
Did you know that March participants are eligible for a $250 Amazon Gift Card? Better get cracking. You must enter to win by completing the form here: http://goo.gl/forms/nDggeWYgKR This week's checklist takes a closer look at the sources of documents and photos you have been attaching to the first four generations of male and female ancestors and their siblings and children in your genealogy software program. For paper-oriented genealogists, have you discovered some filing challenges? Read on...

1. Consider the differences between sources, information and evidence. Are you drawing on the most original form of first-hand information? Certified Genealogists Elizabeth Shown Mills and Thomas W. Jones discuss these concepts in their published works and methodology presentations.
- Elizabeth tells us "Sources give us information from which we select evidence" in her Quick Lesson 2. See: Elizabeth Shown Mills, “QuickLesson 2: Sources vs. Information vs. Evidence vs. Proof,” Evidence Explained: Historical Analysis, Citation & Source Usage (https://www.evidenceexplained.com/content/quicklesson-2-sources-vs-information-vs-evidence-vs-proof : 3 Mar 2016).
- Thomas explains "a source may be an authored work, an original record, or a derivative record." See: Thomas W. Jones, Mastering Genealogical Proof (Arlington, Virginia: National Genealogical Society, 2013) p10. [Book available from the publisher at http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/cs/mastering_genealogical_proof , also available in Kindle format through Amazon.com]
If we are able to determine the informant, we may decide if the information he provided is primary or secondary. Primary information is an eyewitness account. Secondary information is just that - second hand or hearsay.
When selecting evidence to answer a specific research question like "What is this couple's marriage date?" it's a good practice to obtain direct evidence wherever possible. Occasionally, we are forced to rely on indirect evidence, though a written proof argument should be created to explain why we have made the decision to answer our research question with less than stellar information.
- An example of direct evidence of a couple's marriage would be a marriage return, signed by the justice of the peace or church minister who officiated at the marriage.
- An example of indirect evidence of a couple's marriage would be an indication on a death certificate of the surviving spouse's name. Though this may be a clue, we would consider this inadequate to fulling answering the question of the date and place of the couple's marriage as it would be preferable to obtain the marriage return, the first published document that the marriage took place.

- QuickLesson 16: Speculation, Hypothesis, Interpretation and Proof Where ESM suggests playing the devil's advocate, though you think you've arrived at a logical conclusion.
- Conclusion of Confusion? Where ESM answers "What, exactly is a valid conclusion for students of history?"
REMEMBER:
We are only dealing with the first four generations, starting with yourself.
Though your compiled genealogy may contain more generations, we are working to learn correct research principles.
Though your compiled genealogy may contain more generations, we are working to learn correct research principles.

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IMAGE: Conrad Weiser Homestead, circa 1986. Photo (c) by the author. |

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IMAGE: Licensed through Adobe Stock. |
When you reprint the family group sheet where she appears as a child with her parents, the name of her spouse will be shown. This provides the reference to the new family group sheet where she appears as the mother/spouse reflecting her new family situation.. T
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Happy family tree climbing!
Myrt :)
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Myrt :)
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