We've said it before, but it is worth repeating:
"Do not rely only on online sources or printed material. The solution to many problems rests in material that has never been transcribed, copied, microfilmed, or digitized and exists only in its original format."
Yes that's a good point but if you can corroborate your evidence from several sources I think there's a good chance it's correct even if it's incomplete. Living in Australia makes it hard to find original evidence of my English and Scottish ancestors.
ReplyDeleteI'm not clear I understand this tip. For anything before say, 1850, where are you going to go to get something that hasn't been microfilmed? Haven't most land and court records, for example, been microfilmed by the LDS?
ReplyDeleteI think that this tip is reminding us that errors are easily introduced in transcribed material and it is better to see original documents if possible.
ReplyDeleteAlso the information available on line is just the "tip of the iceberg." Much more information is found in courthouses, archives, etc.