Citing Sources to Validate Claims

Citing Sources to Validate Claims
By Donna Murray

The three most important words in genealogy are documentation, documentation and documentation. You need proof to tie one generation to another or your family history will be more fable than fact. The three most important steps in this confirmation process is obtaining reliable, legitimate documentation, correctly analyzing that information and properly citing your source.

If your goal is to be published in a scholarly journal or to become a certified genealogist, your citations must adhere to a prescribed format, much like the footnotes you laboriously added to the bottom of each page on school term papers. ( Ibid remains permanently etched on my brain). Several definitive books on citing genealogical sources exist. Buy one and use it. You should also check with the publication or accrediting agency to ensure you are conforming to their chosen format.

But even those with less lofty ambitions must provide specific details about their sources if they want their work to be taken seriously and to enable future researchers to follow in their footsteps. Here are some examples.

On April 7, 1871 Elizabeth and William Johnston, husband and wife, sold 30 acres to Peter Styers in Pennsylvania for $650. The paperwork confirms that Elizabeth and William were married. It's an important piece of the Johnston family puzzle. But the document is far more valuable to readers when you provide them with the particulars. In this case: “Deed Book 23, pages 508-509; Fayette County Courthouse; Uniontown, PA; Obtained August 15, 2008.”

One source for confirming that Mary Davis was the daughter of John and Elizabeth McCarthy is the 1870 census, which shows that Mary and her daughters, Amanda, Mary Ann and Hannah, were living with the McCarthys at that time. This information is only meaningful if the writer notes that the entry appeared on the 1870 federal census for Washington County , MD ; District Number 4; Clearspring post office; enumerated on the 10 th day of September; page 49, dwelling #330. (Add township or parish data if available).

Did you latch on to a microfilm copy of an old marriage license application? Cite it thusly: “Marriage license applications for Burlington County, NJ; 1848-78; roll 827, page 15; New Jersey State Archives. July 10, 2007 .”

Citations for obituaries and other newspaper sources should include the name of the newspaper, where and when it was/is published, the complete date, volume number and page on which the item appears and the repository where you viewed the publication or its microfilmed copy.

Personal interviews may produce crucial clues even if the subject has selective recall. After transcribing the interview, add a detailed footnote describing it. Interview with Monica Woods, daughter of Jim and Mary Smith, wife of John Woods. January 10, 2008 , Tampa , FL. .. You can't ensure the accuracy of Monica's information, but you can document where it came from.

The traditional way to handle citations is in footnote form because it allows the narrative to flow more smoothly. However, citations may be placed in parenthesis or italics and included in the narrative. Worry more about including essential details than format.

I personally think it's wise to include the date you found the source of information. Tombstones fade with time. Archives may lose a document. By adding the date when you obtained the information you pinpoint a time when it was still available at a particular location.