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How certain are you.......

ProfilePosted byOptionsPost Date

Gwyn in Kent

Gwyn in Kent Report 26 Jan 2008 19:51

I have a big stumbling block re. the parents of my GG grandfather.b. abt 1813.
I have alot of circumstantial evidence...'father' and son had the same trades, parents had children baptised in the same village at the right time...with convenient gap for my Henry but with no proof I haven't yet linked them.

I have tried to find more about the supposed parents and have them unlinked in a family history program.
They are waiting in the wings for me to find that missing piece of puzzle.
Some on GR have linked them but when I've written and asked how they found the link, it goes strangely quiet.

I think you do sometimes have to go with an informed guess....if everything suggests 'in all probability' but if it was a case of deciding between 2 people of the same name, as to which was an ancestor, I definitely would not include them.
6 months later. and much painstaking research...you might find the evidence that shows it was quite obviously the wrong link.

Gwyn

Margaret

Margaret Report 26 Jan 2008 16:13

Thankyou ladies,

I'm talking about my own 'personal' Tree - I would never give 'uncertain' info., to anyone.

That's the problem, I've got Birth, Marriage and Death Certificates, but pre-1837 it's not so easy.

Is 90% sure, as good as 100% certain?

M. Steer

~Looby Loo~

~Looby Loo~ Report 26 Jan 2008 15:50

Hi Margaret,

I keep 2 trees, one on here and one on FTM. The one on here is accurate. I keep my 'possibles' on FTM. But I still check this site for any possible connections. I back everything up with paper evidence be it from newspaper articles, BMD or baptism certificates, wills.

I also do NOT give access easily. I've been bitten twice and it won't happen again. I've found a few 3nd and 3rd cousins and although they'd hardly started on their FT, I'd given them copies of all 'our' families certificates etc. Once they received them I never heard from them again. I had hoped to meet up with them and extend our famiies. Never again, so please be wary. I usually send selected info by email now. Lou

Jill 2011 (aka Warrior Princess of Cilla!)

Jill 2011 (aka Warrior Princess of Cilla!) Report 26 Jan 2008 15:29

Hi Margaret

I'm careful about what I put on my offline tree and try to make sure that I can back up info with evidence.

On my tree on here I put everything - including my initial findings. Although most of my info on here is accurate some of it is a bit "drafty". I figure that if someone is researching the same names and I HAVE gone wrong then they will point it out. This has happened twice and has been really helpful.

Also, it means that I can honestly say to anyone who wants to see my tree on here that it is not 100% accurate as my accurate tree is offline. If they still want to go ahead and take huge chunks of info away and it turns out to be wrong then more fool them.

You could consider adding the info on your "instinct" one but with lots and lots of notes and caveats so that anyone else accessing your information can see how far you have gone with him.

You could also consider adding both of them onto your tree on here as someone on here may be researching one or the other and could help you sort out the details.

imp

imp Report 26 Jan 2008 15:28

What about other areas you can research to try and confirm you have the right person, Wills, Poor Laws, Marriage Licence, Bonds and Allegations..etc.

I tend to make a mini tree in preparation and when I am as sure as I can be I include it.

Gail

Margaret

Margaret Report 26 Jan 2008 15:23

of the accuracy of your info., before you add a name to your Tree?

I've been researching one of my 3 x Gt.Grandfathers - he's been a problem (there were two of them) I now think I've 'got him' but I'm not 100% certain.

Bearing in mind that this is pre- registration, should I go with my 'instinct' and add him or leave that 'line' at a dead-end?

M. Steer