Starting Over

 

 I am going to be joining with a number of like minded genealogists with a common goal.

Our main aim is to construct a family tree that is well documented and that we can leave for others to build upon, rather than something that has to be confirmed because the information required to support the tree has not been recorded or has been poorly documented.

So we are going to set out to ensure that the information we have has been fully evaluated and recorded so that others can follow what we have done and repeat the research if necessary.

In preparing for this I need to define some ground rules. 

This is my current list.

• Organization of what I have already collected.

I have been trying to do something along this line for the last two years and have already started to reorganize how I store my digital information. I originally started this because I wanted to have my information stored on my computer in the same way I was trying to get my paper records and photographs organized. 

I have been trying to use a colour coding system similar to that described by Mary Hill, who did a Legacy Family Tree Webinar about this in April, the system Mary describes is supported by the Legacy 8 Software program.

• Collecting information so that I can easily incorporate it into my system.

I have started using Evernote to collect information and I want to put this to more effective use so that it is easier to find digital information that I have collected. I have also used One Note and I need to evaluate whether I want to use this alongside Evernote.

With more use of devices such as my phone and tablet I have also been using Cloud storage systems. Do I use just one or several providers?

• How do I record what I have found?

What software do I use to record what I have found? 

I have been a long term user of Family Historian. 

Do I stick with this or are there features of other programs that I would find useful? 

I have Family Tree Maker for syncing with my Ancestry trees and have just bought Legacy 8 to try out its citation capabilities and possibly other features.

• How do I evaluate the information I have found?

I have Evidentia to help me analyse my sources which I intend to put to good use.

• Where do I start my research?

Do I start by evaluating what I have? Yes

Some of the personal information I will not be able to reproduce, so I need to ensure it is fully and accurately recorded and evaluated.

I shall start as a newbie and gather together the information I have on close family members.

I need to build from a solid base ensuring that each source is a single entity and not a derivative of another source.

I will probably add to this list as the comments of others get me thinking.

As someone has already said I need to start as a beginner, but with the knowledge I have now, rather than the knowledge I had when I was starting my research.

One thing I have already done is set up a folder in my Google Drive for anything I think may help me with my decisions and implementation.

 

3-2-1 Cite Challenge July

So after DearMYRTLE did a Wacky Wednesday hangout showing how easy it was to help with indexing at Family Search and with the Worldwide Indexing day in the offing I signed up to start indexing. I have tried to keep the post short but 1 paragraph per project was as short as I could manage.

3 Projects

US, Mississippi—Enumeration of Educable Children, 1850–1892, 1908–1957 [Part A]

https://familysearch.org/indexing/projects/USMississippiEofEduChi1850189219081957

US, Florida—Obituaries, 1980–2014 [Part C]

https://familysearch.org/indexing/projects/US_FloridaObituaries_19802014_Part_C

UK, Manchester—Parish Registers, 1787–1999 [Part A]

https://familysearch.org/indexing/projects/UKManchesterParisRegisters17871999PartA

Submissions

Although this challenge only required the submission of 2 batches I have to date submitted a total of 724 records and over 20 batches.

The Enumeration of Educable Children was a typed document easy to read but after arbitration I realised I had not read the instructions for the project thoroughly and included surnames for children which were not specified in the document.

I tried an English batch which was marked at advanced and struggled as it was handwritten and appeared to be written in Latin. I returned this batch for someone more experienced. The other English batch was a beginner's level and these are handwritten on pre-printed pages. Some have a birth date and a baptism date recorded on the page which could cause confusion. I have feedback on some entries including one where I thought a name should be Ritchie but because the t was not crossed it read as Rilchie it has been arbitrated as Ritchie.

I have submitted several different batches of obituaries and they can all be different. Even within batches each image may have variable amounts of extractable data. The biggest problems I had with obituaries are maiden names for women, or a sentence such as Lynn wife of John Snow should Lynn be recorded with the surname Snow or just the first name.

