How to deal with possible match where only name and year of birth match?

Question

Hi,

 

When I imported my family tree I dealt with many possible matches with existing profiles.

 

One possible match is causing me trouble.

 

On import I marked Richard Mason (Mason-6362) and Richard Mason (Mason-5615) as a Rejected Match.

 

However I can find insufficient information to say they are not a match and insufficient information to say that they are a match.

 

For Richard Mason (Mason-6362) from my family tree the information available is birth date and place, father, and siblings. Unknown are mother, spouse, children, death date and place.

 

For Richard Mason (Mason-5615) previously in WikiTree the infromation available is birth date, child, death date. Unknown are birth location, parents, siblings, spouse, death location.

 

The only data they have in common, other that their name, is birth date of about 1769 (Mason-6362) and about 1770 (Mason-5615).

 

Currently they are marked as Rejected Match. This is not right, they could be a match.

 

The options appear to be:

 

1. Leave the Rejected Match in place. However this is misleading as they could be the same person.

 

2. Remove the Rejected Match. However the advice is: "This should only be done if there has been a mistake — if Mason-6362 and Mason-5615 do not even look like they could be the same person." The problem here is that they could be the same person.

 

3. Set up an Unmarged Match. This would "indicate that the two profiles appear to represent the same person but are not ready to be merged." However there is insufficient information to say this either.

 

Is there another option that I am not aware of? Or is one of the above options the accepted practice in a situation like this?

 

Michael.

 

Comments

I think the language in the instructions about rejected matches is confusing at least if not even incorrect.  I would remove the rejected match as like you say they could be a match.  However, if you set them as an unmerged match, somebody could come along and complete the merge trying to be helpful when in the end they aren't even a match.  I would remove everything and make a note in the bio that the other profile could be a match (this creates a bit more work and careful attention for somebody to merge them later if a merge needs to happen).

Answer 1

Based on what you said, I'd mark them as an unmerged match ... until you are satisfied you can either merge or reject them.

Answer 2

Hi Michael,  Try this.  There are a lot of "no info" Gedcom profiles.  Some with erroneous date info that need cleanup.  Did you try contacing Profile Manager?

(1) Did you try checking down the Descendant List? (Family Tree).  If you have any matches here, they are probably the same.

(2) Try pulling a census for Maj. Mason (or son) to see list of children  and that Wiki contains "complete" info -- for any possible match.

(3) If no match (or match), paste census "cite" on Bio; do quick bio update and indicate "no connection to contemporary [[Mason-6362 | Maj. William Mason]]

Link for Descendant Info

http://www.wikitree.com/genealogy/Mason-Descendants-5615

Major William Mason ancestors descendants (September 1799 - September 12, 1863) m. Mary Lowden (December 1805 - December 11, 1879).

    Edward (Edward Benjamin) Benjamin Mason ancestors descendants (August 1834 - August 1, 1933) m. Sophia M. Meek (January 1, 1843 - March 13, 1922).

        Edwin (Edwin Benjamin) Benjamin Mason ancestors descendants (September 15, 1865 - June 6, 1942) m. Catherine Sophia Hill (November 9, 1871 - ).

            Catherine (Catherine Sophia) Sophia Mason ancestors descendants (February 2, 1889 - July 2, 1978) m. Carl A. Kietzmann (August 9, 1884 - November 20, 1960).

    Edwin C. Kietzman ancestors (1910's - 2000's)

    Stella Kietzmann ancestors (December 16, 1914 - December 17, 1914)

    Vincent (Vincent George) George Kietzmann ancestors descendants (January 30, 1917 - February 28, 1992)

    Douglas Reginald Kietzman ancestors (December 6, 1919 - March 25, 1945)

    [private third great-grandchild (1920's - unknown)]