I have been working on a project to identify the correct George Long to be my ancestor. There are about a hundred to choose from in Ohio (ok, it is a slight exaggeration, I have identified 12 candidates in the right time and places).

I was working on one particular candidate who was living in the right county at the same time as my George Long. So in this case, I am proving that there are indeed two George Longs in Hancock County, Ohio at the same time. Two important record types I’m using to prove this are land and military records. I have gone through the deeds for the county and pulled out those that belong to “my” George and those that belong to “that other” George. Turns out the “other” George has a LOT of deeds in the county. He was buying and selling and making a profit. “My” George Long, bought one piece of land and lived there until his death in 1855.

While work on this project, I have found TWO “Graves Registration Cards” created as a project by the Works Progress Administration (WPA), one of each of these Georges, but attributing the same service to BOTH men!

They are both attributed to Lieutenant Robert Harvey’s Company during the War of 1812, same enlistment and discharge dates. Examining the book Roster of Ohio soldiers in the War of 1812, there is only one George Long in this particular company. They are from “probably Ross County.”

Digging a bit more about the Graves Registration Cards, I asked an archivist at the Ohio History Connection about the cards. She replied that there is no way to know where exactly they obtained the information on the cards. As I imagine it, now that I’ve done more research, they possibly went through the cemeteries, found tombstones or cemetery records of men of about the right age, looked for them in the Adjutant General’s list, and made them a card. (I could be wrong but that is my best guess.)

Anyhow, looking for other proof to determine if either George Long served in the War of 1812, I did the obituary for the “other” George which stated he was in that war. I also found a pension for him. I know it is the “other” George because it names his wife which I had already identified in other records as being the wife of the “other” George. It also shows that his service was in Captain John Brown’s Company of the Maryland Militia. (Also, record for “my” George never mention War of 1812 service, not his obituary, nor an entry in a county history.)

So, both Graves Registration Cards are incorrect, but one is more correct than the other.  You might ask why I put so much effort into researching a man who is not “my” George Long. Well, to meet the Genealogical Proof Standard, you have to resolve conflicts, you can’t ignore them. So, in this case, I have to identify and disambiguate two men of the same name (not just the same, but a common name at that), of about the same age, in the same county.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again I’m sure… but don’t stop looking, asking, and clicking. There’s always more to find!