This is a picture I took last fall of the original homestead of William and Mariah Birdsell in Browns Creek Twp, Jewell County, Kansas.
I have posted this picture to share with others who are working on this line of Birdsells on the condition they keep the statement between the quotes attached to this photograph.
I've already labeled the picture as who took the photograph (me), when (2011), where (Browns Creek Twp, Jewell County, Kansas) and what (original homestead of William and Mariah Birdsell). Why does it need the additional information? To help retain accuracy in future generations, plus it's leaving a hint to future generations about who I am and my heritage without giving too much information away.
I shouldn't have to put a condition of keeping everything intact if using the picture, but without doing so, the value of the information decreases. Not only that, it's the right thing to do, the polite thing to do, keeping the attribute to the person who actually did the work this small token of appreciation of their contribution toward the family history.
The next picture is even more important to keep the information together as you'll soon see.
"This is the land William and Mariah homesteaded in Browns Creek Twp, Jewell County, Kansas, USA. The house is not the original house. This house was built later by their daughter Alice Mary "Tute" Birdsell Whismore when she lived there with her husband Finley Ely Whismore."
This picture can be downloaded and shared as long as the above information is kept intact with it.
Call me selfish, but I do want others to know that I actually took this picture. I want them to know that I took time out of my schedule to contribute more information about the area where William and Mariah Birdsell settled.
Just as important, I want those who don't know the history of William and Mariah to realize this is not the house they built. This is the house that is there today, but this structure was actually built by their daughter and son-in-law. If I had any information about the original house I would have included it in this section, too.
For those starting out on this wonderful trail of discovering your roots, this may seem silly. Even like overkill. Let me show you why this is so very important with the following photograph.
The first time I saw this picture on line I believe it was posted by Anisah David, another direct descendant of William and Mariah. I do not know where she found this picture. It could have come from her great grandmother who was William and Mariah's youngest daughter. Or it could have come through yet another cousin out of Washington state. Or it could have come from my mother. Or a number of other sources.
Why is it important to know where it came from? It's not important to me, because I know the history of this picture.
However, yesterday I received a notice that someone had added this picture to their family tree. Interesting. I didn't think this person and I had been able to connect our families. So, I clicked on the picture to see how our family lines were connected. Whoa. Imagine my shock when I saw this picture attributed to a William Birdsell/Birdall that was born in 1772.
What made me sick was when I saw how many trees had this picture attached to the same William Birdsell/Birdsall that was born in 1772. I have proof this is not a picture of the William Birdsell/Birdsall born in 1772. I have proof this is a picture of my great, great grandfather, William Birdsell born on 24 Nov 1832 in Washington County, Ohio.
In the pictures that my mother was able to obtain from Hazel Gwendine Birdsell, Arthur White Birdsell's daughter, is a picture of this original picture hanging on the wall above Art's couch. Not only that, but Art and I believe his wife, Ora, and either Aunt Tute or Gwendine is sitting on the couch.
I know that is a picture of Art's house in Beloit, Mitchell County, Kansas, because I was there many times in my childhood. I remember that house. I remembered it long before I saw that picture. It's never faded from my memory. I loved that house. I adored the people who lived in that house. They made me feel special when I went there with my parents and sometimes with just my mother. That house has always invoked good memories for me.
Because the attributes were probably never put on this picture, it can be claimed by anyone who has a copy of it and attached to any William Birdsell/Birdsall they choose.
Sadly I will never get all of William and Mariah's descendants to go back and document where they obtained their copy, so while I can add my documentation to the various copies that I have of the picture, I will never get everyone, probably not anyone, to remove it from the wrong William Birdsell/Birdsall.
Because so many were so sloppy in their documentation, we've devalued a very valuable picture of one of our family members.
When my mother was collecting all her data and this picture, computers were not in every home. The internet wasn't around. Being able to scan a picture and sending it to everyone in the universe via email or social media didn't registar on her radar. She died in 1994 and never owned a computer in her life.
If you're reading this blog, you have a basic understanding of computers and the internet. Documenting your finds is more important now than ever before. Double checking your sources is even more important. never, ever take someone else's word on anything. If they list a source, find it for yourself before you believe it.
Protect your ancestors' history as you would protect your children.
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