How to correct incorrect information
I have noticed incorrect information of some names in the tree (e.g. misattributed parentage, non-existent children, etc.) How can this be corrected? Thanks.
Chris
Answers
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Because the FamilySearch Family Tree is a shared World-wide Tree, any user can make needed corrections if they find errors.
You have specifically mentioned problems with family relationships such as children who should not be connected to a set of parents, etc. Perhaps the following knowledge articles which are in the Help Center will be helpful to you. We have provided an article about how to correct parent-child relationships, and additional instruction about what to do if someone has an incorrect spouse. At the bottom of both of these articles you will find embedded links to other knowledge articles that will teach you more about using the FamilySearch software to correct problems you may encounter.
We wish you success as you begin making corrections in Family Tree.
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General (Community responder) comment: FamilySearch Family Tree is 'open-edit'. Any guest can at anytime edit any information about any person in the Tree (as long as they are not a 'protected-space'/locked person). If parents are wrongly connected you can edit the Relationship (pencil icon) and correct it. If children are listed incorrectly (I don't know about non-existent children - they were someone's children maybe not the person to whom you are referring) you can again edit the Parent-child relationship (pencil icon). Make sure to refer to records/documentation that supports your Edit in the Reason statement for the Edit.
I am sure if you search Help Center (question mark with circle icon in upper right area next to your community profile icon) you will find documents about Edit parent-child relationship.
I hope this helps.
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The specific non-existent child is just that - someone who never existed (i.e. never lived).
I will check out the references, but I wonder what would then prevent whomever attached a certain individual to a particular couple from simply undoing my work. It seems to me we could be yo-yo-ing back and forth.
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There is nothing to prevent anyone from editing any information on any persons in the Tree (for non-protected-space/unlocked persons). On the persons page (details page) you can click the star icon and build a list of people you follow to keep notice of edits by guest to those persons - but you would still have to go in and make correction for those - if needed (maybe some edits are positive). If edits become a yo-yo fest - it is best to reach out 'kindly' - through messaging options (chat balloon icon) or clicking on the Recent Change guest id - and try to communicate with the other person that their conclusions about a 'person' are 'incorrect' because of 'this documentation'. Most people should be reasonably persuaded when reasoned documentation is presented to them. What is troubling is when Edits are made - drive-by-edits - without any attached reason and relationships 'inexplicably' being altered - especially for well-documented persons. This can leave the Tree in a 'tangle' more difficult to sort out.
It would be interesting to find a non-existent person in the Tree - do those happen - yes - especially when perhaps the record indicating their existence is in error (the nick-name of the family cow etc).
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Maybe it was the cow - I'll have to check.
Thanks.
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On the information of WILBUR DEAN VOORHEES his mother's name was ELVA MARIE BROWN VOORHEES, he married BARBARA LUCILLE COX VOORHEES WISEMAN & her birthday was MAY 1, 1927. WILBUR DEAN & BARBARA were my parents & ELVA MARIE BROWN VOORHEES was my dad''s mother & my grandmother. Please correct these incorrect information ASAP!!!
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Hello @MARYTOWNSEND50
The information you have provided about your family is shown in Family Tree:
If the relationships shown are not correct, you have the option of editing them. Perhaps you are seeing duplicates of these individuals incorrectly linked elsewhere in Family Tree?
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I DO NOT like this new design! I need to correct bad info. But there isn't a way to simply repair a bad statement. My paternal grandfather was only born in Washington, DC, never lived there. He spent his entire life and raised his family in Baltimore, MD. The military record shown for my father places my 'PopPop' as a resident of Washington, DC, which is wrong!
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A record just records what someone was told. If someone was told incorrect information and that recorded - there isn't a way to re-record that and correct the actual record image - per se - but certainly if attached in Family Tree - you can notate that the record is incorrect and reference other records or information showing otherwise.
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