Genealogy Chat

I have just picked up a message from someone giving very basic facts about a number of relatives on my tree. When looking at my 'Contacts', they have allowed me to view their tree, but they are the only one on it. I know we have had a lot of problems with 'hi-jackers', but how do you identify them. I don't want to offend anyone by doubting their queries, or putting off and upsetting newbies, but I also don't want to give away to all and sundry, Info that has taken me years to collect. Has anyone any tips. Night Watch.

Hi, I only keep a very small tree on here. The layout is dreadful and hard to follow. When someone enquires about a matching name I usually respond by asking if they mean a particular family and send the parents and siblings (from family tree maker). I also ask what is their connection with the family. I'm happy to share anything I have on any branch of the family to someone who has a connection but not those ancestors to which they have no connection. Gwynne

There is a little tool called GEDMARK, cue to Google, free from Progeny that I have used for some time. It places a marker on every name in a Gedfile identifying you as the author of the original file. So however much it is poached boiled or fried your authorship is always recognised. dave

I had a contact with someone on here last week regarding a likely connection about 3 generations back. We had not properly established a link (well not good enough for me anyway), and he asked for my Mother and Fathers names and if they had any brothers or sisters, when I asked why, he said he just 'wanted to add to his tree'. I didn't even answer. Linda

I usually ask for more info before I release anything. I had one person asking to see my tree and when I asked her what the connection was she said she was 'looking for a George Martin'. Well - I mean there must be 20,000 George Martins on here! So I asked why she thought the one in my tree was the one she was looking for 'Well he was born before 1920'. I didnt give her access. Told her to come back to me if she got clearer info. She never did. Another chap contacted me and gave me access to his tree - I discovered later everything prior to 1820 was rubbish - he had done the old, lets find something that fits from IGI trick. But he contacted me again when I let him have access and said 'I would really like details on the family today'. Nope, sorry mate.

Be Carful I have had some of my info 'pinched' without asking, so now I'm not adding anymore on Gr have Family Treemaker so put it on there.

I have removed my tree from GR, not so much for fear of data theft but just got tired of all those rude messages on the lines of 'My mother-in-laws sister was Betty Smith, let me see your tree'. I now use Tribal Pages. dave

Yes thank you Anne. You did get the FTM2005 didnt you Anne? If so, I would just fill that one in with your tree and dont forget to back it up onto cd and also use the internet family home page facility. That way you have it in three different places should a disaster occur. You can always transfer your FTM2005 info over to GR if you want to at a later date. Although I have to say that when I first joined and put the little I knew on the GR site I got a tremendous response which helped me a lot. I know what you mean about wishing mum was still here. I have found so much that she would have loved to have known. Even her GGPx4 headstones in the village up the road from where I live now. I was born in Rotherhithe, London, as was mum. She would have been fascinated to know I ended up back in the place of my ancestors.

Hi Everyone, Many thanks for your replies. Have had another message from them this morning with more info and a very definate link. The members husband has turned out to be a second cousin. The member only had one name on her tree because she only joined at the weekend and hadn't had time to add it all. Glad I replied to her contact. I have been a member here since Jan 2003 and this is the first contact I've had with this branch of my family. I know we've recently had a few members who's tree's have been hijacked. Just wanted to be sure. Again, Many Thanks, Christine.

I don't know how anybody can 'highjack' your tree, without giving them permission to view, they can't see it. I have never had a problem with this site, and I have been on here nearly two years. I only have a small tree, because, I do not put anybody on, till I have found out as much info as I can, up till then its all on paper. Ann

Dwaffy Dwuck - where can you get this GEDmark - where i'm looking it says you need to pay $9.95 to download

Anyone who wants to can see my tree. If they want to copy any/all of it then that's OK with me. I was brought up to believe sharing whatever you have with others was a nice thing to do. Yes, it's taken me lots of time any lots of money to create my tree but if I can save someone else that expense then it can't be bad. If they happen to be 'name collectors' then that's their problem. They will find no fun in the hobby and soon give up. The twigs on my tree that have been created from info given by others somehow don't give me the same satisfaction as the parts I have researched myself. I have realised that for me the tree itself isn't that important or precious, it's really only a list of names and dates that are available to anyone who can afford them (money or time). I know I enjoy doing the research, making new friends, receiving lots of help and helping others. That's what's important to me. And yes I probably do have MUG tattooed on my forehead......

Helen, I wish you were related to me! It drives me mad when I'm prepared to share info I've accumulated (that has taken me time, effort and money to collect) only to find that others are unwilling to share theirs and believe they have copyright on people in their trees. If information is available to the general public, then it doesn't belong to any individual, as anyone else can also find it independently and lay claim to it being their own. I think people who have been fortunate enough to find information on families should share it. Nobody's family is an island. Every family has other families 'married in' or has members 'married out', so those other families are just as relevant to someone's family tree,because they are related. How do those unwilling to share know that the person they're refusing to help might not be of great help to them one day? CB >|<

Louise, it appears they have decided to make a charge. Must be a recent thing,as I managed to wipe my drive last month and had to redownloaded Gedmark and it was free. In fact if you google gedmark free you will see references to it at various sites all saying its free and linking to the $9.95 page, c'est la vie ! sorry dave

it's okay - just right place, wrong time :D

Its always the same, a few bad apples spoiling things for everyone else. If I find a possible link, I always try and give as many pointers as I can, such as parents names, birth years and places, so that a possible match can be more easily spotted. If I receive a message, I always reply, even if there is no match.

I found a connection with a distant cousin, not through gr but a family history society. The lady concerned is doing a one name study and sent me a large wad of info going back to the 1500s. I did feel a bit guilty because I did not have much info for her in return, but I think I made up for it as she is not on the internet and I could send her census images.

I have always thought that once a definite link has been established, then sharing was a nice idea. I have exchanged information to mutual advantage on a few occassions. It is annoying though when you come across someone who is just on the take. A few weeks ago I was contacted by someone with a link. I put a lot of effort into sending a gedcom of the relevant part of the tree and lots of other stuff. Since then I have not heard a thing, despite her promise of information in return. I did email again, but have been met with a deafening silence. This is my first experience of this type of person, so now I know why some people feel so annoyed. Linda