Hi, Joann: There is an additional value in the index cards. In a few (thankfully rare) instances, the Town Clerk's original records have been lost, in whole or in part. In such cases, the index cards may be the only alternative available. They are not extraordinarily accurate, but they are much, much better than nothing at all. I think the best approach is belt *and* suspenders. Use the index, but also search as though it didn't exist. If you find both types of records, and they agree, you can pretty much bank on it. If you find both, but there are discrepancies ... well, genealogy often resembles detective work more than it does mathematics, doesn't it? [grin] Darrell -----Original Message----- >From: "Joann H. Nichols" <jnichols1930@verizon.net> >Sent: Nov 3, 2008 8:12 AM [snip] >Many times whoever was copying the cards could not read the old >handwriting [they weren't genealogists!] and there will be errors. The >good thing about the cards is that you can discover in what town the >event occurred, and if you need real proof, you can contact the town for >a copy of the original record. > >Joann Darrell A. Martin a native Vermonter in exile in Illinois darrellm@sprynet.com

Thanks, Darrell, I always say I'm going to be a detective when I grow up! Joann Darrell Martin wrote: > Hi, Joann: > > There is an additional value in the index cards. In a few (thankfully rare) instances, the Town Clerk's original records have been lost, in whole or in part. In such cases, the index cards may be the only alternative available. They are not extraordinarily accurate, but they are much, much better than nothing at all. > > I think the best approach is belt *and* suspenders. Use the index, but also search as though it didn't exist. If you find both types of records, and they agree, you can pretty much bank on it. If you find both, but there are discrepancies ... well, genealogy often resembles detective work more than it does mathematics, doesn't it? [grin] > > Darrell > > -----Original Message----- > >> From: "Joann H. Nichols" <jnichols1930@verizon.net> >> Sent: Nov 3, 2008 8:12 AM >> > > [snip] > >> Many times whoever was copying the cards could not read the old >> handwriting [they weren't genealogists!] and there will be errors. The >> good thing about the cards is that you can discover in what town the >> event occurred, and if you need real proof, you can contact the town for >> a copy of the original record. >> >> Joann >> > > > > Darrell A. Martin > a native Vermonter in exile in Illinois > darrellm@sprynet.com > > > ************************************************* > List Guidelines: http://www.rootsweb.com/~vermont/VermontWelcome.html > Visit the Gateway to Vermont Web Site: http://www.rootsweb.com/~vermont/ > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to VERMONT-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > >