24 June 2013

Exhaustive search does it = Misinformation/Non Exhaustive Search for some? Case Point Marilla Cooke/Cohn/Cook

Case in point my 4th Great Grandmother Marilla.  

Marilla married my 4th Great Grandad William Putman. 
 They were married in Ontario Canada.

I received 3rd party family information. 

When I began to seek out the same information with the minimal sources offered.  I realized genealogy was  ot the best decription. Since they did not do an exhaustive search for verification of what they did find out about her.

With me trying to back track what little information they did have/or find.  I have realized that they found her death information and left it at that.
 I don't see where anything else was verified by those that did the work.

 That they did not seek out her marriage record nor a birth record.  Now we know from research and documents that a death certificate is only as good as the person giving the information.  It's a 3rd source document, meaning that a third person is given information that may or may not be accurate as to their parentage & place of birth.  

 Again please tell me which are 1st source and 2nd documents?  
They are : Birth/naming/baptismal/confirmation/first communion. As well as any other Government or religious documentation  that your parents gave the information for. 

 So of course your 2nd source documentation is any government or religious documentation that you yourself gave the information for.

Now back to Marilla, her death information was hand written it looks kind of like the name COHN however in reality her maiden name most likely is COOKE.  Until I get to see her actual birth information for myself.   I can only summize that her name is Cooke and not Cohn.

Well in Marilla's case this misinformation has perpetuated through other folks trees.  Just accepting everything as fact and not bothering to check the sources or find other documents to support what information is avaiable.

I myself cannot correct everyone trees they must do it themselves.  Verify Verify Verify don't be lazy and know everything is liable to change in genealogy if you have not done an exhaustive search to support your information.




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