GEDCOM: dealing with errors in work by others.

Question

While doing the GED comparison, I see that someone else has entered the same person that I have, but they have errors.   For instance I have many ancestors buried in a cemetery in Arkansas.  I've been there and I know their date of death- and the other person has it wrong.   What should I do in this case?   Accept or reject? Is there a procedure for this?  Some way to rapidly correct theirs?

Thanks- I'm new.

Comments

If you can see for sure it is the same person then so it is.  However, once you start working on those profiles with incorrect data, you can change the dates using sources and all should be OK.  Incorrect information is always welcome to be edited to reflect accurate information.  Since "you've been there", as you say, the original incorrect date shouldn't be that hard to fix since you know the correct data.

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I'll just add that tombstones are not 100% accurate. I'd rely on them much more than, say, a date of death from Ancestry, but less than, for example, a death certificate or a church register. Tombstone dates are probably comparable to an obituary.  As with all things human, mistakes are made.

Answer 1

I don't think you've been answered. You're doing a Ged compare. If they are the same person "Match". Then consider whether you want to "Skip" importing the person. That depends.

We try very hard to avoid creating duplicates. They require being merged into the other profile, and leave 'tracks' in the system forever.

In the case of Massey-2371, the profile is open privacy (the white open lock icon), you will be able to make sourced additions and corrections to this profile, without any problem. Skip that person (you did I see).

If you choose to do so you can ask to be put on the trusted list or made a co-manager of the file. If they are orphaned you can adopt them.

If the lock on the profile is green, I would still "skip" the import. Ask immediately (explaining why) to be added to the trusted list, so that you can make corrections.

Answer 2

Fred,

Are you comparing to merge to the lowest profile number and end up with the correct data?

Elizabeth