I have seen the same thing with men on my family tree. My original question was not confined to age, though, just info for which there is contradictory and more reliable evidence available, and there were a number of good suggestions offered. Thanks!
Sent from my Verizon Wireless Thunderbolt smartphone ----- Reply message ----- From: "Willard Ellis" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Subject: [LegacyUG] "Facts" Date: Wed, Aug 24, 2011 8:27 am Women weren't the only ones to fudge their ages. If I recall correctly, Jack Benny never passed his 39th birthday. We may be getting a tad bit off topic. Bill On Mon, Aug 22, 2011 at 11:33 AM, Paula Ryburn <[email protected]> wrote: > > Thanks, Connie, for all this detail. I run into this "calculating the best > date based on multiple somewhat conflicting sources" issue a lot and > appreciate your insights. > > To the OP: Sometimes the age on census is a year different just because of > the date the census was taken, at least I've found that to be the case with > some of my ancestors. > > --Paula in Texas > Researching: Adair Baker Beasley Benson Betz Bigley Blagrave Burton Chapman > Clement Clough Coppernoll Costine Daulton Dinwiddie Doody Ellis Exline Field > Floran Floyd Gates Goodale Gordon Gump Hale Harbaugh Hind Hopkins Hughes > Hurdle Jones Klein Koyle Laswell McDonald Misner Passwaters Pelton Roberts > Roche Ryburn Short Singer Sullivan Weller Williams > > ________________________________ > From: Connie Sheets <[email protected]> > To: [email protected] > Sent: Wed, August 17, 2011 4:14:50 PM > Subject: Re: [LegacyUG] "Facts" > > It is perfectly acceptable to use the "best" source for a fact. For example, > if I have an original marriage record, I cite that for the date and location > of a marriage, rather than a book of compiled marriage records. Or, if I've > been to a cemetery and saw a tombstone with my own eyes, I cite that for the > date of death and place of burial, rather than a book of cemetery > inscriptions or FindAGrave. I cite the derivative sources (sometimes called > secondary sources) only until I've found the original source (sometimes > called primary source). > > The example you gave is a bit more complicated, however, because it involves > conflicting evidence, not just original vs. derivative sources. For a date > of arrival/immigration event, I would cite the steamship arrival records > (assuming they are originals, or images of originals) and related immigration > records, not the census. However, I would still have a census or residence > event, and I would cite the census for that. In my transcription of the > census, I would transcribe it exactly, and probably make a separate note or > source detail comment that I know the date of immigration in the census > record is wrong because of the passenger list. This assumes that you're > certain there wasn't a second person of the same name who arrived on a > different date. > > I am of the firm belief that no genealogy program is the only tool one can or > should use in genealogy. For more complicated situations, I write a separate > detailed research report, proof summary, or proof argument in a word > processing program, with tables, charts, and proper source citations. Then, > I cite that document in my database, with a brief summary and link to the > document. For example, I have this summary in Legacy: > > "John Doe could have been born as early as Jun 1807 or as late as 1 Jun 1815. > Based upon currently available data, however, the most likely range for his > birth is about 1811 to 1812. This seems to be the most frequently calculated > date, and is consistent with the ages recorded in the earliest available > documents. > > Only one record, the 1900 census, explicitly states a birth year (1809), but > given his advanced age, his illiteracy, and the fact that he was an "inmate" > of the county poor farm, it is probably not as credible as the ages recorded > in earlier census records." > > I entered his birth as Abt 1811-1812, and my source citation for his birth > date reads: > > "Solomon Morgan Age Data," report prepared by Connie Sheets, (address), 10 > Feb 2011; compiled from ages stated in obituary, state, and federal census > records. > > Because the obituary, state, and federal census records are entered, > transcribed and cited in Legacy as separate events, and because my Word > document also contains detailed source citations, I don't see the need to > cite them again for his birth date. > > Others will choose differently, but this is what works for me. > > Connie > > > > 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 > Follow Legacy on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/LegacyFamilyTree) and on > our blog (http://news.LegacyFamilyTree.com). > 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 Follow Legacy on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/LegacyFamilyTree) and on our blog (http://news.LegacyFamilyTree.com). 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