Original Records Trump Indexes

We've discussed this issue for four years, ever since the New Jersey indexes to births, marriages, and deaths appeared, but I keep seeing this problem on message boards.

This is the death certificate for Catherine Meeker (1795-1884), daughter of David Dean and Phoebe Beach.  She died March 14, 1884, but the online index at Ancestry and FamilySearch has the year 1883 because the volume of deaths was July 1, 1883 - June 30, 1884.  So 1883 was chosen as the year for all deaths in the index.

Most unfortunately in New Jersey, you cannot access original certificates of birth, marriage, and death online.  You can access indexes online at New Jersey State Archives, Ancestry, and FamilySearch.  Any index is only as good as its creator and does not replace the need for the original record.

For New Jersey certificates, you need to write to the Archives or visit in person (or have someone do it for you).  The records are on rolls of microfilm and are searched by hand.

1850 Census

In trying to sort out my Merrell and Long lines of New Jersey, this helpful census entry popped up from 1850.  (At this point I don't know what connection, if any, this family has to do with my lines.)

(Springfield is now in Union County, but was in Essex County in 1850, so we use the place name description accurate for that period of time.  Union County was not created until 1857.  Parts of Springfield Township remained in Essex County and became Millburn, which is where this family is found in the 1860 census.)

Beginning in 1850, the federal census listed all members of a household- not just the head of the household.  This is great, except that the relationship of each member to the head is omitted.  This feature was not added until 1880.

This census taker went above and beyond, recording little tidbits of information along with the names.  In the above entry, the older ladies of the household, Catherine Meeker and Elizabeth Long, are listed as "wid" or widowed.  (As a word of caution:  a woman enumerated without a husband was not always a widow, even if indicated in her social condition from 1880 forward.)

Harriet Meeker (born Long), age 22, is listed as "his W," indicating that she is the spouse of John Meeker, and not a daughter of Catherine Meeker.  When viewing a census from 1850, 1860, or 1870, it is very easy to mistake the wife of a son as a daughter of the head of household, as the daughter-in-law may be intermingled with the other children of the same age.

23andMe Price Increase

After years of decreasing prices for DNA testing for genealogy, I am sad to write that the price has increased.

23andMe is reviving its DNA-based health related testing, doubling the price for a kit from $99 (US Dollars) to $199.

The autosomal DNA test from the two other major genetic genealogy testing companies, FamilyTreeDNA and AncestryDNA, remains $99.

The frustration in using 23andMe for genealogy is that a lot of consumers tested their DNA for health purposes, not genealogy.  You choose which part you wish to participate in- genealogy or health or both- but family researchers are plagued with DNA cousins with no interest in communicating who posited themselves in the genealogy pool.

The effect of this price increase may drive genealogy DNA customers away from 23andMe to one of the other companies.  If you are serious about finding relatives, your DNA needs to be at all three companies anyway.  But frustration will increase as more people test for health and not genealogy, artificially increasing the genealogy pool available at 23andMe.