Does anyone have information, or an opinion, regarding the accuracy of the biographies in Joseph Gaston's History of Portland, printed in 1911. I have found several errors in the bio of a relative of mine, Alexander Hamilton, so I wondered if that was an exception or the usual thing. I am particularly interested because Gaston says in a bio of Anna Balch who married (lastly) Alexander B. Hamilton that she had been married to Mortimer Stump and to Eli Morrell (v 2, p 767). After doing considerable research I do not find any data to support a marriage to Morrell, but considerable data on a marriage between her and William Brown with whom she had several children before he died in 1876 and then she married Hamilton in 1879. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. Helen

The mug book biographies, as researchers call Gaston's and similar books, were collected by professional solicitors, who wrote them after interviewing the person paying for the biography. The authors priority was to flatter their patrons so it is no surprise that facts were incorrectly reported. There are so many mistakes that you can use these biographies only as a starting point for more research. The people being interviewed may have had personal agendas or simply have forgotten facts. Although the stated purpose of these books was "history", the real purpose of the biographies was to enhance the social stature of the people paying for the listings. One of the most common reasons that people mis-represented facts is to join Pioneer societies, which would only allow memberships to people who arrived in Oregon by a particular year. I would opine (after examining numerous cases) that these exaggerations were made more often than not. If someone claims to have emigrated in 1851, start checking the passenger lists in 1852, then check 1853. Shotgun weddings, desertions and elopements were a common occurrence in every community and it is understandable that people would gladly sacrifice accuracy to avoid embarrassment. I have found the most reliable source of information is the local newspaper. Most towns had weekly papers, the local news is usually a few columns, and you can read about a year of microfilm in two hours. This is a great way to get a lot of facts, and sometimes the real picture is much more complex than a simple answer. -- Thomas Robinson http://www.historicphotoarchive.com > Does anyone have information, or an opinion, regarding the accuracy of the > biographies in Joseph Gaston's History of Portland, printed in 1911. I have > found several errors in the bio of a relative of mine, Alexander Hamilton, > so I wondered if that was an exception or the usual thing. > I am particularly interested because Gaston says in a bio of Anna Balch who > married (lastly) Alexander B. Hamilton that she had been married to Mortimer > Stump and to Eli Morrell (v 2, p 767). After doing considerable research I > do not find any data to support a marriage to Morrell, but considerable data > on a marriage between her and William Brown with whom she had several > children before he died in 1876 and then she married Hamilton in 1879. > > Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. > Helen

That isn't all; Many men went to Cal. and left families back where ever they left from. They went to get in on the gold and to disappeared and or get a new wife or whatever. Some even sent word back that to tell family they got sick or hurt in accident and died on the way there. Later as now since genealogy many have been discovered by the census takers as listed there in some other place. The family died later yrs. without even knowing the truth unless someone they knew back home accidentally ran into them before they died. Sometimes they changed their name and used their middle name etc. Many things of today was done then as well as now. [email protected] ----- Original Message ----- From: "Tom Robinson" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, May 23, 2005 4:15 PM Subject: Re: [OREGON] Accuracy of Joseph Gaston's History of Portland? > The mug book biographies, as researchers call Gaston's and similar books, > were collected by professional solicitors, who wrote them after interviewing > the person paying for the biography. The authors priority was to flatter > their patrons so it is no surprise that facts were incorrectly reported. > There are so many mistakes that you can use these biographies only as a > starting point for more research. The people being interviewed may have had > personal agendas or simply have forgotten facts. Although the stated > purpose of these books was "history", the real purpose of the biographies > was to enhance the social stature of the people paying for the listings. > One of the most common reasons that people mis-represented facts is to join > Pioneer societies, which would only allow memberships to people who arrived > in Oregon by a particular year. I would opine (after examining numerous > cases) that these exaggerations were made more often than not. If someone > claims to have emigrated in 1851, start checking the passenger lists in > 1852, then check 1853. Shotgun weddings, desertions and elopements were a > common occurrence in every community and it is understandable that people > would gladly sacrifice accuracy to avoid embarrassment. > > I have found the most reliable source of information is the local newspaper. > Most towns had weekly papers, the local news is usually a few columns, and > you can read about a year of microfilm in two hours. This is a great way to > get a lot of facts, and sometimes the real picture is much more complex than > a simple answer. > -- > Thomas Robinson > http://www.historicphotoarchive.com > > > > > Does anyone have information, or an opinion, regarding the accuracy of the > > biographies in Joseph Gaston's History of Portland, printed in 1911. I have > > found several errors in the bio of a relative of mine, Alexander Hamilton, > > so I wondered if that was an exception or the usual thing. > > I am particularly interested because Gaston says in a bio of Anna Balch who > > married (lastly) Alexander B. Hamilton that she had been married to Mortimer > > Stump and to Eli Morrell (v 2, p 767). After doing considerable research I > > do not find any data to support a marriage to Morrell, but considerable data > > on a marriage between her and William Brown with whom she had several > > children before he died in 1876 and then she married Hamilton in 1879. > > > > Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. > > Helen > > > ==== OREGON Mailing List ==== > To see the website for Oregon > http://www.rootsweb.com/~orgenweb/ > -=* To see what this list is doing *=- > http://www.wvi.com/~wb/Oregon.html > For ALL list business Admin, leave, or the archives. > http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/usa/OR/misc.html > > ============================== > Search Family and Local Histories for stories about your family and the > areas they lived. Over 85 million names added in the last 12 months. > Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13966/rd.ashx > >