Mastering Genealogical Proof Study Group 2 Chapter 7 Homework

Reference:
Thomas W. Jones, Mastering Genealogical Proof (Arlington, Virginia: National Genealogical Society, 2013), 6. 
[Book available from the publisher at 

http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/cs/mastering_genealogical_proof ]

Chapter 7: Genealogical Proof Standard Element 5: The Written Conclusion

This is the point at which we know whether we have fulfilled the requirements of the other elements of the genealogical proof standard.

We cannot write any conclusion until we have an answer for our research question.

The written conclusion will need to pull together the other elements to show that we have met what is needed to prove our answer.

Proof Statement

Straightforward answers which require no resolution of conflict and can be answered by direct evidence from reliable original sources may be answered by the use of a proof statement citing all relevant sources. A statement should be clear and concise and is often included as part of a longer discussion such as in a written family history.

Proof Summary

If an answer requires more explanation than a single sentence or short paragraph it is considered to be a proof summary. This may require explanation for conflicts in the supporting evidence.

Proof Argument

When you get to more complex cases where the evidence is not direct and inference is required it is necessary to write a proof argument which may require piecing together complex information to make a case for the conclusion.

Clear Writing

However we write a conclusion we need to ensure clarity to avoid ambiguity and misunderstanding.
The research process should not be part of the discussion. We should only use the present tense for items or persons still in existence, care should be taken not to mix tenses or personalise with the use of I or me.

These points are discussed in more detail in the book. 

Whilst it is important to get the conclusion right, we should not stop ourselves from writing conclusions based on our current level of knowledge.

You may feel that your conclusion would benefit from that extra piece of information, but if you are not in a position to obtain that source of information at present, then write something based on what you have and include a note that you think something may, change or reinforce your conclusion. 

If something was to happen, you will have left your work so that someone else could continue and follow your thinking.

Having lots of sources and no conclusions is not helpful to anyone.

As we reach the end of our Study Group discussions, we should all aim to get those proof statements written.

Start your proof summaries where there is conflicting evidence.

Determine what needs that further analysis and how can it be broken down into easy chunks.

You cannot do everything at once, long proof arguments can be broken down, into smaller statements and summaries, then brought together to build the argument. 

We should approach our work in this way.

Otherwise we can overwhelm ourselves with the quantity of time and effort required.

Start small and gradually make bigger.

Mastering Genealogical Proof Study Group 2 Chapter 6 Homework

Reference:
Thomas W. Jones, Mastering Genealogical Proof (Arlington, Virginia: National Genealogical Society, 2013), 6. 
[Book available from the publisher at 

http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/cs/mastering_genealogical_proof ]

Chapter 6: 

Genealogical Proof Standard Element 4: Resolving Conflicts and Assembling Evidence

1. We have conflicting evidence when 2 or more items providing evidence are not in agreement.
2. If we wish to proof our hypothesis then all the evidence to support this must be in agreement or we must explain why we think there is disagreement or we think that the evidence supports one conclusion compared to another.

The other questions deal with discussing the analysis of the evidence and the types of evidence that are in conflict. In another post I have discussed conflicting direct evidence the conclusion of which looks at the reliability of the evidence and the time frame for when the information was recorded.

Please see my post on dealing with conflicting information  http://genemeet.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/dealing-with-conflicting-information.html  

In evaluating any conflicts it is important that all factors are taken into consideration, even eyewitness accounts can be false, if the person reporting the information has a reason to hide the truth. Being unable to determine where the information originated can make that information appear as hearsay, which is why it is important to cite sources accurately, and to discuss and review any factors which may have a bearing on the validity of the information.
Analysis & correlation are essential ingredients when deciding whether there are any serious conflicts which require explanation as we assemble the evidence needed to write our conclusions. A clear understanding of why, what, when, who by and for what purpose a record was created comes with experience and if necessary additional reading around the subject area. Beginners cannot expect to fully understand all the records they may need to use, and this may mean that to truly reach a conclusion may in some cases take years.

This next Sunday 27th April 2014 we shall be discussing The Written Conclusion which should help pull together why we need all 5 parts of the Genealogical Proof Standard and why all parts are interdependent.

