Hi,
While working at the DAR for many years, I was the one of those who worked on
patriots where the lineage or service had been questioned. My answer, if I
could not solve the problem was "genealogies are helpful as a guide but many are
not acceptable unless the information can be verified by sources, such as vital
records, Bible records, cemetery records, or other records that could be used in
probate court cases." I also would sometimes use 'third generation personal
knowledge.' Common sense must also used (5 year old girls do not give birth.)
I have been very careful in writing family histories and articles to footnote
everything. As a result, my works are credible and I have heard from other
interested genealogists about them.
________________________________
From: "Tarter, Brent (LVA)" <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Mon, March 14, 2011 12:23:55 PM
Subject: Re: [VA-ROOTS] Virginia Citations
The comments about online genealogical resources and family trees also
apply to print sources. None is perfect, and some are horrible. The ones
without citations to source material always put me on my guard. It
usually takes experience and an accumulation of knowledge to learn which
print or online sources to trust and how much and also which to dismiss.
No published work, regardless of the format in which it is published, is
better than its compiler.
Brent Tarter
The Library of Virginia
[log in to unmask]
Please visit the Library of Virginia's Web site at
http://www.lva.virginia.gov
To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions at
http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-roots.html
To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions at
http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-roots.html
|
