Nothing But Indirect Evidence

As a researcher, nothing beats the feeling when your research results in a genealogical find that takes your breath away. Or, when you find that last source that helps solve a piece of a genealogical puzzle.

I have been lucky to have had a few such moments while conducting personal research. The most memorable for me to this day is when my research led to a cemetery in rural Alabama dating back to the mid-1800s – Ebenezer First Cemetery, or Catalpa Cemetery. My paternal grandmother made it a priority to ensure that my sister and I knew we had ancestors that lived in this part of Alabama. Still, she never made mention of this cemetery where many of my grandfather’s line are buried.

Research for many of my ancestors buried in Ebenezer First has been relatively routine, as evidence was direct and did not conflict. What happens, though, when an ancestor doesn’t have documentation that explicitly answers your research objective? Or if the evidence you gather conflicts with other evidence found. That was the case with my fourth great grandmother, Amelia (Sellers) Chancellor. There is an abundance of research that names both of her parents. But the questions to ask –

Is the research documented? If so, what types of sources were used to form a conclusion? Does the research cite reliable sources?

The majority – all – of the research I found for the identity of Amelia’s parents was not documented. Sure, maybe you can glean clues from undocumented sources, but to rely on such as a basis for a conclusion would be a mistake.

Starting research from step one, I found only one piece of evidence from a reliable source that explicitly names Amelia’s father. The remainder of the evidence I found was indirect – meaning not one source I found explicitly names either of her parents, but when combined, answers the question at hand. Rather than putting this abundance of documents in an online family tree without explaining how I reached a conclusion, it’s imperative to write the processes down. Proof arguments are necessary when little direct evidence answers a research objective or when evidence conflicts.

What happens if our research subject lived before vital records were required? What happens if documents we need to research an ancestor were burned as a result of war or a courthouse fire? This is often the case with research in the southern United States.

Proof arguments are at the core of much of genealogical research. You can read my proof argument proving the identity of Amelia’s father here.