G2G: What do I do about suggested merges that make sense based on gut feeling and logic?

Question

I received notifications of proposed merges today, and as an amateur am not sure what exactly I am supposed to do. Several of the profiles I adopted within the past few months. The ones I adopted have GEDCOM imports as the sources, and the semi-matching profiles have Ancestry, FamilySearch, and Find-A-Grave as their sources. Though there are different records of children on different profiles, gut feeling and logic seem to state they are the same people. I have not found any sources myself on these people, for they lived many years ago and there are many people sharing the same names. What should I do?

Note: There are other managers involved whom I have not contacted regarding these merges. I saw that merges in the past have been rejected because some managers have not seen enough proof that they are the same people and are the children of the same people. To me, it seems that about 90% of the information is correct for them to be the same person.

Comments

Enclosed are the profiles in question. 

Penelope Steed: https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Steed-860

Penelope (Marbury) Steed: https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Marbury-42

Elizabeth Steed: https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Steed-903

Elizabeth (Steed) Lawrence: https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Steed-1627

John Steed: https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Steed-902

John Steed: https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Steed-91

Jesse Steed: https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Steed-906

Jesse Steed: https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Steed-84

It should be noted that the only Penelope Steed found on Find-A-Grave is noted as Penelope Marbury Steed, who matches the profile (mostly) of Marbury-42. Her husband, as seen, was Philemon "Phillip" Steed. Steed-903, Steed-902, and Steed-906 are the profiles I had adopted, figuring they were relatives. Someone has pointed out that Penelope only married Philemon, but is noted as being married to his brother John Jr. as well. 

Answer 1

If you could provide links to the profiles, then others might give their opinions.

Comments

Thank you, I will do just that.

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I have added the links to the profiles.

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I think that there needs to be more work done. Jesse’s father John jr,was supposedly 63 when he was born. Also John jr previously  had son John (not John III?) .

Jesse seems to be the closest match, but his parents are questionable.

As always sources, sources, sources!

I suggest you start by finding sources for at least one and spread out from there. Find-a-grave without a headstone is not necessarily correct.

In the meantime mark them unmerged matches.

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Thank you. I will try to do that. I have so far approved on my end of a merge between the mothers (both Penelope Steeds).

Answer 2

I would merge those profiles. Almost all the info in the profiles matches (birth dates, death dates, most locations, names of children, ect). It would be good to find more primary sources, but I don't think this is just "gut instinct" the profiles have enough similarities that I would be fairly confident that they are the same people.

Comments

Thank you. There are, really, two options. I can merge them and the merges will be accepted, or I can merge them and the other managers will reject them.

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You can also make it more likely that they will be accepted by doing more research and adding sources.

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Thank you. I have not found any other sources yet, but I am hoping to find them. If I do not get to finding the sources because of time conflicts, hopefully someone among the other managers is able to.