What Counts as a Source Here
Not all sources serve the same purpose, and not all information comes from the same place. This site uses a broad but clearly defined understanding of what counts as a source—and how each type is treated.
This page explains the kinds of sources you will encounter, how they are used, and how confidence is communicated.
Primary Records
Primary records are documents created close to the time of an event, usually for legal, civil, or administrative reasons.
- Birth, marriage, and death records
- Census and residence listings
- Land, probate, and court documents
- Military and immigration records
These records carry significant weight, but they are not treated as infallible. Errors, omissions, and contradictions are common—especially across time and geography.
Secondary Sources
Secondary sources interpret, summarize, or compile information from earlier records.
- Published family histories
- Local histories and town records
- Transcriptions and abstracts
- Well-documented research by others
These sources are useful for context and direction, but they are evaluated critically and cross-checked whenever possible.
Family Knowledge and Oral History
Family stories, recollections, letters, and personal testimony are treated as sources of meaning rather than proof.
They can:
- Preserve details never recorded elsewhere
- Explain motivations and relationships
- Point toward records not yet found
They are valuable—but they are identified clearly as recollections or tradition, not documentation.
Patterns, Inference, and Context
Some conclusions come from patterns rather than single documents. These include migration trends, naming conventions, occupational continuity, and generational behavior.
When inference is used:
- The reasoning is stated or implied transparently
- Certainty is not overstated
- Alternative explanations are acknowledged
Inference is a tool—not a shortcut.
What Is Not Treated as a Source
This site avoids presenting the following as evidence:
- Unsourced online trees
- Copy-and-paste genealogies without documentation
- Assumptions presented as fact
- Attribution based solely on name similarity
These may suggest possibilities, but they do not stand on their own.
How Confidence Is Communicated
You may notice differences in tone across the site. That is intentional.
- Clear statements indicate strong documentation
- Qualified language reflects uncertainty
- Open questions remain open
Trust is built by showing how conclusions are formed, not by pretending they are final.
A Final Word
Sources here are used in service of understanding, not accumulation. The goal is not to prove every detail beyond doubt, but to preserve families with honesty, clarity, and care.