Modern Eyes, Old Records
We’ve all heard the expression that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Viewers bring their individual interpretations and ideas to what they see. The phenomenon extends into everything that people look at, including historical documents used in genealogical research. Genealogists looking at sources created decades or centuries ago bring a modern-day point of view—and if those researchers are not careful, those views could result in misinterpretations and unrecognized clues.
Genealogical standards demand that researchers understand the meaning of “words, phrases, and statements in the sources they consult,” and that includes “the meaning for the source’s time and place.”[1] Why wouldn’t researchers want to understand their sources and correctly interpret words, phrases, and abbreviations they find in historic documents? Understanding the true meanings can put genealogists on the path towards a solution, while misinterpretations and overlooked clues can lead them astray.
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About Author
Laura Murphy DeGrazia, CG
Laura Murphy DeGrazia, editor of NGS Monthly, is a professional genealogist specializing in the New York City area and Irish Americans. She is a former trustee and past president of the Board for Certification of Genealogists. From 2010 through 2014 she edited the New York Genealogical and Biographical Record. Her book on researching in New York City, Long Island, and Westchester County, New York, was published as part of the NGS Research in the States series in 2013. Laura is a member of the NGS Magazine Editorial Advisory Committee and the NGS Publications Committee.