Confused about data on family tree sites.

[aghadowey]

I checked this part of my family tree again and realized that William Owens, 1734-1839 was considerably younger than his supposed sister Jean - she was born in 1713. I was thinking William Owens and Matilda Knox could be her parents, if not hers. That would mean I would have to delete a lot of names from our family tree.

Sigh.

Gillian

Twenty or more years between siblings is entirely possible especially in the days of large families. My grandfather, the youngest of ten, was 22 years younger that the oldest child. His mother died just after he was born and father when he was in his teens but he was raised mainly by oldest sister and brother and had 2 nephews his age.

[Sinann]

I checked this part of my family tree again and realized that William Owens, 1734-1839 was considerably younger than his supposed sister Jean - she was born in 1713. I was thinking William Owens and Matilda Knox could be her parents, if not hers. That would mean I would have to delete a lot of names from our family tree.

Sigh.

Gillian

Twenty or more years between siblings is entirely possible especially in the days of large families. My grandfather, the youngest of ten, was 22 years younger that the oldest child. His mother died just after he was born and father when he was in his teens but he was raised mainly by oldest sister and brother and had 2 nephews his age.

Much the same in my family, my mother last of nine, is 23 years younger the her sister who had already emigrated by the time little sister was born.
My eldest cousin is only seven years younger than my mother.

[J.A.M.]

I've had a similar experience with incorrect information. A distant cousin claims to have had her tree done by a professional genealogist and she says we are not related, even though I have presented her with documented evidence or our kinship.
Lazy, faulty research is the bane of us serious genealogists.

[hurworth]

I've just found an entry on Findagrave for a distant cousin which says she died from the effects of poison.  The contributor has added a newspaper article about the death.  The thing is, it's not our relative.  She died 25 years later.  The contributor has also added the who they think her children were (who are my relatives).

I'm not comfortable with people adding newspaper articles of such a nature.... it's tacky....but if you must do it at least get the correct person and get the facts right!

[Gilli-Anne]

I wonder if some people are just so eager to have a massive family tree that they don’t care if the information they put in is correct or not.

Gillian

[Billyblue]

I wonder if some people are just so eager to have a massive family tree that they don’t care if the information they put in is correct or not.

Gillian

Could be.  Though a lot of people from a certain country are notorious for saying/thinking "it's the same name so it must be mine" even though they can't substantiate what has happened in a 100 or 200 year gap in their records!         

Dawn M

[Gilli-Anne]

I wonder if some people are just so eager to have a massive family tree that they don’t care if the information they put in is correct or not.

Gillian

Could be.  Though a lot of people from a certain country are notorious for saying/thinking "it's the same name so it must be mine" even though they can't substantiate what has happened in a 100 or 200 year gap in their records!         

Dawn M

I think I’ll give up researching dates for William Owens and Matilda Knox. I can’t seem to find authentic information about them anywhere.

Gillian

[lizdb]

Never give up!!!!

I see you have dates for William Owens as 1734-1839.  That would make him 105 when he died - not impossible but highly unusual.
I cannot see a death in 1839 for a William Owens of that age.

So - before even beginning to think about his parents, you need to establish when he was born. Have you got a death cert? (with age) or a burial record? (with age - Im sure if he HAD lived to 105 this would be recorded in the parish record of his burial!).   If not - where did the 1734 year of birth come from ("other peoples trees" not being an acceptable source!!!).

Go one step at a time, confirming each step from as many sources as possible before moving back.

[hallmark]

Never give up!!!!

I see you have dates for William Owens as 1734-1839.  That would make him 105 when he died - not impossible but highly unusual.
I cannot see a death in 1839 for a William Owens of that age.

So - before even beginning to think about his parents, you need to establish when he was born. Have you got a death cert? (with age) or a burial record? (with age - Im sure if he HAD lived to 105 this would be recorded in the parish record of his burial!).   If not - where did the 1734 year of birth come from ("other peoples trees" not being an acceptable source!!!).

Go one step at a time, confirming each step from as many sources as possible before moving back.

Yes I doubt it too!

You're researching dates for William Owens and Matilda Knox..but you've given absolutely no details, clues and more importantly CLUES as to anything.

It seems you are fixated on something pulled from some tree, somewhere on Ancestry and posting it as factual!!

Where is the SOURCE that he died age 105??