Pat,

    "Proper documentation" does not necessarily equate to "proof."

  What may satisfy you, may serve only to encourage someone else to do further research.  If you are --or become-- a compulsive researcher, you'll never be  satisfied until you have at least several copies of "original documents."  Keep in mind that the reason we cite sources is two-fold (at least, maybe more). First, it's a record for ourselves and others of where we found a particular bit of data.  (Aunt Bessie?  GenWeb online report? Cousin Joe's online report?  Certified copy of a Rockbridge Co. marriage bond? )  Secondly, by noting the source given, we can rate  just how important that particular piece of info is.

   For example,  if your source for a child born in Springfield, MA  reads something like :   NEHGR, Vol. 18, Jan. 1864, pp. 82-86;
   online http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ma/county/hampden/spfld/records/vr.html

  (which is true of the sample you sent), then of course neither you nor anyone you share your info with, would rate it as high as if your source read: Hampden Co. MA. County Clerk,Certified copy of birth certificate (on file)   On the other hand, it might  rate much higher than a source that read:  Aunt Bessie.


  Joanne



Patricia <[log in to unmask]> wrote:  I was wondering about this a few days ago. When a document is transcribed
and posted on the internet, is it usually considered authentic enough to be
counted as "proper documentation"?
As a "for instance":

http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ma/county/hampden/spfld/records/vr.html

As long as I make sure there are several other means of documenting dates,
etc, would you trust apage like this? Or do most of you prefer photocopies
of the actual record?

Pat in Montana

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