SOURCES: Who provided the info - Part III

DearREADERS,

Now let's view all this from a different angle.

KEEPING UP WITH NEW INFORMATION

Sometimes multiple copies of information that come to our attention are a matter of the author amending his previous publication due to additional research breakthroughs.

I frequently refer folks to the Christopher Gist of Maryland and some of his descendants, 1679-1957

found in Snippet view at Google Books. I am careful to mention they should consult the edition published in 1969 not the 1958 version. Worldcat lists the earlier version Christopher Gist of Maryland and some of his descendants, 1679-1957 also compiled by Jean Muir Dorsey and Maxwell Jay Dorsey and published in Chicago at the J. S. Swift Company.

Careful review of both editions of the book will highlight changes in kinship determinations and constitute a small segment of a broadening search for info about Gist, Cromwell and Howard family lines.

KEEPING UP WITH TECHNOLOGY

Sometimes multiple copies of information that come to our attention about an ancestor are a matter of copying and expanding the info based on new technology. Check out this 21 Oct 2011 posting on the Meridian Magazine website Capturing a Life: Remembering Mom by Carol Kostakos Petranek.

Carol describes creating a memory book Our Story for her parent's 50th wedding anniversary in 1996. Carol says "In 2009, I took her to the Oral History Room at the Washington DC Family History Center and recorded her reminisces about childhood and other favorite topics." Since her mother's passing in October 2011, Carol is now scanning more photos and compiling an updated version of Our Story to honor her parents using online storage and publishing resources not available for the earlier publication. In this case, there are three versions of the information from the same source, Carol's mom. Each publication requires its own citation on Carol's research log.

CONSIDERING THE SOURCE
When composing the "proof argument" or conclusion about our ancestor's life and kin, we must carefully consider the provider of the information in the historical documents we've collected.

Isn't this fun?

Happy family tree climbing!
Myrt     :)
DearMYRTLE,
Your friend in genealogy.