Dealing with Conflicting Information

This post is a follow on from my previous post about the parents of my grandmother Florence Ann Compton. If you have not read that post I suggest you read it first to give you the background information http://genemeet.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/florence-ann-compton-was-orphaned-who.html

Sunday 13th April 2014 we discussed conflicts in the Mastering Genealogical Proof Study Group 2 hangout on air at DearMyrtle's genealogy Community on Google+ and I briefly mentioned I would be doing this follow up post.

The 3-2-1 Cite challenge involved me using 3 sources to inform my assertion that the parents of my grandmother Florence Ann Compton were Edmund John Compton and Thirza Ann nee Robbins.
However these were not the only sources I had available.
All genealogists need to take all the available evidence and assemble it so that they can analyse it and review any conflicts.

So what other sources did I have and do I have any conflicts that need to be resolved.
I have assembled the information in chronological order and highlighted my conflict in the spreadsheet.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1_NldO8SxIHCVSDLWNTH6pQ4G9vA4HaYhwt62AnTgxtE/edit?usp=sharing


Almost all of the information in the documents is in agreement.

Many who have more than one forename will not use their first name or prefer to use a middle name. This appears to be the case for both Edmund and Thirza with both being recorded as John and Ann at some point in the records.

The records where information was given by others, close to her date of birth and the dates when her parents died, all seem to be in agreement, as spelling and using only one of 2 forenames, are minor conflicts. 

But when Florence Ann Compton married at the age of 26 her father was recorded as Walter John Compton (deceased). 

There was a Walter John Compton and he had indeed died before 1927. He had been responsible for Florence Ann Compton when she left the orphanage at 16 years of age.

below are 2 of the 48 orphanage documents. 
A letter from her brother and the discharge from the orphanage to explain how I know this to be true.

Walter would have been responsible for her up until his death during the flu epidemic post WW1. 

Since the most reliable evidence was recorded at the time of her birth when both parents were still alive, it seems reasonable to state that the incorrect information she gave at the time of her marriage was due to the fact that she barely knew her parents as she was orphaned at the age of six.
The only parent figure she would have likely remembered would be her eldest brother Walter John Compton.

Mastering Genealogical Proof Study Group 2 Chapter 5 Homework

Reference:
Thomas W. Jones, Mastering Genealogical Proof (Arlington, Virginia: National Genealogical Society, 2013), 6. [Book available from the publisher at 

http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/cs/mastering_genealogical_proof ]

Chapter 5: Genealogical Proof Standard Element 3: Analysis and Correlation

1. The source is a derivative.
2. The informant is believed to be Ida May (née Tucker) (McLain) Leach.
3. The information regarding the birth date is primary information.
4. The source provides direct evidence that he was born on February 4th 1876.
5. This source provides indirect evidence for a divorce prior to March 29th 1878.
6. This source was created as a family record.
7. This source was likely created after 29th September 1893 the date of the last entry more than 23 years after the birth.  It appeared to have been created at a single point in time which must have been after the last event recorded.
8. There are blotches on the page and the pages were loose indicating the record keeper could have shown more care when creating the record but the document is generally legible.
9. There is no way of verifying who wrote the entry and any challenge to what is recorded would have to be verified with other records in order to challenge or correct any erroneous information. This can only be done if reliable official records exist where the informant is unlikely to have lied.
10. The Family Record has nothing which could protect it from bias or fraud and from the copy it is difficult to confirm that the source has not been tampered with although the citation would indicate that there had been no tampering .
11. The informant was a witness but the record was made at a time distant from many of the events so the memory of these distant events may been impaired.
12. Although the informant was a credible witness to all the recorded events we do not know enough of the background with this one document to consider whether she had reasons not to record them accurately. Her memory of the earlier events could be such as to invalidate the record, additional records for birth and marriage dates, independently recorded, would help verify what this document states, and even if not all the events can be verified, confirming any that can could strengthen the case for the others being correct.

2. 

This question requires tabulation of information from 2 census records. The images in the book do not show all the information discussed in the answer as they have been cropped from the original. Therefore I shall leave this question and discuss the correlation of census results in a later post on this blog.

3. 

