WHAT IS THE POINT? by "Fed Up"

[Erato]

(And a question for Erato here : what is the point of posting a tree on-line if it is inaccurate and without sources ?)

Why ask me?  I've already said that I do not have an online tree myself, so I am hardly one to understand the motives of those who do.  I have no reason to believe, however, that the motives of people who post defective trees are any different from the motives of people who are so sure that their work is irreproachably correct.

[brigidmac]

DNA is throwing spanners into well researched trees

Just come across one where birth certificates  and family memory all say a child D belongs to one lady A & husband B
But  child Es  descendants  do not match relatives of A s sister  V
but do match relatives
of the father's B first wife + her own "sister" N s children

The logical explanation is that the "mother"  was actually  the 15 year old stepdaughter E s baby brought up  & registered & entered on trees s as sister to N   

but is actually an  aunt to N
 : B is her grandfather not father
E is her mother not an older half sister

This would not necessarily be known by descendants and they could just assume DNA results are incorrect as paperwork disproves it

I would never alter trees on family search but do add comments to my own trees on ancestry or to photos from galleries if I spot discrepancies on Ancestry. Tree owners can decide whether to alter or not and if they are no longer active hopefully new tree owners will take time to investigate " fact "

[Treetotal]

In the 16 years that I have been a member of Rootschat, I still can't believe how many people have raised issues about online trees. Genealogy is not an exact science and there will always be errors and misinformation out there. The best we can do, is to find as much supporting evidence for our own Family trees.
On the plus side, I have found documents and photos on online trees which I have been extremely grateful for and in turn, have sent items and photos to the tree owner.
Don't beat yourself up, it's a hobby to be enjoyed, their mistakes are their problem not yours.
Carol

[Erato]

"it's a hobby to be enjoyed"

Exactly.  And there are different ways to enjoy it.  I also collect sea shells.  Some shell collectors buy spectacular specimens of spectacular species.  Their shells are sort of like natural works of art and they take pleasure in them for that reason.  There's nothing wrong with that but it isn't what I do.  I never buy specimens because I enjoy finding them for myself and I specifically seek out the small, the insignificant and even the ugly species.  That's okay too.

[Kiltpin]

 What is the point of posting a tree on-line if it is inaccurate and without sources ?

To my mind, knowing what is not a good lead, or path to follow, is just as valuable as knowing a correct one. It eliminates hours and days of work for no benefit. 

Regards 

Chas

[Sam Swift]

I do know of someone who deliberately posted inaccurate family information on purpose, to see how many of those who were copying facts actually bothered to critically evaluate the evidence or lack of.

[coombs]

Often an illegitimate grandchild was covered up as the parents last child. Someone finding out their much older sister or half sister is really their mother. I think my 3xgreat gran was a result of this, her mother was 51 at the time of the birth, who I think is her grandmother. The baby had an older sister's first name as her middle name. That older sister later went on to have more children out of wedlock.

[MaecW]

 What is the point of posting a tree on-line if it is inaccurate and without sources ?

To my mind, knowing what is not a good lead, or path to follow, is just as valuable as knowing a correct one. It eliminates hours and days of work for no benefit. 

Regards 

Chas

Agreed. But how do you know it is not a good lead or path without checking it out, which is made more difficult by having no sources ?

[frederickay]

My tree is a muddle not because I haven't read newspapers ,visited libraries,met professors ,written hundreds of letters ,visited numerous countries and countless graveyards BUT because I always think I will remember my sources .. I don't … or I will remember who that is in the photo . I accept and seek help from many sources and accept the peoples better filing system than mine . My tree is the best I can but I haven't mastered the merge button .I have generations of John , William,and Isabella Wharton all living within 10 miles of each other and don't get me started on  all the William , Ralph and John Jutsums in Devon .
I  to get annoyed by people that have my extended family  down to my parents in their trees but will not accept with my screeds of  written info mation that they have gt gt gt gt granddad and mom wrong and therefore all their years of work coming forward is incorrect .
I thank all the rootschatters on here that have helped me over the years . Fred .