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From: "Patsy Kishler" <>
Subject: RE: [OHFAIRFI-L] PLEASE help! Cemetery question
Date: Tue, 13 Sep 2005 15:19:28 -0400
In-Reply-To: <MB04VjCRGryWtIIZS2T00000431@MB04.myfamilysouth.com>


Becki,

I compiled 12 of the 15 cemetery books for Fairfield County. In other words
I entered into the computer the info which a number of tombstone readers
provided. Some of the stones were read by our Chapter, some by other
interested persons. Whether a stone was illegible or not, I compared the
current reading with all of the earlier readings that I could locate. The
DAR had read a number of cemeteries, Charles Wagner read many in the 1940s,
Charles Goslin had read many of the early stones, etc. I compared all of
these and more and then indicated additional/differing info in brackets with
the info from our readings.

When you find different dates among different records, you must determine
which record was made closest to the date the event occurred. It has a
better chance of being more accurate. You also need to take into
consideration who reported/recorded the info. This gets into the subject of
primary/secondary sources which I am not going to go into.

When I find differing info from different records, I like to include all of
the dates and cite the source of each.

Patsy Kishler
Fairfield County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society

-----Original Message-----
From: [mailto:] On Behalf Of

Sent: Monday, September 12, 2005 9:40 AM
To:
Subject: [OHFAIRFI-L] PLEASE help! Cemetery question

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list.

Surnames: Ruff
Classification: Query

Message Board URL:

http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/an/2VB.2ACE/554

Message Board Post:

I'm hoping someone can explain to me what the procedure is for a cemetery
'reading'. If one finds the actual tombstone illegible, do they check any
previous records or just write down what they THINK it reads? Once they've
done the reading, do they then compare it to any previous records that are
available?
I ask because for the Ruff family I've been researching, I've found several
inconsistancies in spelling and birth and death dates according to family
records and vital records and I'm not sure what I can do to correct this
information for future reference. I can easily see how it can be done with
deteriorating tombstones but what can I do to fix this? Anyone have any
suggestions?

Becki

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