Bonnie wrote..... >>This is my first post to the list. This is probaly a stupid question, but here goes anyway. I have always heard that you must have 3 proofs of something to make it true or fairly true. But what kinds of proofs? Are census records proofs? Thanks for any direction.<< THERE is no hard and fast rule, but 3 proofs would certainly be regarded by many genealogists as very reasonable. But do remember they must be proofs from PRIMARY sources. The IGI, for instance, which many newcomers seem to believe in implicitly, is not a primary source. It is a secondary source and an index only, which should be used to take you on to the original sources, namely the parish registers from which the entries were extracted. Of course, the nature of primary sources changes. I cannot speak for the situation in the US but here in the UK many county record offices will no longer let you see original parish registers or Bishop's Transcripts (copies of the registers that had to be sent annually to the bishop of the diocese). Their argument is that every time they produce an old document it deteriorates a little, either from exposure to the air or human contact. Thus, you have to make do with the filmed records, which in many cases have now in effect become the primary source. This is an argument which is hard to complain about, except that personally I never have quite the same feeling of affinity with my ancestors when looking at the registers on film - not the same kind of feeling you get when looking at the original handwritten documents. Sometimes when you really can't read a film because it is worn or you cannot make out the words, then they will show you the original registers. But it seems to vary from office to office. However, to answer your question, primary proofs would include..... Birth, marriage and death certificates Census returns Parish registers Wills Educational and university records Apprenticeship and employment records Secondary sources could include the IGI, newspaper reports and written family histories (these cannot be counted primary sources, since some of the information could be inaccurate or even deliberately untrue). "Dubious" sources include family folklore and what "gt-aunt Maud told granny" ! etc, etc. Do remember, however, that even primary sources can sometimes be wrong!!! I have seen mistakes on birth and marriage certificates, as I'm sure we all have, and especially on census returns, where ages often varied from one census to the next and the spelling of surnames and places changed. All we can hope to do is look closely at the assimilation of evidence and make our conclusions. Some genealogists I know operate a "star" system based on, say, a rating of 1 to 5 according to the accumulation of evidence. Hope this helps. Roy Stockdill Editor, The Journal of One-Name Studies The Stockdill Family History Society (Guild of One-Name Studies, FedFHS) STOCKDILL PREST YELLOW BOLTON WORSNOP GIBSON MIDGLEY BRACEWELL SHACKLETON BRADLEY MOODY in Yorkshire North & West Ridings MEAD YOUNG in Somerset, Wiltshire & Gloucestershire Web page of the Stockdill Family History Society:- http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/roystock ”Never ask a man if he comes from Yorkshire. If he does he will tell you. If he does not, why humiliate him?" - Canon Sydney Smith (scholar and humorist 1771-1845)