Cite and Verify Ancestry Research (Genealogy Tip 20)

Genealogy tip 20— Cite and Verify Ancestry Research.

Being a history researcher comes with the need to learn and understand how to research records, find the key information and develop a plan that will take you to all available information. Through the years, I have had the pleasure of conducting historical and genealogy research throughout the United States and Europe. Every time I conduct research in a new location, I feel like I have to learn/relearn how to conduct historical research. Why? I need to learn where the records are kept, what is available, develop a plan of how to research this location and so much more. I have written a series of Genealogy Tips to introduce you to what I consider to be the most foundational skills I use over and over. In this article, I want to share Genealogy Tip 20: Cite and Verify Ancestry Research.

Genealogy Tip Series

Click on an of the following Genealogy Tips to be taken to the article.

Genealogy Tip Series for History and Genealogy Research
1. Focus on One Ancestor at A Time	15. Obtain and Search the Record
2. Prayer is an Essential Tool	16. Use Multiple Sources to Correlate Information
3. Nine Ways to Stay Focused in History and Genealogy	17. Every Record Has Value
4. Build An Identity Profile About Ancestors	18. Use and Record What You Learn
5. Set Realistic Goals for History and Genealogy	19. Detailed and Exhaustive Research
6. Follow Every Clue in History And Genealogy	20. Cite and Verify Ancestry Research
7. Remember the Power of One	21. US Census, Vital Records, and Other Records
8. Five-step Process to Discover Your Ancestors	22. Events Create Records
9. Research with Fresh Eyes	23. Search in County and Date Records
10. Genealogy Requires Preparation	24. Start Ancestry Research at Home
11. Expect the Unexpected in Genealogy Research	25. Start Organized and Stay Organized
12. Learning Begins with A Research Question	26. Strategy for Searching Societies and Libraries
13. Learn and Use the Genealogical Proof Standard	27. Genealogy and Social Networking Sites
14. Conduct Evidence Analysis	28. 16 Forms to Gather, Manage and Guide Your Research

Genealogy Tip 20: Cite and Verify Ancestry Research

I was given copies of some family history information for Christmas one year by my parents that they had received from someone else. When I started writing about specific individuals and families in the research, I pulled out the information.

As I reviewed the materials, I found out that the family I was most interested in had ended in the late 1700s in North Carolina. I began becoming familiar with the line and finally decided that I would like to see if I could extend it. Within a few weeks of research, I cracked the puzzle and started expanding on the research and building a writing and history profile. Over two years, I extended the research several generations. I had carefully documented my research and was quite proud of what I had done.

On one of my writing and history field trips, I made arrangements to visit a distant cousin and collaborate my findings of this line with hers. Within two minutes of looking at my research, she told me that the person from whom I began my research was not the right person. With further discussion, she explained that the person I had listed was, in fact, in England at the time I had her marrying her husband in North Carolina. She didn’t arrive in America for another 10 years.

Where had I gone wrong with my history research?

I should have taken the time to confirm the information that I had been given. I just assumed it was correct. There was no documentation. That assumption was a costly but valuable error on my part. I learned the value of analysis and hoped I would not make that mistake again.

What exactly is analysis with regards to individual and family research?

It divides information into its six parts: who, what, when, where, why and how. Each of the six parts can be applied to every document or source that you acquire.

To quote Sir Conan Doyle, writing as Sherlock Holmes, from the book, The Adventure of the Beryl Coronet, “When you eliminate the impossible, whatever you have left, no matter how improbable, must be the truth.” Let’s look at what each of the six parts means for you as a researcher.

Who. You can define the who before you start your search by asking, “Who created the source?”

What. What do you want to know? What information does the source provide?

Where. “Where” is probably the most critical fact after “who.” Are the records in national, state, county, parish, town or precinct records? Where did you find the records?

When. Determine a time frame or period so you know where to search for records.

