Nel,

You are correct about Rootsweb.... I like posting to that site because they
don't sell our information...True, researchers can download gedcoms and claim
the research as their own, but I think that happens no matter what we do.....

As for those published genealogists, I salute you.... Your efforts and
expense are truly appreciated by me  and most family researchers I know....In my own
research I have been very blessed to have connected to several of my family
lines through sites such as rootsweb....When I incorporate their research into
my gedcom, I will list them or the publication as source... Last year I was
finally able to prove my 4th great-grandmother's maiden name.....For years one
family listed her with one name and another a different name....It was clear
that this woman had been married prior to her marriage to my 4th
great-grandfather and that was the cause of the confusion in names.... Through posts on sites
where she lived I was able to connect to a man who was researching her first
husband's family...He kindly shared the information he had on that family
(which I might add matched the documented Info I had) complete with documented
records and even something like 80 pages of loose papers filed with the probate
records of the first husband's fathers will.... This Will gave me the
information I needed and proof that my grandmother was infact who I thought she
was....Since both of these family lines had been published by two professional family
genealogist, I contacted both genealogist and sent them the new
information....Both have accepted this information and the validation for it and it will be
incorporated in future publications or at least in family gedcoms.....When
posting this new information on my gedcom I cite my sources and will provide
them on demand.....

I think many of us have been helped along the way by wonderful people that
are willing to share their information and I am truly grateful to their
kindness... I would hate to see that this sharing is discontinued as by sharing our
information it allows us all to benefit.. True, there are those that take and
never give but that is true with everything in life...I feel it is up to us to
make sure our information is documented and can be proved before we pass it on
or at least note any speculations as such.....I too have chased several
families in the wrong direction due to unproven and inccorect genealogy and yes it
is time consuming and can be expensive...Due to that I learned early on to
always check the sources regardless of how good they seem....

I realize that many of us spend endless hours and many dollars collecting the
information on our families, however I for one do not believe that any one
person is the sole owner of a family's roots....I also don't feel that I owe
this information to takers but I do believe in sharing with those that will also
share....I would hate to see all of us become selfish with our research as
sharing really is essential to this endeavor.....

I have found in the years of researching that facts are fairly easy to obtain
as are documents, however family traditions, oral histories, family pictures
and so many other facts must be obtained by sharing....These are the things I
do not include in my gedcoms posted on line...These are the things that make
my research worth while and are not needed by all...... These are the things
that I treasure and consider a gift which I treat as just that...... These are
the things that I don't share as willingly but rather share with those who are
serious about their search and have only the need to learn of the daily life
of their ancestors and how it relates to them so many years removed......

As we all know the LDS library which for years was one of the best sources
for genealogist has become damaged due to undocumented and incorrect
lineages.....It is a shame that this has been allowed to happen but it has...So again we
see the importance of validating our information before entering it as fact....

 A couple of years ago, I met a woman on line who told me she did her
genealogy on line and had finished it..... Imagine my surprise when she told me it
took her like a couple of days....Now we all know that this research takes much
more than a couple of days as many of us are into years and years of
research....We also know that this research will never actually be finished at least
not in our lifetimes.....I can only imagine what her lineage looks like and all
the errors that she is now entering on line for others to copy and continue to
carry on incorrectly....

The internet has been a wonderful place for so many of us researching our
family roots... It has opened doors that previously were closed to us or too far
away to get to...However, as we all know, one can not do a complete genealogy
for their family strictly on the internet.... It takes many hours of searching
records in state archives, historical societies and county courthouses.....I
am sure all of you have had those days when the eyes just can't take anymore
abuse trying to decipher the handwriting of years gone by......I also remember
the many days I have tramped through old family cemteries in rain, snow etc.,
telling my husband I am almost finished only to see he knows that we will be
here for quite a while longer LOL......

I think I have paid my dues with this research, as Ihave learned what is
important in finding clues to my past.... I have visited many old and dusty record
rooms and sorted through boxes of files to find those that will give me the
one document I need.... I guess you could say, I have finally earned my title
of family genealogist in my family as I am sure have many of you....So, my
reason for writing is this........We have an obligation to ourselves and our
ancestors and that is passing down our roots as accurate and precise as we possibly
can...... We are also responsible for teaching new researchers the correct
way to validate and find the information they need... So, when we get an email
or a snail mail regarding our families being researched by a new family
genealogist, we need to give them a bit of help but more importantly we need to pass
on the rules of good genealogy research.....We are after all role models in
this endeavor and pioneers in this on line genealogy.... It is our
responsibility to set up the rules and the standards that will carry on long after we have
left this life.....

I hope we all remember that we also started out with little knowledge on how
to search and only with time and many mistakes have we found our way....Yes we
will always have those that refuse to do the work or take the time to
document sources or to cite sources, however we should not punish those that are
sincere about their research and only want to find their ancestors.....Genealogy
is an endeavor that relies on many in order to put all the pieces of the puzzle
together for a true picture...

Just my thoughts,
Pat Zielinski

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