Advice on verifying an ancestor

[JCM6395]

I've been researching a possible gg uncle. One uncle I did verify served in the 42nd Indiana Infantry. On the 42nd roster it shows another man, with same last name, being from the same town and enlisting with my uncle on the same day. Thinking they are related I did some census research. The 1850 and 1860 Census reports don't list him though. Could he have been left off the census twice?

So I sent for his Service Records. They came back in fine order. But he has no pension records. His Service Records indicated he was killed at Chickamauga. That his personal effects were handed over to his brother (didn't mention the brothers name....grrr) in Chattanooga at Christmas time. Which is where the 42nd Indiana and my verified uncle were at during this time. So I consider that evidence. Did family travel during the war to collect their dead sons or brothers? If not that would be further evidence since they turned over his personal effects to his brother in Chattanooga.

On fold3.com I found a letter this possible relative wrote to my gg aunt and gg grandmother. He described the conditions at Murfreesboro in February of 1863. In the letter he calls my gg aunt and gg grandmother his sister. I think that pretty well seals it. But the family lineage Guru is saying that isn't enough proof. She says why wasn't he on the 1850 and 1860 Census reports if he was a sibling?

I've run out of ideas on linking this possible uncle 100%. I'm frustrated on where else to go. I've looked on ancestry.com, fold3.com, census records, and his service record. I'm going to see if the county historical society can provide any clues....but do any of you have ideas of where else to look? All suggestions will be appreciated!

 

[Chattahooch33]

I think that is proof enough. No offense, but who is the "guru" to say?
If the letter describes them as sisters, there you go.

 

[AndyHall]

I think that pretty well seals it. But the family lineage Guru is saying that isn't enough proof. She says why wasn't he on the 1850 and 1860 Census reports if he was a sibling?

She needs her guru card revoked. Anyone who's tried to trace individuals with census rolls (for their own family genealogy or other purposes) knows full well that there are all sorts of limitations, errors, and omissions in those documents. Your evidence may not be definitive -- research often is not -- but you've got lots of circumstantial corroboration for your position.

 

[Chattahooch33]

Indeed. Without building a time machine and going back and doing a DNA text it is impossible to 'prove' anyone existed. Heck, maybe Lincoln didn't exist. Maybe he was just a fictional guy played be a costumed actor. Prove he was real!

 

[JCM6395]

Oh she thinks he most likely is a gg uncle....but won't list him on the family tree until there is more than circumstantial evidence.

I'm claiming the guy personally as my uncle. I've already added him into my own family tree. But I want the rest of the family to know also. The guy enlisted to save the Republic so he deserves to be honored and remembered. She has very expansive contacts throughout the family so I want to get the word out through her. She realizes census reports aren't 100%. She is just a real stickler on verification before putting someone into the family tree.

 

[Will Posey]

Oh she thinks he most likely is a gg uncle....but won't list him on the family tree until there is more than circumstantial evidence.

I'm claiming the guy personally as my uncle. I've already added him into my own family tree. But I want the rest of the family to know also. The guy enlisted to save the Republic so he deserves to be honored and remembered. She has very expansive contacts throughout the family so I want to get the word out through her. She realizes census reports aren't 100%. She is just a real stickler on verification before putting someone into the family tree.

Census records are good sources, but not infallible. You don't mention the ages of the individuals involved, but it was not unknown for children to be living for a time with relatives other than their parents. I discovered such a instance in my lineage, wherein a grand uncle, at the age of 9, showed up in the 1880 census as living in the household of his grandfather, who had a different surname from the boy. The residence was also in another enumeration district. A similar situation could possibly have been in your family in 1850 and 1860.

Running a search of the census for whole state for his name might turn up proof enough to convince your family history guru. Good luck.

Will

 

[Shadow9216]

The 1850 and 1860 Census reports don't list him though. Could he have been left off the census twice?

