Assumptions are all part and parcel of ancestry . The further back you go the more assumptions you may have to make. At the end of the day we all want to be accurate. The only way you can assure authenticity is actually check the records personally. This can take many years. It can be expensive and very time consuming. One thing I have learnt in 25 years is that nothing can be taken on face value. I had put assumptions on my tree only to find that they have found their way onto so called public trees and yes, some companies then send me information which basically says they have perfect matches. Yes my tree information matches with my tree information! Rootsweb message groups have been invaluable in my searches , worldwide. I have been amazed just how often someone has responded thousands of miles from me to give me a lead which I have been able to follow. Advice, from seasoned researchers has again proved invaluable and much appreciated. Often assumptions have to be made because of gaps in records or no records existing at all. I say take nothing on face value, respect replies from others, always thank them for their support BUT always then attempt to follow up a prove the findings yourself. The IGI is valuable but it is made up from contributions. If something is suggested you must find out if it is correct yourself. In some cases (but not all ) records exist back to 1538 , beyond that BTs and Wills are possible sources of information. The truth is out there if you are willing to take the time and effort. But beware you could be persuaded "The truth, the whole truth and everything but the truth"...Beware ! Best thing to do is record your tree on a private ancestry programme. This will prevent your research being hacked and purloined. I once saw a notice in a used car sales room. It said " Never Assume"........perhaps that's a good slogan for genealogy!! Graham Taylor -----Original Message----- From: ENG-LINCSGEN [mailto:eng-lincsgen-bounces+gtmt11=ntlworld.com@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of lr_mills@mauimail.com Sent: 05 February 2017 20:55 To: eng-lincsgen Subject: [LIN] Admin. note: Assumptions Hello, Missing Lincs, This is a good month to check your assumptions. I note that on another mailing list there is discussion over a burial recorded in a church register. Remember, it was the church that recorded baptisms and burials. In the church's philosophy, your life is bracketed by when you were baptised and when you were buried. Didn't really matter to them when you were born. Or even, to a small extent when you died. Most of our ancestors were baptised within a few weeks of birth, but sometimes mom waited until hubby came home from a long fishing trip or a military venture. A few of our ancestors were baptised twice. No harm, no foul, but it might confuse the family historian. And normally, you only got one burial. Social custom was that the deceased would be buried within three days of death, but exceptions abound. And if you fell off of your fishing boat and were lost at sea, there was no burial. Now, a death certificate would have been in order after Civil Registration came into effect, but anyone of legal age could be an informant of a death, and what was recorded was often their "best guess" as to your age, etc. Oh, and first names for children weren't always cast in stone either. "Little Johnny" could be recorded that way on a Civil Registration record, but as "Cyrus John BLOXTON" on a baptism record. And introduced to the church congregation at a Christening as "Fergus C. BLOXTON" a few weeks later. I have a family tree full of ancestors born under one set of names, but recorded in the census under other sets of names. Why? Did the family not like the tradition of Cyrus John BLOXTON III? I'll probably never know. So, examine your assumptions. My step dad, by the way, didn't know until he was an adult how his first name was recorded on his birth certificate. He'd never seen it and didn't think he needed to. So what is your "real" name? Have you looked? Or do you just tell people that the courthouse burned down. Yeah, I've heard that one a few times. Lou (list admin.) ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to ENG-LINCSGEN-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message