Ancestry strikes again!

[aghadowey]

There have probably been similar postings before about this but have just found a family tree on Ancestry which is making my blood boil and need to let off some steam (have just sent an email to the person posting the tree but not expecting much back).
My ancestor Andrew Lynd (age of death incorrect, by the way) is listed as the son of Andrew Holland instead of Andrew Lynd. Then, his wife is listed as died 'in Ballylagea Churchyard' (she's buried in Ballylaggan). Then, his son John is listed twice, once with some of his children and the 2nd time with all of them!
John Gilmore 1797-1867 is listed as son of Samuel Gilmore & Mary Jane Cooke (his mother was a Michael and Samuel Gilmore m. Mary Jane Cook was actually John's grandson). Then the tree lists 2 sons named Joseph- Joseph Dickey & Joseph William (actually Joseph Dickey's son).
The errors are endless and many of them would be easy enough to check before posting a tree. I know the mistake about John Gilmore's parents started in the 1950s when an American descendant came to Ireland to research the family but some are just common sense.
Not only are the errors annoying but could certain send other people running around on a wild goose chase.
As far as I know, the person who posted the tree is not even related to us (know this was covered recently here). Will see if she answers my email but in the meantime I am going to turn off the computer and relax for the evening.

[DeanneandTony]

I know this is in answer to an 'old' post and I'm sure there are many others out there but AAGGHH!  the things people put on their trees! 
I have just rejoined Ancestry for a while as I am tracking a friends family for them and I did a search on my family.
I found a number of trees with completely incorrect info on them on this particular family all of which could be verified easily elsewhere on the web.  Just to look at a few :

A great great aunt - born and died in Australia was according to this site born in Alsace in France and died there, or born there and died in Whittendon, Germany!  She died in Whitlam Street, Parkside, South Australia!  It's like Chinese Whispers!

Then my great great grandfather married my great great granny in the USA!  Well he came from Germany and she from Ireland but NOT via the USA.  They were married in Mt Barker, South Australia and she as a Catholic marrying into a very strict Lutheran family caused all sorts of issues.

Their son is seems didn't marry Jane, no he married someone called Ida Minnie in the USA.  Poor old Aunt Jane.  There did seem to be a bit of disturbance around their grave when I visited it the other day - bet she didn't even know he's skived off to the US with Ida 

I've sent those concerned emails but suspect I will either be ignored as I have in the past or abused - 

It is a worry though that people ignore the golden rule of genealogy and don't check their information.  I'm by no means blameless but I do try and it's frustrating to see so many myths out there when with very little trouble they could be dispelled.

Oh well, that's my rant for the day!
Deanne

[trish58]

Hi

I had the same problem on Ancestry with someone I had never heard of, the horror was that she had my Brother who had died with wrong information, my Father who had died, but 10 years prior to the truth, and my Grand Father married to another woman.

This person totally ignored all my request's to contact me, so I contacted Ancestry with the tree name (the other person) and all at once the tree vanished.
That was before I had the sense to go private....

Trish

[DeanneandTony]

Yes, a lesson to be learned!  I have had a couple of people contact me via Genes Reunited with a family tree that had my grandfather dying in 1950 (he died in 2006) and some other glaring thing which I can't now recall. 
One man had no idea where he had the information from but another man did, it had come to him from a women in the US who had it from someone in South Australia, whose husband had actually worked with my grandfather in the 1970's! 
The men changed their info but I don't think the woman in the US has and goodness knows how many others she has sent it to, not to mention the lady here in SA.
The woman in the US also mentioned once to me in passing that 'I know all about you, I have all your details!'  Funny thing but I'd never given them to her and I hate to think what they had wrong about me!

Deanne

[BumbleB]

Whilst I agree about the nonsense uploaded onto Ancestry (and Genes Reunited) by contributors, I can't really see what Ancestry or Genes can do about it.  Are we really expecting them to vet and verify every family tree on the site?   

In this instance I don't think we can blame Ancestry, but there are things that I can blame them for, but I won't go into that now.  At the moment I'm cool, calm and collected but unlikely to be so if I go into details. 

BumbleB

[Jay9]

Hi
I have seen several trees on Ancestry that have a lot of wrong information on my mothers side, they all seem to be copying each other without checking any of the info. If it is a public tree you are able to make a comment with their entries, I have done this on a couple of trees where the information was completely wrong, and very misleading, I have not been rude just made the comment that wrong parents are attached in hope that somebody else will not copy it and do their own research. One person actually removed both sets of parents that were wrong.
                                              Jan

[DeanneandTony]

Hi
Not blaming Ancestry and GR as such but just wishing that Ancestry in particular wouldn't make it so easy to just copy information and paste it on.  With Ancestry it can be info someone has put on years ago and they are no longer contactable and then the information just doesn't get changed.

I believe that people have had similar information with the member submitted information on familysearch.  I know that I have contacted someone on there about wrong information and even gave her my cousin's details because it regarded their mother.  But it's never been changed.  And usually you can't even see the details of who did submit that information.

At least with GR to see someone's trees you have to have their permission and you can comment more easily then.

I don't know the answer and obviously these sites can't vet each tree BUT it is frustrating that it could send the unwary on a completely wrong course and cost them lots of $$

Deanne

[bikermickau]

Not blaming Ancestry and GR as such but just wishing that Ancestry in particular wouldn't make it so easy to just copy information and paste it on.  With Ancestry it can be info someone has put on years ago and they are no longer contactable and then the information just doesn't get changed.

You can attach notes to individuals on Ancestry with the correct or disputed information.

My tree is on Rootsweb and there you can use postems. This tree also shows on Ancestry.

It won't cure the problem, but at least anyone looking can see there is a correction or disagreement about the information.

Mick

[DeanneandTony]

Thanks Mick
I'll have a look at that.
Deanne