Genealogy Chat

Hi Sue, I totally agree with OC,the exact same thing has happened to me and shes right some people dont seem to care if they have wrong info Hugs xx

I had to laugh a bit ago - a contact I have on here copied my tree, too. I noticed they had my grandfather William Siggs down as being born in Uckfield in Sussex - a lot of Siggs were from that area, but this one was from Lincolnshire. I e-mailed them to point out the correct information, and they sent a reply back saying, sorry, they had thought he was born in Sussex, but they seem to have chosen not to update their tree - you can't force them to, I suppose. The mind boggles. My grandad's name was William Everard Siggs, so it's quite distinctive - if they'd taken the time to check the birth index, they would have seen his birth was registered in Grantham. He got married and died in Nottinghamshire. I don't know that he ever even went as far south as Sussex. At least one of my other contacts persists in believing this man to have been born in Sussex. He wasn't - to get this family to the south of England (well, Suffolk), you have to trace back three generations from him. I suppose some people just don't like to be told. (Or won't be told.)

Have just read through the whole correspondence. Seems like good advice. I think you are doing the right thing to tell him and also to state your displeasure! Certainly if the information is wrong, I'd want to get it corrected, whatever his ethics might be, for the sake of other genuine researchers. I have had contact with a few people on the site many of whom have been most helpful, sending docs etc and I have attempted to reciprocate - I even found a great nephew of my grandmother and we have been able to exchange old photos and identify a few unknowns!. Some people haven't replied beyond an initial response, but I don't care if someone copies my tree and the details, if it helps them, as long as it is relevant to them.

Shelly in Northampton has said precisely what I was going to say.What does it matter if names from your tree are filched, I started checking on my forebears out of curiosity and hoped someone could point the way, my tree is open to all, after all if any of my relatives are theirs than they have as much right to that information as myself. I believe these sites are for info exchange, and what if they do make a pigs ear of it ,it won't damage your research, they are left in blissfull ignorance

Dear OC - you should change your name to 'Wise Old Crone'! thanks for your advice - I'm about to tell him now! Sue

Hi sue i understand where you're coming from. i suppose if something like that really bugged me, i would do what OC said. i would contact him and tell him how i felt, that his information is wrong and your concerned how it will affect furture research etc etc. whether he listens to you and does anything about it depends alot on his intelligence i'm afraid! best of luck michelle

Sue Send him a short pm saying you have discovered a major error in your tree, and would he like the correcting details. If he is just a name collector then he probably won't even reply - he won't care if his tree is wrong. If he does reply, you could take the opportunity to point out that you are displeased about the fact that he has copied the WHOLE of your tree and ask him what relevance your mother's side has to his tree. In my experience on here, people are very reluctant to correct information which they have copied, and which turns out to be wrong - at least nine people on here are descended from a sibling of my ancestor, who died aged 4! I have pm-d them all, telling them exactly where to find the death reference (in the parish death register, would you believe) but only one person has amended the information - the rest are quite happy to be completely wrong. It is the fact that they are all happily passing this incorrect information on to other people which REALLY makes me mad. OC

Michelle thanks for both answers (I think, lol!) I have no problem with sharing information from my tree - as you say thats the point of GR in fact when I opened my tree to this guy I suppose I knew that he would copy it but in my naivete I assumed that he would take only the bits relevant to his own tree ie our mutual ancestor and his direct descendants/ancestors. However some time back I was searching Ancestry for a connection on my mothers side going back into the 1700's when I found a tree with all the right details belonging to guess who! He is my relative on my fathers side and my mothers ancestors from 200yrs ago can have little or no bearing on his family (I'm probably going to get shot down inflames for saying that but its my opinion) Its that fact that has really irritated me, if another researcher contacted him he would not be able help them as he has no sources etc. And now I've just talked myself into telling him about the certificate - if another researcher contacts him over this he'll be giving them false information which really isn't fair. Thanks to you all for discussing this and helping me to get my head round it all! Sue

after that little rant, i forgot to answer the OPs question! lol I would tell the guy that his details are incorrect, then its up to him to do something about it. It may teach him to be more meticulous in his research! good luck michellex

