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Archiver > APG > 2006-02 > 1140432575
From: "Alvie L. Davidson CG" <>
Subject: Cite Your Sources!?
Date: Mon, 20 Feb 2006 05:49:35 -0500
In-Reply-To: <410-22006212010729532@earthlink.net>
That question about the tombstone is a very interesting one. I would treat
it as a derivative source since all of us know the stone is real but the
information carved into it gives us no assurance that it is accurate. We
would have to find other documents such as a birth certificate and death
certificate to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that those dates and that
name is positively accurate.
Of course I cannot say what I put on my CG application for I have never used
a tombstone as a source in that way. The only times I have used tombstones
in any fashion is by using them as supporting evidence while preparing a
lineage society application such as DAR or SAR.
The fact that you see, handle, and photograph a tombstone does in no way
make that information correct but you can prove you saw that tombstone,
handled the tombstone, etc. I know this sounds so basic and elementary but
that is just my two cents worth.
Based upon questions being asked recently by Elizabeth Shown Mills I can
only hope she is hot on the trail to releasing a second edition of Citing of
Sources book...
Alvie L. Davidson CG
CG and Certified Genealogist are Service Marks of the Board for
Certification of Genealogists used under license after periodic evaluations
by the Board.
This thread:
| Cite Your Sources!? by "Alvie L. Davidson CG" <> |