[Genealogy] Print Truth, Taxing Searches, Dry Gardens, and Intro Webinar Prices Ending
Michael John Neill
mjnrootdig at gmail.com
Fri Apr 24 12:47:05 CDT 2026
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Genealogy Update 24 April 2026
(c) 2026 Michael John Neill
** In Print Is Not Necessarily True
** Reasonably Exhaustive Searches are Taxing
** Keep Getting the Blog Update
** The Garden Dried Up and No Butter to Speak Of
** Presentations--Don't Miss Intro Rate
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In Print Is Not Necessarily True
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It is not always true because it is in print.
In *Fields, Fens and Felonies: Crime and Justice in Eighteenth-Century
East Anglia
<https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1909976113/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1909976113&linkCode=as2&tag=gentipoftheda-20&linkId=2a8184473be5a6c546f6d32a7d780138>
*(2016
Waterside Press, United Kingdom), Gregory Durston writes in his
introduction that “newspapers were usually *reasonably* reliable when it
came to reporting the basic facts of a case and its outcome…” (p. 17). He
goes on to comment further that it was not uncommon for newspapers to use a
few select words for certain types of crimes quite liberally when there
were in fact a variety of specific words assigned to specific types of
crimes.
As a result the newspaper may not have been entirely legally accurate.
Durston is discussing newspaper reporting of criminal cases in 18th century
East Anglia, and one has to be careful extrapolating his statements to
newspapers in general. However, it’s important to note that newspapers are
not court records and should not be considered as their equivalent. The
genealogist should use a newspaper reference to a court case as a means to
learn that it exists–not as a completely accurate account of what took
place in court.
There could be legal details that for a variety of reasons a newspaper
decided not to print.
So when a newspaper says your relative was found guilty of a robbery in
1800, you probably should try and locate actual court records.Those records
may use a different word to describe the crime and that word may have had a
very specific meaning.
All of this is why one cites exactly what one has used. If a newspaper said
a person was convicted of a robbery, then that newspaper should be cited so
that you (or someone reading your information and citation) knows that
you’ve not referenced the actual court record–just the newspaper was used.
It may be that court records are not extant for the period of interest.
No matter.
Your citation should reference the newspaper and you should remember that,
the newspaper may have got the essence of the story right but that there
could be a few details that are askew.
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Reasonably Exhaustive Searches are Taxing
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I did not take the time to go and see Chas. Ensminger…who has been assessor
as all he would know has been covered by the evidence more definite.
Welsh’s statement was made in his summary of the testimony and documentary
evidence he had received in the Civil War widow’s pension claim of Nancy J.
Rampley. He decided it was not worth his time to see the local township
assessor because he apparently already had the same information from a more
direct source at the county tax office.
There’s a nice tie-in between Welsh’s statement and the evaluation of
genealogical evidence. Researchers should attempt to obtain the most
reliable and most direct sources of information–not necessarily as many
different repetitions of that they can get their hands on. Welsh’s report
contained property tax information from county officials. The source of tax
information and amounts paid does not get any more direct than that and the
amounts were what the examiner was after. Ensminger’s testimony would not
add to that information. It would also not really be a “different” source.
How often do we use “different” sources that are not really “different” at
all? An obituary and a death certificate that provide the same place of
birth are different documents, but they likely have the same original
informant. In one sense they are not really “different” from the standpoint
of analyzing information. Much like the township assessor was not different
from the county tax office.
I guess we could say that the investigator had done a “reasonably
exhaustive search” for the tax information.
*Why was BJ8 omitted from the quote?*
Editorial license is why. The quote looked simpler without the reference
number included. BJ8 was the witness number assigned to Ensminger by the
special examiner and has no impact on the quote. The ellipses were used to
indicate that something had been removed from the quote.
*Learn More About Exhaustive Search*
*Evidence Explained <https://amzn.to/41Tkos4>
<http://www.genealogical.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&ref=1783&item_number=3878&affiliate_banner_id=1%22%20target=%22_blank%22>
*will
explain more about exhaustive search and citation. It will also include
citation examples for tax records and Civil War pensions.
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Depositions in contested Civil War pension applications can provide
wonderful insight into a family’s day-to-day life. This is especially true
for families who do not leave behind letters or other paper ephemera.
Nancy Rampley’s application for a widow’s pension based upon her husband’s
service was denied several times. The resident of Walker Township in
Hancock County, Illinois, claimed the income from her late husband’s farm
was insufficient to support her and the minor children he left behind when
he died in 1893. Her application was denied to the point where a special
examiner was sent to Breckenridge, Illinois, interview her and several
others regarding her claim.
Part of the reason for her pension claim was that her income was
insufficient. As a part of her deposition, Nancy made statements about her
income and expenses for the time period before her deposition was made in
1902.
In 1901, Nancy indicated her proceeds from the farm included:
- 150 bushels of oats valued at 35 cents per bushel–$52.50
- 80 bushels of wheat at 60 cents per bushel–$48.00
- 50 bushels of rye at 50 cents per bushel–$25.00
- 320 bushels of corn at 50 cents per bushel–$160
- her share of the hay-7.5 tons at $8 per ton-$60.00
- poultry and eggs sold–$15.00
- garden dried up
- no butter worth mentioning
Nancy’s son farmed for her and received half the crops as his share. It is
not mentioned why Nancy’s share of the 800 bushels of corn was 320 bushels
instead of 400. The statement that the “garden dried up” makes me wonder if
1901 was a dry year. That’s something that may be mentioned in local
newspapers.
*Lessons and Reminders:*
Not every Civil War pension application contains depositions of this type.
Those that do will not necessarily have details regarding the applicant’s
income. The content of the deposition depends upon the individual claim and
the reasons for its denial. Nancy was claiming she needed the pension to
supplement her income. Her claim was denied by the pension office because
she considered able to work. Other widows may have had to prove their
soldier’s service or their relationship to the soldier. Nancy’s claim was
not denied for those reasons, so her testimony does not focus on those
items.
In a future post we’ll look at Nancy’s expenses for 1901.
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Been curious about using artificial intelligence for your genealogy
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Brick Wall Busters 2026--New!
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This hour-long presentation is geared towards advanced beginning or
intermediate genealogists. Our focus will be on problems in the United
States between roughly 1700 and 1900. Brick wall ideas will be pulled from
consultations with clients and personal research experience. Approaches
will be practical and down-to-earth. Presentation approach will be through
a series of examples from a variety of time periods, locations, and social
classes. Handout included. Presentation made by Michael John Neill.
Presentation (video/audio) and handout will be released for viewing on 24
April 2026 (revised date). Pre-order price is $22–order today
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Michael John Neill
Genealogy Tip of the Day
PO Box 17, Henderson, IL 61439
http://www.genealogytipoftheday.com
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