Ancestry record files as sources

+6 votes
264 views
I am somewhat new to WikiTree and do not subscribe to any paid genealogy sites such as Ancestry. I have noticed many people create profiles using Ancestry record files as sources. But I cannot access them without signing up. Example: Banta-1147 only has for sources Ancestry links to forms that one must fill in (and eventually subscribe for). There is not any actual info connected to these "sources" . I use Family Search sources. Is it the same (although free) if you have not signed up with Family Search? I mean, if someone has not joined Family Search, can they still click on a source link and see the Census or the marriage record? I hope I am not asking another convoluted question, but I find these Ancestry record links especially annoying and just as intangible as "handed down from Aunt Betsy".
in Policy and Style by L A Banta G2G6 Mach 2 (27.1k points)
retagged by Ellen Smith
If I have to use an Ancestry record, I bring over all the info.  For some records I save the entry.  Copyright is not a problem as I am only taking the relevant piece, not the whole record.
They are actually sources, but if you aren't a member, Ancestry redirects you to the sign up page.

2 Answers

+9 votes
 
Best answer
FamilySearch does require using the free account. If the Ancestry source citation is adequate, you should be able to find the same source somewhere else if it is available. Ancestry does have some resources that aren't available anywhere else. Most source citations are not adequate. They should conform to the Source guidelines. If ONLY free resources were required, then there would be fewer sources since no one resource has all possible records.
by Doug McCallum G2G6 Pilot (527k points)
selected by L A Banta
+8 votes
The difference is that to access the records on Ancestry one must pay. To access the records on FamilySearch one just needs to create a free account which is one of their requirements. Sometimes, the only source that can be found is on a paid site such as Ancestry. On WikiTree we are supposed to do our best to find a source from a free site. If that is not possible, then we are to use what we can find. It is inconvenient but it does source the profile.

One solution is to make notes on profiles of the sources from Ancestry. Then, visit a local library that has access to the library version of Ancestry and access there.
by Virginia Fields G2G Astronaut (1.2m points)
Thank you, Virginia. Your and Doug's answers are equally helpful. What irks me about the Ancestry source s is that they show no info whatsoever on the profile, merely Record 7458 or whatever. At least the Family Search citations include what they are "US Census, 1860, Kentucky, William Banta in the household of Andrew Jones" and whom they contain.
Laurie, the reason most family search sources are so well cited is that family search provides you with the citation and all you have to do is copy it and paste it into the profile.  When a WikiTree member uses a record found on ancestry, they have to compose the citation and … unfortunately … many members don't take the trouble to do that properly.  Records found on ancestry can - and should - be fully identified in the citation.  While it is preferable to use records that are freely available online to make it easier for others to view them, as all the others have pointed out, sometimes ancestry is the only available place online, and is therefore a perfectly acceptable source.  Please note that I am talking about records, not pages in ancestry family trees, which are not considered sources.
Yes, Gaile is right. If we use Ancestry sources, we can fill in some of the missing information to make the source more usable. I always try to do that but sometimes forget to be as thorough as I should. Then, I go back to check through profiles to see if I can find that source on FamilySearch and if I dig a little, can usually find and replace the Ancestry source.
Actually, Ancestry do provide a citation, it's just that many people don't use it. Some Familysearch ones are more explicit than others, since the privacy laws were beefed up in the EU. Findmypast don't provide any citations at all, I wish they did because it is time consuming to construct from scratch.
Thank you

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