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This page is for practicing on. Have fun! If you select the edit link at the top, you can see the formatting commands others have used to get their results.--sq 12:53, 17 August 2006 (MDT)

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Tony Blair

Tony Blair

Tony Blair

Cite Reference Test

John Doe married Old Father Time's daughter, Gertrude. [1]

Wikipedia link

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References

  1. Author, Book, Publishing, Copyright, page

Links to Digital Library

Waddell, 1902:112 pulls up image in browser window. Works only for selected file types (images, HTML, Txt?, Others?)
{{http://www.werelate.org/dlib/bitstream/241/4/Waddell%201902%20p112.jpg}}Fails

http://www.werelate.org/dlib/bitstream/241/4/Waddell%201902%20p112.jpg

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Image:Http://www.werelate.org/dlib/bitstream/241/4/Waddell 1902 p112.jpgFails (What else would you expect :) )
Retrieve file 1228 This works, but did so before submission had been approved!?
handle 242 as approvedThis takes you to the Digital Library, and to permit retireval of the file. (Post approval)
retrieve handle 242Mixed identifier/form test. Retireves a different file than the intended.
bitstream This works as intended, displaying file in a browser window.
bitstream with "/1" instead of "/2" yields invalid identifier warning


This is a test.

Writing an article for the Family:William Bradford and Mary Fitch (1) page

Why the Second Wife of Major William Bradford was not Mary Fitch.

Reverend David Jay Webber published the article Major William Bradford's Second Wife: Was She The Widow of Francis Griswold? in the New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Vol. 153, Whole No. 619 (July 2001), pp. 245-50. This article is also published on Webber's website.[1]

In the book Descendants of Governor William Bradford (New York: Bradford Family Compact, 1951), page 4 by Ruth Gardiner Hall; [2]Hall asserted that the "widow Wiswall" was Mary Fitch, born in 1643; so stated in the article by Webber. This Mary Fitch is assumed to be the daughter of Thomas Fitch. According to the will of Thomas Fitch, Thomas Fitch's daughter Mary Fitch married Matthew Sherwood . The will of Thomas Fitch is cited by Webber in Roscoe Conkling Fitch, History of the Fitch Family, 2 vols. (Haverhill, Mass.: Fitch Family, 1930), 1:116.

A copy of the transcription of the will of Thomas Fitch from History of the Fitch Family is posted on Genforum: General Topics: King Phillip's War Forum, Re: Capt. Thomas Fitch, Fairfield (Connecticut) County Troop, message 35:


Quoted from History of the Fitch Family A.D. 1400-1930, Volume 1 by Roscoe Conkling Fitch pg 114 &115

