Ancestry Citation from non indexed images

By brittenour0621 on Tue, 04/27/2021 - 16:37

Forums

I though I had an understanding on citations until I found some images that are not indexed on ancestry. I did some reading in the book evidence explained but I think I am overthinking this and just confused myself.   

The information is found on ancestry, but is not indexed.  I used the following citation but I think I completely missed the mark on this one. The information I retrieved from the image was the appointment of an admin. of the estate of Jonathan Ratcliff.   

“West Virginia, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1724-1985.” database on-line, Ancestry.com : accessed 27 April 2021. Braxton County>Fiduciary Records, Orders, Vol 4-7, 1909-1926  v. 4 p. 267 (image 67 of 841) (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/9087/images/007616852_00067?ssrc=pt&treeid=150905691&personid=332003155921&usePUB=true&usePUBJs=true&pId=141419) Ancestry has digitized a filmed copy made by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Film 1750435 

First issues is should I used the full link?  It would make it easier for someone to find.  

Second issues is the first page of the images has the Film number, I think that refers to the film number at the Family History center, I am not sure.  Should I include this?

TIA  

Submitted bybrittenour0621on Wed, 04/28/2021 - 07:34

EE,

I had not seen that Quick Lesson 26.  That was extremely helpful.  After reading I have made some changes and came up with this source citation:

“West Virginia, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1724-1985.” database and images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/9087/images/007616852_00001 : downloaded 27 April 2021) > Braxton County, > Fiduciary Records, Orders, Vol 4-7, 1909-1926 > Film 1750435 > image 67, T. G Radcliff appointed administrator of Jonathan Radcliff estate,13 March 1911; citing "microfilming by Genealogical Society of Salt Lake City, Utah, filmed at Braxton County Courthouse, Sutton, West Virginia."

 

Also the last question I have it that ancestry list no source citation information.  However, under source information it states the original data comes from West Virginia County, District and Probate Court.  That seems generic to me. 

So for the source of the source data I choose to use  was from the first page of the film it says it was microfilmed by the Genealogical Society of Salt Lake City, Utah, filmed at Braxton County Courthouse, Sutton, West Virginia.  The reason I choose this was because my thinking is that credit should be given to the agency that filmed the information originally.  Is that wrong? 

Submitted byEEon Wed, 04/28/2021 - 18:28

Brittenour0621, yes, an Evidence Style citation would include the identity of the record's creator. That is important, given that there are multiple court levels within a county, each with different jurisdictions and responsibilities.

Identifying the building where something was microfilmed many decades ago has far less evidentiary value than the identity of the record's creator. In this case, using the microfilm number, one can go to the catalog of the Family History Library, which holds all that GSU microfilm, and identify the specific court that created the record you're using.

An added complication is the fact that Ancestry does not give us that one critical piece of information: the creator of the record. We have to glean that from an outside source. EE would place that additional data into a separate sentence. For example

“West Virginia, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1724-1985.” database and images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/9087/images/007616852_00001 : downloaded 27 April 2021) > Braxton County > Fiduciary Records, Orders, Vol 4-7, 1909-1926 > Film 1750435 > image 67, T. G Radcliff appointed administrator of Jonathan Radcliff estate,13 March 1911; citing "West Virginia County, District and Probate Courts." Neither Ancestry nor its images identify the creator of the record; however, the catalog of the Family History Library, which holds the original microfilm 1750435, identifies this record set as hearings and decisions of the County Court of Braxton County.