Hi Paul: Speaking of genealogical evidence is deductive reasoning acceptable as evidence? Example: George Somers gives land to his son, James. John Somers names his brother, James Somers, as executor of his will. Therefore George Somers is the father of John Somers. Is this example acceptable as proof of John's parentage?.Also, George had a grandson named John Landman ( from a deed from George), which means his daughter was the mother of the gr.son. Her name was Sythia Blake Landman. There was a John Somers whose wife was named Sythia Blake...now is that proof that George was the son of Sythia Blake and her husband John Somers? This from my family. Others have told me I need more tangible proof.But it just doesn't exist. I hope my reasoning is sufficient. Paul Drake wrote: >I have long ago discussed Greenwood's writings; in fact, many of his >statements sound very much like my own writings of 40 years ago. > >Then too you have made my point with his very words: >"but I believe that it is useful for the genealogist to think in >terms of evidence rather than sources." > >What he correctly stated there is that to describe a genealogical fact as >having come from a secondary source tells us NOTHING about its worth and >weight, while to consider it as a fact - as evidence - that may be true, >untrue or somewhere in between is vastly more productive and helps all who >are interested in that particular group of facts. > >I also think all should remember that men (and gals now) over the centuries >have written millions of words in describing hearsay. None have succeeded >in doing so in a couple of sentences. > >Finally, just as in legal theory (as Greenwood said) all evidence is >hearsay, it also all is necessarily circumstantial. BUT, of what value to a >genealogist is that information or are those theories ??????? ZERO, None. >!! Reminds me of the ancient philosophers who worried over how many angels >could stand on the head of a pin - - really important, huh? > > > >============================== >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 > > > > >