I concur with you in wondering about the accuracy of records in England. I am doing genealogy of my family and cantrace one side to the late 1500s in England, but on the other I can't trace my great grandfather back any further because the birthdate and place he gave didn't match any records I can find. John Robles Douglas Houston <[email protected]> wrote: All of this makes me wonder if vital statistics were reliably accurate in the days that Ada Jones was born; in England, or even in this country. For instance, my father was born in a little burg in Tennessee, north of Chattanooga. When he was 72, he wanted to apply for Social Security. He contacted the Hamilton County records, and they showed him as being 70, rather than 72. He had to contact relatives, still living in the little town of Soddy, where he was born, and have them swear out an affadavit, attesting to his accurate age. Later, in discussions with the kinfolk there, it was speculated that the error was attributed to the census taker, stopping at one of the houses on the street and simply taking down dates that a neighbor blurted out from memory, which was not very accurate. That saved the census taker time and trudging the dirt streets of the town. In that day, who'da thunk that it would ever matter?
> [Original Message] > From: BruceY > To: Antique Phonograph List > Date: 4/12/2008 8:47:58 PM > Subject: Re: [Phono-L] Additional Ada Jones Information > > Still trying to pin down Ada's actually birth date via some sort of bonifide > document. All the biographies give her birth year as 1873 which would make > her 47 at some point in 1920 not age 44, and her death certificate gives an > incorrect age of 40, couldn't someone at the time poor Ada passed at least > make an effort to call or wire someone to obtain the correct information for > her Death Certificate?!! and who gave the information to the Census Taker?? > Seems he not only had her age wrong but the spelling of her last name wrong > as well? > > Bruce > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "wayne holznagel" > To: > Sent: Saturday, April 12, 2008 8:36 PM > Subject: [Phono-L] Additional Ada Jones Information > > > >I believe I may have the right person . . . > > The 1920 census shows Hugh, Ada, & Sheelah (it's hard to read the > > spelling of this name). They lived at Huntington, Suffolk, New York. > > According to this record: > > Hugh's age was 39. He arrived in the US in 1886. He became a > > naturalized citizen in 1917. He came from England. Occupation was > > theatrical. > > Ada's age was 44. She arrived in the US in 1880. She became a > > naturalized citizen in 1917. She came from England. Occupation was > > singer. > > Sheelah's age was 13. Was was listed as "daughter". The census > > information indicates she was born in England. > > If anyone is linked into one of the major genealogical web sites you can > > obtain copies of the original information. That would include, in many > > cases, copies of passenger lists, census information, probate records, > > etc. I've been researching my extensive family history and, believe me, > > it's there if a person wants to look. I like ancestory.com but there are > > other sites that provide good information. > > Just some information for the good of the cause. > > > > > > <:)> > > Wayne H > > > > > > My website is at http://www.phonomantiques.com/ > > _______________________________________________ > > Phono-L mailing list > > http://phono-l.oldcrank.org > > _______________________________________________ > Phono-L mailing list > http://phono-l.oldcrank.org _______________________________________________ Phono-L mailing list http://phono-l.oldcrank.org
