Mining the 1880 Census Mother Lode: Insanity and Idiocy
Magritte’s
“La Trahison des Images” (“The Treachery of Images”)
(1928-9) or “Ceci n’est pas une pipe” (“This is not a
pipe”).
René Magritte’s message was that images do not convey the full sense of an object. Observers are often fooled into thinking that
a simulacrum is the real thing.
a simulacrum is the real thing.
In the field of genealogy research, nothing can
substitute for “the real thing”; i.e., the actual record, as opposed to an
index or a transcription of a record. The
real thing contains the complete information that you need in order to identify
an ancestor, locate his or her parents, and in general, make the connections
you need to fill in those blanks on your family tree.
substitute for “the real thing”; i.e., the actual record, as opposed to an
index or a transcription of a record. The
real thing contains the complete information that you need in order to identify
an ancestor, locate his or her parents, and in general, make the connections
you need to fill in those blanks on your family tree.
When presented with the opportunity to access the real
thing, no one wants to be confronted with yet another obstacle to getting
up-close and personal with that long-lost ancestor. Yet that is happening with increasing
frequency on the FamilySearch website, among others.
thing, no one wants to be confronted with yet another obstacle to getting
up-close and personal with that long-lost ancestor. Yet that is happening with increasing
frequency on the FamilySearch website, among others.
Many of the record collections in FamilySearch are
restricted, and the number of restricted collections is
increasing due to privacy laws, among other reasons. This blog explains your
options for viewing a particular document you have located through FamilySearch but which has restrictions placed on it.
restricted, and the number of restricted collections is
increasing due to privacy laws, among other reasons. This blog explains your
options for viewing a particular document you have located through FamilySearch but which has restrictions placed on it.
For example, recently FamilySearch teamed up with
FindMyPast to create the Ireland, Landed Estate Court Files, 1850–1885:
FindMyPast to create the Ireland, Landed Estate Court Files, 1850–1885:
This searchable collection contains 682,055 Irish land-occupation
records from the nineteenth century. These records include details on bankrupt
estates as well as on landowners and tenants from all counties in Ireland.
However, when you try to display any of the actual
records, the following message appears:
records, the following message appears:
Unfortunately, FamilySearch has limited access to
these records. This could be for
numerous reasons, including the archive’s request, copyright laws, or the fact
that FamilySearch purchased only limited access rights.
these records. This could be for
numerous reasons, including the archive’s request, copyright laws, or the fact
that FamilySearch purchased only limited access rights.
In order to view the image, you have the following
options:
options:
- Go to an FamilySearch Center or other LDS-affiliated
institution (such as the Family History Library or Brigham Young University). Find the LDS FamilySearch Center closest to you.
- Go to the pay-to-view site FindMyPast:
- Submit a request for a lookup by the researchfirm Genealogists.com
Here
is another example of a restricted collection.
This time, let’s suppose you want to access the book entitled, History of the Jacob Bastian family:
histories, pictures and genealogy of Jacob Bastian, his four wives and their
children. Using the FamilySearch
catalog (familysearch.org/#form=catalog OR familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlc/),
you learn that the book is online at:
Clicking
this link displays the following screen:
this link displays the following screen:
However,
when you click “here” as directed, the following error message is
displayed:
when you click “here” as directed, the following error message is
displayed:
Once
again, FamilySearch has limited access to this book. This might be due to the author’s request,
copyright laws, or any number of other reasons.
To view a specific page from the book, you have the following options:
again, FamilySearch has limited access to this book. This might be due to the author’s request,
copyright laws, or any number of other reasons.
To view a specific page from the book, you have the following options:
- Go to an FamilySearch Center or other LDS-affiliated
institution.
- Submit a request for a lookup by the researchfirm Genealogists.com.
The next time you are unable to view a record, whether
because it is not online or viewing is restricted in some way, don’t settle for
a mere representation or summarized version of it. Remember that Genealogists.com provides free
lookups and will send you the desired record via email usually within 72 hours
of receiving your lookup request. We are
dedicated to helping you overcome those viewing restrictions and providing the most
accurate and complete picture of your family’s past.
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