Why am I getting incorrect information sent to me by RootsTech?

Gail duP

I have used FamilySearch for quite a number of years as a search resource - it's very good. I even indexed 5000 - 6000 documents as a volunteer a few years ago. Our family maintains our tree on another product and although I uploaded my GED file to Family Search a few years ago, in the hopes that I might score a few hints, I do not have the time to maintain the tree on two different sites.

FamilySearch did not seem to realise that the tree was my tree so I did fill in the names of my parents and great-grandparents, as well as my own. In the case of one set of my great-grandparents I gave just their names.

It seems now that FamilySearch (RootsTech) is determined to tell me who my ancestors are. I don't think there is a simple 'no not this person' box for the many suggestions I get, and I generally just ignore them.

I was very irritated today to receive an email announcing 'A match made in 1842 - celebrate the marriage of your ancestors - Margarett Charles 1821- and Thomas Morgan 1810 - 1868'

No, those were not my ancestors, who were Thomas Morgan 1816 - 1890 and Margaret Williams 1825 - 1917, lived all their lives in Glamorgan and married on 26 March 1845 in Laleston Parish Church, Glamorgan.

There is no doubt about these facts about my great-great-grandparents. I do not need any assistance with tracing them. As explained, the fact that I have not entered these details onto the family tree does not mean that I do not know what they are.

I assume that some algorithm has decided that I should be advised that these are my ancestors and should be celebrated, but really, I am generally a much better researcher than an algorithm. I know more about my family to start with, and I know how carefully one must consider all the facts, rather than just deciding that a couple with the same first names and a suitable surname must the the right people.

A by-product of all this is that I have also been told by RootsTech about a cousin of some degree. When I look at the relationship, that person appears to be descended from the first Margarett and Thomas. Perhaps they are or, perhaps, like me, they are not. But they are certainly not related in the way stated. I wonder how many people are being misled by false connections?

I could try to put an end to all of this by trying to delete the few records I have on my family tree on FamilySearch, but it seems this cannot be done.

How can I avoid unhelpful and incorrect hints, tips and simply false connections (as today), while continuing to use FamilySearch to search - it has such good resources! - ?

Thanks for any advice

Gail Swihart Watson

First of all, I assume you are you are talking about "Research Help". "Hints" is an Ancestry term. Second of all, if you chose to leave out dates, the "research help" was not bad, it was incorrect, but not a bad suggestion.

I maintain my family's information in both FamilySearch and Ancestry, with the full understanding that in FamilySearch, the environment is an open edit, world wide tree. In reality, I have no tree in FamilySearch, nor do you. In both locations I ignore hints and research help. I do my own research and I recommend you make a decision at this point on whether you will stay in FamilySearch or not. Are you going to maintain your family lineage in FamilySearch or are you going to leave? You can't create a record with name only and expect "good" research help.

None of my 4 sets of great grandparents have minimal information and I highly recommend you either step up and beef up their information with your knowledge and sources, or abandon FamilySearch.

You are correct about finding relatives. Those too, are just "research helps" in reality. I tend to look at my relationship with others. In fact, when I see a suggested relationship exists with someone interesting in FamilySearch (such as my sister-in-law), I will note the surname of the ancestor we supposedly have in common, go back to Ancestry and do a search of my DNA matches for those that have that surname in their tree. Because I manage my sister-in-law's DNA in Ancestry, I can do the same search with her DNA matches. Yup, it appears our two families were connected more than 7-9 generations ago. In your case with a common name such as Williams, you will need to do a search of DNA matches using both surname and a specific birth location in the criteria.

Bottom line: FamilySearch is what it is. Open edit. Accept and provide actionable input on improving it, or leave.

Gail duP

Hi Gail

Thanks for taking the trouble to reply to my question.

I think I was irked by the fact that I received an email prompting me to celebrate my great-great grandparents’ marriage when there must be many Thomas and Margaret Morgans, as you say, the names are very common. The system just chose one of the many couples randomly to refer to as my ancestors.

I do have another option, of course, which is to automatically delete emails from FamilySearch and continue to use the data sets for searching. I’m thinking about that. I certainly won’t miss the many reminders to observe birthdays, wedding dates, etc., of generations of ancestors.

Once again, thanks for your comments.

Gail Swihart Watson

Gail duP You are welcome! You have yet another option as well and that is to turn off your email notifications for "Receive email that contains tips, inspiration, news, and Rootstech Information" or "Receive personalized email about my ancestors."

To turn those email notifications off, first you have to get out of Community (your profile has different notification settings here), go to your home position or some place in the Tree area, click your name in the upper right, click the first option "Settings", then click "Notifications" and edit all your on/off switches. That way you don't have to ignore or let it get to you. I have all this turned on, but I usually ignore it. Have a good day.

ColinCameron

I don't think 'the system', or 'some algorithm' has decided anything. Have you had a look at these supposed ancestors, and their supposed relationship to you?

As (the other) Gail has said, this is an 'open edit' tree and it sounds to me as though someone else has created a connection between you and them. Perhaps by adding them as the parents of your great-grandparents, or by merging someone you added, with a descendant of this couple.

Áine Ní Donnghaile

You can also opt out of reminder emails from FamilySearch so you don't even have to bother deleting them.

Gail duP

Thank you to all of you. It seems opting out of emails is my best option. I will continue to reiterate that in my view FamilySearch is a wonderful resource.