"What makes these people tick" EGO?

[forthefamily]

I'm with you....I find someone and go off on little tangents of investigation. My OH says I'm crazy to be spending so much time researching a second or third cousin but it's just interesting to see how the whole picture fits together.

It's not just the people either. If you want to get it right you need to know something about where they lived and how they lived. That way they become more than names and dates.

If I do find an ancestor in another tree I take a look but I rather depend on my own research than someone else's. That's the whole point...the research is the fun part.

mab

[ndedross]

I don’t see that we have the right to question the objectives of anyone’s research. If they want to stack names, then fine, that is their right. Some people seek links to ‘famous’ people past or present, that’s ok.

If you publish a tree, then expect it to be copied. What is irresponsible is for publishers to ‘insert’ information they know to be incorrect. That wastes a lot of time.

For my part, I am more interested in how my ancestors lived, so the tree is merely a guide of some events. I research witnesses, neighbours, colleagues, etc to see who my ancestors associated with, worked for, etc. The important result for me are the resulting ‘books’ I have written on each of my main lines; that tie in the social, cultural and economic background in which they lived.

I wish I could get back to Roman times, but I am pretty sure I’d find that my lot were all Agricultural Labourers, even then!

Nigel

[meles]

I agree, Nigel.

This discussion comes up time after time after time. And many people get so angry.

But for me the bottom line is, if you put your family tree on a publically accessible site, then it's up for grabs.

If you don't want your tree to be copied, then don't publish it.

But, of course, you run the risk of never being in touch with relatives.

It's your choice.

meles

[Mum44]

Agreed, Meles

I think what makes people angry is perhaps that they feel their hobby is being diminished by people who don't apparently take it as seriously as they do.  Some of us - myself included - relish the graft of researching and  the high you get when you find him at last!  (often been "shushed" at in a library for that and once in a record office!)

Because that's how we get our satisfaction we resent others having the result without the sweat, forgetting that it was our choice to do it that way. And there is also - in my opinion - intense satisfaction when you can present your work to someone who had very little before, knowing that you did it.

Through my tree on GR I recently found a 4th cousin, who had lost touch with his father's family decades ago - he was so pleased to have the details and knowledge of his uncles and cousins.  Lovely feeling for me too.

[Tephra]

I'd love to be able to find just one branch of my family on some tree or other........ I do like to research for myself and do take it very seriously, but if it was handed to me on a plate I certainly wouldn't complain.

After all, One mans research is another mans tedium - we're not all the same. 


Barbara

[Mum44]

Well, no, neither do I when it happens - occassionally does - and although I always check all the data before I accept it, it would be very cocky to refuse it because it wasn't me who'd done the spade work

[forthefamily]

I don't know if someone talked about this but there are people who seem to want as many names as possible on their tree...and as someone mentioned I shouldn't question their methods and aims... and that's cool...... but sorry I just don't understand the mindset. Sorry 

My own experience with Ancestry that I referred to before where I accidentally acquired a whole bunch of people just because I "accepted" a valid family member match makes me laugh. Because of that , my OH is apparently related to...get this....

Elizabeth Browning - 14th Cousin 3 times removed
George Orwell - 12th Cousin 4 times removed
Edward Jenner - 10th Cousin 7 times removed
Robert Hobart - 8th Cousin 7 times removed
John Tilly - 5th Cousin 12 times removed
Edward Tilly - 5th Cousin 12 times removed
Issac Newton - 5th Cousin 12 times removed

These were all famous people in their day and if my OH were related to them I'd think we'd know about it 

mab ...climbing off her soap box 


   

[LoneyBones]

Quote
I think the history of the Roman Empire alone would negate a successful genealogy.
Cheers,
Leonie.


I don't understand this statement. 

Actually I was thinking more of the records lost in the upheaval of wars rather than the records that were saved.

On another note, (and speaking generally) we each have 4 grand-parents, 8 great grandparents, 16 g-great grandparents, 32 g-g-great grandparents........
surely no-one thinks that by the time we get back that many generations our ancestors are exclusive???
Cheers,
Leonie.

[forthefamily]

LoneyBones 

Exactly.

mab