For both this question on the next we are looking at ways in which we can correlate information items so that we can build our conclusion and identify any conflicts. I wish to look at these in relation to research I would be doing in the UK and think that yet again this would be better dealt with in a separate post.

I hope to get the other blog post completed before we discuss the written conclusion after Easter as I want to highlight some differences in the UK which readers in the US or elsewhere may not have encountered.

Florence Ann Compton was orphaned who were her parents?

Background

Family history is all about establishing relationships and we use a selection of records to "prove" the members of a family.
In this post I want to discuss some documents I have used to answer the following question.
Who were the parents of my grandmother Florence Ann Compton.

Documents

In order to meet the challenge of 3-2-1 CITE I will only discuss 3 documents even though there are others in my collection that may further support my proof argument.

What the documents say about the family relationship

1. The census document has the head of the household at 6 King Street, Warminster as Edmond or Edward Jno Compton and his wife is Thurza Ann. The children are listed as Walter Jno 9, Sidney Herbert 7, Stanley James 5, Ernest Roy 3 and Florence Ann 1 mo.
2. The birth certificate shows the birth on 17th February 1901 of Florence Ann Compton daughter of Edmund John and Thirza Ann Compton formerly Robbins at 6 King Street, Warminster.
   
3. The baptism at Christ Church Warminster on May 16th of Florence Annie daughter of Edmund John and Thirza Ann Compton, 7 King Street.
   

The Evidence 

The census record indicates that Florence Ann Compton was born in February or March 1901 as the 1901 census was taken on 31st March 1901. The names of her parents differ only slightly in terms of spelling to those given on the birth certificate and in the parish magazine. The census and birth registration would have been recorded on consecutive days by different officials. The baptism was recorded within 2 months of the other records and all three are contemporary with the birth. In the case of the census and the birth the informant may have been the same person, the father and head of the household. The informant for the baptism may have been one of the church officials either clergy or lay member or taken from the baptismal register.

The information on the birth certificate and census regarding the residence is in agreement and the parish magazine only differs by number, which is possibly due to confusion regarding numbering or incorrectly recorded in a baptismal register. (I have been to the street and know that I was unable to find number 6.)

Conclusion

Florence Ann Compton was the daughter of Edmund John Compton and Thirza Ann Compton (nee Robbins).
The actual baptism register would be a more reliable source than the parish magazine and obtaining a copy would further support this proof.

Citations

1. 1901 census of England, Wiltshire, Warminster, Christchurch parish, folio 37 recto, p.9, household 53, Edmond Compton; digital image, Find My Past (http://new.findmypast.co.uk/ : accessed 5th April 2014) ; citing PRO RG13 /1943
2. Register of Births Warminster Registration District, Certified Copy of Entry 184 for Florence Ann Compton, 1901, issued 21st October 1907, digital image: [created 2nd October 2003]
3. Parish magazines for Warminster, Wiltshire, June 1901, page 2, Baptism May 16th Florence Annie Compton, digital image, (http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~pbtyc/Warminster_Par_Mag/1901_06/02.html : accessed 10th April 2014); 

Mastering Genealogical Proof Study Group 2 Chapter 4 Homework

Reference:
Thomas W. Jones, Mastering Genealogical Proof (Arlington, Virginia: National Genealogical Society, 2013), 6. 
[Book available from the publisher at 

http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/cs/mastering_genealogical_proof ]
 

Chapter 4: Genealogical Proof Standard Element 2: Source Citations

As with previous homework I have given this a slant from a UK researcher's perspective.

This is an area that I struggle with despite understanding the theory.

I think part of the problem is a lack of credible examples of recognized sources. Evidence Explained (1) barely touches on the sources that I have regularly used in my research and when it does I do not find the citations helpful, particularly as they refer to only one repository for information which may exist in more than one place.

Births, Deaths and Marriages in England and Wales from 1st July 1837 were recorded as Civil Registration events at a local level by registrars, or in the case of marriages performed in Churches or other places permitted to perform such ceremonies they were recorded by the celebrant. In all cases at least 2 registers were kept. Churches keep a record of marriages and send a copy to the registrar and the registrar sends copies of his register to the General Register Office. This makes for a high possibility of errors in one or more entry. It seems unreasonable, given the expense, to get copies of all entries, and even then unless they are a facsimile they are also open to error, so most researchers will gather a selection of certificates from originals to derivative copies made by a clerk copying an entry from a register.

