Dumb question. What is a valid source?

Question

I am a bit confused on the question of sources ... If I find family information on another site, is that information protected by some arcane code of genealogy ethics, and I am thereby forbidden to include what I see there on my own family tree? Or may I use it by citing the authors name or website as a source.

Discovering direct ancestors has been part of the charm of researching my family, and filling a gap in the family tree is like finding a gold nugget …

In some cases I have found conflicting dates, and have looked up the headstone and taken the dates on them as the official dates unless some other evidence such as a government record conflicts with it.

An example. My great grandfather had eight children, one adopted, one killed tragically in a slingshot accident, and one stillborn.  No one family member had all the information, but I did get the names and data from browsing other websites, and submitted the information I compiled to family members.

Is the recollection of siblings a “source”?

Questions ... questions ...

Answer 1

Any source is valid, but some are obviously going to be more reliable than others. It is important to recognise the difference.

Comments

And it is important to cite whatever the source was, including:

* Personal knowledge of John L. Smith, as interviewed by his daughter Jillaine Smith, 25 December 1999, Solana Beach, California.

* Unknown author, Hand-written note, undated, among the papers of Dr. B.M. Malloy, (address withheld for privacy), Washington DC, citing a family bible: "Mary Jones married Luther Mathis 18 June 1898."

* Family Tree of Robert Jones, at Ancestry.com [include full URL], accessed 9 December 2013.

The point is to cite whatever you used so that when we read the information, we can assess the combined evidence and come to appropriate conclusions-- and/or know where we need to go to dive deeper for better evidence.

Answer 2

I think any info found as long as its not violating any copyright  law is fair to use. Some may be not completely accurate so any means to verify if possible is good. Some info may not be fully verifiable and as long as you state that in your text your being up front, honest and seeking any info that can help then. Ive met with older family members this year, and using old photos we did our best ot indentify the who,what,when, where on them. The senior person's recollection may be all thats available so they are the "soiurce"

Comments

An "oral record" can be made a more credible source when corroberated by vital records, census records, or other written documentation.

Answer 3

There is a comprehensive article on sources in the help index, the url for the page is http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Sources It should answer your question and give you some ideas, as well showing you examples.

Comments

While that is useful, Billy, it does leave out a lot of crucial information about the value and accuracy of sources, primary and derived.

One thing it omits is when a website is consulted. That is essential

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It does mention online sources and how to cite  them.

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Yes, but date is essential. Websites come and go.

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Perhaps I am thinking too hard about this, but, in the absence of a marriage record, how do you link the Surname of the Groom with the Maiden name of the bride. For my grandparents I just know what my grandmother's maiden name was, but I have no source to that fact. But moving farther back how are those linkages and discoveries made?

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In the absence of a marriage record, I find census records to be the place I most often find a mother's maiden name. Sometimes there will be an extended family member living with a family, whose last name can provide clues as to the last name of the mother.

Answer 4

For very close family members I obtain bdm certificates. But of course this procedure is far too expensive. Even then, They got some of my family names wrong, SO we cant really rely on anything for sure, I find other peoples data very helpful and check  where I can ( cemetery records and old newspapers.Id call these a valid source.) We should all be thankful for what information is out there , check where you can , enter it and as time goes by there is always someone who will correct it if you are wrong!