G2G: Deciding between conflicting info from different sources.

Question

In general, is it best to accept explicit information that is listed on a source record, even if that information seems implausible based on implied information from other sources, or are we as "genealogists" justified in making certain judgement calls? (provided we explain why we made the decision we did in the Research Notes section of course)

Background:

The only record I have found that explicitly names my 2G-GF's place of birth is his death cert which says he was born in Mechanicsburg, PA. But there are 2 records for his father, 1 from 2 years before he was born and the other from 2 years after, that show the family was living 130 miles away in Westmoreland County, PA. 

He was born in 1852 and my "intuition" is telling me that Mechanicsburg must be incorrect since that was recorded about 50 years later and I don't know where the coroner got that info. I'm inclined to enter Westmoreland County as his place of birth, but that's my "interpretation" of the evidence.

Comments

A death record is not a primary source for a place birth because, as in this case, the birth happened many years before the record was made, and most likely, the recollection is from someone who was not at the birth.

---

Perhaps consider that some births occur a considerable distance away from home. I would use Pennsylvania and explain the dilemma in a research note. It isn't necessary to choose.

---

Make a note of the conflict, put the conflicting sources in your Research Notes.  Explain why you are picking one source.  I've had that happen, where a marriage record showed the birth location in one place, yet all the census images show it in a different location.  It will let people (and yourself when you get older and forget why you did it) know why you made your choice.

---

Beyond reasonable doubt. There is a reason that this is a basis for legal argument.

Answer 1

You need to weigh all the evidence and the reliability of each. A record of an event that is not contemporary with the event, but made long afterward, is much less reliable than a contemporary record of an event. In the case of a record made at the time of a person's death, the information on the record regarding their date and place of death is very reliable, but information on the record regarding their date and place of birth is much less reliable, particularly in the case of older records. It seems that you have contemporaneous records establishing that the parents were living in Westmoreland County shortly before and after the person's date of birth. I would put Westmoreland County as place of birth, mark it uncertain, and discuss the evidence in the bio.

Answer 2

You know your family history better than anyone, so from that you can decide what is, what. now from what you are saying. here is what I can tell you from my father.he was born in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. My sister needed a passport he has since passed  we grew up in Jersey long story short. so she didn't remember where he was born so our last name is Johnson, right. They came up with Madison Wisc. like no where near the town. So this story has a moral. My grandparents were busy in the bed they had 10 kids. My dad was #7 born in 1942. I guess they were migrant workers when there wasn't much work around town. so yes Dad was born in Madison not, Manitowoc little did I know. his older sister was born in Austin so what do I know? That was in the late 30's but my father's family is from the state of Wisconsin? they had to go where the work was. the farm wasn't making money. Some of the people stayed and worked it others got in the vehicle and worked or so i am told.

Answer 3

My 2x great aunt recorded her own fathers birth date incorrectly on the death certificate because she was distraught. Dont rely on the death cert for birth info if you have better sources.

Answer 4

I have official certificates stating several different dates that are decades apart for the same event!   Explained in the profile Mourney-5.

What I think happened is that the same midwife gave the information on a few births and just guessed!

May be wrong.  Just goes to show you can not trust even the official documentation at all times.  So the more background information you can find, minor things can help sometime, trade certificates, uinion membership, school records.

Good luck in your quest.