When I recently wrote about my concerns about the use of secondary versus primary sources of information in our Springfield family history and genealogy research, I got the biggest, positive, response of any recent article. Today I want to share another example that is an excellent reminder that 'ordinary' documents we possess regarding our ancestors may not really be as 'defining' as we might not like to believe they are.
Judy G. Russell has recently begun "The Legal Genealogist" blog which has received a very positive reception in the genealogy blog world. Her blog post: "Case closed? Not yet… : What a birth certificate does… and doesn't… prove." We are always happy to find a birth certificate in our family history and genealogy research. However, we are each apt to error in that we may think this is the end of the search for the birth information and, perhaps, move on to seeking more information on the parents, for example.
That birth certificate is really just an early step toward the "proof of birth" of that individual. It is an important step, but realize, as the blog post reminds us, that most of the information there was "as reported by others," not original source information. "Sources(i) give us information(i) from which we select evidence(i) for analysis," is the key phrase we need to remember from this discussion. The birth certificate is a great source. It places the birth of an infant in a particular place, but other than that, it is simply a piece of evidence, not proof. As Michael Hait states so well in his comment to the post: "Genealogists 'prove' facts by evaluating the information in records to form coherent, logical conclusions." Which reminds me to remind you: Always read the comments on blog posts. On good posts, there are often very good comments and discussion, as well. In this case, Judy also responds to each comment. Neat.
How do you treat birth certificate information? Do you just accept what is there, or do you start there and collect additional evidence for your analysis?
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