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Archiver > TMG > 2000-04 > 0954991891


From: "James H. Holcombe" <>
Subject: RE: TMG-L: Re: Sources - are we losing our way?
Date: Wed, 5 Apr 2000 20:31:31 -0700
In-Reply-To: <20000404134112.96179.qmail@hotmail.com>


Conversely, when your own Mother lies to you about her birth date and you
never check it, someone else will know what your source was!!!

My mother and HER mother both lied about their birth dates and no one ever
questioned it until I was "cleaning up" my records and called the church
where she was baptized and they couldn't find the records - until they
looked a year earlier!!

So every source, reliable or not, is important. (However I would have
rated Mom highly reliable!)

James H. Holcombe
3600 Eaglerock Dr.
Atlanta, GA 30340
(770) 491-0370

-----Original Message-----
From: [mailto:]On Behalf Of Danny
Bull
Sent: Tuesday, April 04, 2000 6:41 AM
To:
Subject: Re: TMG-L: Re: Sources - are we losing our way?

My only comment on this would be that sometimes the 'official' sources are
wrong and Auntie Elsie knows the true story (particularly in the case of
illegitimate births).

And, even if Auntie Elsie and the 'official' sources corroborate one
another, why not state that fact. The more evidence you can present as proof
of a fact or statement, the better, surely.

Danny

>From:
>I am concerned that some people seem to be getting so bogged down with
>sources that the main purpose of the exercise seems to be getting lost.
>Does
>it really matter that I got a date of death for somebody from Auntie Elsie,
>which may or may not be accurate? Do I really have to write down Auntie
>Elsie
>as the source and wonder whether I should also involve Uncle Fred who might
>have given the information to Auntie Elsie?
>
>As far as I am concerned I now have a clue from Auntie Elsie as to the
>possible date of death. Now I know what I must do - I must go to the
>relevant primary source, the death certificate, the will, the burial
>register, whatever is available to me. If I cannot find that primary source
>I
>must record what I DO know (from Aunt Elsie), but the date of death will
>remain suspect and dependant on a check of the primary source by me or my
>reader some time in the future, just as it would have done if I cited
>Auntie
>Elsie and Uncle Fred and a whole list of others. So why bother with these
>mental contortions at all. The only proof is the official proof, which may
>itself be wrong, but is the best we can get. What Auntie Elsie told me
>doesn't matter to anybody. What is anybody else going to do with the
>information that it was she who gave me the date of death? It's pointless.
>
>I know this may cause shockwaves for some of you, but I just don't see the
>point. Does anybody else agree with me?

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