Finding information sources
Many of the people in the Tree have birth date and location, marriage date and location, and death date and location listed, but often there are no sources for that information given in the individual's source listing. Can you tell me how to find the sources? Thanks.
Best Answer
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Bill, as far as I know the sources and New FamilySearch (the name of old system) are not accessible. I just went searching to see if I could find it with no luck. I do know many of the genealogies are still viewable in the IGI or genealogies section of the FamilySearch website. People can upload and perserve family trees there but if you are looking for the sources, you may not find where other people got their information, there sources because much of their work was done before the internet. I did work in PAF when I was in college 20+ years ago, a different system for sure. Some of the source info may also be preserved in the unindexed parts of Familysearch (the microfische of pre computer time) or in books on shelves so not in an easy form to add as a source in the past but we can now.
What is boils down to is anything without a source is a lead, a possible answer which you should look for sources about and do the research to help others after us. Part of why the new FamilyTree is better because we can add and share our sources and documentation. I would not say older infomation is wrong some of it was gathered 100 years ago from living people who knew their grandma, etc. It just needs to be verified. I never delete the old unless I can prove it is wrong. If I see something in the change log was added in 2012 and FamilySearch is listed as the contributor that is a big clue it is from the old system.
Hope that helps.
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Maybe if you know the Birth, Death and location one passed and maybe a Cemetery...go on Find a Grave ans most show siblings, mother, father, 1/2 siblings, children etc. Hit on any one of those and you can see the childrens etc children dates etc.....I found this helped me in finding other info.
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The Family Tree as we know it today began years ago when people contributed family genealogies to FamilySearch. Some on paper and some in old computer systems, in 2012 the FamillyTree as we know it came from these records and databases. Many profiles have had to be merged because they were copies. The old family trees may have had sources on paper or in the old system but sources did not come over into the new system. The old information may be good, so add sources as you find them, or it can be incorrect but do more research when you see information without sources. Also remember some place rely on oral histories and not paper records, it is a world wide tree.
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Thanks, Dana. I appreciate your response. I've been able to get help from Find A Grave also. It just seems strange that Family Search doesn't have that information or doesn't make it available.
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Thanks to you also, Cindy. That helps me understand why things are the way they are. Do you know whether those old systems are still available anywhere?
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That certainly does help, Cindy. I appreciate the time you and Dana spent answering me and the time you've spent learning so that you can share.
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