Sourcing and who did the sourcing.

Sourcing, that is such a lovely word. It brings panic, and mirth all in the same breathe.

I read several blogs and try to follow some very steady, most of those whom attend class
know what those blogs are, but for you who do not here is a small list of them.
Judy Russell's writings,  James Tanner's writings, Bill Smith's writings, Michael John Neill, Leland M,'s blog.
 I have some fun ones I follow to but they are more relaxed about naming patterns and dialects and regions naming situations.

Long ago, I could have had much of my data sourced, alas, government lost a bunch of hand written letters by my Great Grandmother and other family members. Pictures are gone too. I would have had Grandad write out his story instead of just tell me then it would be first hand information, because he lived it.  By the Way, are you writing your story out so it is first hand for your family in the future?

Since I have become the Family Historian of the HOFFMAN and the JONES data and some of the DuVall data, I have lots of  pictures and papers written by people.  Fortunately, I wrote to most of them during my lifetime and theirs and recognize the hand writing but what about those that are not recognized or labeled.

Grandad H and Mom labeled many pictures for us.  Alas they are not all labeled. 20 years ago I sent black and white copies to a Hoffman/Plants Reunion in IOWA. They named five more people. I have probably 10 more unknown if not more.

Since going digital I have a hard time keeping anything labeled in the picture category I discovered.

Are you keeping your labeling up on your pictures or your research work.

Do you mark on it where you got it, when you got it, what book or film it came from?
Remember the five W's. Who, What, Where, When and Why.

Then as a blogger wrote, can you identify the hand writing of the person who wrote the names on the pictures?  That brought to mind all the pictures my distant cousin in Greene Co. PA labeled and gave me in 1993.  I know she did it but it is not written it was done by her. I was there but no one else in family was.

Are you following me?    Sourcing it can bring tears of joy or tears of panic. Where are your tears from?