Help needed. Stuck on which path to follow??

[terryf2010]

Hi,

Sorry to bother everyone but I am stuck on my family tree and unsure which path to follow?
My predicament starts with ROBERT FERGUSON born 1786 in Longnewton who was married to Ann Dryden.
The help I need is who his correct father is? He is in tons family trees on ancestry and there are differing accounts of his father.
The most common path from most on ancestry is that his parents where John Ferguson 1749 (no proof or records) born in Egglescliffe and his mother was Margaret Hutton from Egglescliffe. Howver there is no records or proof of this. I have found a birth index which states his  parents where John Ferguson and Margaret but thats were i run dry. Someone once informed me his father was john ferguson from stokesley 1759 and i based my investigations from him for years however i am not sure anymore as once again there is no proof i can find of this. Alot of others have made real progress and gone back quite far on from this Robert Ferguson from Longnewton 1786 but i want to make sure i have it correct and not just follow others without any proof or records etc.
       I was wondering if somebody could help me out on which path is correct or if I could find out anything more myself from somewhere ie records etc? Any tips or advice? Or possibly someone knows for definate who his father was who is reading this from there own tree etc
If anyone could be of a help that would be much appreciated as ive been stuck here for years
Thankyou

[Mart 'n' Al]

Commonality on Ancestry should not be one of your choices. You should be looking for certifiable proof, not the tree which has been copied the most. Read about the genealogical proof standard.

Martin

[RJ_Paton]

As Martin says although there are some extremely well researched trees on Ancestry there is also a lot of dross.

Look at the trees you have found check their sources (you may find the group of three  have copied each other and cited each other as a source - it happens but it isn't good research)

Once you have isolated the sources check to find independant verification of the data

You may have to follow a few trails to dead ends (no pun intended) to eliminate them from your research but it is all part and parcel of what we do.

[josey]

Just checking [as you have asked how to use ancestry trees to decide which path to follow] you have used documentary evidence back from yourself and NOT ancestry trees to conclude John Ferguson 1749 is part of your tree?

So I agree with Martin & Falkryn about the way forward, as long as the way to this point is verifiable. 

[terryf2010]

Hi thankyou all for your help. Its much appreciated.
Yes i have used documented proof up to Robert Ferguson 1786
Thanks again

[Craclyn]

Maybe start by looking to see if there are any other more feasible alternatives than those that the others have found. Sometimes people miss the obvious because they get sidetracked into comparison with other trees.

[josey]

Not a clincher by any means but you could try looking for a naming pattern with different sets of parents.

[bevj]

How do you know that he was born in Egglescliffe in 1749?
Bev

[Gibel]

Have you a copy of the actual entry for Robert’s baptism and his marriage? If not I would get these as there may be additional information not given on a transcript.