I had a similar case with one of mine- he didn't show up in 1850 or 1860, but he was there in 1840. I finally found him in 1870 living somewhere else; he had moved out prior to the 1850 census and established his own farm in another state. Not sure how he was missed in 1860 (unless he was moving again), but we had his service record for the war and it had him enlisting from the same town as the 1870 census.

 

[TerryB]

I've come across many instances where the logic took me in a certain direction, people marrying their cousins, that sort of thing. The keepers of the genealogical flame were always unwilling to accept my interpretations, but in most cases, I found wills and other docs to prove my thesis. Have you tried finding wills, tombstones, etc? Findagrave also has a discussion board where it's often possible to ask people if they can run down an obit. I've come up with some nice finds that way.

 

[AndyHall]

You don't mention the ages of the individuals involved, but it was not unknown for children to be living for a time with relatives other than their parents.

Yes. The census then used the term "family" for what is now referred to as a "household," but the grouping was the same as it is now -- people (related or not) living at the same residence at the time the enumerator came around. There are all sorts of reasons why a person might not show up in the census records living with other members of his or her immediate family.

 

[TerryB]

I also cannot locate many people on the census for pre-1860, some are missing from the 1860, and many are missing from 1870. The ones missing from 1870 make me think they were in places where Federal marshals couldn't find them, maybe even in Mexico.

 

[JCM6395]

Census records are good sources, but not infallible. You don't mention the ages of the individuals involved, but it was not unknown for children to be living for a time with relatives other than their parents. I discovered such a instance in my lineage, wherein a grand uncle, at the age of 9, showed up in the 1880 census as living in the household of his grandfather, who had a different surname from the boy. The residence was also in another enumeration district. A similar situation could possibly have been in your family in 1850 and 1860.

Running a search of the census for whole state for his name might turn up proof enough to convince your family history guru. Good luck.

Will

He was 20 when he enlisted in 1861. I thought maybe since the family had 12 kids that his name just got left out in the counting in 1850. Or maybe the census taker had a few drinks making the rounds and just didn't hear his name. 1860 he would have been 19 so maybe he moved in with another relative to help out on the farm or something. I will have to look into that.

 

[Custers Luck]

The census records are good but, they didnt even have my DAD listed through 2 census, and spelling of names get changed, Im going to post my 3x grandfather I Finely found, all because of the E was exchanged for an A, but I got lucky and found a lot of info on there graves.

 

[East Tennessee Roots]

I've been researching a possible gg uncle. One uncle I did verify served in the 42nd Indiana Infantry. On the 42nd roster it shows another man, with same last name, being from the same town and enlisting with my uncle on the same day. Thinking they are related I did some census research. The 1850 and 1860 Census reports don't list him though. Could he have been left off the census twice?

So I sent for his Service Records. They came back in fine order. But he has no pension records. His Service Records indicated he was killed at Chickamauga. That his personal effects were handed over to his brother (didn't mention the brothers name....grrr) in Chattanooga at Christmas time. Which is where the 42nd Indiana and my verified uncle were at during this time. So I consider that evidence. Did family travel during the war to collect their dead sons or brothers? If not that would be further evidence since they turned over his personal effects to his brother in Chattanooga.

On fold3.com I found a letter this possible relative wrote to my gg aunt and gg grandmother. He described the conditions at Murfreesboro in February of 1863. In the letter he calls my gg aunt and gg grandmother his sister. I think that pretty well seals it. But the family lineage Guru is saying that isn't enough proof. She says why wasn't he on the 1850 and 1860 Census reports if he was a sibling?

I've run out of ideas on linking this possible uncle 100%. I'm frustrated on where else to go. I've looked on ancestry.com, fold3.com, census records, and his service record. I'm going to see if the county historical society can provide any clues....but do any of you have ideas of where else to look? All suggestions will be appreciated!