My last statement makes it clear that certificates used extensively by researchers in England and Wales will not have a common source even though the information contained within should be identical. The importance of quoting the source correctly is more significant when considering the analysis of the evidence and the reliability of the source.

I have attempted to show examples in the shared spreadsheet for some of the commonly used sources, I hope to add more later, and would welcome any comments. I am unsure as to whether shortening some of the information would be acceptable but I have also included a link to a page I found on the website of The National Archives which I hope others will find useful.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Ai3twQPayu2VdExwUFFUWUVMcGFLQUs2ZkNRdVVUeXc&usp=sharing

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/citing-documents.htm

1. Elizabeth Shown Mills, CG, Evidence Explained:Citing History Sources from Artifacts to Cyberspace, 2nd Edition (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2007)

Mastering Genealogical Proof Study Group 2 Chapter 3 Homework

Reference:
Thomas W. Jones, Mastering Genealogical Proof (Arlington, Virginia: National Genealogical Society, 2013), 6. 
[Book available from the publisher at 

http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/cs/mastering_genealogical_proof ]
 

Chapter 3: Genealogical Proof Standard Element 1 Thorough Research

Here is my take on chapter 3 which I shall look at from the angle of someone who has only researched in England and Wales.

To meet the requirement of the Genealogical Proof Standard for thorough research you must understand your area of research. This requires a knowledge of a number of things.

1. The geography of the area, particularly at the time period when your family lived in the area.
2. The records available for the area.
3. The law as it affected the area.

In order that you can understand these you require a knowledge of where you can find what you need.

The major genealogy websites such as Ancestry, Find My Past and Family Search all have aids to finding what you need and the book we are using provides other pointers for research in the United States, but the links are not necessarily applicable to other parts of the world.

The importance of original records cannot be stressed enough and whenever possible derivatives should be replaced by originals. If the originals no longer exist then it is important to obtain the best independent records available and as such we need to understand the reliability of the records we use.

Maps can be a great resource to help us understand the movement of our families and any changes to the jurisdictions. Changes may be due to changes in the law and how the official records are kept.

We still find beginners asking about certificates, for an event before civil registration started in 1837, in England and Wales. Even after this date not everything was recorded, especially in the early years.

Understanding what can be found in the records is not something that can be learnt overnight and it is important to understand that the records can tell a conflicting story which means that your conclusion could be overturned at any time by new findings.

We all need to be open to possibility that our research may not have been as thorough as we would have wished, this is often down to the expense related to the research in both time and money.

Don't be afraid to make a conclusion based on what you have found, but be prepared to have it overturned if someone comes up with another piece of evidence, that conflicts and is more reliable. If you have the resources to do further research to strengthen or refute your conclusion, it is imperative that you do so, as none of us want to trace the wrong ancestors.

The following links might be of use if you are researching in the UK it is not a comprehensive list and I am happy to add any that may add things that I may have missed.

https://www.evernote.com/pub/hilgad/researchwebsites

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Bz5t0iLA_iOnpB8aQ8BQaZvkB5RXJHXO613y1sFi6b0/edit?usp=sharing

Mastering Genealogical Proof Study Group 2 Chapter 2 Homework

Reference:
Thomas W. Jones, Mastering Genealogical Proof (Arlington, Virginia: National Genealogical Society, 2013), 6. [Book available from the publisher athttp://www.ngsgenealogy.org/cs/mastering_genealogical_proof ]
 

Chapter 2: Concepts Fundamental to the GPS

Assignment

As a good proportion of the exercises for Chapter 2 would involve quoting sections of the book I will discuss my understanding of the chapter and provide examples from my own research which help to illustrate the points raised.

The first section deals with the primary objective the research question. This may be considered to be the most important stage before any research is undertaken.

Planned questions should be focused, on an individual. Any already documented evidence should be reviewed so that the specific information needed to answer the question can be targeted appropriately.

