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When examining images of census records, I have noticed that sometimes the dwelling number has been changed from what the enumerator recorded. Here is one example: http://interactive.ancestry.com/7602/004120088_00117/9589237?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.com%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3findiv%3d1%26db%3d1900usfedcen%26rank%3d1%26new%3d1%26MSAV%3d1%26msT%3d1%26gss%3dangs-d%26gsfn%3dFlorence%26gsfn_x%3dNN%26gsln%3dSchirmacher%26gsln_x%3dNP_NN%26msrpn__ftp%3dGeorgia%252c%2bUSA%26msrpn%3d13%26msrpn_PInfo%3d5-%257c0%257c1652393%257c0%257c2%257c3245%257c13%257c0%257c0%257c0%257c0%257c%26dbOnly%3d_83004006%257c_83004006_x%252c_83004005%257c_83004005_x%26uidh%3d9x5%26pcat%3d35%26fh%3d0%26h%3d9589237%26recoff%3d%26ml_rpos%3d1&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnRecord
In fact, in this image they were changed multiple times. My assumption is that these changes were made at some later point in time, probably by a clerk reviewing/summarizing the submissions.
My question is what should be used for the dwelling number in our citations: the one recorded by the enumerator or the change that was made at some subsequent time? If it is the changed value, which one should be used? For example, if I am citing the person found on line 17, should the dwelling number be 173, or 175, or 177?
Thanks
Tom
Tom,
Tom,
Normally, the one to cite would be the "official" number, which would be the last alteration. If you want to cover all bases, you could also cite "dwelling
173,175, 177." That would remove any shred of doubt about what you were citing.I thought that the "last"
I thought that the "last" number was probably the "official" one, but I wasn't sure. I like the idea of showing all of them reflecting the changes. To me that shows the path that gets me to the "official" number, and also covers the case if someone claims that I should record exactly what the enumerator wrote (which, in many cases, is an interesting exercise in and of itself.)
Thanks
Tom
You're welcome!
You're welcome!