FS MEMORIES FIND
How many of you realize you can search among the many MILLIONS (BILLIONS?) of uploaded FS Memories items by others (those marked as public) - and find items that apply to a specific SURNAME of interest (assuming surname is in title or description)
You can THEN add the items to your OWN ALBUMS
Here are some examples using the SMITH surname (you can do the same with your surname of choice)
SMITH BIBLES
SMITH SAMPLER
SMITH PROBATE
SMITH NEWSPAPER
SMITH HOMES
Answers
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I ignore memories uploaded by others. I have seen too many memories that I know are spurious.
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well - obviously it depends - but if someone has reference to a Family Bible of my ancestors - I SURELY would want to know about it - and confirm its validity and what info it had.
or if I saw a Family Register or Sampler - surely a family Treasure - Id want to know more about it and confirm its legitimacy and what info it had that I was missing.
and if there was any probate record - or newpspaper article - and the list goes on and on . . . - Id want to know about it - -
is there spurious stuff out there - For sure! - - - but thats one of the reasons for serious research methods that include some sort of validation and supporting evidence and a way of judging the reliability of things we see from others.
but lets NOT the throw the baby out wit the wash.
I mean - come on - the while idea and foundation of FamilySearch is a collaborative environment (that of course we try our best to ensure people document and provide supporting evidence and background) - and when we find things submitted by others - yes - we try to judge it based on supporting evidence
but whats the point of it all - if we go and just plain ignore anything of value - simply because someone else uploaded it instead of us . . . we can surely still apply sound genealogical judgment in verifying its reliability,
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Dennis
'Thank You', for that.
I had never really considered, searching, in the various "Memories", in 'Family Tree", of 'FamilySearch'.
That adds another avenue to pursue.
Something, I will have to suggest to others.
Certainly useful, to those of us serious Users/Patrons, using 'Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch', for its intended purpose, that being, actually, working on, our own "Ancestral" Lines (ie. Genealogy/Family History).
Rather than the likes of those, that are using 'Family Tree", of 'FamilySearch', for the likes of "Surname" Studies; or, "One Name" Studies; and, especially, in the creation and maintenance of, So-Called, "Project Pages", of NONEXISTENT individuals/persons, in "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch'.
I have found some great things, in the "Memories", add by Other Users/Patrons, to my Ancestors (and, those of my Wife); especially, as they now appear on our "Home"/"Landing" page/screen.
I really did not think, to extent that further, by 'looking' through "Memories", in general, in 'Family Tree", of 'FamilySearch', with the view to possibly finding some collateral things that may actually pertain to our Ancestors.
Again, 'Thank You', for that.
Brett
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Some examples of great finds that have come up when seeing what others have uploaded to FamilySearch Memories:
1) A higher quality photo of a poor quality photo I may have already had
https://www.familysearch.org/photos/artifacts/135559981?cid=mem_copy
2) A family photo I never knew existed
https://www.familysearch.org/photos/artifacts/109856948?cid=mem_copy
3) Newspapers articles of family members I didnt know of
https://www.familysearch.org/photos/artifacts/136191520?cid=mem_copy
4) compiled diaries/journals/family stories of pioneer ancestors
https://www.familysearch.org/photos/artifacts/9759778?cid=mem_copy
5) Grave sites I wasnt aware of
https://www.familysearch.org/photos/artifacts/26222425?cid=mem_copy
6) contact with hundreds of cousins of mine who are willing to share their research
. . . and the list goes on endlessly
with each item we find - it is always good practice - to not just take it on face value - but as we should with any good research in any item we find - we judge the supporting evidence, we review things that indicate legitimacy, we see how the item fits in with other items.
Each item we weigh and analyze - and we should consider those items that may not actually be what they purport to be.
some great videos about weighing and analyzing genealogical evidence
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Jn_XMUozo0
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but whats the point of it all - if we go and just plain ignore anything of value - simply because someone else uploaded it instead of us . . . we can surely still apply sound genealogical judgment in verifying its reliability,
For me the point is twofold:
- Genealogy is about the historical record, and provenance is crucial.
- I choose not to provide my valuable authentication services for free.
It is quite enough that I donate my services to Family Tree. For the same reason I do not use, validate, vet, or even look at trees other people upload to Genealogies.
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yes - provenance and background and supporting evidence crucial - - that doesnt mean we should ignore something because someone else uploaded it.
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I cannot be bothered to sift through the clutter and junk and unauthorized copies to find the evidentiary jewels. But that's just me.
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"to each his own "
but so many family treasures - I never would have found - if I had never taken the time to work with others and see what valuable items they had - that I would never have known of from any other source
a family register, a needlework sampler, a piece of art, a family bible, a journal or diary, a family photo, a family recipe, a eulogy, a personal account, a civil war sword, a valentine, a love letter, a mission call, a personal letter . . .. found from working with extended cousins and what had been handed down in different branches of the family and now making copies of such items available to the family as a whole through Familysearch memories.
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