Thread: question about the IGI

Hello All

I recently started looking at the IGI, didn't really know what it was till i saw someone on the messageboard refer to it! I found a record that i thought is possibly my great great great grandfather Thomas Chilcott being christened in Tiverton, Devon, 29 Sept 1803, from census returns my Thomas Chilcott was born between 1800-06, the parents were Joseph and Miriam Chilcott on the christening record and i found a further 6 christenings of children in Tiverton, Devon with the same parents ranging from 1796-1812 and also a marriage record for Joseph Chilcott - Miriam Carrick in 1795 in Tiverton.

I've never seen any other records of a Thomas Chilcott being born in the date range and location as mine so i really like the chances of these being my ancestors. I was wondering what someone with more experience with these records would think, have i found the prior generation? Do i need to look into it further, if so how? My only 'concern' is that there is no child named after the mother or father which always seems to be the case in later generations.

Any thoughts/advice welcome!

Thanks

Wayne.

Hi Wayne,



Have you tried this site :

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.....htm#PageTitle



It allows you to search by family name and parish church. eg click on Devon select Tiverton, click on year range and enter Chilcott in search, Its a good cross ref to IGI. Have you tried the 1841 census to see if Joseph is still alive ? If he is, does he have any of the children you found still living with him ? It is poss it is the right family but need something else to proof a connection.

Thanks for your reply.

I've not managed to find Joseph, so i suspect he died before 1841, i found a Miriam Chilcott aged 75 living alone in 1841 in Tiverton, the only link to the children i can see is Thomas Chilcott(my ggg grandfather) and family living close by on the same census, Miriam also appears in 1851 in Tiverton, i also have seen a death entry for a Miriam Chilcott in the same year Q2 but thats in Axbridge Somerset.

[quote name='chil1969']Hello All

I recently started looking at the IGI, didn't really know what it was till i saw someone on the messageboard refer to it! I found a record that i thought is possibly my great great great grandfather Thomas Chilcott being christened in Tiverton, Devon, 29 Sept 1803, from census returns my Thomas Chilcott was born between 1800-06, the parents were Joseph and Miriam Chilcott on the christening record and i found a further 6 christenings of children in Tiverton, Devon with the same parents ranging from 1796-1812 and also a marriage record for Joseph Chilcott - Miriam Carrick in 1795 in Tiverton.

I've never seen any other records of a Thomas Chilcott being born in the date range and location as mine so i really like the chances of these being my ancestors. I was wondering what someone with more experience with these records would think, have i found the prior generation? Do i need to look into it further, if so how? My only 'concern' is that there is no child named after the mother or father which always seems to be the case in later generations.

Any thoughts/advice welcome!

Thanks

Wayne.[/quote]



Hello Wayne



The Mormon IGI and its sister site, Hugh Wallis' Counties, are very useful. However, when using them there are some things that you need to take on board.



1/ The records are transcriptions and do not necessarily contain all the information on the original Parish Register document. ie occupations, addresses, Incumbent's comments, etc. Sometimes this extra information can allow you to definitely identify people, and separate them from other families/individuals with the same names, in the same village/area.



2/ Where a record is said to have been collected, these are usually to be trusted but errors and mistranscriptions do occur so you should also really look at, get a copy of, the original Parish Register entry.



3/Where a record says "submitted", be very wary of it until you have checked to see if the original PR or Civil entry exists. These are Mormon Church Member submitted items, and not to put too fine a point on it, many are simple guesses or copying from other people, not backed up with hard evidence. Some are just fairy-tales/wishful thinking. Similarly when words like "about" are used. Such records are useful as a guide as to where or where else to look, but nothing more.



4/ After 1841, and in some cases in places where earlier censuses were taken, you can find other corrobarative proofs of your family as you have done - particularly birthyears, as against baptisms. Christenings were not necessarily performed whilst the person was a baby. Some families went in for batch christenings.



5/ Prior to 1841 you will need to cross-reference the Parish Registers with other church/ Poor Law/court/property/etc records to definitely prove your family.



6/ The IGI coverage is sparse in comparison to the number of churches/parishes that existed in England. Ditto, non-conformist chapels/churches.



From what you have said, it does sound as if you have your family back one generation. However, as you seem to be suggesting that there was a naming pattern in your family, perhaps you need to also look in adjoining parishes/Chapels of Ease for missing children. You certainly need to look at/request Record Office searches to make sure that the original Mormon transcribers did not miss any children in Tiverton or adjoining.



Hope this helps

Yours

Victoria