Setting up Census Sources

[Mary Tait]

Hi, I am about to add all the different Census sources I have, which include those from England, U.S.A., and Canada. In the Legacy program I used previously there were templates already made for each of the different countries and year of Census. I don't see that in Reunion. Does anyone have good suggestions for setting these up before I begin the task? Should I create a new Source Type in Preferences for each Country and Year? Not sure what to do. The default Census Type doesn't have all the Fields that a true Census sheet has. Should I change these to comply with each different Census sheet? Any help is greatly appreciated.
Mary

[elmac]

Re: Setting up Census Sources

Hi, I am about to add all the different Census sources I have, which include those from England, U.S.A., and Canada. In the Legacy program I used previously there were templates already made for each of the different countries and year of Census. I don't see that in Reunion. Does anyone have good suggestions for setting these up before I begin the task? Should I create a new Source Type in Preferences for each Country and Year? Not sure what to do. The default Census Type doesn't have all the Fields that a true Census sheet has. Should I change these to comply with each different Census sheet? Any help is greatly appreciated.
Mary

Hi Mary
I am only a beginner in Reunion so there is a lot to learn, and like you was using Legacy and loved the source citations - that was before I changed to Apple computers, ipad, iphone etc, so love the new syncability of Reunion 11 and Reunion Touch

Regarding your Sources for Census what I have done is

1. In the Events Preference Lists I added a Census event for every 10 years for each country so they show in the Events List as
Census UK 1881
Census UK 1891
etc
Then when entering the event I just pick the country and year

2. Having entered the Census as an event I then select a Source which I have created as Census template with the defaults as shown in the screen shot attached. Then I just fill in the lines and attach a jpg of the actual file to the media tab. I type the information abut what is shown in Census on the Free form Text. in the Memo on the Event - I usually add something like "Age 48, Head, Labourer" etc etc and then add the Event and the same source to all the members of the household, just changing the details in the Memo section to relate to each person.

Not sure if that is the correct way but it works for me

Hope that helps
Elaine

[rclrocco]

Re: Setting up Census Sources

Hallo and welcome Mary,
There is , or perhaps was, another thread running on this subject - have a look on the first page of posts on Reunion 11 , under 24th April

[Mary Tait]

Re: Setting up Census Sources

Hi Mary
I am only a beginner in Reunion so there is a lot to learn, and like you was using Legacy and loved the source citations - that was before I changed to Apple computers, ipad, iphone etc, so love the new syncability of Reunion 11 and Reunion Touch

Regarding your Sources for Census what I have done is

1. In the Events Preference Lists I added a Census event for every 10 years for each country so they show in the Events List as
Census UK 1881
Census UK 1891
etc
Then when entering the event I just pick the country and year

2. Having entered the Census as an event I then select a Source which I have created as Census template with the defaults as shown in the screen shot attached. Then I just fill in the lines and attach a jpg of the actual file to the media tab. I type the information abut what is shown in Census on the Free form Text. in the Memo on the Event - I usually add something like "Age 48, Head, Labourer" etc etc and then add the Event and the same source to all the members of the household, just changing the details in the Memo section to relate to each person.

Not sure if that is the correct way but it works for me

Hope that helps
Elaine

Hi Elaine, Thanks for your suggestions! I like the idea of entering in the Events Preference area. My first concern was I was thinking that would make the Couple Card appear full and cluttered, but then realized that I wouldn't have to have this info appear on the Couple Card, by not adding it in Preferences ... am I right?

I presently have all the Census info in the Free From Notes, as that is how it transferred from Legacy! I was thinking I would create each Census Year/Country Template in Source Preferences, and then basically do the same as you suggest ... attach the applicable source, then add the details i.e. Age / Occupation etc., changing these details for each person in the Census record. I suppose, each way would work. I'll have to think on it a bit more before beginning, as I only want to do it ONCE more EVER !
Mary

[Mary Tait]

Re: Setting up Census Sources

Hallo and welcome Mary,
There is , or perhaps was, another thread running on this subject - have a look on the first page of posts on Reunion 11 , under 24th April

Hi Rupert, Thank you, I did go back and re-read that thread. I guess I was looking for a few other suggestions as well.
Mary

[rclrocco]

Re: Setting up Census Sources

When you say you're looking for other suggestions Mary, are these re the fields for your census sources or in the way that census info is displayed in Reunion. Or perhaps both? If its in how Reunion can display Census data, there are several illustrated earlier posts which deal with that. Michael Talibard, fellow Reuniontalk member (and the other member of the Jersey Reunion User group !) - helped me understand how Reunion can be tailored to show just as much or as little census info. as you like. This was initially in Reunion 9, but still just the same methods apply in Version 11.
Apologies if I've slightly misunderstood what you're really after.