Most questions look at relationships.

I have an Ann Taylor who married Peregrine Rosling in Billingborough, Lincolnshire, England 13 May 1819 (1) and she died 16 Oct 1878 in Swinstead, Lincolnshire, England aged 79 years (2) her year and place of birth from the census records is 1796 - 1801 Billingborough, Lincolnshire, England (3,4,5,6).

My question is who were her parents?

I have Nathaniel Gadsby who married Elizabeth Bemrose in Ruskington, Lincolnshire, England 25 May 1815 (7) and he was buried 2 Jan 1856 in Castle Bytham, Lincolnshire, England age 69 years (8) his year and place of birth from the census records is 1781 - 1786 Aserby, Lincolnshire, England (9,10)

My question is who were his parents and where was he born? 

There is more than 1 place in Lincolnshire that could be a contender for Aserby you need to take in to consideration the local pronunciation. 

Identity questions such as What was the maiden name of Mary Eley?  the wife of Edward Eley and mother of Louisa Richards who had been married to Thomas Richards in Jersey but had then discovered after the birth of their daughter that he was already married. She was born in Millbrook, County of Southampton and married Edward Eley in Titchfield, County of Southampton.(11)

Activity questions such as When and where did Thomas Richards who bigamously married Mary and fathered a child Louisa who was a private in his majesty's 76th Regt of foot (11) serve in the aforementioned regiment?

Finding a record of his service could also provide clues to his identity.

In the sources I have used to discover the information I have about these individuals I have both original records such as the settlement examination and derivatives such as the transcription by the Lincolnshire Family History Society. I have transcribed the information in the settlement examination and that transcription is a derivative record.

There are various types of information in the settlement examination and to make it easier to describe I have included a copy of the transcription for Page 76 below.

76

Town and County

of                     The Examination of  Mary Eley

 Southampton             now Residing in the Parish of Saint Michael

            of  the said Parish of  Saint Michael                                      

Wife of Edward Eley ˆin the said Town and County, Labourer

           taken on Oath, this 10^th Day of July

        1827 before us two of his Majesty’s Justices of

the Peace in and for the said Town and County,

touching the place of the legal Settlement of  her

Daughter Louisa Richards of the said Parish of Saint Michael, Singlewoman

The said Examinant saith, That she was born at the Parish of Millbrook

In the county of Southampton as she hath heard and believes where her Parents

Then resided but whose place of Settlement was the Parish of Titchfield in

The said County of Southampton as she hath also been informed and believes

That her father died in the Poor House at the said Parish of Titchfield and

That her mother is now living at and receiving two shillings weekly from the

Said Parish of Titchfield That this examinant was never apprenticed nor ever

Served as a yearly servant for one whole year That upwards of nineteen years ago she

Went to Jersey and was married to Thomas Richards a private in his majesty’s 76^th Regt of foot then on duty in the said island and remained there some months after her

Marriage when the Regiment was removed to Colchester in the County of Essex and

From thence to Black Heath camp that her said daughter Louisa was born at

Colchester in the said county of Essex but in what parish this examinant

Does not know and this Examinant further saith, that the said Thomas

Richards to whom she was so married as aforesaid was a married man at the

Time he married this Examinant and that while the Regiment lay at Black

Heath camp his wife and three children came there to him which when this

Examinant knew as she saw them there and was informed by a man in the

Same Regiment that it was his the said Thomas Richard’s wife and that he

Knew her to be such the said Examinant left the said Thomas

Richards and came with her said daughter to her parents who then resided in

Hamble in the said county of Southampton that this Examinant then

Worked at various places and about 13 years ago she was married to her

Present husband at Titchfield church that some time after her second

Marriage the said Thomas Richards came to see this Examinant but she

Refused to see him and since that time she has never seen or heard of

Him

Sworn before us

John Jolliffe                            The Mark  X of

Mayor                                      Mary Eley

Richard Eldridge                    Orders made (out same day to) Aug^st 14^th

                                                1827 to Titcfield Hants

( ) crossed out

The information about her birth and her parents is going to be secondary or indeterminable and the information about her experience will be primary. Some of the information regarding the wife and children of Thomas Richards will be of indeterminable origin since it is unknown as to how the man in the same regiment knew that she was the wife (was he at the wedding).

