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Linking up with others family trees

Replies: 16

Re: Linking up with others family trees

Posted: 23 May 2010 3:04PM GMT
Classification: Query
Cherie --
Let me add my two bits worth.
When I bought FTM 2010 I also subscribed to Ancestry.com.
I imported an old file into FTM (and there were problems with that), then I also created a tree on Ancestry.com. (I don't remember whether I uploaded it, or started it from scratch). But with the online tree, I soon had garbage in it just like you have. And just yesterday I looked at an online tree that had multiple listings of a child, just as you mentioned. So I quit updating the online file at all. It has junk in it, and I should delete it so that no one else copies it. I now use FTM for most of my work -- but, with a subscription to Ancestry.com FTM gives you hints (leafs) about online data that may relate to the person you are looking at in FTM. When you click on the leaf it takes you to a web browser that is built in to FTM, and lets you look at the suggested records. For many of those records you can choose whether or not to merge them into your FTM file. You have pretty good control over what you can merge -- you select each person suggested, and each fact presented. Nothing is perfect, though. I don't like the way Ancestry.com prepares source citations -- so I spend a lot of time editing them.

You still have to be very careful about merging records. Ancestry.com presents a lot of records that are just ideas or suggestions. Even census records that are presented may or may not be for the person you are looking at in FTM 2010. You have to look at dates, locations, and families to determine whether a person or fact relates to the person you have in FTM. One poster on this site says never never merge data from another tree (if I understood his post correctly). Well, I merge information from other trees a lot. That way I get ideas about where to look for supporting information. If I add a new person from an online tree, then Ancestry.com may find census records, other trees, many many other records supporting the person you have added. With FTM you can have more than one tree. You could have two trees -- one, a "research tree", another a documented tree. Do your research in the first tree -- then when you are satisfied that a person is in your tree, add them to your documented tree. (I haven't tried moving a person from one tree to another.)

Online genealogy isn't the only place where there is garbage. A prime motivation for getting involved was a family tree from my grandmother tracing our heritage back to the Mayflower. Because of that my wife bought me a book "Mayflower Increasings". Lo and behold, my link to the Mayflower wasn't there! I have done quite a bit of research, and still haven't proved the line past 1805. But as a result, I decided to try and find where and when my ancestors came from, and to document them back to when they came to America. That is my goal. But if I find ancestors who purportedly lived elsewhere, I will include them -- I am just not going to spend time trying to prove them -- at least not now. I have no desire to trace all of my cousins, except to the extent that having information about them may help me find sources about our common ancestors.
These are some of my experiences and goals. I hope it helps you find your way.

Jim Vincent
SubjectAuthorDate Posted
cheriemisas 22 May 2010 1:22AM GMT 
rworthington 22 May 2010 1:44AM GMT 
cheriemisas 22 May 2010 2:21AM GMT 
rworthington 22 May 2010 3:00AM GMT 
Jim Vincent 23 May 2010 9:04PM GMT 
AGHatchett3rd 24 May 2010 1:13AM GMT 
cheriemisas 24 May 2010 7:03PM GMT 
AGHatchett3rd 24 May 2010 9:34PM GMT 
rworthington 25 May 2010 4:34AM GMT 
AGHatchett3rd 22 May 2010 1:51AM GMT 
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