Incorrect source record leads to multiple parent entries in FS
My ancestor Boyd Henry Walton, KLBV-MML, has 3 marriage sources attached to his profile—
The first is a minister's return completed at the time of the marriage. In this record Boyd Henry Walton identifies a single parent—Lurany D. Walton.
The next entry is the county marriage register, (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9BK-1SWV-8?view=index&action=view&cc=2134304&lang=en) in which his parent's name has been shortened to L.D. Walton. So far so good.
The third record is a copy of the marriage register to be sent to the state capitol (
Boyd H Walton, "Virginia, Vital Records, 1853-1934"
). Unfortunately, in this copy his parent's name became parents: L. & D. Walton
As most users attaching sources would do, the person who attached this third source created two parents for Boyd—L. and D.
My question is what would you recommend I do in this case in which one of the attached sources has incorrect information because it was copied incorrectly. I can go into the source metadata and just delete "D." and update "L." to be "L.D." as was the intent as seen from the two earlier records. But there is no opportunity when changing source metadata entries to explain myself, so it is entirely likely that someone will come along later and conclude that there was an indexing error and separate out "L." and "D." into two distinct entries again.
Answers
-
@EarlMarshall if it isnt documented it didnt happen
As I look at this I see evidence of Laura in census records, which positively Identified Laura as a female, continuing through this you do see a D next to his listed wife of L Walton. The problem is there is not enough to really show if they are a single person or two.
If you're unsure about a couple relationship in FamilySearch, don't remove the husband unless you have strong evidence to support the change. Instead, carefully review the information, sources, and notes, and if you still have doubts, consider leaving the relationship as is or adding a note explaining your uncertainty.
An excerpt from the folks at FamilySearch on Rules to correcting relationships.
Rules to Follow in Correcting Relationships:1. Know what is correct before deleting relationships 2. Find and attach sources and tag those sources to name, gender, etc. 3. Have the correct information in front of you when analyzing the children and parent relationships, or have a split screen on your computer. 4. Determine if dates and places are logical and if relationships make sense. 5. Make a plan of attack. Determine the most correct information and what to keep and what to delete. If in doubt, DON’T! 6. Give reason statements for relationships you delete, referring to sources wheneverpossible.7. All children must be deleted from a relationship before deleting the couple relationship.8. If the relationship of a bolded child is deleted, the whole family relationship to the tree will be deleted – delete the bolded child last.9. Sometimes a new record may need to be created for an individual and then link the new record into the tree. This may be necessary when several individuals have been combined into one record.10. Fix the problem of duplicate parents first, then fix the children.11. Merge duplicates so that individuals are not left floating in the system.12. Merge Possible Duplicates as you encounter them during the process of correctingrelationships.13. If there are no dates, places or relationships common to the possible duplicates, they probably should not be merged.
0 -
Lurany is a female's name. Laurana and Laura are variant forms of that name. I am not asking because I am not sure about his parentage. I am asking because I AM sure that he only listed a mother's name.
So my question is really about how to properly delete a bogus source record that was created because a scribe accidentally added an extra "&". I can clean up the source record, but there is no opportunity in correcting a source record to explain what I am doing or why. But I will correct it anyway. I just wanted to know if anyone had any thoughts on that issue.
0 -
I hope I am understanding your issue correctly! If so, in cases like this I would probably edit the heading of the source and add a note under "Reason this source is attached".
For example, I have attached a source headed "George Wright, England Deaths and Burials 1538-1991" but know this actually relates to the George WRIGHTSON to whom I have attached the source. I would then edit the title to read, "George Wright (should be Wrightson), England Deaths and Burials 1538-1991" and add a note explaining the matter of the incorrect spelling (either in the original record, or that has been recorded in indexing).
Unfortunately, there is nothing stopping another user removing a source if it does not appear (to them) to match the individual in question. If you have any worries that someone might come along later and remove such an entry, I would make sure I added their profile to your "Following" list, so you can pick up (and rectify) any future incorrect work by another user.
1
