Do I tell?

[Margaret in Burton]

Originally Posted by Kit

I don't understand how people can have wrong info on their ancestry tree when the records are actually on ancestry. I check other trees to see if I am missing things and I'm amazed how we differ because they aren't looking at the available records.

Because Toni they can't be bothered to do the research it's easier to copy.

I remember someone on GR years ago asking for something to help with their family tree they were 'compiling'. I think it was pointed out that the information was out there on free sites such as Family Search. The person retaliated with that they didn't have the time to look at stuff like that. I think they assumed that the boards on GR were there for someone to do it for them.

Some people just want to show off a huge family tree, doesn't matter whether it's their own research or if its correct as long as it goes back to the year dot.

[JBee]

After going off on a tangent I now try and verify by all means possible what I have in my direct line - though not quite so thorough with the twigs - I now tend to put "not sure" if I feel it's a bit iffy.

So with this in mind I found who I thought was a close twig's marriage - everyone on ancestry had him belonging to another family - so I got the marriage certificate and he's mine not theirs and they've gone a lot further back along the wrong line (I did it previously with this twig's brother!! lol).

Mind you I made a lot of mistakes when I first started - made assumptions - if that's the only one in that town with that name it must be mine - wrong!!!!

I would tell the people and say "I have different parents for................" and leave it to them to decide whether they check and correct their tree or not.

[Shona]

Originally Posted by JBee

After going off on a tangent I now try and verify by all means possible what I have in my direct line - though not quite so thorough with the twigs - I now tend to put "not sure" if I feel it's a bit iffy.

So with this in mind I found who I thought was a close twig's marriage - everyone on ancestry had him belonging to another family - so I got the marriage certificate and he's mine not theirs and they've gone a lot further back along the wrong line (I did it previously with this twig's brother!! lol).

Mind you I made a lot of mistakes when I first started - made assumptions - if that's the only one in that town with that name it must be mine - wrong!!!!

I would tell the people and say "I have different parents for................" and leave it to them to decide whether they check and correct their tree or not.

But how will they react? I contacted someone once on Ancestry about a tree. They persisted in telling me I was wrong, all because of variants spellings. I used a single 'r' in the surname and they used 'rr' - both recognised variants. I had sources, they didn't. They had made assumptions and had the facts wrong - and that tree is still on Ancestry.

[Merry]

But how will they react?

Usually not at all, in my experience! Then they re-establish contact again five years down the line, ask the same question as before and act as if they have never been in touch previously!

[JBee]

I think you can actually put a comment on someone else's tree on ancestry - never done it but wonder what reaction I'd get if I did.

[Shona]

Originally Posted by JBee

I think you can actually put a comment on someone else's tree on ancestry - never done it but wonder what reaction I'd get if I did.

Now there's a thought!

[Janet in Yorkshire]

Originally Posted by Shona

Now there's a thought!

I do this now, as I'm fed up with sending PMs and getting no response. They are MY mangled rellies too and I consider it disrespectful to the deceased not to try and submit correct information about them.
I either get a very prompt thankyou message and the tree is ammended, or there is NO response, even though the owner has accessed the site and their tree. However, the comment remains for as long as I (the submitter and sole editor) choose it to be there.

Jay

[kiterunner]

Originally Posted by Janet in Yorkshire

However, the comment remains for as long as I (the submitter and sole editor) choose it to be there.

No, the tree owner can choose to delete (or report) any comment.

[Olde Crone]

Yes, I too used to leave comments on trees and found that was by far the most successful way of provoking some kind of response, either from the tree holder or from someone else who had looked at it.

The cheekiest plagiarism I ever saw was someone who copied my tree AND all my narrative comments, including the line

"I have in my possession a letter from...."

I often wonder what happens if someone xcontacts him and asks to see the letter!!

And OH! to be asked, by ANYONE, how I know this, that or the other. It seems most people will take anything at face value and only disbelieve the person who argues with the something at face value.

"I have the certificate" I told one bloke, in exasperation.

"Ah, yes, but we all know that certificates can be wrong" was his unanswerable argument.

OC

[Shona]

OC - I have had that response from my brother-in-law when the sourced, documentary evidence contradicted a much-quoted family story. He claims all the documents are wrong.

On the other hand, I researched the family of someone with a very unusual surname. She had been told the family were from the Ukraine. There was a connection - gg grandfather, who was from Essex, had been a deck hand on a trawler. The name of that trawler? Ukraine. She thought this was wonderful.