Using FamilySearch and Ancestry simultaneously makes it much easier to validate work already done on FamilySearch profiles. This has been especially true for James Edwin Harman (1846-1910). Quite a few records had already been attached and his wife and children were already added. But a closer examination showed a few bits of information that could be added. Ancestry was able to fill in the gaps.

James Edwin Harman (1846-1910)

James Edwin Harman (1846-1910) was born on 7 February 1846 in Lexington County, South Carolina to Martha Langford and John Harman. James was married twice, first to Hulda Emeline Taylor and second to Polly C. Wingard. James had two children, Anna L. Harman and James David Harmon with Hulda and no children with Polly. Census records show James was a farmer. James died about 1910 in South Carolina.

James’ FamilySearch profile was missing a complete death date and place. He was also missing a marriage date with Hulda. There may be additional records that could add to James’ life story.

Ancestry

Using FamilySearch and Ancestry simultaneously can not only help build a tree faster, it can help verify already existing information. If possible, it helps to have a computer set up with two monitors so that each site can have its own space. An alternative for a single monitor setup is to have Ancestry and FamilySearch in separate windows and arranged next to each other. This gives a side-by-side view of both versions of James Edwin Harman.

Since FamilySearch already had a fairly complete profile, starting in Ancestry with a fresh profile makes sense. Ancestry had several records hints that needed to be reviewed and attached. By going through the records hints again, the data on FamilySearch can be verified and new information can be discovered.

New Discoveries

By reviewing each source at Ancestry one at a time, discoveries were made! Not all discoveries were about James Edwin Harman, but for other family members. Each discovery not only improves the profiles on FamilySearch but also adds to their stories.

• The first discovery was found in the 1880 U.S. Census for James’ daughter Anna. Anna’s profile was missing a more complete birth date. The census listed her age as 9/12 or 9 months and a birth month of September. A more complete birth date of September 1879.¹
• Details about James and his farm. This came from an agricultural schedule for the 1880 U.S. Census. James’ was doing well compared to his neighbors. His farm production valuation was listed as $1,250, which is how much he earned in 1879. This equates to about $39,258.63 in 2024 (average inflation of 2.41% per year). Additional assets related to his farm are also listed.²
• James Edwin Harman’s death date. Ancestry provided a record hint to James’ Find A Grave memorial which included a photograph of his headstone. The headstone had his death date of 29 November 1910. Someone had also uploaded his obituary which provided a more complete death location.³

Each of these discoveries was used to update the FamilySearch Family Tree profile for James Edwin Harman. Additional analysis also corrected his full name from James William Edwin Harman to James Edwin Harman. None of the records found, to date, include the middle name of William. There does appear to be a conflict with the middle name of Edwin where it was sometimes recorded as Edward. The earliest record from the 1850 U. S. Census records his name as Edwin, so I retained Edwin as his middle name.⁴ Edward is added as an alternate name.

Sources

1. 1880 U.S. Census, Lexington County, South Carolina, population schedule, Chinquapin Township, enumeration district (ED) 128, sheet 377A (stamped), p. 9 (penned), dwelling 82, family 80, J. E. Harman household; digital image, Ancestry (http://ancestry.com : accessed 3 July 2024); citing NARA microfilm publication T9, roll 1234. ↩︎
2. “U.S., Selected Federal Census Non-Population Schedules, 1850-1880,” entry for Edward Harman, page 19, line 7, enumeration district (ED) 132, Lexington County, South Carolina; digital images, Ancestry (https://ancestry.com : accessed 3 July 2024). ↩︎
3. Find A Grave, database with images (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed 3 July 2024, memorial 11172337, James Edward Harman, (1846-1910), gravestone photographed by Kenneth Robison II, member 46542264. ↩︎
4. 1850 U.S. Lexington County, South Carolina, population schedule, Lexington District, p. 384 (stamped), dwelling 654, family 654, John Harman household; digital image, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 3 July 2024); citing NARA microfilm publication M432. ↩︎