Why. Why was the source created? Why did your individual emigrate from Germany to the United States? Why did they move from Illinois to Wyoming? Why are there so many German (or Irish or Italian) people in the area?

How. How does the information agree or conflict with information from other sources? How do I answer all these questions? How do I find the records I need?

As you analyze your data, you will make good decisions about their value and accuracy. It’s not necessary to write the answers to the above questions but writing your conclusions will help to clarify your thinking and reveal any inconsistencies.

Take time to review your individual and family history research carefully

Look at the sources. What is the artifact? What documents did you use? What books did you use? To whom did you speak?

Look at information gathered from oral or recorded histories. Review previous research. Correlate unrelated information by categorizing it. Is it primary information (participant, eyewitness), or is it secondary (non-participant)?

Look closely at the evidence

What does the evidence say to you? How relevant is the information to your research? Does it provide direct answers to the questions you are researching? Does it provide indirect answers that help answer the question but do not stand alone? Does it provide negative answers or no answers at all? Is there information missing? What do you see that you didn’t see before? New insights? Different conclusion? Same answer? Different clues?

Ask for documentation

Never be shy about asking for documentation from another researcher when they have shared information with you. Again, without the paper records in hand, nothing is proven.

Always verify your individual and family research

There is never a time when you should not verify the information you have received. You can go to almost any Internet search engine today and within a few minutes find hundreds of questionable “facts.” I’ve seen the exact birth recorded in Florida in the 1700s and Kansas in the 1800s. I’ve seen records of mothers who supposedly gave birth to children at the age of 5, as well as 22-year-old grandfathers. It’s frustrating.

Through the years, I have found critical errors in the information I downloaded. It often appears that researchers wanted so desperately to extend the line or make a connection that they jumped to conclusions in their research, which caused other researchers to research the wrong individual or family lines. Often the answers they were looking for were right before their eyes.

The following are a few examples of experiences other researchers have shared with me about the value of verifying information:

Using another person’s research with verifying. “I verify everything for myself. I once used someone else’s info, and there was a huge mistake that cost me about a year of work.”

Wrong certificate information. “Great-granddad’s marriage certificate had wrong occupation details on it, which caused me no end of problems with my searching.”

Family myths. “Family myths are just that, myths, unless you check and double-check. I was led to believe that my father’s family was from Suffolk County in England. Everyone swore that this was right. It took me five years and a trip to Utah to find out that they were not right. The family was from the county of Essex.”

Be accurate. “I do not automatically accept a version of research from another person — I check everything out because people sometimes will create their individual and family to fit their own conceptions. When creating a Family story, make it a masterpiece of accuracy. Inaccurate information will lead you away from where you want to go.”

Make no assumptions. “The Family has always stated that my mother’s family was from Germany because of the heavy accent. However, in North Carolina, an Irish or Scottish accent could also have been considered ‘heavy,’ as could Welsh. Don’t discount anything until you’ve proved it can’t be.”

Do not assume something is correct. This is a real-time waster. I spent a lot of time seeking my great-grandfather, who supposedly died in South Africa when in reality, he died at his home in Scotland. I have many examples of wasting time — now I’m almost too skeptical. Nothing should be taken at face value. Humans make errors.”

Don’t believe everything you read; adopt a ‘show-me attitude. I’d heard for years that there was a fire in Martin County (N.C.) courthouse, and all records were destroyed. I visited the courthouse and was informed that wasn’t the case. Yes, there had been a small fire that damaged a few land records, but that was it.”

Document Your Sources

Do it right the first time! Whether the source is a newspaper, journal, court record, personal interview, letter, or church record, write everything down while still having the source in your hands. The following are a few of the lessons I’ve learned about the value of documenting your sources:

Sources you can rely on. No one has a perfect memory, and some sources will have worse memories than others. The only source you can rely on is an “official” one: birth, marriage, death documents, and other confirmable databases and indices. Even if the information came from a relative, list their name. You want to stay as accurate as possible and leave a clear trail for others to follow. Not only will you know you have proof of your information, but others you share the information with will know it is factual, not just speculation.

