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How can I report an incorrectly indexed Family Search source?

Olson, Christina Michelle
Olson, Christina Michelle ✭
September 19, 2021 edited September 20, 2021 in Search

Hi there! So I was working my my family history today and came across a source in Family Search that has been incorrectly indexed. It was a US Census from 1850; here's the link: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M6J5-DQK. The person I've been working on, Domenicus or Dommicus Carman, is listed with his wife Elizabeth and their grandson Tristram. His and his wife's ages are listed as 55 and 51, respectively (as shown in the second photo, I couldn't get them to go in the right order). However, that doesn't match the timeline of their lives. I thought it could have been just different people, but there is a matching census for the same year and place on Ancestry that has them and their ages listed correctly as 85 and 81 (third and fourth photos): https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/9379506:8054?tid=&pid=&queryId=5504ee7d0bad558a2c91579e4f33c2bb&_phsrc=Tvj9&_phstart=successSource. When you look closely at the Family Search source, you can tell it actually says 85 and 81 (first photo). However, I don't see anywhere that I can report the incorrect information or correct the ages. Does anyone know how to do this? Thank you!

Family Search Actual Source.png
Family Search Source Details.png
Ancestry Actual Source.png
Ancestry Source Details.png


Tagged:
  • historical records
  • Correcting indexing errors
1

Answers

  • genthusiast
    genthusiast ✭✭✭✭✭
    September 20, 2021 edited September 23, 2021

    @Olson, Christina Michelle

    You are correct. Currently that 'age field' in the Discovery page for that Census page is not editable. Your report here of the need to edit the index should be sufficient - it might just take a little bit to get routed to the correct 'help' area. I do not know their capabilities to change the age in the index either.

    Generally though the Ancestry Index has done its job - it helped you locate the source document. Until the field is editable/corrected here in Familysearch - you can put the needed corrections in the Source attachment Reasons for attaching notes.

    I went in and attached the Census (from FamilySearch) as a source to Domenicus and edited that same source Reason for attachment for Elizabeth:

    Correct family in US Census 1850.

    House Number 130

    Line Number 9 household of Trist[a]m Haskell 3d/[III]

    Line Number 10 Dom[e]nicus Carm[o]n Age: [needs indexing correction 85]

    Line Number 11 Elizabeth Carm[o]n Age: [needs indexing correction 81]

    By the way, it appears I am 4th cousin 7 times removed from Domenicus. Hiya cousin?!

    I hope this helps!

    1
  • Tom123
    Tom123 ✭✭✭
    September 21, 2021

    You can report the error in indexing to the Help Center. You can contact the Help Center by click on the symbol on the right of the screen that is a ? mark. It will open an window, on the left side at bottom you will see Help Center. Click on it and it will give you a phone number or you can live Chat with them.

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