i have seen this argument time and time again on this board, so heres my pennys worth! I personally dont have a problem with anyone taking details from my tree, including my notes. The information i have is correct to the best of my knowledge and if i'm unsure about something (eg i've been given names and dates by another GR member) i add notes to show that i'm in the process of verifying the information. I wouldnt like someone to have incorrect details that could be passed on to someone else. As for people who just like collecting names, so what! thats up to them, as long as the names and details are correct, its no skin off my nose. At the end of the day, my reasons for being a member on this site is to share information. I have been helped by some wonderful members (particularly when i've hit a brick wall!) and am only too happy to return the favour by helping others find their ancestry. If anyone gets miffed everytime someone copies details from their tree, then they shouldnt show their tree to anyone! but in my opinion that takes away the point of being a member on this site in the first place. michelle

Richard, I know that there are many people out there who have huge trees all fully sourced and its people like you that share your experience with us that has made GR a success. Your reply is really the other half of my quandary, yes he has pinched my tree and others but if I tell him of his error perhaps he'll change or will he just take the information and see it as another 'freebie'? I suppose the only way to find out is to start with Snowdrops idea and just tell him of his error and see what the reaction is... Sue (starting to feel mean again...)

'I tell our name collector and ruin his tree or leave him in peace with his 2500 names' Can I play devils advocate and stand up for this guy? First point I would like to make is having 2,500 names doesn't neccesarily make someone a 'name collector'. I know I have 2,000+ on my tree and these are the result of several years, hudreds of hours, and hundreds of pounds worth of hard work and effort! It seems a lot of people see a big tree and instantly get suspicous. I just wanted to make clear there are meticulous researchers out there with big trees. I do understand where your coming from. This site is all about sharing and for the most part my experience of that has been very positive, I've been helped greatly by relatives trees on here, and I know in turn they have been helped greatly by mine. But I did have one relative who copied my tree, even copying and pasting the notes in my own words, directly on to hers. Not even so much as a thank you either. I was annoyed when I had spent so long and so much researching these. However, when I calmed down I realised people don't always do this because they are lazy. If they are starting out they don't neccesarily understand this is even unacceptable, or appreciate the amount of hard work that has gone into the info they are 'ripping off'. They are probably like all of us just over the moon to find relatives, and ancestors, and want to add them to their tree. Maybe letting him know doing this has clearly lead to his info being wrong, might make him realise he has to take a more hands on approach to his research? Maybe not, but at least give him the benefit of the doubt and see how he reacts? Also I personally can't stand the thought of my ancestors details being up incorrect anywhere, whatever the reason. If nothing else it may confuse other members of your extended family researching in the future.

well iam new at this, but if it was me i would tell the gr mem, but i wouldt forward the info, revenge isnt nice......but it can be sweet. take care lynne

Me Too, GREAT idea Snowdrop. I know it sounds nasty but it's the 'minority' of these 'trophy name' hunters that spoil things for genuine folks.

I`m with Snowdrop too. Nana

Good Morning everyone! Thanks for all your support. I am very aware that the vast majority of GR members are genuine, helpful people and there are a couple of other contacts I've made who have become virtual friends with a genuine exchange of information and support, not to mention all the expert advice on the boards. I'll certainly think about telling him about the error but I'd probably start feeling sorry for him and tell him the name as well! Sue

LOL Im with snowdrop

Sue, I had this happen to me and like you I got different info when obtaining several certificates. I did advise this person but didnt give the new names and also removed them from my contacts. I hope you've done the same. Not everyone is like him and most only view or ask permission to copy relevant info. Sylvie.

My view is that you have to do your own individual research. So, it is up to him to be comfortable that his names are correct. I have corresponded with a number of people on here. I see it as a 'comparing of notes' and I always try to explain how I get to a conclusion. So far, that has worked very well for me and, I hope, others. The big advantage is not the acquisition of 'names' but usually it offers another avenue of research or the 'blindingly obvious' fact that one might have overlooked.

I'd write and tell him you have got the certificate and it backs up all your research and that he's got the wrong name in his tree (and therefore all lines going back from there) Except ....... I wouldn't give him the name. That's enough to drive anyone crazy - isn't it?