Sources establish credibility. Many researchers pointed out that unless we can tell others where we obtain the information, all we are sharing is our opinion. Citing sources is essential to establishing credibility. If we have done an excellent job with our research, we can give others the ability to broaden and build upon the research already done and not have the same work rechecked over and over again.

Write legibly. If you handwrite any information, write legibly. It doesn’t pay to hurry and then not be able to read your handwriting later. Where possible, I always try to get a photocopy or a photo of the vital information I am capturing and then enter it into my genealogical program or record database.

Checking sources allows for verification. Checking sources allows you to verify spelling and dating and report variations, leading to more information. Relying on the expertise of others helps save time and energy. Create and maintain a record of what resource was checked to avoid wasting time later. Likewise, some sources (books, newspapers, and so on) might be found at only a few locations. Include where these were in case you need to return and glean from them again.

How valuable is your time? Researchers told experiences where they tried to pick up the research trail from undocumented records and spent weeks, months, or even years searching for the next clue, only to find out that the data they had was incorrect.

Six elements of a sound source citation. The six elements of a good source citation include author, title, publisher’s name and location, publication date, location of the source and identifying information (library or archive where you found the info and its call number), and specific information for the piece of data you found (page number, line number, and so on).

Cite and Verify Published Resources

The following are examples of how to cite published resources.

Book

Author: Robert Anderson
Title: Bonds of Henrico County, Virginia, 1782-1853
Publication Facts (place of publication, name of publisher, year): Baltimore Maryland, Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1984
Page Number: 133
Formatted: Robert Anderson, Marriage Bonds of Henrico County, Virginia, 1782-1853, (Baltimore Maryland, Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1984) p. 133.

Article

Author: A. Marten
Title of the Article: The Influence of the Huguenots
Name of Periodical: The Huguenot
Publication Facts (place of publication, name of publisher): Vallejo, California, The Huguenot Society
Volume: 10
Month/Season and Year: 1939-41
Page Numbers: 39-45
Formatted: A. Marten, “The Influence of the Huguenots.” The Huguenot (Vallejo, California, The Huguenot Society), Vol. 10 (1939-41), pp. 39-45.

Newspaper

Title of Article: George Schreiber Wins Prize
Place of Publication: Provo, Utah
Name of Newspaper: Provo Daily Herald
Date of Publication: 12 January 1929
Page Number: 1
Column Number: 2
Formatted: George Schreiber, Provo, Utah, Provo Daily Herald, 5 September 1929, p. 1, column 2.

Cite and Verify Unpublished Sources

The following are examples of how to cite unpublished resources.

Personal Letter

Author: Mary Schreiber
Description of the Letter: Letter to Author Schreiber
Date: 12 July 1979
Detail: Letter from Mary Schreiber to Author Schreiber. Topic of the letter was a trip to Florida.
Specific Location: Original handwritten letter in possession of Author Schreiber
Form Used and Repository: Handwritten
Formatted: Mary Schreiber, Letter to Author Schreiber, 12 July 1979. [Original handwritten letter in possession of Author Schreiber. Topic of the letter was a trip to Florida.]

Oral Interview

Title of Notes or Tape: An oral interview with Nathaniel Schreiber
Date of Interview: 14 May 2009
Interviewer: Author Schreiber
Present Owner’s Name and Address: Recording owned by Author Schreiber, New York, New York
Form Used and Location: Nathaniel Schreiber was living in Provo, Utah
Place of Interview: Provo, Utah
Evaluation Information: Interview focused on experiences as Construction Worker, Provo, Utah, from 1945-1976
Formatted: “Oral interview with Nathaniel Schreiber,” 14 May 2009, by Author Schreiber, recording owned by Author Schreiber, New York, New York, Nathaniel was living in Provo, Utah, Interview took place in Provo, Utah, the interview focused on experiences as a construction worker in Provo, Utah from 1945to 1976.

