[Genealogy] Census Taker is Off, Class Filling, Math, But They are Wrong
Michael John Neill
mjnrootdig at gmail.com
Mon Aug 17 06:43:04 CDT 2026
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Genealogy Update
17 August 2026
** Did the Census Taker Get Off a Line?
** Notebook for Genealogy Class Spots Filling Up
** Math for Genealogists
** But They Are Wrong!
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Did the Census Taker Get off a Line?
-------------------
*from a while back...*
The fifty-two year old man born in Iowa in about 1808 was a clue something
might be off. That’s an early year of birth for someone born in Iowa. It’s
possible, but not too probable.
Other information in the last two households from this 1860 census page
look askew as well. In both cases, the wife is the only one with an
occupation and property. While women could be enumerated with real or
personal property in 1860, being listed with an occupation is highly
unusual. It’s even more unusual for two of those families to live as
neighbors to each other and for those occupations to be ones that tended to
be dominated males (farmer and carpenter).
It looks like the enumerator got “off” by a line starting with the
occupation column for these last two households.
That’s not an indexing error. It’s a census enumerator error.
My transcription of this record will reflect what it actually says, along
with an annotation as to why I think there is an error and what I think the
intention was. My transcription needs to make clear where the original
record ends and my thoughts begin. I do not want my transcription to say
something that the record does not actually say. Others can read my
transcription and commentary and decide for themselves.
>From a research standpoint, if I search indexes to this census for Jacob
Dingman born in Canada, I won’t find him.
This guy was born in Iowa.
Born in Iowa about 1808–according to the census.
That’s how he will be indexed.
Something else to consider when searching indexes of records.
-------------------------------------
Notebook for Genealogy Class--Don't Miss It!--spots are filling up
-------------------------------------
*Announcing!*
Due to several requests, we've developed this class on using Notebook for
Genealogy.
Notebook for Genealogy–A Four Session Pick Your Own Problem Course
With Michael John Neill
Our focus is on being practical, exhibiting sound genealogy methodology,
and demonstrating responsible use of Notebook (Google’s suite of AI tools)
in genealogy research. This course is for those who would like guidance and
suggestions in how to use Notebook and have a place to get feedback and
additional direction.
Course Prerequisites & Required Materials You should have digital records
for one ancestor or a father-mother-children family, including every extant
record available.
-
Format: PDF or JPG for images; PDF, Word, or raw text for transcriptions.
-
Preparation: Be familiar with the specific ancestral research problem
you plan to work on to get the most from Notebook LM and AI concepts.
Gather all materials between registration and the start of class.
Course Format & Zoom Sessions
-
Pre-Recorded Lectures: Students will view two hours of presentations
before group sessions begin.
-
Live Zoom Sessions: Held on Sunday nights (and recorded for later
viewing). Sessions combine live demonstrations by Michael working through a
set of family records alongside group discussions where students share
prompts, results, challenges, and questions.
Class Focus & Weekly Assignments
-
Weekly Assignments: One assignment per week focused on Notebook's media
outputs using your own research problem.
-
Scope: The course focuses on mastering the tools and capabilities of
Notebook rather than providing individual research advice, making it
accessible to participants working on problems from any region.
Community Discussion & Communication
-
Private Google Group: Used for asynchronous discussion, peer
interaction, Q&A, and prompt sharing outside of live sessions.
-
Email Requirement: A Gmail account is strongly recommended. Accounts
with AOL, Yahoo, or Hotmail frequently experience delivery issues with
group emails.
Important Dates
-
1 September: Pre-recorded lectures become available for download, and
the private Google Group opens.
-
Live Zoom Discussions (Sunday Nights): 13 September, 20 September, 27
September, and 11 October. Meetings are at 7 PM Central Daylight Time. They
will be recorded and posted for those unable to attend live.
Registration & Tuition
-
Fee: $70–register now to save your spot
<https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=EAYH3Z2FWUR9S>
.
-
Availability: Registration is limited.
Develop your AI skills today!
<https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=EAYH3Z2FWUR9S>
------------------------------
*Math For Genealogists*
------------------------------
Don’t the numbers fool or confuse you. Download this informative webinar by
ordering
<https://michael-john-neill.dpdcart.com/cart/buy?product_id=241021&product_price_id=263164&gateway=paypal>
a
recording to view at your convenience.
Why did great-great-grandma get 34/99 of her late husband’s estate—when
there was no will? We will answer this question and others during this
presentation.
Topics included: Calculating probate fractions, dates and ages,
Wolframalpha for genealogists, land measurements, money, and more. The math
will be low-key, but ignoring the numbers can cause you to miss ancestral
clues. Michael was a community college math instructor (teaching from basic
arithmetic to calculus) in another life and brings that experience to the
presentation. There is no math prerequisite for this class, but you are
required to be interested in improving your genealogical skills and getting
as much from ancestral numbers as you can!
Get recording for immediate download
<https://michael-john-neill.dpdcart.com/cart/buy?product_id=241021&product_price_id=263164&gateway=paypal>
.
------------------------------
But They Are Wrong!
------------------------------
There is no way to avoid it. Wrong information is everywhere.
Wrong information is in online “trees.” Wrong information is in blog posts.
Wrong information is in online websites. Wrong information is in printed
books. Wrong information is in original records. Whenever a document has
the potential to be correct it also has the potential to be wrong. With any
positive comes the negative.
Some gnash their teeth over it. Some complain in blog posts and online
forums about it. Others rant on Facebook about it. Genealogical speakers
talk about it. Writers write about it.
A genealogist can bypass the sites that contain online “trees” as a way to
avoid some of the wrong information. While understandable, it is an
imperfect solution. Some online trees are accurate, containing solid
information. Others are not. Even while the trees on the “big sites” can
be avoided, online information cannot be avoided entirely, particularly if
one performs Google searches to potentially locate photographs,
transcriptions of actual records, and the like. Information from those
erroneous trees will also come up in general searches of the entire
internet.
Locating information online that ones knows is incorrect can be extremely
frustrating–especially when it involves family members that we knew
personally or includes ancestors we have spent years painstakingly
researching.
But…we cannot correct it all. Once the wrong stuff is out there it can be
difficult, if not impossible, to control.
Some individuals will not respond to even the most polite inquiries about
“where did you get that?” and curt, blunt emails are less likely to get a
response.
Make certain your compiled information is as accurate as you can make it.
Consider ways to publish or share that information with others.
Your time may be better spent being as accurate as you can and sharing that
information with others instead of trying to convince someone else they are
wrong.
Maybe.
Just some thoughts. Your mileage may vary.
------------------------------
*Upcoming Trips*
------------------------------
Join me on one of these research trips:
- Midwest Genealogy Center–October 2026
<https://genealogytipoftheday.com/index.php/mid-continent-genealogy-library-october-2025-research-trip/>--registration
ending soon!
- Library of Virginia–March 2027
<https://genealogytipoftheday.com/index.php/2025-library-of-virginia-research-trip-richmond-virginia/>
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Michael John Neill
Genealogy Tip of the Day
PO Box 17
Henderson, IL 61439
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