tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691016683378293851.post1001975367947152786..comments2024-03-03T16:35:25.083-05:00Comments on Marian's Roots and Rambles: Lesson Learned: Be Careful Making AssumptionsMarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04738104230962644360noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691016683378293851.post-46137791654116931432012-07-11T08:20:06.570-04:002012-07-11T08:20:06.570-04:00Excellent point, Marian. And it applies not only t...Excellent point, Marian. And it applies not only to making assumptions about why something happened, but also about when and where things happened. Sometimes I don't realize I'm making an assumption until I take a step back and ask myself why I'm not finding the information I need.<br /><br />I've added A Midwife's Tale to my book list, and am eager to read it. Thanks for sharing your story!Shelley Bishophttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07488453243236670013noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691016683378293851.post-25411590944921005632012-07-10T10:52:13.249-04:002012-07-10T10:52:13.249-04:00Good advice Caroline.Good advice Caroline.Stevehttp://www.myfamilyquest.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691016683378293851.post-49821864599756362112012-07-10T10:49:55.899-04:002012-07-10T10:49:55.899-04:00Thanks for the advice Marian. There is a tendency ...Thanks for the advice Marian. There is a tendency for all of us to try to connect dots and fill in the blanks in order to make sense out of our research, but you are correct for cautioning against it. It will only get you into trouble.Steve Hornhttp://www.myfamilyquest.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691016683378293851.post-72330059349242344952012-07-09T14:51:23.123-04:002012-07-09T14:51:23.123-04:00Thanks for your thoughtfulness in this blog. It is...Thanks for your thoughtfulness in this blog. It is so completely human to make assumptions, and we steer our lives by them. All our social/racial/class stereotypes are assumptions we make about people before we get to know them. <br /><br />It must be even more the case with genealogy, when our possibility for "getting to know" is so limited that we are left clinging harder to assumptions. One of my relatives has a wife and an infant child in the 1880 census -- yet by 1900 I find he has another wife and several children, the first born in 1880. I always assumed the first wife and child died--because, as you imply, we assume new mothers and babies were more susceptible to disease then. But after your blog I'm going to renew my search. The mother has an uncommon name for that area, "Lucy," so I'm going to start with a first-name search.Mariann Reganhttp://mariannregan.authorsxpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691016683378293851.post-18850018444942292242012-07-09T13:10:24.462-04:002012-07-09T13:10:24.462-04:00Marian, it has always been passed down through my ...Marian, it has always been passed down through my family that my grandfather's mother died from childbirth complications shortly after the birth of her second child, in 1897. I had no reason to doubt it. Imagine my surprise when her death certificate said cancer of the stomach. And I know so little about medical history that I am truly mystified about this. Someday, I hope to explore it a little more.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691016683378293851.post-62622142175735914872012-07-09T13:04:20.499-04:002012-07-09T13:04:20.499-04:00A very important lesson, Marian. When I catch myse...A very important lesson, Marian. When I catch myself making an assumption I rework it into an hypothesis to be tested.Carohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04977450933277241692noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691016683378293851.post-44231452898320836862012-07-09T12:40:13.924-04:002012-07-09T12:40:13.924-04:00I think one key distinction between a professional...I think one key distinction between a professional genealogist and an amateur one such as myself, is learning not to make assumptions. I am still making that mistake every so often and only discovering my error later on a second, third, or multiple review of a document that I was making an incorrect assumption. Fortunately I am doing this less often these days which makes me believe that I'm getting better as a genealogist.Edhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13214319366049620074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691016683378293851.post-61742818124622647472012-07-09T11:13:06.707-04:002012-07-09T11:13:06.707-04:00I was reminded to look at a more global picture wh...I was reminded to look at a more global picture when I saw research by someone who was poring through the town records in Town Hall in Shelburne Falls MA. He charted the deaths by year, and found a big jump in children dying in 1777. It wasn't until then that I made the connection with two of my families who both lost a baby that year. I love these broader projects that can enhance research for many of us.Sara E. Campbellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17225335295996071660noreply@blogger.com