Creepy goings on.

[Johnf04]

How can you "own" your ancestors? What difference does it make to you, if someone takes online information you have provided? Are your ancestors any less yours, if someone else copies them?

[phenolphthalein]

lets assume you are an only child. And I a very distant cousin. I put online (when you would not publish yourself) your mum and dads marriage both of their mums and dads and all their grandparents. How would you FEEL. Now assume your name isn't smith but say Quidditch

how would you FEEL

[phenolphthalein]

Dear pharmaT and Rosinish

thank you for past kindnesses. I too collect names of rellies etc. People lived in families and had colleagues, employers etc. But I like you do not put them in public trees. Paper and home computer for me. Nothing in public.

More generally
If it is only 150 years or so and you are not a direct descendant then they are not yours. Do not put them on a public tree. They are not yours. Keep them private. Allow someone else fun and privacy. Its like not smoking inside or noise pollution.

As for the distant rellies who published my father's (an only child's) parents, grandparents and greatgrandparent's on both sides on line.
You can not be descended from both sides. dad was an only child.
And where were your rellies when dad was little. Busy neglecting a widow and child!!!
You get a sense of stolen pride from granddad's war record do you? Well your ancestors did not write to him at the front or afterwards. We have his letters.

Proud of yourself for following two rare names. It takes real cleverness that.
You should be proud of yourselves and the care your ancestor's did not take of a widow and child. And as for that 1920s woman you purport to represent nan
-- she was much classier than that -- you can shove it.

As for those RCs constantly demanding names and giving dictionary definitions and treaing others like dirt .. well surprise, surprise you get it wrong and muddy waters apart from stealing others fun

BE polite
LEAVE people their own history and room for fun

[Johnf04]

Why bother, then, putting any of your information online, if you are so protective of it? Keep it offline.

[pharmaT]

lets assume you are an only child. And I a very distant cousin. I put online (when you would not publish yourself) your mum and dads marriage both of their mums and dads and all their grandparents. How would you FEEL. Now assume your name isn't smith but say Quidditch

how would you FEEL

I am an only child, so was my paternal grandfather. It would only bother me if details of those still alive were made public. well I did get a little upset by the tree in which i was killed off. I don't feel they are any less my family by others having them in my tree. I fact that person is likely to be some sort of cousin, how ever many back. It doesnt stop me having fun researching or stop me getting satisfaction from confirming my research is accurate.

I do have others in my tree who are not blood relatives. I am slowing building up trees for my daughters so I am researching their father's side.

I would find it incredibly bizarre if they had a random person's picture attached to someone. It could be a genuine mistake, they could have been told it was her in the photo.

I have an online tree but it is private and non searchable.  I did make it public for about 10 days after feeling pressurised by another thread on here in which I  was called "the very definition of selfish " for keeping my research private.  My main reason for keeping it private is that I consider it a work in progress and it was drummed into me not to publish incomplete research.

I also don't think I've ever been rude to  anyone. I always reply to messages. Not necessarily the same day if I've worked a long day.

[3sillydogs]

I agree with you Pharma.  My tree is also private as like you I consider it a work in progress.  I have a few trees, all private, each was done for a specific purpose. I am not an only child, nor were my parents, and some of my ancestors had many children.

The only tree that I have which is public is the one on Family Search and only because their records for South Africa are quite good and it is for one particular branch of the family.  I have had lots of leads from that, but still have to check them out before adding them to my private tree.

The fun is in the search, breaking down a brick wall, connecting with others who share the same interests and don't look at you as if you are completely bonkers and perhaps finding new family along the way.

[phenolphthalein]

pharmaT
Once again thank you
Always polite always kind
LUV

[phenolphthalein]

Why bother, then, putting any of your information online, if you are so protective of it? Keep it offline.

That is what I do. It is not online by me. Only by thieves.

If you did not feel a sense of ownership of your ancestors you would not be doing family history.

they have taken all my dad's history which in no way did I give them and to which they do  not belong.

[phenolphthalein]

I agree with you Pharma.  My tree is also private as like you I consider it a work in progress.  I have a few trees, all private, each was done for a specific purpose. I am not an only child, nor were my parents, and some of my ancestors had many children.

The only tree that I have which is public is the one on Family Search and only because their records for South Africa are quite good and it is for one particular branch of the family.  I have had lots of leads from that, but still have to check them out before adding them to my private tree.

The fun is in the search, breaking down a brick wall, connecting with others who share the same interests and don't look at you as if you are completely bonkers and perhaps finding new family along the way.

Exactly.
It is not in having it hijacked.
I like going off on a distant rellies' employer but would not dream of putting it on line.
To some of them my early Australians own a great debt of gratitude for their kindness.
I would not dream of putting mine online.

Now how do I get to treasure my dad.

You and your dogs are far from silly.
phenolphthalein