Will of Thomas Fitch I of Norwalk, Conn To all persons whome these presents shall come: Greeting, I Thomas Fitch, sen. of Norwalk in the County of Fairfield in New England, being weak in body but perfect in mind and understanding do by these presents make and confirm this my last will and testament to stand and abide Revocking all former wills and do solemly hoping upon good grounds Commit my soul in ye hands Into my faithful Creator and Redeemer. In hopes of a joyful Resurrection at ye last day and my body to ye dust to be devoutly intered. And of estate ye Lord hath bestowed upon me and hath left me after great expence in the Civill Wars of England, and the Transportation of myselfe and Family and settling of myselfe and distributing portions to my children, according to my Capassity and Abillity. That which remaineth in my hands I do by these so grant and bequeathe as followeth. Impre. I do will and bequeath unto my grandchild, Thomas Fitch one parcel of land lying within ye planting field called the Heck, and that in the Cow division so called the Bounds and quantity expressed in the Towne Records. I will and bequeath into my two Grandchildren, namely John and Nathaniel Fitch, parcells of land lying Eastward towards Sacotuck River, consisting of following lands, bogg, meadow, and swamp, the quantity consisting of about fiftie acres. The quantity and bounds expressed in ye Towne Records, and said land to be divided equally between them in common. Some time after my decease. I do bequeath unto my said Grandchildren John my fowling small gunn Bolt and sword.
I do will and bequeath unto my daughter Ann, now the wife of John Johnson of Farmington and unto my daughter Mary, now the wife of Capt. Matthew Sherwood, several pieces of new putor containing about ye number of twelve to be equally divided between them and also unto my daughter Mary the box of drawers in the same. I will and bequeath unto my sd. two daughters and also my daughter in law, my son John's wife a quantity of fine linen abiding in the trunk. Containing about two pieces in number: the same to be equally divided between them. Also unto all the aforesaid three daughters each of them one Sillver Spoone, the said spoones being abiding in the sd. Trunk.
I will and bequeath unto my son John ffitch all the rest of my estate unbequeathed, namely, my dwelling house, barne, home lot the bounds and quantities expressed in the Towne Record. Also all my lands both upland and meadow lying in the planting field on ye other side of ye River the Quantity and bounds as expressed in ye Towne Record, also my lands without fence, laid out or to be divided. Also my commonage expressed in the towne books. Also I will and bequeath unto my sd. son all my movables within doors and without doors, as Brass puter spoons, bedding with all appertaining thereunto. Also all the wooden movables. Also my muskit, sword, bandolears and scabbards. Also my Neate cattle, horses, Kinds in hand or running in the wood, also swine, with my books, waring apparell. Also my other estate belonging to me, all my debts due to me. Discharging just debts due, defraying my funeral charge, amd I do by these presents ordain and constitute my son John Fitch, my sole executor of this my will and testament and my loving cousin Sargt. John Platt overseers of this my will and Testament. And for confirmation hereof and every part thereof I have heeunto set my hand and seal the sixth day of October, One Thousand six hundred and ninety six. In the presence of
James Olmstead
Samuel Smith
(Signed) Thomas ffitch (seal)

According to Webber, Mary Fitch Sherwood died as the widow of Matthew Sherwood on 25 December 1730. Webber cites Roscoe Conkling Fitch, History of the Fitch Family, 2 vols. (Haverhill, Mass.: Fitch Family, 1930), 1:116 [note 5]

Suggestions for Improving Article [Need a template here]

  1. Obtain a copy of the original will of Thomas Fitch.
  2. Obtain copies of the pages cited from books in this article.
  3. Prove that the only Mary Fitch was the daughter of the said Thomas Fitch.
  1. Recommend creating a separate article for this material, rather than placing it on the Help page.
  2. This article is essentially an analysis of the wife of William Bradfords spouse', rather than a person article per se. That should work well as a standalone article which is then referenced in the main William Bradford article. Then others can see the logic you use, and accept it or reject it as they feel compelled. (If they reject it, then they have an obligation to provide their reasoning, perhaps in the article you are crafting, perhaps in a separate "alternative view" article.) The article should include a link back to William Bradford, otherwise you make people search for it, which usually gets in the way of understanding. Lead people to what you want them to see, don't make them try to figure things out on their own.
  3. I've found it helpful for analytical articles to use a page title format of the form "Analysis:.......", eg, "Analysis:The wives of William Bradford". That helps make it clear as to what you are about.
  4. Recommend placing the will either in the Digital Library, or in a MySource document. In the past I've used the DL for this, but its frankly more trouble. I think MySource should have been reserved for "ahem", "junk citations" like GedComs, but its being used for actual documents rather than sources, so since its easier to use, go with the flow and put it in MySource.
  5. My preference is to not bog down an article with unneeded detail--like quoting the entire will. Put the will in MySource, and then just quote the part that's important to the argument.
  6. Others don't know what you know (otherwise you wouldn't write the article). Articles need to be written with that understanding. It may be clear to you what this article is about, but it won't be to others, unless you tell them. Tell them that upfront. State the problem/issue you are speaking to. Them point to the background information, provide the analysis of that information, then give a clear conclusion---what the article has shown, and what it doesn't show if there's a loose end.

I'l comment more as you develope the article. Q 14:15, 21 May 2009 (EDT)


Footnotes

  1. Note the insertion of the space afer the URL, coupled with the phrase "Webber's website". This keeps the Url from being compressed to something unreadable.
  2. Recommend using a short inline citation format. e.g., Source:Hall, 1951:4). Narrative writing has different needs than bibliographic citation used on WeRelate. one of those needs is to keep the inline citation very short so it doesn't interfer with the narrative text.