Person does exist, but you don't know DOB [closed]

Question

I have a lot of people that I know exist because I've found them on Person XYZ's obit.  How do I go about adding them since I don't know their DOB plus sometimes I don't even know what sex they are?  Thanks.

Comments

Thanks for the replies Robynne & Lynda.  It does mention in the obit how this person is related to the deceased. I'll do a Google search & will occasionally get a hit on that they are on Facebook.  Sometimes their DOB is listed - most of the time it isn't though.  If the person is still living, is it okay to still list them in the biography?

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No, I would not list them in the biography if they are still living, unless they have given their approval to do so.

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Thanks Lynda.

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Lori, I would disagree with Lynda if the obituary is published and already freely available online. In such a case you are quoting a published item. Be sure to cite and link to the source.

But I would not make profiles for such people

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Thanks Jillaine.  If I decide to add an obit, where would be the best place?

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The biographies that I tend to work on follow a chronological story line.

After you describe the death date/place, you could indent an excerpt of the person's obit or otherwise describe it. Then cite the source.

Alternatively, if the obit is a source for the person's family members you could have a == Family == section under which you could write

Her obituary identified the following family members:<ref>Cite the obituary...</ref>

(then list the family members).

Or if you're not comfortable adding the actual names of the family members to the bio itself; you could simply say "See Jane Doe's obituary for more information about family members." (and link to the obit.)

Answer 1

Does the obit state how they are related to the dead person?

If you can use that to find their parents, then you can attache them to the tree, and then GUESS at the Years of birth. But make a note on the bio that the DOB is just a guess.

This is what I do.

Answer 2

I would start by mentioning them in the biography of the person whose obituary they appear in. Then I would work through systematically looking for more information and sources which can be used to place them correctly and build profiles.