Genealogy Chat

Hello, I've found someone on my tree in a Pedigree Resource File on the FamilySearch website. The file also contains contact details for the person who submitted it. This is very exciting but before I get too carried away I was wondering: Is the submitter related to the people in the file? Can anyone add their pedigree to the site or would this person be a member of the LDS church? Can I use the contact details to write to them for more information? Thank you Helen

I don't know if anyone can add to it. I contacted someone that way, and she had loads of accurate, verified information! wonderful! :-) Joy

That's encouraging! Thank you Joy :o) Helen

I submitted my gedcom to LDS and am not a member of the LDS church. It takes them 2-3 months before they put it into the Pedigree Resource File. Once on line, it cannot be updated or deleted. Submitters names and addresses are supplied if one would like to contact that person for further info. For more information, click on the ' Share' tab on their web site. You will need to register but it's free. Hope this helps. Rose

I wrote to someone who was on the LDS site as a submitter and was surprised to get a very charming letter back from an elderly man in California. He sent me a printout of his whole tree containing the family I was interested in with lots of detail. Since I received this I have done a lot more of my own research and some of his information has turned out to be wrong. I think that an Ancestral File may be useful as a guideline, but should not always be taken as completely correct.

Hi Helen, CAUTION : I have also found pedigrees on LDS, which I later found to be far from the truth!! Gillian also in France!

Thank you everyone for your replies:o) So, to sum up, it looks like getting in touch with the person is a good idea because we might be able to share information but that I should double check anything that is new to me. I think I'll write my letter tonight! Helen

Helen, I said earlier that the person I contacted had loads of accurate, verified information - the reason I knew this was accurate was that she had employed a professional researcher and she sent me copies of his research - from parish registers etc. :-) Joy

Hi Helen, I have recently contacted a submitter that is on the Pedigree Resource File. She has been very helpful and has sent me a Modified Register, (she too uses PAF which I do,) She has made notes of where all the information is from, i.e. fron a census or from a baptism Register, Marriage Register etc. yes, she was also in the tree herself. Given the opportunity, I will contact somone else in the same way. Good Luck with your searches. June xx

Thank you everyone for your help. I've written my letter and I'm going to post it tomorrow. Who knows I might just find a living relative which would be lovely as I'm beginning to think that I'm a lone survivor of this branch! Helen