I've had dealings with genealogy " gurus ! " The ones I've dealt with brushes off any theories you may have unless they are documented or something they thought of ! Like Andy says sometimes all you have is circumstantial corroboration ! Early census records can be way off at times ! I recently found a relative in the 1850 census listed as ELIAS. Turns out HER name was actually, EDITH ! I would think very few soldiers on either side were brought home for burial. I would think it would have been very expensive. What was your ancestor's name ?

 

[John Hartwell]

Give us some names, dates, and places. Maybe someone here can come up with something.

jno

 

[kbear]

Here's another thought: Does anyone in the census's from which he is missing, closely match (+/-2yrs) his age? It may be a situation of using a different name. Maybe when he enlisted, he switched to using a middle name or something. Good luck!

 

[JCM6395]

Meredith Dimmett was his name. Born in 1841, he listed his residence as Folsomville, Indiana when he enlisted in September of 1861. He mustered in on October 30, 1861. He would rise to the rank of Sergeant. He saw action at Perryville, Stones River, Tullahoma Campaign, before being killed at Chickamauga on the second day when the brigade he was in was overrun at the McDonald House.

In all fairness to my family guru she demands as much proof as possible to keep from having to eradicate mistakes. There was a situation before where it got messed up and I believe tempers flared between family members. So I understand where she is coming from.

 

[Custers Luck]

https://familysearch.org/search/col...-api:8080/searchapi/search/collection/1877095 found so much stuff here. and its FREE

 

[East Tennessee Roots]

Meredith Dimmett was his name. Born in 1841, he listed his residence as Folsomville, Indiana when he enlisted in September of 1861. He mustered in on October 30, 1861. He would rise to the rank of Sergeant. He saw action at Perryville, Stones River, Tullahoma Campaign, before being killed at Chickamauga on the second day when the brigade he was in was overrun at the McDonald House.

In all fairness to my family guru she demands as much proof as possible to keep from having to eradicate mistakes. There was a situation before where it got messed up and I believe tempers flared between family members. So I understand where she is coming from.

- Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Indiana

Meredith J. Dimmitt

Residence Spencer County IN;
Enlisted on 10/30/1861 as a Private.

On 10/30/1861 he mustered into "B" Co. IN 42nd Infantry
He was Killed on 9/20/1863 at Chickamauga, GA
..........................................................................................................................

Burton S. Dimmitt

Residence Spencer County IN;
Enlisted on 10/30/1861 as a Private.

On 10/30/1861 he mustered into "B" Co. IN 42nd Infantry
He Re-enlisted on 1/1/1864
He was Mustered Out on 7/21/1865 at Louisville, KY

...........................................................




Overton L. Dimmitt

Residence Folsomville IN;
Enlisted on 1/8/1864 as a Private.

On 1/8/1864 he mustered into "D" Co. IN 120th Infantry
He was Mustered Out on 1/8/1866

..................................................................



William Dimmitt

Residence Folsomville IN;
Enlisted on 3/8/1864 as a Private.

On 3/8/1864 he mustered into "D" Co. IN 120th Infantry
He was Mustered Out on 1/8/1866

 

[East Tennessee Roots]

Meredith Dimmett was his name. Born in 1841, he listed his residence as Folsomville, Indiana when he enlisted in September of 1861. He mustered in on October 30, 1861. He would rise to the rank of Sergeant. He saw action at Perryville, Stones River, Tullahoma Campaign, before being killed at Chickamauga on the second day when the brigade he was in was overrun at the McDonald House.

In all fairness to my family guru she demands as much proof as possible to keep from having to eradicate mistakes. There was a situation before where it got messed up and I believe tempers flared between family members. So I understand where she is coming from.

Were your ancestors in Owen, Warrick County Indiana in 1850 ? If so, a daughter is listed, 9 years old. named MEVIDA T. I'll betcha that's actually MEREDITH J. !!! As I said, I've run into the same problem before with my genealogy !

 

[Samwisep86]

I concur with the majority here. Census records relate to who was there at that point in time when the census person came around. Heck, the records of one of the censuses (1890) were lost in a fire. They ain't the gospel.