Questions on headers
When reviewing headers, are we supposed to remove all the random things in the boxes if there is NOTHING in the highlighted corresponding box? And why does the enumerator name always show as first name, COMMA, then surname?
Also, when the dates are written as "April 4", "4/4", or "4-4", are we supposed to leave them as written or standardize them? And do we leave the "1950" in the box where it is usually automatically included?
Answers
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I understand where the comma is coming from... the computer expects to see names listed surname first. But since it's a signature space, it's naturally different.
And that brings me to my question... should we be listing that signature as is "first initial last" or standardizing "last, first initial"?
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What you review should match what is in the highlighted corresponding box.
Be sure to check all three rows on Part 1 (or page 1). I'm noticing a lot of junk was scanned into blank boxes in the headers. Without the check feature in this part of the Review process to make sure all fields were gone through a lot of this junk may remain.
The Field Help information is not very detailed and gives no standardization information about the dates.
Verify the sheet started date in the order it was written in box f.
Verify the checked by date in the order it was written in box h.
If you look at the way the second date for box h is worded in the entry area, it doesn't include the year.
on __________, 1950
Here is what the Field Help says for the Enumerator's Signature. I've been deleting the comma since there isn't one in the signature. I think that is the default format from the Review Name feature.
g. Enumerator's Signature
Verify the names as they were written in box g.
Do not expand abbreviations.
Do not include titles, terms, prefixes, or suffixes with the name.
If the box was empty, skip this field.
Here is the link to the Field Helps:
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I don’t understand what to do about town names. Field help says the computer may have expanded. So if the form is blank but computer review has added a name, should I leave that? If the form has one name, and the computer put down another, I should change it to what is on the form? Sigh.
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@Letitia Richard I'm paraphrasing because I can't seem to copy from the document but the Field help document says that if the computer has changed the information or added information, do not edit it unless you can tell that it is incorrect. https://www.familysearch.org/en/help/helpcenter/article/1950-us-census-field-helps
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Do we match the enumerator and what's on the form in Field C of the Headers or change the names as the computer has done even if they are incorrect according to the Official Census?
The enumerator's instructions for fields a-c:
In the example below, Field C shows New Hartford Twp, but computer has New Hartford.
When I look up the ED information on the 1950 Census Website I find the description below:
If you Google New Hartford, Minnesota, you get more hits for New Hartford Township than an actual city named New Hartford. I've come across the use of "City" like this on many of the previous census forms as well (e.g., FamilySearch used Event Place (Original) and Event Place entry fields), so its nothing new. I don't know what parameters Ancestry uses for its location names, but FamilySearch has Townships. Plus, those entries that do add city may contain multiple smaller villages, or islands, as in the example ED description of New Hartford township.
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@MinnWisRoots In the example that you provided, the actual document says New Hartford Twp. Based on the information in the Field Helps Document that was cited previously, if the computer is showing only New Hartford you can see that that is incorrect so you would change it to New Hartford Twp. For our purposes, we use the instructions that have been provided by FamilySearch.
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Indexing Headers
- When indexing headers, it would be helpful to optionally see the previous/next page when a sheet number is ambiguous, or to see a different instance of a census taker's scribbled name.
- It would be helpful to be able to skip a problematic header [e.g. a seminary name was listed instead of state/county/city field data].
- Some names are ambiguous, even after many headers. Then a clear example appears - it would be helpful if there was a way to go back.
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Tim, you can always give Feedback for your suggestions. Thank you for your ideas.
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