match >> Mills, or Legacy. Take the 1860 population schedule. Legacy, >> modeling Mills, says the citation should look like this: >> >> 1860 U.S. census, Monroe County, New York population schedule; digital >> images, *Ancestry.com* (http://www.ancestry.com); citing National >> Archives and Records Administration microfilm M653. >> >> But Ancestry says: >> >> Ancestry.com. *1860 United States Federal Census* [database on-line]. >> Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Images reproduced >> by FamilySearch. Original data: 1860 U.S. census, population >> schedule. NARA microfilm publication M653, 1,438 rolls. Washington, >> D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d. >> >> Citation junkies who use Ancestry, how do you reconcile this in your >> mind? Just two different systems? And, most importantly, how do you >> cite nonpopulation schedules given the absence of a template in >> Legacy? For example, I'm looking at an image of the 1860 Mortality >> Schedule for Lycoming County, PA. Ancestry lists: >> >> Citation #1: >> Ancestry.com. *U.S. Federal Census Mortality Schedules, 1850-1885* >> [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., >> 2010. A portion of this collection was indexed by Ancestry World >> Archives Project contributors. >> >> Original data citations: >> General: >> United States. *Federal Mortality Census Schedules, 1850-1880 >> (formerly in the custody of the Daughters of the American Revolution), >> and Related Indexes, 1850-1880.* T655, 30 rolls. National Archives and >> Records Administration, Washington D.C. >> >> For PA, it then lists: >> United States. *Non-Population Census Schedules for Pennsylvania, >> 1850-1880: Mortality*. M1838, 11 rolls. National Archives and Records >> Administration, Washington D.C. >> >> The particular record I'm looking at appears to have come from roll >> M1838, so I suppose that is the citation I should use. I'm not sure >> when the generic U.S. citation would apply? Perhaps some records are >> from T655 and others from M1838. >> >> I *think* the right citation (Mills style) is: >> 1860 U.S. census, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania mortality schedule; >> digital images, *Ancestry.com* (http://www.ancestry.com); citing >> National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M1838. >> >> >> What do you think? And, again, most importantly how do you cite this >> in Legacy? Use the census template and overrride it? Something else? >> >> Thanks!! >> >> >> Scott >> >> >> >> 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 > > > > 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
