Give us back our own public tree with the option to link
You have created a nightmare for families who disagree about dates.... My cousin insists from something she found that our grandfather had a middle name and she has changed my information. I can create a family rift and change it or quit using the tree service. I spend too much time correcting other peoples misinformation. This isn't even fun anymore.
If someone wants to link to my tree, keep them from changing it. I can't even really tell what is my information anymore.
If you were a teacher you would realize that each person needs their autonomy. Yes, we make mistakes but we also learn from them. No one likes having their creation changed.
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Family Tree has never been a place for "our own Family Tree." From its opening in 2012 it has always been a single, cooperative tree for relatives to come to work together in finding the best information as documented by sources. I hope you and your cousin can have a nice discussion back and forth about that middle name. What are her sources that he had it? What are yours that he did not?
One way to picture Family Tree is to view it as an ocean. Once you pour in your bucket of information, the water that was in your bucket isn't yours anymore, it's just part of the ocean. That is why many people use a service like Ancestry or keep a desktop genealogy database up to date with what they feel is the best information.
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Welcome to the "Community.Familysearch" Forum.
I am just another 'lowly' User/Patron ...
And ...
Further to what 'Gordon' has already proffered ...
Here an old 'standby' of mine, that I have previously proffered on occasion ...
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Most new (and, some old) Users/Patrons DO NOT understand the basic 'nature' and 'premise' of "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch', when they join in.
Please let me explain ...
We do not have our OWN "Tree" in "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch'.
We ONLY have "Branches" (ie. Ancestral" lines), that are interconnected, in this SINGLE "One" World "Tree", for all of us, that is "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch'.
"Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch' is NOT like 'On-Line' "Websites" (eg. "Ancestry_com"; or "MyHeritage_com"; or, the like); and/or, 'standalone' personal (computer) programmes (eg, the OLD, now no longer supported, "PAF"; or, "Ancestral Quest"; or, the like).
We DO NOT have "Private"/"Personal" 'Trees' in "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch' like other 'On-Line' "Websites"; and/or, 'standalone' personal (computer) programmes.
We do not even, own; or, manage; and, are NOT even responsible for, the "Deceased" individuals/persons in "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch'.
And, most importantly ...
We DO NOT even, own; or, manage; and, are NOT even responsible for, Our OWN "Deceased" Ancestors/Family/Relatives in "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch'.
"Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch' is built on a "Open Edit" Platform - hence, why any registered User/Patron can "Edit" (ie. Add, Delete; and/or, Change) ANY "Deceased" individual/person in "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch'.
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As such ...
FIRSTLY
Somehow ...
Of course, easier said, than done ...
Family members NEED to work TOGETHER (and, harmoniously), in this "Collaborative", SINGLE, "One" World "Tree", for all of us, that is "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch'.
SECONDLY
MANY; Many; many, of the Users/Patrons ,of "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch', still MAINTAIN a, "Personal"; and, often. "Private", DATABASE(S) (ie. Copy/Copies) of their "Ancestral" Lines, in one of the many available, 'On-Line' "Websites" (eg. "Ancestry_com"; or "MyHeritage_com"; or, the like); and/or, 'Standalone' Personal (Computer) Programmes (eg, the OLD, now no longer supported, "PAF"; or, "Ancestral Quest"; or, the like).
There are a number of those, 'On-Line' "Websites"; and/or, 'Standalone' Personal (Computer) Programmes, are "Third Party" Applications that are "Certified" to work with "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch'.
Those "Third Party" Applications that are "Certified" to work with "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch' can be found in the "Solutions Gallery" of 'FamilySearch'.
Here is a direct link to the "Solutions Gallery" of 'FamilySearch':
https://partners.familysearch.org/solutionsgallery/s/
And, here is the direct link to the "Family Tree Management programmes" themselves:
https://partners.familysearch.org/solutionsgallery/s/list?category=family_tree_management
"Third Party" Applications that are "Certified" to work with "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch' include, BOTH, 'On-Line' "Websites" (eg. "Ancestry_com"; or "MyHeritage_com"; or, the like); and/or, 'standalone' personal (computer) programmes ("Ancestral Quest"; or, the like).
Some of the "Third Party" Applications that are "Certified" to work with "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch' have, BOTH, a Basic FREE version; and/or, a Premium PAID (ie. "Subscription") version, the latter just having more 'Bells and Whistles'. The Basic FREE version is sufficient for most, the average, User/Patron. Whereas, the Premium PAID (ie. "Subscription") version is the choice of most experienced and 'power' Users/Patrons.
You can use ONE or MORE than one, of the the "Third Party" Applications, the choice is yours.
Most of the "Third Party" Applications that are "Certified" to work with "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch' that are "Family Tree Management programmes, have INTERFACES that work/connect (directly) with "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch' that can, "Download"; and, "Upload" (ie. "Transfer) between the "Third Party" Application and "Family Tree".
FINALLY
In your situation ...
With regard to your 'Cousin' ...
She NEEDS to provide some form of proof/evidence [eg. "Sources" (ie. "Documentation")] of her reasoning.
Even, if an 'On-Line' "Source", is NOT available; certainly, the "Details", of the said "Record", in a "Reason Statement".
As, Genealogy/Family History, WITHOUT, credible, "Sources" (ie. "Documentation"), is just mythology.
I know that this may not help; but, I hope this gives you some perspective.
Brett
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I think it's important to have a chat with your cousin. This is a community tree, and not your tree, so it's not necessarily up to you to decide what names are attached to your grandfather.
However, if your cousin's basis for the middle name is not supported by evidence, then talk to your cousin about how a community tree is for facts that everyone can agree on.
Maybe your and your cousin's thresholds for "evidence" are different. Maybe your cousin heard it from their parent, who may very well have made it up, or maybe it came from some shoddy genealogical research.
Consider the evidence together, and honestly, if it's loose evidence, then it is evidence nonetheless, and you should consider allowing it as an "also known as" but with a note of specifically where that information came from, so others can make up their own minds.
If your cousin is not interested in discussing, and just keeps making the change without offering evidence, despite your attempts at polite and not passive aggressive attempts to discuss the issue, then you're getting into vandalism territory, and can go through the appropriate process.
But at the end of the day, remember, it's not your tree. You must work together with your cousin where possible. If you'd like your own tree, there are many places that offer it for free.
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I also use the Alternate Name option MANY, MANY times. So many do not know about it.
Go to the Person page for an ancestor.
Go to the Other Information section and click the blue link that says Add Information.
At the top is Alternate Name, and an alternate name can be added here.
When FamilySearch does a search for names, it already uses names like Liz, Lizzie, Eliza in a search for Elizabeth, but I figure adding it as an alternative AND why I think it's an alternative (source, letter, document) never hurts.
Hopefully this built in tool helps @D Byrd or anyone else wanting to store an alternate name.
Sourcing really is the answer many times, but even then a census taker, or grandfather recording in a family bible can get it wrong!
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Thanks, C Lethaby, Great idea. I understand we are all a big part of a big world and that is what makes us. What I don't get is people changing things without real knowledge without first working with the person who added the information in the first place to make sure it's right! What's the harm of having a gate between the change. It's too easy for people to change alternative facts. I still change misspellings. I changed one today that had to be a typo because the headline name was Muphy and everywhere on the page was Murphy which is correct. The point is, the person who made the simple mistake had no voice in my changing it. That is ultimately NOT working together to create an accurate as possible world tree. The concept is good. The methodology is poor.
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