Five Wives & A Feather Bed: Using Indirect and Negative Evidence to Resolve Conflicting Claims

Mark A. Wentling, MLS, CG
May 17, 2022
1054 views
CC
SyllabusSyllabus
SyllabusSyllabus

About this webinar

Genealogical scholars make conflicting claims about the number of wives, and the number and mothers of the children, of Joseph Brownell, a Mayflower descendant of Dartmouth, Massachusetts, born at Little Compton, Rhode Island, 16 February 1699, to Thomas Brownell and Esther Taber. These conflicting claims raise significant questions about the makeup of Joseph Brownell’s family. Did he have one, two or five wives? Did he have one, three or eight children? To which wife, or wives, were they born? The presenter will lead participants through reasonably exhaustive research and standards-based evaluation of indirect and negative evidence found in Quaker meeting records, and vital, land and probate records to demonstrate how proof can be constructed to answer these questions. Correlation of this evidence with the timespan of each marriage will then enable his children to be assigned to their correct mothers.

About the speaker

Mark A. Wentling, MLS, CG, owner of Ancestor Introductions, is a full-time, Board-certified genealogist in the Boston-Providence area with more than 25 years of research experience. He is an adjunct p...
Learn more...

Comments (160)

Sort byNewest
  1. LR
    Lorraine Rogers
    3 years ago

    This was really interesting and informative. I love case studies and this one was superb.

  2. NS
    Nicole Sparks
    3 years ago

    This was so beautifully researched and clearly explained. I appreciated that even the bits of dissenting information (in the un-sourced genealogical works) were addressed. Not only are these clear examples of negative and indirect evidence, but they're part of a very interesting and satisfactory research project!

  3. ND
    NetaJane Doris
    3 years ago

    One of the most organized, well documented, understandable case studies I have heard, during my 50 years of research. Well Done!

    2
  4. HS
    Helen Schenkelaars
    3 years ago

    This was superb in every respect! To achieve that level of clarity for people unfamiliar with either the research in that time and place or the family concerned, both in presenting the evidence and analysis, is difficult but was first class here. I know I will rewatch this, thank you.

    2
  5. MB
    Margaret Balcom
    3 years ago

    This was very informative as to using direct and indirect evidence. I love case studies and this has given me insight how to do the footwork. Thank you!

  6. ZD
    Zack Daugherty
    3 years ago

    Love watching case studies such as this.\n\nCurious if the Joseph Brownell of Canada being attributed as the son of Joseph Brownell of Dartmouth and Leah Lawton not being a certainty given lacked of sourced records for this supposed connection. Is it possible to evaluate this assertion using DNA assuming the Joseph Brownell in Canada had descendants? This would be an extremely difficult undertaking with atDNA - but if patriline descendants of this Joseph in Canada exist in the present day AND ones exist for Joseph Brownell of Darthmouth via his other sons; or even via his father Thomas and/or his brother Thomas; then it maybe possible to support or easily dismiss this connection with a targeted testing research plan.

    3
  7. WV
    Webinar Viewer
    3 years ago

    Very organized presentation. Easy to listen to speaker.

  8. WV
    Webinar Viewer
    3 years ago

    Excellent

Related webinars

Social Context and the KDP
Play video00:57:38
Social Context and the KDP
20th Century CWGC Burials
Play video00:53:19
20th Century CWGC Burials
Using Homestead Records to Tell Your Ancestor’s Story
Play video00:59:25
Researching Your Colonial War Ancestors
Play video01:28:33
Stump Craig: U.S. Revolutionary War
Play video01:22:35
Stump Craig: U.S. Revolutionary War