* Verbal Sources

[MarkA]

I'm new to family history research and have a question that I'm sure many of you have had to deal with regularly. Many of my sources are verbal - particularly for more recent individuals who who not want to share specific certificates. Given that the source is verbal, how sould one record the source in FH? I thought I could get a relative to write me a letter containing a list of names and events (birthdays, etc) and store the letter as a source (correspondance) and add citations to events of individuals listed in the letter. I'm trying to stick to a rule that no indivuiual will be added into FH without a source.

Am I on the right track? Does anyone have other processes that can help?

Thanks in Advance.


ID:1794

[Jane]

I just have verbal sources. So I have a source of
'Joyce Crabb Interview' type verbal, with a source date of the interview date.

Depending on the information I may attach a transcript or audio file.

[ganstey]

I follow the same principle as Jane, but word it slightly differently. I create a source called something like 'Personal recollection of John Hindle Law'. I've also used this where I've been sent notes of a conversation including a hand-scribbled tree.

Whatever you do, make sure you record the date on which the information was related, as peoples' memory changes over time [smile]

Hope this helps
Graham

[nsw]

Yes I do what Graham does. Sounds like you are on the right track though it isn't as simple as adding source citations for each individual but strictly speaking you should have sources for every event and attribute you create too. You may find my application Gedcom Census (on this site under downloads) useful for census sources.

[Tombaston]

Following on from this do you record verbal sources for events that you know from your own experience. For instance, I have known my brothers' birthdates from when I was a child, but I have no particular instance of when my parents told me. I don't have copies of their birth certificates and see no reason to get them as I know the information to be true. I know this certainty could be questioned, but I am very confident of it. Another example is the dates I attended particular schools, again I know when this happened and where but have no evidence for it. Recording sources for this kind of personal knowledge at this moment in time may seem unnecessary, but what about in 100 years time when my great great grandchildren look at my research. Any thoughts?

[nsw]

I suspect you are right, everything should have a source, including things you just know to be true. I guess a source called something like 'Tombaston's facts he knows to be true' linked to all those events will at least give people in the future an idea as to where the facts come from.

I should say that I know the kind of things I should be doing and I'm happy to give others advice but far too much of the information in my GEDCOM file has no source at all! [rolleyes]

[Jane]

Nick Walker said:
I should say that I know the kind of things I should be doing and I'm happy to give others advice but far too much of the information in my GEDCOM file has no source at all!

but I bet all your census records are sourced Nick, [grin][grin]

[SunnyLady]

I record things said to me with reference to the person who gave me the information (joe Bloggins observations 31 Feb 2006) - and do the same with email which I regard as conversation rather than definitive evidence....   I also have a 'personal observation' source.   I date all the entries and have notes in the source...  sometimes those personal observations are contradicted by paper evidence later on...  so it tells a story.

[nsw]

Jane said:
but I bet all your census records are sourced Nick,

Yeah they're spot on [dancing-banana]

[ganstey]

Dave said: Following on from this do you record verbal sources for events that you know from your own experience.

Yes, I have a source entitled 'Personal recollection of Graham Anstey'. I use this whenever I enter anything from 'memory', and include the entry date as well. I may know those facts are true, but whoever inherits my files may not.

Graham

[Tombaston]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I have now created a source called 'Personal knowledge of Dave Brown' with a note saying items with this source are either recollections from my own experience or have been told to me over a period of years by my parents and I have no reason to doubt. This can cover events like my cousin's wedding that I attended last year or things my parents told me years ago such as my brother's date of birth. I agree with Graham (ganstey), I may know them to be true but anyone inheriting my data may not.

Where I have been told things in recent years by my parents I set up sources called something like 'Conversation with my mother ..... Brown on 25/12/2004'.