Margie Pearce have been trading information about our connections. She had asked me some few weeks ago about one individual that I had in my data as Sarah Hoover and she had as Sarah Hower. I checked and found that the obit, which is where I got my information, did indeed list her as Sarah Hoover, and wrote Margie to that effect. Then a couple of days ago, as I was posting some of the information I gathered on my last trip to Decatur in February, I discovered a marriage record from the courthouse that gave the name as Hower after all. I repeat this just to warn you that because you read something in an obit doesn't mean it's true. Family members, who provided the information, can be wrong, and the newspaper (sorry Dick Heller!) could also have made a typo. Now, you probably assume that original records (birth and death records at the Adams Co. Health Dept., or marriage records in the County Clerk's office) are always correct, right? Wrong. I have found any number of mistakes in original records as well. In fact, last trip I discovered that my own marriage record in the courthouse is incorrect...the date is wrong!!! (Besides my wife, I have written proof at home). Always be ready to accept that errors will occur. You simply have to do the best you can given the available records, and try to verify events through more than one source, if possible. And be ready to admit you're wrong when necessary. Good hunting! Tim Singleton, tsingleton@iclub.org 105 Nancy Drive Richmond, KY 40475-8613 Volunteer INGenWeb Coordinator Adams Co. - http://www.rootsweb.com/~inadams Randolph Co. - http://www.rootsweb.com/~inrandol/

"Tim Singleton" <tsingleton@iclub.org> wrote: > I repeat this just to warn you that because you read something in an obit > doesn't mean it's true. Family members, who provided the information, can be > wrong, and the newspaper (sorry Dick Heller!) could also have made a typo. I'll echo that. Some months ago I came across a newspaper article about the death of two men. According to the obit, one was "Orley Relfe," and it listed his survivors, including a daughter "Bessie." A few days later I realized that the man was Arley Relfe (my G-G-Grandfather) and "Bessie" was my Grandmother (Dessie). I can imagine that reporters might not know how to spell uncommon names like Arley and Dessie, or that reporters, typists, and typesetters might have difficulty reading some handwriting. All can introduce errors. -- Ted