Chances are the information in great-great-grandpa’s death certificate and obituary were provided by the same person. This means that the fact they agree with other does not make them any more “right.” Getting records where there were probably different informants as to the same details increases the chance you get the “right” answer.
And sometimes no one knew the right answer. But relying on one source or several sources made at the same time from information probably provided by the same person may send your searches astray.
2 Responses
Thanks for the tip.
The information on my second great-grandparents’ death records and their obituaries was wrong. As best as I can figure out the information was given by their grandson, but the names of their parents were incorrect. In the case of my 2nd great-grandfather, his father’s name was really that of his brother–George instead of Benjamin. In the case of my 2nd great-grandmother, I can’t figure out where her grandson came up with her parents’ names. There aren’t even people by that name in the county where and when she was born. That clearly needs more investigation. But she gives the names of her parents on one of the Iowa state censuses, and they are not even close to the names their grandson gave on her death record and obituary.