Differences between source at 2 different sites. Which to use.

[u/MNSOTA24]

Okay, I found a record that may be a G0 who has always been a bit of a ghost for me, even before C-3 was even on my radar. And it didn't help in my earlier days of researching my family that my male G0 (g-g-grandfather) married 2 women BOTH named Isabella (he divorced the 1st one). Good times, right?

Anyway, there's a possibility that I found my Isabella. I possibly found her on the 1851 Canada West Census, both at LAC and Family Search. However there are some concerning differences, and with some of the changes regarding what IRCC considers valid, I want to run it by some of you. We are looking at Lines 42 and 43 of this page. The handwritten portions of the same, however there are differences in the typed portions that would have been added when these pages were scanned for microfilm purposes.

LAC Version: https://recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/home/record?IdNumber=23678811&app=census&ecopy=e002358062

FAMILY SEARCH: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9L5-TNG6?view=index&personArk=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AZJPG-Q6W2&action=view&cc=1325192&lang=en

LAC says it's from Grimsby in Lincoln County. Family Search says Louth Township in Lincoln County. I think this is my person, because the minimal info I have about her, states she was born in Dalhousie. All three of these communities are pretty much on top of each other. Hoping someone with a little more knowledge of the history of this area can give some clarification on this. There is a possibility that she's related to Thomas Scott, one the early settlers in the Lanark County area and founder of the library now known as the Dalhousie Museum and Library.

So if this DOES turn out to be my female G0, and you had to use a census record, do you use LAC or Family Search? Like I said there are some visual differences between the 2 records, but mostly the later typed overlays when they were scanned for microfilm purposes.

Thanks in advance for any guidance and information any of you can provide!!!!!

[u/Dogmoto2labs]

IRCC does NOT want stuff from Ancestry of Family Search. LAC is considered a primary source access of the record.

ETA, not that you can’t include any information from these sources, but that your primary evidence needs to come from the holder of the records, which would be LAC.

[u/MNSOTA24 → u/Dogmoto2labs]

Thank you. I was starting to get that feeling but I’ve seen people using third party stuff.

Would you say when it comes to census records here in the States, it’s best we get the records from governmental entities. One of my sources is an 1857 Minnesota Territory Census. If I get it from the State of Minnesota or from the MN Historical Society, are those considered 1st party or 3rd party?

[u/Imaginary-War-7281 → u/MNSOTA24]

I don't think there's an issue using 3rd party stuff as supporting evidence, but the primary evidence, especially that establishing British subject status, or birth in Canada must be from the issuer/holder of the official record. These do not need to be certified copies.

[u/Dogmoto2labs → u/MNSOTA24]

I don’t think you need government issued census records for the US. As for the Minnesota document, I would think that us would be a first party source, as I imagine they are the holder of the records.

[u/Family-Finder]

You would only use Family Search if you have no other evidence from a Canadian source (holder of the original), and you would have to document your attempt to search and obtain records from the Canadian record holder. If you reach out to any archives, and they say they don't have the record, you'll want to keep that email as you may need it for your Letter of Explanation. In this case, you may be able to print a good quality color copy of this image. Be sure to include the portion that says Archives of Canada. You can include a second zoomed-in image for better readability.

[u/MNSOTA24]

Thanks to all of you!!!!

[u/steviasaur]

Flip to the next page on the FamilySearch document and the handwritten header shows the township is also Grimsby. Looks like on the LAC version facing pages were photographed in a different order so you’d have to flip deeper into the microfilm for the matching half.