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How many of you still have a stack of these in a box or binder?
How many of you out there still use this program?
How many of you are still using an older version of this same program?
How many of you are still using the following method of recording your genealogical research?
These are not idle questions. I have seen the rise and fall of empires since these tools were used for genealogy shortly after the last ice age.
Why is this an important issue for genealogists? Because we are basically old and feeble? No, the real reason is duplication of effort and duplication of errors. The simple fact of life in the world of genealogy is that historically, almost every genealogist had to recreate his or her entire pedigree from scratch. Some of us inherited piles of paper from another older and sometimes long dead genealogist, but that just created more work for us rather than saving any time or effort.
Let's take an example from the Family Group Record image at the beginning of this post. Hundreds, perhaps, thousands of people created a similar record for their personal use. Were all of these records exactly the same? No. There are some hard to detect errors in the image shown above. For example, the last child listed is recorded as "Albert Mills Tanner" when his name was "Albert Miles Tanner." The errors on these paper Family Group Sheets have been endlessly perpetuated across the years since they were first typed.
So how do we overcome the burden of all this duplication and perpetuation of errors? We work together on a collaborative family tree. Does such a tree exist? Yes. The most used one is the FamilySearch.org Family Tree, but there are others. Absent the use of a program such as the FamilySearch.org Family Tree, the errors and duplication of effort run rampant and they are almost impossible to eradicate. Even if you choose to use your own program or method of recording information, it is important to refer to the Family Tree for a master copy of the information as it now exists.
Once the paper Family Group Records were created, they have been handed down to people who have never done a day's work of genealogical research. However, the inherited documents (and other artifacts such as photos) become "treasured heirlooms" and are treated as if they were infallible sources of information about the family. Only when the family begins to participate in the 21st Century Forum of Genealogy online and with collaboration can these errors begin to be corrected.
Granted, some of us would rather live in the past and use an outdoor privy than indoor plumbing, but I think it is time to start eliminating duplication and errors and begin living in the 21st Century.
Once you begin using the FamilySearch.org Family Tree, you will begin to see both the problem of duplication and the amount of error that needs correcting in their proper perspective.
I have loads of these that my great-aunt filled out. Some gave me clues, some had mistakes. Hurt my heart to correct the mistakes knowing how hard she worked on genealogy, but I know the data is wrong since I have firm proof thanks to the internet. I did start a new tree using just the info from my great-aunt, so I could compare what she had and what I have, as well as hopefully filling in holes in my research. BTW-how accurate is your form you're showing? John Tanner's father was my 5th great grandfather. His sister, Thankful, was my 4th great-grandmother. She married Alpheus Barber-thus, my Barber line. :)
ReplyDeleteThe most accurate information is available on the FamilySearch.org Family Tree. See John Tanner KWJ1-K2F. His father is parents are Joshua Tanner and Thankful Tefft.
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