I have had several successful corrections on info found on the net. Examples: 1) I was desperately searching for any scrap of info on an ancestor and low and behold there on the net was a source for me to go get a copy of. Unfortunately, after ordering it through interlibrary loan, it was not on the page stated. So I contacted the Ancestry.com Tree contact and his reply: "I apologize. I entered the wrong cite. Here is the right one." And it was. 2) When I was a newbie an online ancestry.com contact gave me the best advice I ever got. Verify, Verify, Verify. He had been doing this some 28 years and most of his info was impecable for that reason. Then one day I ran across a source doc that disproved our connection. I was unhappy of course, that he was not family. But in the meantime I had made a great friend. So I emailed and he immediately checked it out and corrected his tree, as I did mine. The George Reid we thought connected us with daughter Phebe age 24 1850 census was actually not my Phebe Reid age 24 1850 Census. As it so happens George was my Phebe's uncle and he named his daughter Phebe also. There were a gazzillion Phebe's in this family. In 1860 one was in IL the other in MO with her husband and children on the 1860 Censuses, So mistakes happen. Me, I type 60 mistakes a minute !!! and although I try to proof read as well as I can, and Family tree maker alerts me when I put people in 100 years off, one or 2 things have slipped through. People have contacted me and when I do that and I am always happy to make corrections with common sense such as the 100 year mistake. Or with source docs for any other oops! My problem with Ancestry.com's current combined trees without my permission or even knowledge with other contributors' trees contribute to some of that "inextricably mixed" lines that don't belong together. So I went to Rootsweb.com where my tree stays my tree. Well, it did. I am concerned lately, as I see some signs it is getting more and more like ancestry. Don't get me wrong. I love Ancestry.com for it's source docs. But the trees are there, for me anyway, only for clues. I have done my share of time in dusty courthouses, State Libraries, and gen soc & in front of microfilm. But it certainly helps to know what state at least, and hopefully, which county to begin the search. VERIFY VERIFY VERIFY. Maylene In a message dated 5/19/2010 11:54:14 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, [log in to unmask] writes: Lou I couldn't agree more - The internet is like a huge magnet, enticing stupid people to do stupid things. Facebook and all the other social networks that are readily available is an excellent example. Many years ago I tried my darnedest to get all the miss-information about various family surnames either changed or taken off Ancestry and the LDS site. Of more than a couple a dozen emails I sent out to the addresses that were available only one bothered to reply and that knuckle Head just said "Who the H__ cares." With that kind of mind set there isn't much one can do except to avoid the donated material all together. I have been following this discussion since it started and as yet I haven't read one person say they have had a totally acceptable experience. Some were willing to take the information as is so they could check it out - HELLO - wouldn't it be better to do your own research? At least you would know what information was REALLY questionable. So much information has been loaded onto the internet in the past few years a person might think he or she can go all the way back to Adam and Eve with no problem at all. But it is so much more fun to get a little dirty and dusty and visit some musty old Court Houses - Libraries - Historical Societies and tramp through a few cemeteries(don't forget your digital). You wont find everything sitting on your butt all day in front of your computer. Have a good one guys, Fern www.bufordfamilies.com From: Lou Poole Sent: Wednesday, May 19, 2010 8:32 AM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: [VA-ROOTS] reliable sources I have been following this discussion closely, and though I have quite a number of comments I could make, I'll confine myself to the one overriding question I'd like an answer for, or to... Why does someone post family information, usually asserted as truth by omission of any discussion or caveats, when they do not know it to be reasonably correct? In the past when I've encountered such incorrect information I've thought I was doing the person who posted the information, and the people who might encounter it, a favor by trying to contact them with a reasoned, factual rebuttal and/or correction that includes primary source documentation. My experience: 1) about half the time I can find no way to contact the person who posted the information 2) about half the time that I can find a contact address, I get no response when I attempt to contact them 3) about half the time that I do get a response, the response comes across as somewhere between disbelief and outrage that I should even be questioning the incorrect data. 4) and finally, about half the time I do get a chance to make my case, it is ignored, with no explanation as to why. (and bless the remaining less than 10% of the people who post, who do respond, and who are willing to discuss the issue(s) with an open and objective mind.) So, again, I ask why do people feel compelled to post information if they want no feed-back, no discussion, no corrections, or even the opportunity to correct my interpretation if I'm wrong? Am I wrong if I tentatively conclude that such postings have nothing to do with genealogy and everything to do with ego on the part of the poster? Lou Poole To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-roots.html ---------------------------------------------- -------------------------------- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 8.5.437 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/2883 - Release Date: 05/19/10 06:26:00 To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-roots.html To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-roots.html