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Author: moose128a
Surnames:
Classification: queries
Message Board URL:
http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.indiana.counties...
Message Board Post:
You indicated that you are just getting started. Remember that census records are
notoriously inaccurate and should only be used to lead you to other information. Many
census takers were not reliable. Also, they asked questions of a person in a household
and it is whatever that person remembered or thought to tell them that is recorded.
I've often found individuals misplaced, misrecorded, or just left off a list because
the informant (presumably) forgot about them.
I don't have any direct information on your grandmother, who I have listed as Sophia
Beatrice Webber, born 31 July 1908 in Daviess County, Indiana. Do you have a marriage
record indicating that she should have been married by that point in time; was it possible
that Robert was born out of wedlock? Has Robert passed away -- is there a possibility of
getting a copy of his birth or death certificate to provide other clues? If Bea was
married at that time, was it possible she had divorced? If not, again, remember that the
census information just simply may be incorrect -- perhaps her stepmother listed her as
one of the couple's children that may have lived with them or had an extended visit
with them during the year (the census taker generally asked who had lived in the household
that year). Perhaps the stepmother listed off the names and the census taker simply
didn't note or change the last name for Bea and Robert.
How much of the rest of the family do you have? Have you seen the book "Dutch
Webbers of Indiana and Illinois" by Virginia Hunt. Virginia documented a great deal
about the Webbers -- there are some errors in the book including Louisa's parentage,
but it provides a great deal of information to lead you to documents.
I assume you have a genealogy software program -- I would be glad to send you a GEDcom if
you are interested.
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