I have books about people living in the areas where my family lived that have made mention of relatives. I have not made use of these for anything other than providing suggestions. However if I was unable to find original records these authored works could be invaluable in reconstructing the family. One family said to have 22 members was much easier to distinguish once I was aware of this fact.

Many of the sources we commonly use provide direct evidence to answer our research questions.

Negative and indirect evidence may be more difficult to determine for example one of my ancestors appears to be missing from the 1881 Census for England and Wales, I know from a copy of a letter that he was at some point a soldier and he is not listed with this occupation on any of the other censuses. It may not be unreasonable to consider that he was possibly missing from the census because he was not in the country and was serving as a soldier at this time. I have since discovered his military record and he attested in 1887 under his second forename which appears to have been the name he used for many years. It lists his address which I recognize as being his mother's home and gives a further clue as to where he may be living in 1881. I feel I may need to make better use of timelines if I am to fully understand and use indirect and negative evidence in determining proof statements.

The distinctions we use for sources and information help us to assess whether we have answered our question using the best available evidence.

By understanding why a source was created and how it was created or what created it and by whom and when and where, in other words the 5 W’s, we can strengthen the evidence to answer our research questions.

It is not enough to find a source of information we need to look at exactly what it tells us that is pertinent to our research and whether we need further information from another source before we have the evidence needed for genealogical proof.

Evidence is entirely dependant on the research question which is why it is important to clearly define our goals as questions before we start our research process.

1.  "England Marriages, 1538–1973 ," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NX7F-9JQ : accessed 08 Mar 2014), Peregrine Rosling and Ann Taylor, 1819.
2. Source: [S259] Death Certificate Rosling Ann Data Entry Date: 18 October 1878 Certainty Assessment: Primary evidence
3. Source: [S1551] Census 1841 Class HO107 Piece 622 Book 30 ED 3 Folio 9 Page 11 Peregrine Rosling Swinstead,Lincolnshire,England
   Where Within Source: Class HO107/622/30/3/9/11 Data Entry Date: 6 June 1841 Certainty Assessment: Secondary evidence
4. Source: [S1561] Census 1851 Class HO107 Piece 2095 Folio 91 Page 12 Schedule 36 Peregrine Rosling Swinstead,Lincolnshire,England Where Within Source: Class HO107/2095/91/12/36 Data Entry Date: 30 March 1851 Certainty Assessment: Secondary evidence
5. Source: [S1577] Census 1861 Class RG9 Piece 2315 Folio 30 Page 11 Schedule 42 & 43 Peregrine Rosling Swinstead,Lincolnshire,England Where Within Source: Class RG9/2315/30/11/42 & 43 Data Entry Date: 7 April 1861 Certainty Assessment: Secondary evidence
6. Source: [S1638] Census 1871 Class RG10 Piece 3311 Folio 26 Page 4 Schedule 18 Edward Rosling Swinstead,Lincolnshire,England
   Where Within Source: Class RG10 Piece 3311 Folio 26 Page 4 Schedule 18
   Data
   Entry Date: 2 April 1871
   Certainty Assessment: Secondary evidence
7. Transcription from Lincolnshire Family History Society confirmed by viewing online images at Find My Past  http://www.findmypast.co.uk/
8. "England Deaths and Burials, 1538-1991," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/JC73-R5Q : accessed 08 Mar 2014), Nathaniel Gadsby
9. "England and Wales Census, 1841," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MQ1G-SYP : accessed 08 Mar 2014), Nathaniel Gadsby, 1841.
10. "England and Wales Census, 1851," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/SGNS-K9G : accessed 08 Mar 2014), Nathaniel Gadesby, 1851.
11. Registers of examination as to Settlement 1711-1901 Southampton City Archives Service Settlement Examination for Louisa Richards Single woman St Michael Parish 10^th July 1827 Pages 72,76 and 79 Digital images