When Official Government Source Records Fail

In the world of genealogy, we search for sources to the information we get on our ancestors. The Holy Grails of sources are the official birth and death certificates, marriage license and Social Security records. The best overall source if it can be found would be the death certificate, since it would have correct names and places of birth of spouse, and both parents.

These are official original city, county, state and federal government records less than one hundred years old but how accurate are they really?

Let me tell you about six instances when they are incorrect just in our family and just in the previous three generations … my parents, and my wife Nancy’s grandparents and great grandparents. I won’t comment on how or why these discrepancies happened, I can only guess, but you can guess as to the mistakes that can happen because of the misinformation. This is why I try to get two or more sources that agree before I call it as good info.

My father Malcolm LaVerne Tieman
According to his birth certificate he was born in 1926, although his marriage license filled out by him states he was 21 when he married in Dec. 1944. My math says he was 18 … plus he had just graduated high school and signed up for military service in June of 1944. The good news is that his parent’s names and birthplaces are correct as are my mother’s age, parent’s names and birthplaces.

The official Social Security Death Index states his place of residence when he died was Richardson, Texas, my sister’s address, when in fact he lived in Stow Ohio when he died, he never lived in Texas.  

Nancy’s grandparents, Robertha Watt and Les Marshall
Robertha’s birth certificate states her father was James Reid Watt and her mother was Elizabeth Milne. According to her death certificate filled out by her son Donald, her father was James Watt and her mother was Elizabeth Reid.

Les Marshall’s birth certificate has his father as Frederick Marshall and his mother as Fannie Mae Smith. His death certificate however filled out by his son F. James, has his mother’s name as Fanny unknown last name.

Nancy’s great grandparents, Fannie Smith and Frederick Marshall
Fannie’s birth certificate has father as Charles Smith and mother as Emma Hewiston. Her death certificate filled out by her son Les, has her father as C. Smith and mother Emma Hewison.

Frederick’s marriage certificate has his father as Alfred Marshall and mother as Jane Elizabeth Hone. His son Les filled out his father’s death certificate as father Halford Marshall and mother’s name unknown.

So, yes official birth and death certificates, marriage license and Social Security records are very important original sources, but genealogists check, check and check again just to be sure, otherwise can you imagine the rabbit hole I would be going down looking for Nancy’s ancestors from her grandmother Elizabeth Reid or looking for my father’s birth record if he was 21 in 1944?