Genealogy Chat

Hi

Visited Chester Record Office today looking for a Thomas Dutton and Sarah Jackson married, according to the IGI (submitted record) on 13th May 1813 at St Oswalds, Chester.

I searched for this parish record and when I asked for advice as I couldnt find it, we managed to locate it, same date but it was in St Johns Church Chester instead of St Oswalds.

I know this record is mine as the place, date and occupations all tie in but just wondered if there was any way I could amend the record on IGI to read correct.

Marilyn

Maybe you could submit your own record?

I am wondering about correcting parish records. I was looking through the film of the Kirkburton parish records and found my gt grandfathers baptism with d.o.b. in the margin. I kept going through the film and found the youngest sibling, in the correct year going by his age on the censuses. A few months later (in the records) I found the 3 middle siblings all bapt on the same day, with d.o.b. in the margin (all correct for ages on censuses) BUT their father was named as John (my gt grandfathers name) not William as it should have been. Obviously a clerical error. Perhaps William was sick that day and John was standing in for him. Or the person who wrote it up got confused.

Huia.

Just been told to use contact button at bottom of page, will probably try that, thanks for replying. perhaps they were in a hurry when typing the record

Marilyn

They are probably Americans, Joan. The people on Ancestry who have my sister in their trees m to a man b in 1723 all seem to be American. They dont do any real research, just grab anything and make it fit in with what they want. Then others copy it, due to the hints system.

I know not all Americans are like that, there are some good ones around, so please dont jump on me if you are American. There are probably people in other countries who are just as stupid. It is just that I have found this one example and it really riles me.

Huia.

Marilyn - you have to bear in mind that the IGI was not created for the benefit of us family historians. "Submitted" entries are submitted by members of the LDS Church (Mormons) to enable their deceased ancestors to be baptised in the Mormon faith. So they don't need to be accurate, just plausible.

Not all submitted entries are from Mormons John - anyone can submit a tree on there. Much to my own shame 6 years back when I was an excited newbie I also put on some incorrect info. Sadly I then found that you cant change information, only put on a further corrected tree. Thats why you will often see 3 or more similar submissions on there.

Chica in the Sun put up a post about this a few weeks ago. It sounds as if the idea of being able to open up the catalogue to public comment and to improve its reliability is something the Mormons are interested in. Part of a May 2008 press release said:

"... FamilyLink.com will also add an annotation feature that will encourage user contributions and make the catalog much more dynamic and current. Users will be able to add or suggest a new source, enhance an existing source by adding a place (location) or a time period, and rate and review a source based on its usefulness."

(FamilyLink being the software providers who are teaming up with the Mormons to enhance their Family History Catalogue)

Ivy, I suddenly saw my name there, first time anyone has referred to something I´ve posted. I´m chuffed to bits!

IGI compilers have been aware for many years that the whole program needs updating. The press release is very welcome news. It should also be possible soon to eliminate the numerous copies which are found on IGI and correlate user suggestions. So hopefully we will be able to submit corrections with authentic documentation where possible.

Chica

The free Cen do not like to be corrected either.My grandfathers was Alfred G but has been listed as George E, now I know that sometimes original documents are difficult to read and when I asked for a correction I was told "that was the way it was transcribed" so thats the way it stays, even though I have both his birth and death certificates and him living at the address.

I tried the contact button at the bottom but after I had put all the info on, it still kept asking me for the information I had already entered again eg name, email address, subject etc., and I couldnt get any further,so I gave up.

Was just trying to save someone else the trouble of searching everywhere in Chester when I could have told them the correct church.

Will probably try again some time soon.

Marilyn