Paul, It is such a comfort to have you here on this site. Thanks for all the wise, learned information you provide to all of us. Robert H. Couch in Alabama ---------- >From: "Paul" <martee@citlink.net> >To: VA-SOUTHSIDE-L@rootsweb.com >Subject: [VA-SOUTHSIDE-L] evidence >Date: Sat, Apr 21, 2001, 2:08 PM > >Thanks for the dozens of splendid comments >about evidence sent to me, all of you. I >found in almost everyone on the list >agreement that labels serve no useful purpose >and should be ignored, except perhaps by >newcomers (and even they learn nothing from >such words as primary, indirect, >preponderance, and the like). I also fully >agree that all researchers should examine >EVERY source (clear or equivocal, reliable or >not so much so) that in any way whatever >tends to prove any measure of kinship or >lineage and should ignore all labels applied >by anyone. Almost all of you agreed that any >single bit of evidence might be called by >several of the catch-words, yet nothing is >learned by using those descriptions. One of >you commented that describing some source as >secondary tells us NOTHING except that such >evidence may not be as reliable as some other >source; how true that is !!! In conclusion, >you seem universally in agreement that we >MUST seek to discern whether the author or >creator of every bit of evidence, now or in >the past, had good reason to know and to be >honest in stating the facts or creating the >memento or writing; that all evidence may be >reliable as to some facts, yet unreliable as >to other facts; that we all should seek every >bit of evidence that tends to prove kinship; >and that conflicting facts must be examined >and weighed in light of human experience and >good genealogical practice, and not because >someone else has called such evidentiary fact >by some of the many labels. Thanks for the >many responses. Paul > > >==== VA-SOUTHSIDE Mailing List ==== >USGW Archives Pension Project >http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/pensions/ > > >============================== >Search over 1 Billion names at Ancestry.com! >http://www.ancestry.com/rd/rwlist1.asp >