Jim, I agree.
I have VERY difficult ancestry to trace.
No colonial or even English records to look at.
I have been very tenacious and have been willing to spend a lot of money to get records from
Eastern Europe. Then I have to spend money to have them translated. Records are scarce, many
have been destroyed in the wars.
My tree was public before my DNA testing. And lo and behold this very expensive information
was showing up on many trees .
Then I was tested and I ran into the private trees. A lot do not respond and I also am getting" I don't see a common name" responses. I have had 3 that have been great to work with.


I finally decide to go private hoping that perhaps I could use a barter system, you give me something
I'll give you my tree.
These people could give me some information that would help even if there wasn't a common name, like where in Europe their ancestors came from. I know where mine moved from, but I know they weren't in that area long. I have no idea where in Europe I might find them in 1800 .
But, if they are typical researchers with mostly colonial history, they don't get that aspect of figuring
out their genealogy.
when I hear that people just throw private trees in the trash, I get very frustrated.
Why not contact them and see if they might be willing to work with you.
If they don't respond, then perhaps throw them in the trash.
who knows , you might get someone like me who always responds and will share what I know , which
so far , is a whole lot more than they know.
I keep hoping I'll get lucky and find someone who knows more than I do and will give me the nugget
I need to move forward.