[Mary Tait]

Re: Setting up Census Sources

Rupert, please don't apologize! I guess I'm not really certain what I am after myself. Because none of my sources transferred properly from Legacy to Reunion, (I am new to Reunion only a couple weeks before the Reunion 11 was launched), I have been forced to set up new again. All the information was there, just put all together in Free Form! I have redone ALL sources in this file of 5686 people, leaving my Census info to the last, so now that I am ready to tackle it I want to be sure to get it right! In my previous program "Legacy" there were specific Templates for each Country and Year of Census. This made the task quite easy. I also had typed all my Census data in the Notes field for each pertinent person, which had been a carry-over from yet another previous program "Generations". That came across and is in my Notes in Reunion. I guess one question would be .. having that information already there, is it necessary even to create a "Source" for them? I tend to think yes. What do you think? I have been considering using the Templates from Legacy, creating the same in Reunion and going with that. I think it will work anyway. I get the feeling that there is no cut and dry way to do it, just personal preference!? Thanks again.
Mary

[mrstucci]

Re: Setting up Census Sources

I am wondering the same things you are, Mary. I am a Reunion user from way back and now have Reunion 11 and Reunion Touch. I am vacillating with continuing to use Reunion or trying Family Tree Maker but I am going to give Reunion another go.

One of my concerns is that I want what I create as a source to get exported in a gedcom. I want it to show correctly.

A question... What is the advantage of setting a census source up as an Event as opposed to a Source? I don't want to double the amount of work that I am doing since I am essentially starting all over with a brand new family file. So which way is most efficient or is it a question of what works for me? I guess if it's the latter I just have to experiment and see.

I appreciate any talk about this because I need to move forward!

[A Hougie]

Re: Setting up Census Sources

Hopefully someone else can confirm either way, but I am not sure that the separate fields proposed will export consistently to a GEDCOM file. I add all this census information in the title field, so my title field for a particular source (I follow the multiple sources approach, rather than the single source mutiple citations one, and attach a copy to each source) might look like this:

1901 England census, Firstname Surname, RG13 piece nnnn folio nn page nn RD Manchester SRD Central ED nn schedule nnn

[mrstucci]

Re: Setting up Census Sources

Well, see that is my concern.

It is my understanding that if I want it to show up in a gedcom the text information should go into the Misc. Notes field.

So my thoughts so far is to add sources and then put the details in the Detail Field and/or the Misc. Notes.

My thoughts are in flux.

[Frank]

Re: Setting up Census Sources

...I am not sure that the separate fields proposed will export consistently to a GEDCOM file.

The separate fields (or, as we call them, structured fields) will export consistently from Reunion. The issue is determining how another app will import the fields.

...It is my understanding that if I want it to show up in a gedcom the text information should go into the Misc. Notes field...

Again, Reunion will export separate fields in your source records to the GEDCOM file if that's how you recorded your sources. But the issue is, "how will those source records be imported by whatever app is importing the records?"

Some people do record source documentation in a notes field (rather than using source records). And since there is less ambiguity regarding the transfer of notes fields between apps via GEDCOM, the notes are very likely to be imported by other apps with no problems.

[rclrocco]

Re: Setting up Census Sources

Mrstucci, one advantage of adding Census as an Event is that you can customise your Family Card View to have your census entries display in Chronological order as soon as you click on any one in your file. This becomes invaluable if you use your database for real research . its particularly helpful if you want to see how someone moved around , perhaps as family home changed , or he or she had a new job etc... Sure you can enter census info as a source but that won't display in the same way. I guess it depends on how you use the program . i keep most of my research to myself, and haven't had cause to send a Gedcom file to others in over thirty years. Perhaps if I sent gedcoms regularly to others, I might enter my census info in a different way, but I'm more than happy entering census data as an event.

[rclrocco]

Re: Setting up Census Sources

http://www.reuniontalk.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=750&stc=1&d=1431034356

Hope this attachment shows what I meant in that last post. By entering Census as an even t , I can track someone's movement and homes over many decades.

[Kathy C]

Re: Setting up Census Sources

It seems me that this whole issue of census, event or source, and how the source and citation is recorded differs with everyone. It just depends on how you want to display your data and record it.

I started out years ago, recording each bit of census data as an event and each one had its own source and citation. So, I ended up with hundreds of citations, many for the same year, location, etc. that perhaps only differed by family or page. Not what I wanted.

So, I created a new census source for each year..... Each one shows only two fields for export gedcom purposes: TITL, PUBL. So my citation looks like this: 1940 United States Federal Census; Ancestry.com, online image

I put the rest of the citation into the Detail field (T627, Hayward, Alameda Co., California, enumeration district (ED) 1-36, sheet 16A, John Flower household) I use Ancestry a lot for census data and just copy and paste their citation detail and add in the household or person of interest.

The resulting citation: 1940 United States Federal Census, Ancestry.com online image, T627, Hayward, Alameda Co., California, enumeration district (ED) 1-36, sheet 16A, John Flower household.

[kmgenealogy]

Re: Setting up Census Sources

Kathy C.,

YES! This is how I want my census citations to look! I'm almost there! Now I know how to do it!
Thanks so much!

Kaye