Photograph

Description: Photograph of John Schreiber
Date of Picture: Circa 1900
Location: Provo, Utah
Taken by: George Edward Anderson
Specific Location: Glass plates in possession of Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah
Formatted: Photograph of John Schreiber, circa 1900, Provo, Utah, taken by George Edward Anderson, glass plates in possession of Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah.

Unpublished Document

Descriptive Title of Document: Personal History of John Schreiber
Significant Dates or Numbers: Written Circa 1935
Page Numbers or Other Specific Designation: Original owned by Daughters of Utah Pioneers, Provo, Utah
Other Detail: 4-page history written by daughter Mary Schreiber Smith
Location and Form of Record: Copy received and in possession of Author Schreiber, Littleton, Colorado, 7 July 1997
Formatted: “Personal History of John Schreiber,” circa 1935, 4 pages, written by daughter Mary Schreiber Smith, Copy received from Daughters of Utah Pioneers, Provo, Utah, 7 July 1997, in possession of Author Schreiber, Littleton, Colorado.

How to Cite and Verify Official Records

The following are examples of how to cite official records.

Vital Record

Descriptive Title of Record: Certificate of Death
Individual: Nathanial Schreiber
File # or Other Descriptive: 20-004
Significant Dates: 12 March 2006
Location of the Record: State of Colorado—Department of Health
Location and Form of Record: Certificate copy in possession of Author Schreiber, Littleton, Colorado
Formatted: Death certificate, Nathanial Schreiber, File No. 20-004, State of Colorado—Department of Health, Certificate copy in possession of Author Schreiber, Littleton, Colorado.

Census Record

Specific Descriptive Title: 1920 United States Census
Civil Division: Littleton Ward 5, Arapahoe County, Colorado
Page Numbers or Other Specific Designation: p. 251, Family dwelling 223, 3rd West, Enumeration District No. 209, 10B, lines 96-100, 14 January 1920
Location and Form of Record: Ancestry.com
Formatted: 1920 United States Census, Littleton Ward 5, Arapahoe County, Colorado, p. 251, Family dwelling 223, 3rd West, Enumeration District No. 209, 10B, lines 96-100, 14 January 1920, Ancestry.com.

Legal Record

Descriptive Title: Divorce of Ann Schreiber vs. Ricy D. Schreiber
Significant Dates: 23 September 1874
Recorded:
Specific Location of the Records: Probate Court, Littleton, Arapahoe County, Colorado
Additional Detail/Description:
Location and Form of Record: Copy of the record in possession of Author Schreiber, Littleton Colorado
Formatted: “Divorce of Ann Schreiber vs. Ricy D. Schreiber,” 23 September 1874, Probate Court, Littleton, Arapahoe County, Colorado, Copy of record in possession of Author Schreiber, Littleton Colorado.

Church Record

Description Title: Baptismal Record
Individual: Soren Nielsen
Significant Dates: 27 Feb 1821
Specification Location: Ringerike, Norway, Parish Records
Form Used and Repository: FHC Microfilm 0123956, p 185, number 8
Formatted: “Baptismal Record of Soren Nielsen,” 27 Feb 1821, Ringerike, Norway, Parish Records, FHC Microfilm 0123956, p 185, number 8.

Cemetery Record

Description Title: Headstone Inscription
Individual: Mary Schreiber
Significant Dates: 20 Aug 2003
Specification Location: Littleton, Colorado, Cemetery
Plot/Lot Number: Lot 422
Directions to Cemetery:
Form Used and Repository: Author Schreiber Visit on 31 May 2004
Formatted: Headstone inscription for Mary Schreiber, 20 Aug 2003, Lot 422, Littleton, Colorado Cemetery, (Located on Main Street), Author Schreiber Visit on May 31, 2004.

