This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Corwin Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/jUB.2ACI/596.1.2.1 Message Board Post: Thank you for your two replies. I had hoped that you were working with some primary evidence that would really establish a date of birth. I am familiar with E. T. Corwin's book, have worked with it for nearly 50 years. Web sites such as you cite are often inaccurate, as people state their guesses as if they were facts. When they don't cite sources that you can check, you would do well to take their information with a grain of salt. Perhaps I can help you improve your data sheet. Peconic, NY did not exist when James Corwin was born. He was born in Southold, Suffolk County, New York. The best age we have for him is from page 300 of the 1850 census of Southold, where he was listed as 60, placing his birth in 1789-1790. His marriage was on 3 February 1814, not 1824, and by 1824 he had son John and daughter Mary and perhaps son James C. The marriage on that date is recorded in the Southold First Church records. I hope that this will be of help to you.

Message Board Post: <<Thank you for your two replies. I had hoped that you were working with some primary evidence that would really establish a date of birth. I am familiar with E. T. Corwin's book, have worked with it for nearly 50 years. Web sites such as you cite are often inaccurate, as people state their guesses as if they were facts. When they don't cite sources that you can check, you would do well to take their information with a grain of salt.>> Here, Here, damacd! I too, do not trust any of the websites. Most do not supply their sources. Most published early genealogies are just as bad. Sometimes, they go and get an obit, just to confirm the person did die, but not all of the information recorded is true. It depends on who they talk to after the fact. I have proved many of my mother's ancestors have been fabricated, kids getting shifted around to different families. Census records, and church records I have checked, have kept my families correct. Some people even submit their work to the FHC and still no sources.....but they are wrong, and it's hard to correct. I have been contacted by a few distance relatives, they want to know (because I have posted to many message boards) if I can send them proof of what I have. In the beginning, I did, (I have been doing this on a profession level for over 25 years) but, I just got tired of proving them wrong. (and wasting my time and money on copies and stamps) Now I send them the Film # or to the town clerk, where I have already paid the fee. Or a library where I found the biographies, obits, birth, marriage records. This is a wonderful hobby, but you have to roll up your sleeves and do the homework! I say, if you want the facts, then go get them. If you have some to share, then share. Don't just take someones word for it. You need to have a source. I have a ton of records that my neice has been helping me with, we have been transcribing them for years and putting it into a big database. I know that some sites out there are trying to help (longislandenealogy.com is one of them,) but they are not accurate. They are just uploading the books that have the mistakes in them. OK, off of my soapbox now. Everyone have a nice week-end. Terre