tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26204193.post3357171080676587671..comments2024-03-26T11:22:41.940-07:00Comments on Genea-Musings: Follow-up to Footnote.com AnnouncementRandy Seaverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477703429102065294noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26204193.post-41934812015557824512009-10-31T07:44:54.075-07:002009-10-31T07:44:54.075-07:00I had a long discussion with a Footnote rep about ...I had a long discussion with a Footnote rep about your suggestion to combine pages for the same person and he was amenable. But as Geolover indicated no matter how good Footnote may eventually be at this, it will be difficult. Already my father has two pages -- one from the 1930 census and one from his WWII service. His case is conplicated because his last name was changed. I believe that it is possible for users to indicate that both records are for the same person.bikerickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08608888843941827390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26204193.post-5463573004099977942009-10-29T14:11:36.400-07:002009-10-29T14:11:36.400-07:00Randy, your proposal that footnote.com combine Cen...Randy, your proposal that footnote.com combine Census pages so that there be but one per individual sounds find at first glance . . . . but can quickly break down when people who are not familiar with particular families struggle with:<br /><br />--shifting birth-year equivalents (so many did not know exactly when they were born) that make distinguishing between same-named persons tricky; <br /><br />--unusual given names (some who don't believe in the name 'Ruhama' convert it to 'Ruth Ann'; similar problems with short-for-Aseneth);<br /><br />--immigrants' and other surnames filtered by an enumerator's struggle to write what he thought he heard;<br /><br />--difficult enumerators' handwriting in general (is that Samuel or Lemuel? Daniel or David?);<br /><br />--shifting use of middle names and short-forms.<br /><br />Just ask the people who struggled for many years trying to trace families of heads of household from the 1790 US Census for Maine.Geoloverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12050268303916428230noreply@blogger.com