GenDoc Study Group: Week 6

Mastering Genealogical Documentation Study Group

Chapter Six – Publication Status

Marceline Beem

Reference:

Jones, Thomas W. "Determining a Source’s Publiction Status." In Mastering Genealogical Documentation, 63-70. Arlington, VA: National Genealogical Society, 2017.

In this week’s reading, we learn how to determine if a source is published or unpublished, and once we make that determination, what to do about it in our citations.  When citing published sources, genealogists usually would not name the repository, although if the published work is viewed online, such as digitized images at Ancestry or FamilySearch, our citation would include the website and date accessed. Unpublished sources, however, are not usually widely available, so the citation needs to show the repository. The repository may be a public place, such as a county archives, or it may be a document found in someone’s personal files at home. 

Unpublished manuscript at a library

The University of Florida’s library holds some papers from my grandmother’s uncle in its manuscript collection.  These writings and other documents are not published and are not online.  The only way to view them is to visit the library in Gainesville, Florida.  To cite this manuscript collection, I must first answer these questions, which I can do using the card catalog:

Who said it?  Charles Henry Price

In what (source) did he say it? his personal memoirs written to his wife, Lillian

When did he say it? 1945

Where is that source located? University of Florida, Smathers Library, Special Collections, Manuscripts, Fl.Misc.Ms.01,175

Now that I've answered the questions about the citation, I can craft that citation.  Note that because the short citation needs to include only enough information to accurately identify a previous citation, it does not include the repository.  At some point I may find other correspondence between Charles and Lillian, written in a different year, so I am including the year in the short citation to avoid potential confusion down the road. 

Full Note:

Charles Henry Price, to Lillian O’Haver Price, personal memoirs, 1945; held by University of Florida, Smathers Library, Special Collections, Manuscripts, FL.Misc.Ms.01,175.

Short Note:

C.H. Price to Lillian O. Price, personal memoirs, 1945.

Unpublished document in my own files

My father was an ordained pastor, and I have the certificate signed by members of the committee that granted him the credential.  To view the certificate, someone would need to know that I have it, contact me, ask permission to view it, and then make arrangements to view it.  If I decide to write about my father’s ordination, I could use this certificate as evidence.  To craft the citation, I answer the four questions:

Who said it? The Christian and Missionary Alliance

In what did the church say it? Certificate of Ordination awarded to John A. Beem, signed by committee chair Rev. Keith M. Bailey and other committee members

When did the church say it? The certificate is dated 15 Feb 1972

Where is the source located?  The certificate is privately held by Marceline Beem of Melrose, Florida.  She received the certificate from her mother in 2015.

Again I use these answers to create a citation.  Because there is only one certificate of ordination, I have omitted the name of the committee chair and the date the certificate was signed in the short citation, as well as the repository.

Full Note:

Christian and Missionary Alliance, Certificate of Ordination for John A. Beem, signed by Rev. Keith M. Bailey, committee chair, dated 15 Feb 1972; privately held by Marceline Beem, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Melrose, Florida, 2015.

Short Note:

Christian and Missionary Alliance, Certificate of Ordination for John A. Beem.