How’s your eyesight? What name is given for the the head of this household in the 1860 Federal Census in District 1, Williamson County, Tennessee? (The Image mirrors the quality of the original.)
Source Citation
Year: 1860; Census Place: District 1, Williamson, Tennessee; Roll: M653_1279; Page: 170; Image: 346; Family History Library Film: 805279
Source Information
Ancestry.com. 1860 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.
Original data: 1860 U.S. census, population schedule. NARA microfilm publication M653, 1,438 rolls. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.
Here’s what the indexer saw.
| Name: | Anderson F Roberts |
|---|---|
| Age in 1860: | 53 |
| Birth Year: | abt 1807 |
| Birthplace: | Tennessee |
| Home in 1860: | District 1, Williamson, Tennessee |
| Gender: | Male |
| Post Office: | Franklin |
| Value of real estate: | View image |
Did the indexer see it correctly? Is it what they “saw” or could it have been “what they typed”? Look at your keyboard next to the “F” key. What do you see to the right? Yes. That’s what I think this indexer did. They made a typographical error. They typed an “F” rather than a “G”. They also failed to separate the Roberts family from the previous family in the column even though the original record clearly separates them.
What do we learn?
- View the original when you can. Don’t just take my word or the word of any other well-meaning person. You are ultimately responsible for what you put on your tree. Our lack of caution may confuse other online friends trying to “fill in their blanks”. I found this relative in several other trees as Anderson F. Roberts when he is clearly Anderson G. Roberts here and in other documents.
- Recognize your fallibility and the fallibility of others. We all make mistakes. Try to catch as many as you can. Be open to correction. We just want to get it right.
- Take the time to put alternate information into the record when given the opportunity. Remember, only put in what you see in the original document, not what you think or know it should be based on other research.
Can you Help! Anderson G. Roberts is my 2 x great grand uncle. Do you know anything about the Roberts or Tatums from Williamson County, Tennessee? I would like to hear from you. We may be cousins! Also, if you enjoy this post or other posts on my blog, please share this blog with others. You may also sign up to receive notice when new blogs are posted. Use the “Follow” button on the Home Page.
Thanks for your help!
BACKTRACKING THE COMMON 