----- Original Message ----- From: Family Tree Finders <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, January 04, 2000 9:30 AM Subject: Family Tree Finders Tuesday January 4, 2000 > > > FAMILY TREE FINDERS > Tuesday - 4 January 2000 > > Understanding FamilySearchT > > If you have visited your Family History Center or gone to the > Family History Library in Salt Lake City, then you have > probably used the FamilySearch system. And since last May, > you can also use much of FamilySearch online at the > FamilySearch.org web site (http://www.familysearch.org). > But do you really understand what you are using? Do you > understand the benefits of the databases found in the > FamilySearch system? And do you realize the errors that may > have crept into the databases? > > The FamilySearch system as you find it in your local Family > History Center consists of > > -- Ancestral File > -- International Genealogical Index > -- U.S. Social Security Death Index > -- U.S. Military Index > -- Scottish Church Records > -- Family History Library Catalog > > Also included in FamilySearch are versions 2.31 and 3.0 of > Personal Ancestral File for those individuals who do not have > access to computers at home, particular LDS individuals for > creating the files they need for completing their Temple work. > > The SSDI and the Military Index are database of records from > the U.S. government. Many time people have asked how they > change information they find in one or the other of these > databases. Basically you cannot change this information. The > databases are released as they have been created by the > respective government body. And in the case of the SSDI, it > is not an all-encompassing index to deaths in the United > States. There are many reasons that a person's name may not > appear in this database (but that's another article). > > Ancestral File is made up of lineage-linked pedigrees that > have been submitted by fellow genealogists. Some are from > LDS members who are just sharing what they found in doing > their temple work. Other submissions are from non-LDS > submitters. Regardless of who submitted the work it is > important that you keep in mind that it is merely the results of > the researcher's interpretation of the records located. It is > possible that you have found records that the other research > didn't have access to. Therefore your information may be > more reliable. Likewise, the records used may not have been > the most reliable, and that would affect the results you find in > Ancestral File. Ancestral File should be used as a tool to pick > up clues to possible familial connections. You would then > take that information and verify it in primary sources wherever > possible. > > Finally, the IGI is made up of LDS submissions and extraction > work. LDS submissions are those names submitted by LDS > members who are working on their ancestors' temple work. > This index was designed to help them keep track of who has > been done. Genealogists just find it a great index to the world > at large (though it in no way is a complete index of the world) > to help them narrow their research efforts. Like Ancestral File > though there are possible errors. So it is important to always > seek out primary and original sources to verify information > found in this database. > > These comments in no way diminish the massive undertaking > of the FamilySearch system. It is a marvelous tool. I just > encourage you to use it as such, a tool, and not as the end of > your research. > > > > > Rhonda R. McClure > [email protected] > > If you know someone who is interested in genealogy, > please forward this entire message to them! > _________________________________________________ > To subscribe to Family Tree Finders, send a blank e-mail message to: > [email protected] > > At the site you can change your address, cancel or join: > http://207.153.204.247/cgi-bin/gt/login.html > > To cancel your free subscription don't hit reply,send a blank email from > your subscription address: [email protected] > > To: > [email protected] > ________________________________________________ > Copyright 1999 by SodaMail. All rights reserved. > http://www.sodamail.com > > > > >