Shared Photo: Henry Cavaniss Image 4

Question

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I wanted to share this family photo of  it is a page from the book by Alloa Caviness Anderson ,and the book or much of it at any rate is not accurate ,and should not be used as a final comment ,or even accurate ,but as  a starting point to do your own  research into this interesting family ,even the photos found in it are not always who they are identified as John Caviness and Susannah Poe shown in the book  for example are those of a much younger couple  ,much of this book is total assumption ,from Henry Caviness being the infant on the ship Mary and Ann ,Jane Allen as Henrys wife ,William Caviness marriage to Sarah Carr , Richard Caviness children Identity and children of a widow named sarah Caviness who died in 1803 ,all wrong ,this is the line I studied ,I can only assume the other lines are as incorrect . Anonymous Caviness with the community. Location: unknown. Date: unknown.

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Answer 1

I can relate to your frustration, I find errors in books all the time. For that matter, in every record source used for genealogy. But I wouldn't totally write it off. There are bound to be clues that can help you break through brick walls.  Or find a better source with the information.

Consider the United States Census record. It is riddled with errors, but it is probably one of the most valuable records for genealogy. Birth year and birth state to some extent change from census record to record, but finding an entire family together in a household is one of the most important guarantees that you can prove relationships.  The probability of two families having the same number of members, with the same name, same siblings or children is unlikely. So when looking for a person with a name, and there are several in the county with the same name and birth range, how do you sort it out? Having the family together in a single household allows us to find the truth.

So when you find these issues, that is a good opportunity to document in a researcher's notes heading. To let others know the errors you found for your particular profile, and why you believe it is error. So they don't spend countless hours going down the same rabbit hole.

Answer 2

Patricia Caviness Caviness-86  I reject your theories reconstructing the colonial Cabaniss genealogy. The research of Aloa Caviness Anderson, John Plath Green, Allen Cabaniss and Laura Jane Cabaniss Walters are consistent.  Provide a marriage record, probate or land records showing relationships. You are making changes based theories from Jane Allen's fathers will.