From: Bobbie Cardin <bobbie.cardin(a)gte.net>
... By the way I am unable to bring up your family information on
the
gte.net server that I
If you don't think the problem is with
gte.net, then all I can suggest is that you
double check the URL,
http://users.ticnet.com/stevem/carden.htm
note that there is no "www" in it, that the middle portion "stevem"
has an
"m" in it, and that it ends with "htm", not "html"
Steve: Chuck's census listing is a blessing for us
Carden/Cardin
researchers - but the last time I checked it, it only showed Carden
census listings.
As one who has extracted many census records, I know that it can be a
daunting task. Doing an exaustive search search means not only covering
the spelling variants, but it also (generally) means you are dependent
upon published indices which themselves have errors. While I don't
claim (and I doubt he does) that his posted censuses are complete
or without error, they are, as you point, an extremely valuable
resource.
I should also point out, though, that when I cite the censuses as
evidence in any argument I make, I am, for the most part, using my own
extractions. This is not to disparage Chuck's work, in fact I'm guided
by it, but rather to simply shorten the chain of evidence. Plus, the
census schedules themselves show the context in which a family lived;
who their neighbors were, and what was their economic and social status
relative to their neighbors.
Like the lady said in a message a day or so to the Carden listing,
we
need proof as much as possible before we can say "someone is definitely
the son of so and so", say I think so and am looking for proof of the
fact.
Unfortunately, in genealogy there is no such thing as "proof" in the
logical sense. All we can do is look for "proof" based on preponderance
of evidence, or "proof" beyond all reasonable doubt. Sometimes the
evidence just doesn't exist and sometimes the doubt just cannot be
removed. We do the best we can. And sometimes the best we can do is
simply say that we don't know.
I wish there were a statement by James CARDEN that he was the father of
Randolph CARDEN. I wish there were a statement by Randolph CARDEN that he
was the son of James. Such statements have not been found and probably
don't exist. But we can look at what we do have. We have an 1840 census
in Meriwether Co GA that shows a James CARDEN age 50-60 on line 22 (of 30)
of page 120. On this same page one line above, line 21, we have a
Randolph CARDEN. We don't have "proof" that this is the same Randolph
CARDEN that shows up in the 1850 Russell Co AL census, but the sex and
ages of the children are a good match, plus there doesn't seem to be any
other candidates (this latter statement is a certain degree of
completeness in Chuck's extractions). Of course just because they are
enumerated next to each other doesn't mean they are father and son, but
James CARDEN apparently only had one brother, and that was a William
CARDEN who was probably born about 1805. The Randolph CARDEN was
therefore not a much younger brother or a nephew of James. James CARDEN
was married to Elizabeth TILLER. Elizabeth had a brother named Randolph.
This doesn't necessarily mean that Elizabeth was Randolph CARDEN's mother,
but it certainly is suggestive.
None of the above items, singularly or collectively, constitute "proof"
that Randolph is the son of James, but such a relationship beats the
alternative, namely that James CARDEN is living next to a cousin (or no
relation at all) who is a generation younger and has the same given name
as Elizabeth's brother. As a working hypothesis, which is really what all
genealogy is, it does give us a direction for further research.
The major fly in the ointment is Benjamin CARDEN of Russell Co. The
heritage book piece says he was a brother of Randolph and William.
Benjamin is too old to be a son of James and Elizabeth. I know of no
evidence to support the notion that Benjamin was a brother. Perhaps the
author of piece has a whole pile of evidence, but it has so far remained
hidden. Should such evidence turn up I will have to look elsewhere for
the parents of Randolph.
cordially
Steve
http://users.ticnet.com/stevem/carden.htm
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