How to fix census indexing - children attached to the wrong family
Not sure how to report these problems anymore since the help system has been so massively revamped.
Basically, there are children separated from their parents on a 1900 census schedule - the parents are listed at the bottom of sheet 14B (Ransslear and Emma Bridgeford - https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M9K2-T22). There is a notation in the bottom left margin of the census schedule, sheet 14B "Entered from Schedule 16, line 1". The family is listed as belonging to dwelling #305 and family #317.
Then on the top of sheet 16A the seven children are listed (beginning with Clara Bridgeford - https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M9K2-WF6). There is a similar notation in the margin but it's cut off, although you can see "14" (referring to sheet 14) and "99" (referring to line 99). The children are listed as belonging to dwelling #305 and family #317, same as their parents.
But in the FamilySearch census indexing, these children have been erroneously attached to Madison and Sadie Jay, who are listed at the bottom of sheet 15B.
Pretty sure this isn't something a normal user can fix.
Best Answer
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Hi @Cousin Vinny; we see this problem in the census records from time to time. At least someone has provided comments, as you mentioned, to help us find the rest of the family in the census. But these issues seem to create a "double whammy" for us when the record is indexed and we find children linked to the wrong parents, just as you have indicated.
We can move this issue to a category which will allow another team to review and put it into a queue to be resolved. Resolution and correction will likely not occur anytime soon. I have seen these take more than a year before being addressed.
If you are attaching the census record to you family in Family Tree, it is probably more important that you carefully document the error (separation of the parents children) that is in the census, so that others will quickly understand the problem and how to find the entire family. You'll also need to address the problem with the index record that is attached to your family members, pointing out the indexing error that you discuss above.
I have found that the Source for each individual, found in Family Tree, does provide adequate space to document any issue or notes that you feel appropriate. After the record is attached, as a source, to your family members, you can select that source and, having clicked Edit, add information to the section of the source record, "Describe the Record (Notes) ".
If you're interested in more information about editing a source, you might look at the Help Center article, How do I edit a source in Family Tree?.
We will move this discussion to the appropriate category, as I mentioned above; however, i'll wait long enough to allow you to see this answer. There may also be some additional comments. When I move this discussion, I will notify you by private message.
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Answers
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@Mike357 , thank you so much for leaving this post here a while. In my experience your response is on point too.
The one additional step I would suggest taking is to work up the profiles of the couple Madison and Sadie Jay, with a brief Note on each to explain the situation.
Think of it as putting trail signs at all points of entry to this maze of rabbit trails.
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