We’ve mentioned it before, but a reminder never hurts. Always review what you’ve written one last time. Are the dates correct? Did you transcribe the names correctly? Were the relationships stated clearly? Is something phrased in a way that is vague or that could be misinterpreted? Once it’s online and the incorrect genie is out of the genealogical bottle, it can be difficult to put it back in. And often it’s impossible.
Any record can have an incorrect detail. A clerk or a scribe can make an unintentional error for any of a number of reasons. This clerk in the 1840s confused the “former” names of two women involved in a court case with one of the other men being sued. It’s an honest and easy mistake to make. A good analytical technique with any record is to ask yourself: What if one detail in this record were incorrect? How would my research change? Is it possible one item is wrong? Registration deadline ending on 10 June for my trip to the Allen County Public Library in Ft. Wayne, Indiana.
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