I have spent decades creating and documneting my family tree. I have spent hundres if not thousands of hlurs scouring over records, tombstones, microfilms, etc. I have travelled from one end of the country to the other and spent many thousands of dollars compiling my research and documenting my sources. All in the name of good genealogy. I made the mistake of assuming people were honest and had integrity (and I still believe most do). Bill Baynton sent a freind of mine an e-mail one day. Her, myself and anotehr lady had been working on our shared lines as a group. We shared between ourtselves willingly and openly and never had a problem. So Bill presented himself nicely, we shared some lines and the three of us shared our information with Bill. I personally shared everythign I had..........and willingly. So why do I write this. Bill decided to take decades of research from three higly competent genealogist's and posted it on damn near every site he could find as his own work. this may sound like sour grapes, and maybe it is, but, DO NOT share anything with him that you do not want posted from hewre to China and back.


Scott Mills

I was a little more than shocked to see your posting, Scott. I wish you had raised your views with me directly, so that I had an opportunity to respond, as I have below. If my memory is correct, I last tried to contact you by email, but your address had changed (although I'm reasonably certain I would have then contacted Lorine).

You are correct that, through Lorine, I found our common past, augmented by her arranging contact with you and another family researcher.

My complete line is posted only on RootsWeb, although I have truncated lines on GenesReunited and Ancestry.

I would be very surprised if you were able to cite any correspondence to anyone where I take credit for 1st-hand research. In fact, in my electronic notes in my tree (at the parent level), I typically show the source - to remind me and to enable me to steer others to the source. In this instance, at various places, I have cited the olivetree web source as well as Lorine. The purpose of my manner of citation is to assist me - the absence of citation on descendants isn't intended to seek credit. I am quite certain that would be reflected in any correspondence I have with anyone - I typically offer to connect them with the source.

I am also quite certain that I would have shared everything that I knew of our line, which included information you did not have.

I think if you did any kind of checking on my background, the one thing you wouldn't suggest is that I lack integrity or claim work performed by others.

Bill