Hi
If you are doing a one name study - you may find it more helpful to buy an annual subscription to Ancestry which costs about £69.95 - this would lessen the amount of help you are asking for census lookups from others who have an Ancestry subscription as it would enable you to carry out these searches yourself
Whilst it is up to the individual concerned as to whether they choose to become involved in your study, I personally feel it is an imposition asking people to spend their time and efforts on one surname searches which may not even be your direct bloodline
Unfortunately from my perspective Ancestry doesn't always give the best results and may only tell you the answer if you know what the question is. That's why I use so many different sources.
The information I get from Rootschatters even though it is often not my direct line is often useful to other researchers as I disseminate information learned through various forums and through e-mails. We also have to remember that genealogical information disappears very quickly. The living die taking their family history with them. Often I find lines that either no-one is researching or there is one lone researcher. Often too, I have more information that the "official" recorder.
Future generations may not be able to research their lines because vital information was not recorded by earlier generations.Once the living go, there is no opportunity to ask questions or to seek clarifications.
I personally only realised what information I had lost when my parents and grandparents died as I did not start my genealogy work until after they had all gone and by then it was too late. Fortunately, others had some of it and I was able to reconstruct the family line for the most part but it will never be completely accurate.
So I spend my time collecting pieces to put into the Rossiter genealogical jigsaw not only for myself but for others now and in the future. My own daughter isnt really interested in genealogy at the moment but when I'm gone that may change and if it does she will have as complete a genealogy as I could give her to start from.
Collecting this information is my choice but it is only someone else's burden if they choose to make the same choice. When I post on Rootschat, I am simply asking for help.I am very conscious that I am making "requests". I try to supply as much information as I can. I ask politely and am suitably grateful when helped. I am also quite happy to share info and help fellow rootschatters.
Sometimes when I look at one of my query threads I will see that it has been visited by 50 people but there may be only 1 reply. I am very grateful for that 1 reply and it doesn't matter to me that the other 49 did not contribute.
If people cannot or don't help it's their right..and your right.. to take that choice especially as they..or you.. are doing research of their own. After all is does take time and effort and it the time and effort is yours then you are the one to decide whether or not it is all worth it.
I have no wish for my queries to be a burden to anyone. So if I post, please feel free to ignore it. In that way you will be happy and I'll be pleased for you. If the information is out there I'm sure I'll find it one way or another.
Best wishes
rcuser