I know it seems a strange thing to ask Doreen but did you check that both lines have uploaded to FMP
?
Goodness me Kirsten, 40 years of research I should jolly well think you do have a 'fair bit'. The beginning of my own interest (not the actual start of research) began the day I heard an elderly Uncle (my father's older brother by some 10 years) declare "of course you know your Great Grandmother was Irish and came from Galway" - and of course I hadn't known and Dad had never said a word about an Irish connection. That conversation took place around 1980 and -despite the age difference between the brothers -both died in 1982. I can trace the beginning of my own research a couple of years later and in earnest in the 1990's.
I have trouble with the word 'abused' and my answer will reflect my own experiences. I am only concerned with having the information on my own Tree as accurate as I can make it and in my early days of research sadly took a wrong turning. I was alerted to this by another Ancestry member who like you 'explained' where he thought I had gone wrong. At first I was defensive, but it soon became obvious I had added an Ancestor who did not belong. The other Tree owner was right and I was wrong, as simple as that. I deleted the incorrect data, re-researched the line, and found the true connections. I thanked the person profusely and he admitted it had made him check his own facts and was sorry to lose me as a potential 'cousin'. That for me became an epiphany moment.
Unfortunately it's not just the people who carelessly misuse trees that are harmed - other innocent researchers, especially beginners, might reasonably assume that someone with a very large tree is also very knowledgeable (whereas the reverse is usually the case, LostCousins members being honourable exceptions).
Hi Heather, It was all uploaded as one tree. It occurred to me this morning that all the hints I have received are from Nottinghamshire/Lincolnshire which is my maternal line. Paternal line is Cornwall/Devon/Kent - so I'll wait patiently to see if they show up.I know it seems a strange thing to ask Doreen but did you check that both lines have uploaded to FMP
Yes I cannot deny the truth of what you say and will include myself within the ranks of the honourable exceptions. Big is not always best, and when starting out one can be influenced by a Tree that purports to have all the answers. I'm afraid experience is the only teacher and in time it is the work of the moment to spot inconsistencies. However until fully experienced the inconsistencies may, of course, be in your own Tree; thus you learn as you go.
There is only room for one sceptic in the family and I am afraid my wife holds that post. I am inclined to believe 'true' until I am able to prove a 'false', or put another way, once bitten twice shy. My wife calls that my stubborn streak.
Bob, I hope your wife doesn't allow you to answer the phone, otherwise you'll end up with over-priced double-glazing, make claims for accidents that didn't happen, and seek compensation for PPI that you didn't buy in the first place.
Well not so much I am not allowed to answer the phone, just I rarely do as I hate phones especially landline. However it can be a sore point unless my wife shouts upstairs when in my office 'get the phone if it rings' (yes I know I am not likely to answer a phone that doesn't ring) as I usually allow it to go through its 5 allotted rings before it defaults to the Answer Machine. I then find out she has gone into the garden and forgot to ask me to get the phone, which leads to interesting exchange when she discovers there is a message left.
). Since then my trees are private and I share them with cousins. I really like TribalPages too.
...but had whole branches copied right up to living people (this was many years ago when I obviously just didn't think!!
Glad you like Tribal pages. This is my favourite online data base and, as indicated in a previous post, contains far, far more recorded data and information than ever entrusted to Ancestry.
