It is always important to record what a document or record says exactly. It is just as important to remember what a document does not say. Facts may be implied by the record or inferred by the reader (sometimes incorrectly). The family historian at times needs to make assumptions about what a record says. Not so that these assumptions can be put in their genealogical database as fact, but so these assumptions can be used to search other records in hopes of learning more about the family.

Assumptions are a necessary part of research. When conjectures about relationships are made, it is imperative that you remember what has been assumed and what has been proved. Census records provide an excellent backdrop for this discussion of reading more into the record than it actually says.

Search Census Records (1790-1930): Ancestor's Last Name:        Access billions of names in historic records (Census, Immigration, Family Trees, Newspapers and more) free for 14 days!

While census records are full of valuable information, they are also full of holes. While occasionally it's necessary to make assumptions in order to fill in the gaps, assumptions should be made while keeping in mind what the record actually says.

The following 1850 census entry may be your starting point in researching the Hook family:

What should be remembered about this census entry is that these individuals are living together in a household on the date of the census. They are simply individuals in a house, nothing more. Sharing a surname hints at a relationship, but the census entry does not explicitly state any relationships, only names, residences, ages, sexes, and birthplaces.

Nowhere in this record is it stated that Elias is the father of all the younger members of the household. He may be the father of some and the brother or uncle of others. By the same count, Sophia is not necessarily the mother. There is a litany of scenarios that could be constructed, and spending too much time creating intricate situations based on one record is counter-productive.

Also keep in mind that the ages are not necessarily correct. Care should be taken when estimating birth dates from census ages. At the date of the census, Sophia may or may not have had her birthday. In other words, she might have turned 30 in 1850 or would be turning 31 later in the year. This would effect the year in which she was born--assuming the age in the census was correct (a big assumption in some cases). Given the information as it is, Sophia was born in either 1819 or 1820.

It's also necessary to remember that the age for Sophia might not have been transcribed correctly. Perhaps Sophia's age is actually listed as 38 and not 30. This impacts her birth date and also may impact the initial assumption regarding the family relationships. If Sophia is 38, one may reasonably begin working from the assumption that Sophia and Elias are the parents of all the other Hooks listed in the household. If she is 30, that may change the initial assumption.

In this situation, part of our conclusions and research suggestions are based upon this transcription being correct. It might not be. Before any exhaustive research is conducted, it may be beneficial to personally obtain the census record on microfilm and make our own transcription.

In this case, the source of the census information has been lost. This presents a serious problem to the researcher, as it makes it impossible to cite this census as a source. In this case, readers may initially surmise that the family is living in Pennslyvania in 1850. A search of the 1850 Census index for Elias Hook may be a good place to start.

There are two entries for an Elias Hook. One is in apparently the city of Philadelphia, the other is in Bedford County. As Elias is listed as a farmer, the place to start may be Bedford County.

What the researcher of this family should also do is obtain other census entries for Elias. Census records 1850 and after list all members in the household. Records 1880 and beyond provide more detailed relationship information. These subsequent census entries may provide a clearer picture of the family and suggest other records.

Additional records may not agree with your initial assumptions. It is imperative that as you research:

1. You continue to re-analyze material previously obtained in light of new material. Originally "meaningless" clues may suddenly become relevant.
2. You remember what documents do and do not say.
3. You realize there are differing levels of implication. A census record and a bequest in a will both indicate a potential relationship. One hints at it more strongly than another.
4. You remember what you made assumptions along the way.
5. You remember your assumptions are not facts and may need to be revised.

A little common "sense" when using the "census" will reduce the chance of "senseless" mistakes.

Good Luck.

Search Census Records (1790-1930): Ancestor's Last Name:        Access billions of names in historic records (Census, Immigration, Family Trees, Newspapers and more) free for 14 days!

Copyright 1999, Michael John Neill. Michael John Neill, is the Course I Coordinator at the Genealogical Institute of Mid America (GIMA) held annually in Springfield, Illinois, and is also on the faculty of Carl Sandburg College in Galesburg, Illinois. Michael is the Web columnist for the FGS FORUM and is on the editorial board of the Illinois State Genealogical Society Quarterly. He conducts seminars and lectures on a wide variety of genealogical and computer topics and contributes to several genealogical publications, including Ancestry and Genealogical Computing. You can e-mail him at: mneill@asc.csc.cc.il.us or visit his website at: http://www.rootdig.com/