Family already added twice!

Question

Trying to add my 4x great grandfather and found he's already here twice -both profiles have big problems. One has a father needing to be merged, the other has the wrong parents altogether. One was nothing but GEDcom dreck (removed and used {{unsourced}}), and I'm feeling very frustrated! 

I don't want to call anyone out, but I'm not sure how to proceed. I'm really quite confused flipping between the extended profiles and need some "new eyes" who may be better able to see a way forward. I asked for trusted list, put in merge request on the one I could, sent a message to the PM and left one on the profile of the son(s) that need merging. 

I've listed the profile of the one I was able to do something with today. Cleaned it up, added sources, in-line citations, and primary source photos of Quaker records. People have been going back and forth about merging (as seen in comments) since 2016! 

I have also discovered incorrect connections on FamilySearch and F-A-G, likely caused by the same incorrect information. Do we have a sticker for Circular errors? FS has a source added that points to a person (wife) on WT and vice versa. https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/sources/LTN2-334   

Comments

Just an FYI ...

The last two bulleted citations seem to be duplicates, with the last having only a partial web link. This last one should probably be removed.

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Thanks George; I removed that extra/partial source.

Answer 1

Lisa, I took a look at both profiles and the main information regarding the parentage is now the same. I think you've done everything you can pre-merge and just wait the thirty days. If the profile managers haven't merged by then, then just do it! You can continue researching and clean up spouses and children in the next thirty days, but obviously these are the same person.

Answer 2

It can be frustrating when cleaning up after others... I have been there.

Sometimes it take a while for merges to happen, let alone happen properly.

Be patient with it, best of luck to you

Answer 3

Hi, the general rule here is that the lower number profile is the one that remains unless that one has an incorrect spelling.   I looked at the profiles you referred to the dates are quite different and the Andrew in the unsourced one doesn't appear as a child in the sourced one.  I would not merge them.  I have found people with the same name, close birthplace and date who are not the same person and take a lot of research.

If I were you I would just move forward sourcing and adding sourced profiles.   Merge when you find a clear duplicate and don't worry about the rest.  I sometimes feel bogged down by all the unclear and totally unsourced profiles with no dates but just focus on what I can do.  Good luck.

Comments

I thought I had them in the correct order, so I don't understand what you're saying about the lower versus higher profile number?

I also went back to compare the two and don't see a son, Andrew on either profile. I will say that there are a number of children not attached to either profile or wife, so that is something I can continue to research and add.

Looking at the son, John, I would say, there are some big issues with the profile, not the least of which is the lack of sources. John may have been a brother of Isaac Jackson, but could not possibly be the son of Isaac Jackson-217 or Isaac Jackson-6033. I sent the PM a message and will remove the father connection. Hopefully the PM will be responsible for sourcing it.