Good genealogical narrative can never be generated by your software. It requires writing and thinking and correlating.
A database is for keeping track of well, data. <g> A narrative is something that you craft. Janis Walker Gilmore On 9/16/09 12:01 PM, "Cathy-0" <chorn0...@optimum.net> wrote: > When using any computer software, you need to ask yourself as to what is the > end result that you wish to see? Once you know what that is you can then > enter your data to achieve that. > > My end result is usually the Descendant Book or Modified Register Report. > Since this is easy to read, my data entries in the Notes field are written as > sentences. So, when entering census info, I start by using the basic census > template. Then use the following entries: > >>> Event: Census >>> >>> Description: 1850 Federal >>> >>> Date: 29 Aug 1950 >>> >>> Place: Mentz, Cayuga County, New York >>> >>> Notes: Nathan Holmes was shown as being 41 years old and born in New York >>> state. He was a farmer. He lived on Oxford Lane and owned his own home and >>> farm. > > By placing the year in the Description field, it also shows up in the > Individual view easily so that I can easily see if I listed a census out of > chronological order. > > In the Notes section, I place everything that appears in the census for the > individual and write it in sentences because my end result is usually the > Descendant Book. The reason that I place everything from a census in the > notes for each specific individual is that when reading the Descendant Books, > the reader is going to read one person at a time. If information relating to > a person is not found under his own entry, the reader can overlook that data > or information entirely. > > My source for a census event is taken directly from the page at Ancestry.com. > The main source remains the same for everyone with the same census year and > only the Details contains any variable information. > >>> Main Source: United States of America, Bureau of the Census, 1850 United >>> States Federal Census [database on-line]. (Seventh Census of the United >>> States, 1850. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records >>> Administration, 1850. M432, 1,009 rolls.), >>> >>> >>> >>> Details: Year: 1850; Census Place: Mentz, Cayuga, New York; NARA Series >>> M432, Roll: 481; Page: 90; Image: 181. Repository: Ancestry.com, Provo, >>> Utah, http://www.ancestry.com/. > > In this way, whenever I printed a Descendant Book it is easy to read and the > footnotes contain only footnote information and not details about a person's > life. I've looked at reports where personal data was placed into the > footnotes and I have found it to be difficult to read such reports. > > But whatever you do, be consistent in your input and look at your end results > to see if you like them. And as long as someone else can read your reports > and use your sources to locate the original documentation, you know that you > have succeeded. > > Happy Hunting! > > Cathy-0 > > -----Original Message----- > From: k...@legacyfamilytree.com [mailto:k...@legacyfamilytree.com] On Behalf > Of > Alan Jones > Sent: Thursday, September 10, 2009 10:35 PM > To: LegacyUserGroup@legacyfamilytree.com > Subject: [LegacyUG] Entering US Census Information > > I have seen many post about how to document/source Census information > > and the different styles and to be honest I have not made up my mind and > > won't till I have really done enough to decide. What I have seen less > > discussion of and really wanted to know more of is how to others > > document the lines/columns in a Census or do you even bother? > > 1. In Legacy you have an event called Census. What others enter do and > > find works best and why for the related event fields? > > -Description: > > -Date: > > -Place: > > -Notes: > > 2. How do you enter specific fields such as in the 1900 US Census like: > > Relation, Color or Race, Attended School, Can Read, Can Write, Can > > speak English, Owner or rented home, Farm or House .. or even my > > favorite in the 1870 Census is "Whether deaf and dumb, blind, insane, or > > idiotic..... > > Do you actually type "Can Read:" then Yes or No etc.....? For each field? > > Where do you put that info so it looks right and shows up. > > 3. Do you do anything different if they are Head of House Hold vs not? > > 4. If you find an occupation field do then also enter that information > > into a new occupation event? Same thing > > This information sorta seems like source text, but that did not seem > > like the best place to put it so it would show up "right" in most reports. > > I could see how some would even put it in two places event and source > > text and I don't mind doing that if that were the "best thing" > > How do others handle all the fields and fun details so it shows right in > > reports or do you just say they were listed in the Census and provide no > > detailed information? > > More details the better. > > thanks for any all suggestions > > > Alan > > > > > > > > Legacy User Group guidelines: > > http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/Etiquette.asp > > Archived messages: > > http://www.mail-archive.com/legacyusergroup@legacyfamilytree.com/ > > Online technical support: http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/Help.asp > > To unsubscribe: http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/LegacyLists.asp > > > > Legacy User Group guidelines: > http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/Etiquette.asp > Archived messages: > http://www.mail-archive.com/legacyusergroup@legacyfamilytree.com/ > Online technical support: http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/Help.asp > To unsubscribe: http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/LegacyLists.asp > Legacy User Group guidelines: http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/Etiquette.asp Archived messages: http://www.mail-archive.com/legacyusergroup@legacyfamilytree.com/ Online technical support: http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/Help.asp To unsubscribe: http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/LegacyLists.asp
