10 September 2013

Admitting Mistakes

A reader of Casefile Clues very graciously pointed out that there was a probable error in a transcription of a marriage record from St. Louis, Missouri, that was used in a recent issue.

And there was an error--mine, not one made by the clerk.

The year of recording was incorrectly transcribed by me as 1851 when it should have been 1852. The error was an unintentional typographical error and is discussed in more detail on the Casefile Clues blog. It also serves as a good reminder of the importance of using "sic" when appropriate when transcribing documents.

It is always good to remember that anyone can make mistakes.

And it is always appreciated when people graciously point them out.

And it's always good to remember that conclusions are always subject to revision. The analysis of the document did not hinge on the incorrect date in this case because the error was not noticed and my analysis was done from my original copy. The transcription was only done so that it could be included in the newsletter and that readers could focus on the analysis and not the transcription process.