I think we all agree that there can be mistakes in all kinds of records. However, the fact that there can be errors in records does not relieve us from being as accurate as possible and citing sources for what dates we use in a database or report. When we know discrepancies between records exist, we can discuss these in the notes for the fact or general notes for the individual. Beginners to genealogy often forget to put down where information came from -- I did that when I started out with this hobby. However, I learned rather quickly about mistakes in people's memories as well as in documents and that even vital records may disagree. Thus, one needs to keep track of where one found dates, and places, etc. and when those inevitable discrepancies occur, one can make a "reasoned judgment" as to what is the most likely correct fact. As mentioned previously, records made closest to the time of the event "usually" turn out to be the more accurate. The census is helpful in many instances, but census records rely on memory years later and the information may be given by a family member or neighbor who only gives a reasonable guess as to when and where a person was born. This is a hobby with a learning curve and most of us probably wish looking back on our beginning work, wish we had been a little more careful. Now I wish someone would post on Jefferson and St. Lawrence Counties New York Turners. Most of you seem to be researching people from the South. Margaret Scheffler