WHAT IS THE POINT? by "Fed Up"

[coombs]

In recent days I have been adding lots of sources to my family tree on Ancestry such as more census entries, PR's etc, ones that I have checked for myself first before accepting them.

My ancestor wed in Burford, Oxfordshire in 1685 and he was said to be of Winslow, Bucks, which is many miles away, about 30 as the crow flies. He was a hatter and haberdasher. Goes to show that unless there is a source, it can be hard to tell if they came from another parish either near to their residence or miles away.

[JAKnighton]

My 5x great-grandfather William Smith, who lived in Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire, lived just long enough to appear on the 1851 census where it was revealed that he was born in Leckhampstead, Buckinghamshire; 60 miles away.

Had he died prior to the census I would never have guessed he was born there. It would have been a complete brick wall. As it stands, I have been able to trace his family back a further two generations in Leckhampstead.

[coombs]

My 5x great-grandfather William Smith, who lived in Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire, lived just long enough to appear on the 1851 census where it was revealed that he was born in Leckhampstead, Buckinghamshire; 60 miles away.

Had he died prior to the census I would never have guessed he was born there. It would have been a complete brick wall. As it stands, I have been able to trace his family back a further two generations in Leckhampstead.

Lucky you as my ancestor James Smith is on the 1841 census in Oxford, not born in county of residence he says in 1841, and died in July 1849. I also have two other direct ancestors who died just before the 1851 census and said "not born in county" in 1841. One of the I think came from Cambridgeshire and the other maybe from Dorset as her late husband was from there, he died in 1831.

I wonder if my James Smith was from a neighbouring county such as Berks, Bucks or Gloucestershire. One of the witnesses to his 1819 marriage was born in Buckinghamshire, and her aunty married a Smith but due to the surname it may be coincidence. The other witness had an Irish or Scottish surname, Carney, and was originally from London and worked in a similar trade.

I have not found any settlement or apprenticeship records yet for James Smith but he was a tin plate worker.

Maybe Ancestry DNA will be the best answer.

[Rena]

Something drew me back to my familysearch tree today.  The last time I visited, I discovered somebody had changed Munford to Mumford.  This time I discovered that a mysterious Jonathon has decided that my gt. grandmother's surname should be amended from Munford to Memford.

I hope I'm not drawn back to that website again.

[BumbleB]

I hope I'm not drawn back to that website again.

Seems like a good idea.  But then, I don't have an online tree anywhere as I see so many instances of people altering other people's trees.  BUT I am more than willing to share my knowledge, if asked and I have been known to offer information to those who might have strayed from the truth.

AND I will always remember attending the local FS search room and overhearing a conversation between a member and someone who was uploading their tree - "But I'm not sure I've got the right wife".  "It doesn't matter" was the response from the church member.   

[Rena]

I hope I'm not drawn back to that website again.

Seems like a good idea.  But then, I don't have an online tree anywhere as I see so many instances of people altering other people's trees.  BUT I am more than willing to share my knowledge, if asked and I have been known to offer information to those who might have strayed from the truth.

AND I will always remember attending the local FS search room and overhearing a conversation between a member and someone who was uploading their tree - "But I'm not sure I've got the right wife".  "It doesn't matter" was the response from the church member.   

It obviously mattered to TWO people who have recently amended Maria Munford's profile on MY tree.

The other amendment has her marrying a man more than twice her age, but no back up documentation.

I really must not look at my tree again.
I really must not look at my tree again
I really must not look at my tree again
ad nauseum

[aghadowey]

Worse than that, BumbleB, years ago a genealogist (charging lots of money) contacted me about information on a local family that I had actually already researched. When I corrected her information (and explained why she had to have found the details for another relative with the same name) she said it didn't matter because it was for someone in America and they'd never know the difference. Fast forward a few years later and the American client contacted me looking for more local information so I explained that the research she had paid for was incorrect (people usually don't produce children that are older than themselves for a start). She seemed a bit annoyed and I never heard from her again. Goodness knows how that family tree ever turned out!

[BumbleB]

Not sure you can do this, BUT you could always remove your tree from public view   

I have been known to add comments to trees on Ancestry where information on my families are incorrect, BUT they are only comments and offered with back-up.

aghadowey - how dreadful   

ADDED:  Lesson learned - DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH

[jnomad]

The trouble with Family Search is that a tree there with your family on it isn’t yours.