Cite and Verify Online Sources

The following are examples of how to cite online resources. When possible, I include a URL address plus a physical address because email addresses tend to change. URLs also change over time, yet I do have the original source.

Scanned Image File

Description: Birth Certificate
Individual: Mary Schreiber
Details: Certificate # 352-993
Date: 20 Oct 1938
Location: Littleton Colorado
Scan Date: 24 Nov 2005
Image File Name: SCHREIBER-Mary Schreiber Birth Certificate.tif
Scanned by: Author Schreiber, Schreiber.Author@msn.com, Littleton, Colorado
Image Editing: Digitally retouched by Author Schreiber, Littleton Colorado, January 2006 to provide color correction to faded document. Data was not changed.
Formatted: Birth certificate of Mary Schreiber, Littleton, Arapahoe County, Colorado, Certificate # 352-993, 30 Oct 1938, Image File: SCHREIBER-Mary Schreiber Birth Certificate.tif, scanned by Author Schreiber, [Schreiber.Author@msn.com, Littleton, Colorado], 20 November 2005. [Image has been digitally retouched by Author Schreiber, Littleton, Colorado, January 2006 to provide color correction to faded document. Data was not changed.]

Email Message

Author: Igor Pleve
Email Address: igor@mt.ru
Message Title: 1857 Schondorf Census-Wagner Surname
Description of Email: Message to Author Schreiber
Date: 6 April 2004
Specific Location: Electronic file in possession of Author Schreiber
Detail: Description of 1857 Census, Schondorf, Russia with Wagner Surname
Form Used and Repository: Located in Wagner Surname Folder, Igor Pleve Correspondence, File Name Igor Pleve-1857 Shondorf Census-Wagner Surname
Formatted: Igor Pleve [igor@mt.ru], “1857 Shondorf Census-Wagner Surname,” Message to Author Schreiber, 6 April 2004, Electronic file in possession of Author Schreiber. [Description of 1857 Census, Schondorf, Russia with Wagner Surname, Located in Wagner Surname Folder>Igor Pleve Correspondence>File Name Igor Pleve-1857 Shondorf Census-Wagner Surname.]

Message Board

Author: George Schreiber
Email Address: gwsabc1023@hello.net
Message Title: Robert Schreiber 1789 White Hall, Virginia
Date: 23 March 2006
Message URL: http://www.Genealogy.com/Genealogy/14_after.html?priority=0001000
Description: Schreiber Family in Whitehall, Albemarle County, Virginia. Lineage of Family and children from 1750 to 1804
Form Used and Repository: Copy downloaded and in possession of Author Schreiber, Located in Schreiber surname Folder>Message Board-Schreiber>George Schreiber 1750-1804
Formatted: George Schreiber [gwsabc1023@hello.net], Robert Schreiber 1789 White Hall, Virginia, 23 March 2006 [http://www.Genealogy.com/Genealogy/17_after.html?priority=000100], Robert Schreiber Family in Whitehall, Albemarle County, Virginia, Lineage of Family and children from 1750 to 1804], Copy downloaded and in possession of Author Schreiber, Located in Schreiber Surname Folder>Message Board-Schreiber>Robert Schreiber 1750-1804.

Website file

Description: Schreiber Family Organization
Individual: Family line of Robert Schreiber
Website Address: http://www.SchreiberFamily.org/
Date: 29 June 2006
E. Detail: Downloaded Robert Schreiber genealogy files. Reviewed data and includes detail and sources. Compiled by Marilyn Schreiber
Form Used and Repository: Copy in possession of Author Schreiber, Located in Schreiber Surname Folder>Genealogy>Robert Schreiber
Formatted: Schreiber line of Robert Schreiber, Schreiber Family Organization, June 29, 2006 [Downloaded Robert Schreiber genealogy, Reviewed data and includes detail and sources, Compiled by Marilyn Schreiber], Copy in possession of Author Schreiber, Located in Schreiber Surname Folder>Genealogy>Robert Schreiber.

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